The Best Way to End an Email or Note

Your opening and closing are critical to any communication. Be it a DM, handwritten letter, phone or Zoom conversation, email from a stage, in a coffee shop or board room, what you say at the beginning grabs attention (or not) and what you say at the end determines what happens next (movement forward or not).

After speaking with others, plus having written thousands of letters and emails, I have some experience to share. Here are what appear to be the seven best closings.

• A great closing when you want them to know you are sincere. We know you can’t pick up body messaging and tone in an email, so be straightforward and close with I truly appreciate all you have done.

• When you are trying to schedule a meeting, this works well—I can’t wait to see you at the work event on [insert date/time] at [insert location or video call link].

• On those occasions when you cannot make a meeting or event, or have to respond to an invitation, this closing helps to soften the blow of your predicted absence—I look forward to catching up soon.

• Have you ever been in the situation where you need to ask for a favour—by email or InMail? You make the ask, but how do you finish? I use this often—Thank you in advance for your consideration.

• For those occasions where you are grateful for someone’s help, showing gratitude can go a long way. Sometimes this closing is all you need—not body or content, just the closing, or you can identify what you are grateful for, then close with Thank you again for all of your help—we couldn’t have completed the task without you.

• This closing is succinct and straightforward. It identifies what you need and the specifics around that need—I look forward to your review of [insert specific project/assignment], especially your thoughts on Y [insert important topic].

• Have you ever been in the situation, either through an email, meeting, or otherwise where you need to email that other person to move things forward? Sometimes, it can be pretty tense. This closing will probably help—I am open to dialogue and look forward to moving through this or I’m optimistic we can move forward.

Remember, the worst thing you can do in a note or email is fail to end it by not having a closing. With out a proper closing, you are leaving things hanging. Having no clear next step or call to action is just poor communication and the worst way to close a message.

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