Forget about subject lines, what about email sign offs?

How You End Your Email Can Influence The Recipient’s Response

While we often spend time perfecting subject lines or the body of the email, the sign-off is equally important in leaving a lasting impression. Your email sign-off can be a strategic tool to evoke specific responses. Whether you want to encourage action, express gratitude, or leave a warm impression, selecting the right sign-off is key. Test different sign-offs in your outreach to see which resonates best with your audience and leads to improved responses.

How to Choose the Right Sign-Off:

1. Know Your Audience: Understand the formality of your relationship with the recipient. Adjust your sign-off based on how well you know them and the nature of the email.

2. Match the Tone of Your Email: If your email is formal, stick with traditional sign-offs like “Best Regards.” For casual conversations, "Cheers" or "Talk soon" might be more appropriate.

3. Align with Your Goal: If you're seeking a reply, go for direct options like “Looking forward to your response.” If you’re simply closing a casual email, a friendly sign-off will suffice.

8 Sign Offs & When To Use Them

1. The Casual Close: "Cheers"

• Best for: Informal or friendly business interactions.

• Impact: This is a casual and warm sign-off that can make the recipient feel at ease. It's best used when you have already built some rapport with the person or are working in a laid-back industry. While "cheers" keeps things light, be cautious when using it in formal or high-stakes situations, as it might come across as unprofessional.

2. The Traditional: "Best Regards" or "Kind Regards"

• Best for: Formal and professional emails.

• Impact: These sign-offs convey professionalism and politeness. They are safe choices when you don’t know the recipient well, and they leave the door open for future communication. Use this if you are writing to a client, colleague, or anyone in a business context where maintaining a level of formality is key.

3. The Direct Call-to-Action: "Looking Forward to Your Response"

• Best for: Emails where a response is the primary goal.

• Impact: Including a phrase like “Looking forward to your response” as your sign-off can increase the likelihood of getting a reply. It directly prompts the recipient to take action, setting clear expectations that you want a response. This is especially effective in follow-up or proposal emails where the next step requires engagement from the other party.

4. The Polite Push: "Thanks in Advance"

• Best for: When requesting a favor or assistance.

• Impact: "Thanks in advance" is a proactive sign-off that expresses gratitude for future action. It subtly nudges the recipient to prioritize your request without being pushy. While effective, this sign-off can sometimes come across as presumptive, so use it in situations where the favor is small or the person is likely to help.

5. The Friendly Approach: "Talk Soon" or "Speak Soon"

• Best for: Warm leads or ongoing communication.

• Impact: These phrases offer a soft, friendly close that implies an ongoing conversation. They work well when you're building relationships or continuing an ongoing discussion. "Talk soon" maintains a sense of familiarity and implies that there will be future communication, keeping the door open for follow-ups.

6. The Warm Yet Professional: "Warm Regards" or "All the Best"

• Best for: Balancing professionalism with warmth.

• Impact: This type of sign-off hits a sweet spot between formal and casual. It works well for business contacts with whom you have a friendly but professional relationship. These sign-offs convey a sense of care while maintaining a level of respect and professionalism.

7. The Confident Close: "Best"

• Best for: Short, crisp, and neutral business emails.

• Impact: "Best" is one of the most common and neutral email sign-offs. It's simple, to the point, and won’t distract the reader from the main content of your email. This is a great go-to for quick responses or when you're not sure how formal or informal to be.

8. The Appreciative End: "Thanks" or "Thank You"

• Best for: When expressing gratitude.

• Impact: A simple "Thanks" or "Thank you" conveys appreciation and politeness, making it one of the most versatile email sign-offs. It works for almost any situation, whether you are thanking someone for their time, consideration, or a favor.