How to End Emails Effectively – With 3 Examples

You’ve just crafted an email to be proud of. The subject line is on point. Your greeting? It’s warm and professional. However, now that you’ve said everything you wanted to say, you’re not quite sure how to end the email effectively.

Effectively ending your email is tricky but crucial

Why is it important, and why is bringing an email to a close challenging? The ending is important because you don’t want the recipient to finish reading your email and then think: 

“Okay. Well, I’ll deal with that later.” 

It’s likely to get lost in the fray. Instead, you want to convince your reader to respond appropriately and come across as friendly. Below we’ll look at a few ways you can do that so you can end emails more effectively – and get the desired action from your audience.

Strategies for a strong email ending

To find the best email ending, it helps to go back to the initial purpose of your email. What would you like your reader to do next? It’s smart to include a call-to-action.

Without being long-winded, try to touch on the following things with your email closing.

Summarize your main points

Once you’ve conveyed your message, you can always recap its key elements. This will help reinforce your message and ensure your correspondent understands what you’re communicating.

Example: “To summarize, we need to finish up the project plan, confirm the budget, and set a date for the kickoff meeting. Let me know what you think.”

Provide a clear call-to-action

When you end your email, be specific: let your recipient know what you’d like. Depending on the situation, it could be a request or a command. Clear language reduces ambiguity and increases the likelihood of a prompt response.

Example: “Could you please send me the updated report by Thursday?”

Express gratitude

Gratitude should be genuine, especially when you request a favor or any action that involves an effort on the part of your recipient. 

Try to remember that everyone has plenty they need and want to do. Any attention you may get is a great thing, so a simple “thank you” can go a long way. It shows appreciation for the recipient’s time and effort.

Example: “Thank you for your assistance with this project. It’s made such a difference.”

Set expectations for follow-up 

If you’re writing about an ongoing project, indicate when and how you will follow up or invite your correspondent to contact you if they have questions.

Example: “I will follow up with you in about ten days to discuss our progress.”

End with a friendly sign-off 

Choose a closing phrase that matches the tone of your email and your relationship with the recipient. It’s been a trend lately to not have any closing at all. I recommend against this. 

First of all, it can come across as curt and sometimes the person on the other end will wonder if your message was cut off or that was really just the end. Instead, a friendly sign-off ends your email on a pleasant note – so it’s more likely to get a positive response.

Example: “Best regards,” “Sincerely,” or “Looking forward to your response.”

Examples of effective email endings

There’s nothing like seeing some examples to help you improve the way you end your emails. Let’s explore a few scenarios so you can get some inspiration for your next email.

Example 1: Professional email ending

Hi [Recipient’s Name],

It’s been a while since we met and hope you’ve been managing with what sounded like a very full workload.

I’m touching base regarding our upcoming project. Thanks so much for working with me on it.

To summarize, we need to finalize the project plan, confirm the budget, and set a date for the kickoff meeting.  Could you please send me the updated report by Thursday?

Thank you for your assistance with this matter. I will follow up with you next week to discuss our progress.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Example 2: Friendly email ending

Hey [Recipient’s Name],

Just a quick note to check in on our plan to have a coffee chat sometime next week. Can you confirm if you’re still up to sip and talk on Thursday or Friday? Also, I won’t forget to bring that booklet I told you about!

Thanks a bunch! Looking forward to it.

Cheers,

[Your Name]

Example 3: Follow-up email ending

Hello [Recipient’s Name],

I wanted to follow up on my previous email regarding the meeting schedule. You mentioned you’d find out more this week. Have you had a chance to review the proposed dates? 

Thank you for working with us on this. Please let me know if you need any further information or if I can be of assistance in any way.

Best,

[Your Name]

End your emails by balancing etiquette and directness

Next time you’re about to hit send, take a moment to craft a thoughtful closing. Mastering the art of ending emails effectively helps you progress on your projects and improve your overall online communication.

No matter what you hope to accomplish, keep in mind the last words is what you’re leaving them with. 

You can make the most of those last few seconds by: 

• summarizing key points
• providing a clear call-to-action
• expressing gratitude 
• and setting follow-up expectations. 

If it’s a short response, it could mean simply ending with a friendly sign-off. Choosing the right words can make all the difference between moving forward or having to send a follow-up email.