Close a business email with a clear final sentence, a suitable sign-off and your name. For everyday professional messages, “Best regards” or “Kind regards” is a useful starting point. When the email needs a response, make the next action clear before the sign-off.
You do not need an elaborate ending to sound professional. A reader should finish your message knowing what happens next, who is responsible and how to contact you. The right closing makes those details easy to find without repeating the entire email.
The four parts of a useful email closing
Separate the final sentence from the sign-off. The sentence finishes your message: “Please send your preferred meeting time by Thursday.” The sign-off closes the conversation politely: “Best regards,” followed by your name. Your signature can then provide a job title and relevant contact information.
Here is a simple structure you can adapt: Before sending a business message, also check when to use CC and BCC so the closing and recipient list both fit the conversation.
Please let me know whether Tuesday at 10 a.m. works for you.
Best regards,
Alex Morgan
Project coordinator
Example Company
This example is a writing template, not a claim that one phrase is required in every workplace. Your organization may have its own signature standard. Use that standard where it applies, particularly for customer correspondence.
Choose a sign-off for the relationship
For a new contact, a straightforward closing usually works better than a highly personal one. “Sincerely” is a familiar formal option. For an established colleague, “Best” may feel natural. “Thank you” works when you are expressing real appreciation, although you should still state the requested action separately.
EF English Live’s business email lesson gives examples of formal and friendly endings. Treat examples as choices rather than rigid rules. The same phrase can sound warm in one team and unusually formal in another.
| Situation | Possible sign-off | Final sentence to adapt |
|---|---|---|
| First contact | Best regards, | I would welcome a short call to discuss the project. |
| Formal application | Sincerely, | Thank you for considering my application. |
| Regular colleague | Best, | I will send the revised draft tomorrow. |
| Someone helped you | Thank you, | Your explanation helped me resolve the issue. |
| Customer problem | Kind regards, | I will update you once the replacement is dispatched. |
End a request with one clear action
A vague “Let me know your thoughts” can be suitable for an open discussion. It is less useful when you need a specific decision. Write the decision plainly: “Please confirm whether we should proceed with option A.” If you need it by a certain time, explain the practical reason and include the time zone where relevant.
For example: “Please approve the final artwork by 3 p.m. London time on Wednesday so we can send it to the printer.” This tells the reader why the deadline exists. Avoid adding a deadline merely to make the email sound urgent.
If there are several actions, list them in the body and use the closing to identify the immediate next step. A crowded final paragraph can make a simple request look harder than it is. Give the reader an easy place to start.
Examples for common business emails
After a meeting
I will send the updated timeline on Friday. Please reply if I have missed an action from today’s discussion.
Best regards,
Sam
This ending separates your commitment from the reader’s optional correction. It is more useful than thanking everyone repeatedly without identifying ownership.
Following up on a proposal
Would a short call on Monday or Tuesday help you review the proposal? I can answer questions about the scope and delivery schedule.
Kind regards,
Taylor
A follow-up should make replying easier. Offering a concrete next step is often more helpful than asking whether the person has read the message several times.
Declining an invitation
Thank you for thinking of me. I cannot attend this session, but I would be interested in future events about the same topic.
Best regards,
Jordan
Keep the explanation brief. You do not need to give private details to make a polite refusal understandable.
Resolving a customer issue
I have requested the replacement part and will send the dispatch details when they are available. Please reply to this email if your delivery address has changed.
Kind regards,
Casey
Do not promise a delivery date or outcome unless you can support it. A precise commitment you can meet builds more confidence than an enthusiastic but uncertain promise.
What belongs in the signature?
Use the information the reader needs: your name, role, organization and an appropriate contact route. A long stack of quotes, images and unrelated social links can distract from the message. Check that your phone number and links are correct, especially after changing roles.
On a short internal thread, your first name may be enough if everyone already knows you. For an external introduction, a fuller signature helps the recipient understand who you are. An automatic signature should not contain a closing that clashes with the email you have just written.
Check the ending before sending
Read the final paragraph as if it were the only part the recipient notices. Is the action understandable? Does any deadline include enough context? Is the tone consistent with the rest of the message? Then check names, attachments and recipients before sending.
Emily Post’s business correspondence guidance is a useful reference for courtesy and clear closing statements. The aim is considerate communication, not adding ceremonial language to every exchange.
Frequently asked questions
Is “Best regards” professional?
It is a common professional choice for routine correspondence. Consider your workplace’s style and relationship with the recipient. A clear message matters more than finding an unusual sign-off.
Can I end a business email with “Thanks”?
Yes, when appreciation fits the message and your relationship. For a formal first contact, “Thank you” may feel more suitable. Keep the requested action separate so the reader does not have to infer it.
Do I need a sign-off in every reply?
A brief reply in an active internal thread may need only your name. For a new conversation, a formal response or an external message, including a closing is a useful default.
Should the closing repeat the subject line?
Usually there is no need. Use the final sentence for the next step or a concise acknowledgment. Repeating the subject adds little unless it clarifies a decision or responsibility.
Video walkthrough
This video provides a visual introduction. Menu labels and layouts can vary by device and software version; use the written steps above when they differ.
Watch on YouTube by Derek Callan – English for Professionals.
Featured photo: Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash.
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