Most of us stop reading after the last full sentence in an email. After all, the majority of people sign-off with "Best," "Thanks," "Sincerely," or something similarly boring -- and there's no point reading this a million times:

Thanks,

Aja

However, the ubiquity of boring email sign-offs is actually a great opportunity for sales reps. Closing with something memorable and personalized won't just make you stand out -- it'll also give you one last chance to connect with your prospect. And with attention spans shrinking every day, every line of your email should make an impact. So pair a powerful email closing line with a unique sign-off to make an impression. Create a new, on-brand email signature in just a few clicks. Get started here. (It's free.)

Take a look at the difference an email sign-off can make compared with the standard one above:

Always a pleasure chatting with a fellow Red Sox fan,

Aja

A lot more interesting, right? Next time you're ending a message, try one of these creative sign-offs.

Email Sign-Offs

  1. "Looking forward to learning more about your [challenge]"
  2. "Excited to tackle [challenge] with you"
  3. "Thanks for the chance to talk to a fellow [book-lover, rock-climber, Cincinnati native, etc.]"
  4. "Always a pleasure catching up with a fellow [Bates alum, hockey fan, Curb Your Enthusiasm fan]"
  5. "Hope you're able to fit in some [prospect's hobby] this weekend"
  6. "Congratulations again on the [trigger event]"
  7. "Hope you get the chance to celebrate [trigger event] this weekend"
  8. "Enjoy the [event your prospect told you about]" or "Let me know how the [event] goes"
  9. "Oh, by the way -- good luck at the [event]"
  10. "Drop me a line if you've got any questions about [the proposal, improving your employee retention, sourcing new IT freelancers, etc.]"
  11. "Have a fantastic Monday (oxymoron?)"
  12. "Hope your week's off to a good start"
  13. "Enjoy your Thursday (we're so close!)"
  14. "Happy Friday -- hoping you've got some relaxing things planned"
  15. "Hope your [day] is going swimmingly"
  16. "Saw that it'll be [hot, cold] in [prospect's city] -- stay [cool, warm]"
  17. "Have a splendid day"
  18. "Will follow up with more info soon ..."
  19. "Sending you good vibes"
  20. "Have a great trip"
  21. "Enjoy the holidays"
  22. "May the sales be with you"
  23. "Your friendly [job title]"
  24. "To infinity and beyond"
  25. "May the odds be ever in your favor"
  26. "Hakuna Matata"
  27. "Live long and prosper"
  28. "I think we're going to need a bigger [boat, budget, other related noun]"
  29. "Keep on, keepin' on"
  30. "Go Pats!!"
  31. "May your Monday be full of coffee"
  32. "Roll the credits"
  33. "Tag, you're it"
  34. "Thank you"
  35. "Thanks again"
  36. "Best regards"
  37. "All the best"
  38. "Regards"
  39. "With gratitude"
  40. "Sincerely"
  41. "Respectfully"
  42. "Looking forward to hearing from you"

Creative Email Sign-Offs

1. "Looking forward to learning more about your [challenge]"

When you're emailing the prospect to schedule an exploratory call, use your sign-off to position yourself as a trusted consultant.

2. "Excited to tackle [challenge] with you"

Use this line in a connect email or after a discovery call to show the prospect you're ready and willing to help.

3. "Thanks for the chance to talk to a fellow [book-lover, rock-climber, Cincinnati native, etc.]"

Once you've established commonality with a prospect, reinforce it in your closing line.

Alternatively, if you're reaching out for the first time, adapt this line to: "Looking forward to the chance to talk to a fellow [book-lover, rock-climber, Cincinnati native, etc.]"

4. "Always a pleasure catching up with a fellow [Bates alum, hockey fan, Curb Your Enthusiasm fan]"

This line is another great option for strengthening your personal connection.

5. "Hope you're able to fit in some [prospect's hobby] this weekend"

Has the prospect mentioned -- either directly to you, or on social media -- that they're really into a particular pastime? If so, use this sign-off. It's cheerier than a robotic "Sincerely" or "Thank you."

6. "Congratulations again on the [trigger event]"

If you started your email by acknowledging a trigger event, mentioning it again in your sign-off will subconsciously remind the prospect things are changing for their company -- so they might consider changing up their vendors, too.

