The way you end your email matters more than you might think. Those final few words create a lasting impression that can determine whether your message gets a response or lands in the digital abyss. At mailfloss, we're constantly looking for ways to help businesses improve every aspect of their email effectiveness, from list quality to message composition.
You might be surprised to learn that something as simple as your email sign-off can significantly impact your response rates. In fact, the data shows that certain closings consistently outperform others by impressive margins.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the science behind effective email closings, share data-backed recommendations, and provide context-specific advice to help you end every email with impact. Whether you're reaching out to new clients, communicating with colleagues, or following up on important conversations, we've got you covered.
The Importance of Email Sign-offs: More Than Just a Formality
Email sign-offs serve as your digital farewell. They might seem like a small detail, but they play a crucial role in how your message is received. This importance comes from what psychologists call the "recency effect," where people tend to remember the last things they see more vividly than what came before. The sign-off's position as the last-read element makes it critical for final impressions. (Source: Nik.art)
Your email closing serves multiple important functions that directly affect your communication success:
- Signals the end of your message in a polite, structured way
- Sets the tone for your professional relationship
- Influences the likelihood of receiving a response
- Reflects your communication style and professionalism
- Creates a sense of continuity in ongoing conversations
Think of your sign-off as the handshake at the end of an in-person meeting. It might be brief, but it leaves a lasting impression about how the interaction went and sets expectations for future communication.
What makes this topic particularly fascinating is that small changes in how you end your email can have measurable impacts on recipient behavior. Let's explore what the research tells us about which closings work best.
Data-Driven: Which Email Sign-offs Get the Most Responses
When it comes to email effectiveness, we don't have to rely on guesswork. Comprehensive research has revealed clear patterns in how different sign-offs affect response rates.
One major study analyzed over 350,000 email threads to determine which closings generated the highest response rates. The results show that gratitude-based closings yield a 36% higher response rate than non-thankful closings. (Source: Boomerang)
Below is a detailed breakdown of how different sign-offs performed in terms of response rates:
These findings reveal several important insights about effective email closings. First, expressions of gratitude consistently outperform other options. "Thanks in advance" tops the list at 65.7%, followed by "Thanks" at 63.0%, and "Thank you" at 57.9%. (Source: Boomerang)
What's particularly interesting is that "Best" – one of the most commonly used sign-offs – has the lowest response rate (51.2%) among common closings, performing only slightly above the baseline average of 47.5%. (Source: Boomerang)
Even formal closings like "Regards" (53.5%) and "Kind regards" (53.9%) significantly underperform compared to thankful alternatives. (Source: Boomerang)
The Psychology Behind Gratitude in Email Closings
Why do gratitude-based closings work so well? The answer lies in fundamental human psychology. When we express thanks, we tap into powerful social dynamics that motivate action.
Research supports this effect. A 2010 study found that emails containing "thank you" doubled assistance offers compared to those without such expressions of gratitude. (Source: Boomerang)
Gratitude creates several psychological effects that increase response likelihood:
- Reciprocity: People naturally want to respond to positive actions with positive actions of their own
- Social obligation: Thanking someone in advance creates a subtle sense of commitment
- Positive impression: Grateful people are generally perceived more favorably
- Emotional connection: Expressing thanks establishes a human connection in digital communication
This explains why "Thanks in advance" performs so well despite being considered presumptuous by some etiquette experts. The psychological impact of gratitude outweighs potential concerns about presumption in most contexts.
Choosing the Right Email Sign-off for Different Contexts
While the data provides valuable insights into general effectiveness, context matters tremendously when selecting your email closing. The perfect sign-off varies depending on your relationship with the recipient, the purpose of your communication, and the response you hope to receive.
Let's explore tailored recommendations for different professional scenarios:
Professional and Formal Email Sign-offs
In professional settings, especially when communicating with superiors, clients, or new business contacts, a more formal approach is appropriate. Top choices for professional email closings include "Sincerely," "Best regards," and "Thank you." (Source: Team Referral Network)
For corporate communications, effective closings that maintain professionalism while encouraging engagement include "Looking forward to your thoughts" or "Thank you for your time." (Source: Inc)
This table provides a framework for choosing appropriate professional sign-offs based on your specific situation. Remember that in formal business communications, consistency helps establish your professional brand.
