How to End an Email (Without Being Awkward)

You've written the perfect email. Clear, concise, compelling. And then you get to the end and freeze.

"Best regards"? Too formal. "Thanks!"? You didn't ask for anything. "Cheers"? Are you British? "Sent from my iPhone"? Definitely not.

Email closings seem trivial, but they're the last thing the reader sees. A good closing reinforces your message. A bad one creates a weird aftertaste.

Why the Closing Matters

The closing does two things:

1. Signals the next step. What should the reader do now?
2. Sets the tone. Your last impression until the next email.

Most people treat closings as an afterthought. But a strong close can be the difference between getting a reply and getting filed.

The Three Parts of a Good Email Ending

1. The summary/ask (if needed)

If the email was long or complex, a one-sentence recap helps: "In short, I need your approval on the budget by Friday."

2. The closing line

What you want them to do or feel after reading. This is the bridge between the body and your sign-off.

3. The sign-off

Your name and how you say goodbye.

Closing Lines That Work

When you need action:

• "Let me know by Friday and I'll get started."
• "Would Thursday or Friday work for a quick call?"
• "If this looks good, I'll send the agreement today."

When you're providing information:

• "Let me know if you have questions."
• "Happy to dig deeper on any of this."

When you're following up:

• "Worth exploring, or bad timing?"
• "Let me know if this is still relevant."

When you're building a relationship:

• "Looking forward to it."
• "Good luck with the launch."
• "Let me know how it goes."

Closing Lines to Avoid

"Please don't hesitate to reach out." Nobody hesitates to reach out because of this sentence. It's filler.

"I look forward to hearing from you." Passive and slightly demanding. It puts pressure without adding value.

"Hope that makes sense!" Undermines your own email. If it makes sense, you don't need to hope.

"Sorry for the long email." If it's too long, edit it shorter. Don't apologize for not editing.

"Per my last email..." Passive-aggressive. Everyone knows what this means.

The first ending is wishy-washy and apologetic. The second is confident, specific, and makes responding easy.

Sign-Offs: What to Use

The right sign-off depends on the relationship and context:

Professional (any context):

• "Best," (the universal default)
• "Thanks," (when you asked for something)
• "Talk soon," (when a follow-up is expected)

Warm professional:

• "Cheers," (works if it matches your personality)
• Just your name (no sign-off at all, perfectly fine for ongoing threads)

Formal:

• "Regards,"
• "Best regards,"
• "Sincerely," (mostly for cover letters)

Skip entirely:

• In ongoing threads, after the first email, you can drop the sign-off. Just your name or nothing at all is fine.

Sign-Offs to Avoid

• "Warmly," Unless you're writing a personal letter
• "Respectfully," Too formal for most business contexts
• "XOXO," Obviously
• "Thx," Not a word
• "Best," is fine. "Bests," is not a thing
• "V/R," (Very Respectfully) Military context only

The P.S. Trick

A P.S. at the bottom of an email gets read almost every time. Use it for:

• A time-sensitive reminder: "P.S. The early pricing expires Friday."
• A personal touch: "P.S. Congrats on the new office. Saw the photos on LinkedIn."
• A soft CTA: "P.S. If it's easier, we can also just do a quick call instead."

Don't overuse it. One P.S. is effective. Two is too many.

Let ColdCheck Nail the Ending

ColdCheck writes the full email, closing included. Every email ends with a clear next step and an appropriate sign-off that matches the tone.

No more defaulting to "Best regards" because you couldn't think of anything else.

The Bottom Line

End your emails with a clear next step and a sign-off that matches the relationship. Don't apologize, don't hedge, and don't trail off into nothing. The last line should make the reader want to respond.

The way you end says as much as how you start.