7. "Hope you get the chance to celebrate [trigger event] this weekend"

This line is a little more familiar, so save it for prospects with whom you've got a strong rapport.

8. "Enjoy the [event your prospect told you about]" or "Let me know how the [event] goes"

Referencing something on your prospect's calendar is a great way to show you've been listening. This sign-off can also be used with a buyer you haven't spoken with before if you saw them mention an event on social media or determined their attendance through another form of pre-connect research.

9. "Oh, by the way -- good luck at the [event]"

Use this variation when the other person is actually participating in the event (speaking, hosting, etc.)

10. "Drop me a line if you've got any questions about [the proposal, improving your employee retention, sourcing new IT freelancers, etc.]"

Hopefully, you uncovered and handled your prospect's objections during your exploratory meeting. But if they do have doubts or questions, make it clear that you're on hand to answer them.

11. "Have a fantastic Monday (oxymoron?)"

Mondays are universally disliked. With this closing line, you'll make your prospects smile -- and show them there's a real person behind your email. But don't use it with anyone who won't be receptive to the humor.

12. "Hope your week's off to a good start"

Use this cheery closing line when you don't know the prospect too well (and don't want to put them off with something more familiar).

13. "Enjoy your Thursday (we're so close!)"

As the week goes on, everyone starts looking forward to the weekend. (As a bonus, using "we" subconsciously makes the prospect feel like you're on the same team.)

14. "Happy Friday -- hoping you've got some relaxing things planned"

T.G.I.F, right?

15. "Hope your [day] is going swimmingly"

If you want to have a little fun with the generic "Hope your week is going well," use "swimmingly" or another underused adverb instead.

16. "Saw that it'll be [hot, cold] in [prospect's city] -- stay [cool, warm]"

A little personalization goes a long way. This option is ideal when you've just started interacting with a prospect and don't know how receptive they'll be to a more creative sign-off.

17. "Have a splendid day"

Simply swapping "splendid" for the traditional "good" or "great" makes this closing line memorable.

18. "Will follow up with more info soon ..."

Want to create a little intrigue and suspense? Drop a morsel of knowledge in the buyer's lap in your first email, then end by promising more to come.

19. "Sending you good vibes"

Subtly remind your prospect you're on their team with this positive sign-off. It may come across as overly casual for some prospects, so consider their job title, personality, and industry before you use it.

20. "Have a great trip"

Is your recipient going on vacation, traveling for work, or visiting their home? Show you're paying attention with this friendly sign-off.

21. "Enjoy the holidays"

This is a great option to use during December when everyone is looking forward to celebrating. It's also purposefully vague -- you never want to assume someone celebrates a specific holiday unless they've explicitly told you.

Funny Email Sign-Offs

A humorous sign-off can lend your email some personality and make you more memorable. But use these cautiously -- if you don't know your recipient very well, a funny closing line can easily be misinterpreted as sarcastic or unprofessional. When in doubt, go with a traditional sign-off.

22. "May the sales be with you"

Thanks to fourLetter CEO Josh Jordan for this one. You can also use "May the force be with you" if you want to keep the classic Star Wars reference.

23. "Your friendly [job title]"

Use this sign-off to end on a cheery note. To give you an idea, mine would read:

Your friendly Sales Blog editor,

Aja

24. "To infinity and beyond"

Toy Story fans will appreciate this borrowed-from-Buzz-Lightyear line.

25. "May the odds be ever in your favor"

Since Hunger Games became an international sensation, this has become a popular (and slightly eerie) way to say good luck and goodbye.

26. "Hakuna Matata"

Who wouldn't smile at this happy go lucky motto from Lion King?

27. "Live long and prosper"

Give the Vulcan Salute with this famous Star Trek phrase.

28. "I think we're going to need a bigger [boat, budget, other related noun]"

And one more movie-inspired sign-off, because why not? Tip your hat to Jaws when you're discussing a challenge. For instance, if your message is about insufficient leads, you might end with:

I think we're going to need a bigger pipeline,

Joey

29. "Keep on, keepin' on"

This sign-off evokes a "we're all in this together" vibe, which can bring you closer to your recipient.