Follow-up Email Sign-offs
When following up on previous communications, your sign-off should acknowledge the ongoing conversation while gently encouraging a response. The goal is to prompt action without seeming pushy or impatient.
Effective options include:
- "Looking forward to your reply"
- "Thanks for your attention to this matter"
- "I appreciate your prompt response"
- "Thanks in advance for your help"
- "Waiting to hear from you soon"
These closings signal that you expect a response while maintaining professionalism. Just be careful to avoid passive-aggressive tones like "Awaiting your response," which can create negative impressions. (Source: Fast Company)
Cold Outreach Email Sign-offs
When reaching out to new prospects or potential connections, your sign-off needs to be professional yet inviting. The right closing for cold outreach should respect the recipient's time while encouraging engagement.
For cold emails, balance professionalism with warmth using closings like:
"Thank you for considering my request" – Shows appreciation for their time and attention
"Looking forward to connecting" – Indicates interest in establishing a relationship
"Appreciate your insights" – Values their expertise and perspective
"Warm regards" – Adds a friendly touch while remaining professional
"Thanks for the opportunity" – Expresses gratitude while acknowledging their position
In cold outreach, combining gratitude with an invitation to respond has proven most effective. These closings acknowledge the recipient's time while encouraging further engagement.
Email Sign-offs to Avoid (And Better Alternatives)
Just as some closings can boost your response rates, others can undermine your effectiveness or create negative impressions. Let's examine sign-offs that data and etiquette experts suggest avoiding:
Avoid passive-aggressive closings that might create tension or discomfort. Your sign-off should leave a positive final impression, not create awkwardness or pressure. In professional contexts, it's also best to avoid overly casual phrases like "Catch you later," which may undermine your credibility. (Source: Team Referral Network)
Remember that the goal of your email closing is to leave a positive impression while encouraging the desired response. Choose closings that reflect your intentions without creating negative impressions.
How to Personalize Your Email Sign-off
While standard closings work well for most communications, personalizing your sign-off can help you stand out and strengthen your connection with the recipient. The key is finding the right balance between personalization and professionalism.
Here are effective ways to add a personal touch to your email closings:
Reference Upcoming Interactions
Mention a future meeting or event to create continuity in your professional relationship:
"Looking forward to our meeting on Thursday"
"Excited to continue this conversation at the conference"
"Until our call next week"
Add Contextual Well-Wishes
Include a thoughtful sentiment related to something you know about the recipient:
"Wishing you success with your product launch"
"Hope your presentation goes well tomorrow"
"Enjoy your upcoming vacation"
Express Specific Appreciation
Go beyond generic thanks to acknowledge something specific:
"Truly grateful for your insights on this project"
"Thanks again for sharing your expertise"
"I appreciate your detailed feedback"
Personalization works best when it's specific and genuine. Generic personalization attempts can feel forced or insincere. Take a moment to consider your relationship with the recipient and what would resonate with them specifically.
The most effective personalized closings combine professionalism with authentic connection. They show that you've paid attention to the relationship and value the ongoing communication.
Email Sign-offs and Deliverability: The Connection
While your sign-off primarily affects how recipients perceive and respond to your message, it can indirectly impact your email deliverability as well. This connection between closings and delivery success is worth understanding for comprehensive email effectiveness.
Here's how your email sign-off fits into the bigger deliverability picture:
When recipients respond to your emails (which effective sign-offs encourage), it signals to email service providers that your content is valuable and wanted. These positive engagement signals help improve your sender reputation over time.
However, even the perfect sign-off won't help if your email doesn't reach the inbox in the first place. That's where email verification becomes essential for maintaining deliverability.
At mailfloss, we help businesses maintain clean email lists that improve deliverability, allowing your perfectly crafted messages—complete with effective sign-offs—to reach their intended recipients. Our automated system connects with over 35 email service providers to eliminate invalid addresses before they harm your sender reputation.