30. "Go Pats!!"

Does your recipient like the same sports team as you? Remind them of that connection in your enthusiastic sign-off.

31. "May your Monday be full of Coffee"

You could really swap any day of the week in for "Monday" here. Coffee is the international sign of professionals everywhere getting through the week, so use it well.

32. "Roll the credits"

Sending one last email before the weekend? Use this cheeky sign-off for the movie buffs in your midst.

33. "Tag, you're it"

Playing "email tag" with a prospect or customer? This close is always a nice touch and treats the back and forth as a normal scenario and not an annoyance.

Professional Email Sign-Offs

When you need a semi-formal or formal sign-off, try these. They're appropriate for customers, prospects, business partners, and people above you in your organization -- basically, anyone to whom you need to show respect.

34. "Thank you"

This classic email sign-off is never a bad choice. The only reason to avoid it? If you already said "thank you" at some point in your message. Going overboard with your gratitude can make you seem like you're insecure or pandering.

35. "Thanks again"

That being said, if the other person has done you a big favor, and you've acknowledged that in the past, you can end your email with thanks again. Just make sure they've truly gone out of their way to help you, or the double thank-you may seem fake.

36. "Best regards"

Go with this reserved closing line when you're contacting someone who doesn't know you and/or works in a conservative industry.

37. "All the best"

This is a variation of "best regards" that can be used with people you know or new contacts.

38. "Regards"

Like #3, this option can seem a bit stiff. Save it for strangers and/or transactional emails.

Formal Email Signoffs

39. "With gratitude"

This sign-off is a professional way to communicate you're grateful for your contact's actions, thoughts, or feedback.

40. "Sincerely"

Most professionals end their cover letters with this sign-off. That's probably the only situation you should be using it for -- otherwise, you might sound like you're trying to be someone's pen pal.

41. "Respectfully"

"Respectfully" implies you're deferring to your recipient, so use it when you're emailing someone who's far, far more powerful, experienced, or knowledgable. It can also help soften a potentially antagonistic message.

42. "Looking forward to hearing from you"

You may have seen this sign-off used by people making a request or asking a question, i.e., "Would you be open to grabbing some coffee and sharing your freelancing advice? Looking forward to hearing from you …"

Unfortunately, this often comes across as pushy. Instead, I recommend "Looking forward from hearing from you" for the opposite scenario: When you're helping the other person out.

To give you an idea, perhaps you're reaching out about a speaking opportunity. Or maybe you're letting them know you featured their story in a blog post. When used by the provider, this line evokes warmth and friendliness.

How Not to Sign-Off an Email

Here are the worst ways to close an email.

1. "Love"

It might go without saying, but ending a professional message with "Love" will make your recipient uncomfortable.

2. "Kisses," "xx," "xoxo," hugs"

Along similar lines, any of these intimate sign-offs are unacceptable. Save them for friends and family.

3. "Yours"

This stiff, overly formal sign-off conjures up images of old-fashioned love letters. Not what you want your prospect, partner, customer, or coworker to be thinking of when you're making a request or delivering information.

4. "Ciao"

Unless you're Italian, borrowing this phrase will seem pretentious.

5. "Yours faithfully"

Are you a sailor's wife in 1850 waiting patiently for your spouse to return to you? Then steer clear of this out-dated closer.

6. "Rgds," "Thx"

If you're trying to say "regards" or "thanks", show your contacts you care by taking the time to include all the letters, and not abbreviating them to "rgds" and "thanks."

7. "More soon"

The problem with this one is that you're promising to follow up shortly. If you end up needing more time, you'll still have to send a message explaining the delay.

8. "As ever"

As ever ... what? This sign-off doesn't make sense and feels too forward for business contacts.

9. Not including a sign-off

Unless you're deep in an email chain, an email sign-off shouldn't be negotiable if you're sending an initial response to a contact. Not including a sign-off in your first email can make your email feel impersonal.

Looking for more email tips? Learn when to use reply, reply all, CC, and BCC next.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published July 25, 2016 and has beenupdated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Oct 21, 2019 4:26:00 PM, updated June 10 2021