This combination of good list hygiene and strong engagement (partly influenced by effective closings) builds a positive sender reputation that improves overall deliverability. It's a virtuous cycle where better deliverability leads to more opportunities for engagement.
Advanced Tips for Email Closing Success
Beyond choosing the right sign-off phrase, consider these advanced strategies to make your email closings more effective:
Optimize Your Email Signature
Your signature block complements your sign-off and provides important contact information. Keep it professional but concise:
- Include only essential contact details (name, title, company, phone)
- Limit to 3-5 lines for better mobile viewing
- Consider including one relevant social media profile (like LinkedIn)
- Avoid cluttered designs with too many images or colors
Test Different Closings
What works best can vary depending on your specific audience and industry. Consider testing different sign-offs with similar audiences and tracking response rates to discover what works best for your specific communications.
For important ongoing communications, try alternating between "Thanks in advance," "Thank you," and "Thanks" to see which generates the best results with your particular recipients.
Maintain Tone Consistency
Ensure your sign-off matches the tone of your entire email. A formal message with a casual closing creates cognitive dissonance that can confuse recipients. Similarly, a friendly message with an overly formal closing can feel awkward.
Pay attention to how the recipient signs their emails to you. Mirroring their level of formality (without directly copying their exact closing) often works well for establishing rapport.
Consider Cultural Differences
When emailing internationally, research appropriate closings for different cultures to avoid unintentional offense. Some cultures prefer more formal closings, while others may value warmth and personal connection.
For example, many European business communications maintain higher formality longer than American ones. When in doubt, err on the side of slightly more formal until you understand the cultural expectations.
Finding Your Perfect Email Sign-off
The data clearly shows that gratitude-based closings like "Thanks in advance," "Thanks," and "Thank you" consistently outperform other options when measuring response rates. However, the perfect sign-off for your specific situation depends on multiple contextual factors.
Here's a simple framework for choosing the right email closing:
- Consider your relationship with the recipient
- Identify the specific purpose of your email
- Determine what response or action you want
- Select a closing that balances effectiveness with appropriateness
- Test and refine based on results
Remember that even small changes to your email closing can significantly impact your communication effectiveness. Start with the data-backed options we've explored, then adjust based on your specific context and results.
At mailfloss, we believe that effective email communication involves both technical excellence—like ensuring your messages reach valid inboxes—and strategic elements like thoughtful sign-offs. By combining proper email list hygiene with smart closing techniques, you can maximize both deliverability and response rates.
Ready to improve your overall email marketing performance? Start with clean lists by watching our demo to see how mailfloss automatically keeps your email database free of invalid addresses, ensuring your perfectly crafted messages reach their intended recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions About Email Sign-offs
What is the most professional way to end an email?
The most professional email sign-offs include "Sincerely," "Best regards," "Thank you," and "Kind regards." For maximum formality in business settings, "Sincerely" remains the gold standard, while "Thank you" balances professionalism with effectiveness in generating responses.
Does my email sign-off really affect response rates?
Yes, your choice of email sign-off significantly impacts response rates. Data from analyzing 350,000 email threads shows that gratitude-based closings yield 36% higher response rates than non-thankful alternatives. This makes your closing choice a powerful tool for improving email effectiveness.
What's the best way to end a cold outreach email?
For cold outreach, closings that combine gratitude with forward momentum work best. Options like "Thanks for considering," "Looking forward to connecting," and "Appreciate your time" acknowledge the recipient's attention while encouraging a response without being presumptuous.
Should I use different sign-offs for different people?
Yes, adapting your sign-off to your relationship with the recipient is recommended. Use more formal closings for new business contacts and superiors, and more casual options for colleagues and long-term connections. Consistency within similar relationship categories helps establish your communication style.
Is it better to use my full name or just first name after my sign-off?
For initial communications or formal contexts, using your full name is appropriate. For ongoing conversations with established contacts, your first name creates a more personal connection. In either case, include your full contact information in your signature block for professional communications.