How to End a Professional Letter

Handwritten professional letters are becoming a lost art. These days, people email and text their professional correspondence instead of mailing it. While this is convenient for some, it's important to remember that handwritten letters have a personal touch that cannot be reproduced by typing something up on your computer or phone and pressing send. 

3 TIPS TO CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING YOUR LETTER

4 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN WRITING YOUR LETTER

- Make sure to take time out and write down exactly what you wanted to say in your professional handwritten letter. If you are not fully satisfied with how your professional handwritten letter turned out, your professional contact may not be either. 

- Send a physical letter! Like sending personal letters, writing business letters is becoming a lost art. Stringing more than one word or two by hand happens less and less frequently. Cover letters aside, business correspondence should be tangible. An email is okay for quick thoughts, but for meaningful communications, you should favor warm wishes in a physical package (with a proper closing, of course.) 

  - Use ink! Don't try to save money by printing with black and white instead of using color - it looks unprofessional and lazy. A printed letter feels cold and impersonal. Your professional contacts deserve the best quality work you can provide them, so make sure that includes using colored ink in order to properly end your letters.

The Importance of a Formal Closing vs. Casual

When you're writing a formal letter, and business letters in general, the business letter closing you choose should reflect the type of relationship you have with the recipient. Business letter closings that are too casual can be off-putting in a professional context. For this reason, it's important to choose a complimentary closing that's appropriate. 

 When you end a business letter, consider how close you are with the recipient. Do you know them well? Have you known them for a long time? Are you on friendly terms, or is your business correspondence usually purely professional? 

 The answer to these questions should help you choose an appropriate business letter closing. 

 If you're writing a professional letter to someone you don't know well, or if it's a formal business letter, use a more professional sign-off. "Sincerely" is always a safe bet, as are "Regards", "Kind Regards" and "Respectfully." If you want to get a little more creative, try "All the best," "Best wishes," or "Warmest regards." 

 On the other hand, if you're writing a professional letter to someone you know well, you can use a less formal sign-off. "Cheers," "Take care," or even just "Thanks" are all appropriate in this case. 

 Ending a professional letter with "XOXO" is almost always inappropriate, no matter how well you know the recipient! Save the hugs and kisses for personal correspondence.

HERE ARE 25 PROFESSIONAL LETTER ENDINGS YOU CAN USE

Try these business letter closing examples with your next letter. More formal closing thoughts are best for purely professional relationships. Chose the closing phrase best suited to your purposes.

WHY A PROFESSIONAL SIGN-OFF IS IMPORTANT

CLOSE YOUR LETTER WITH A MEANINGFUL SENTENCE, NOT JUST A SIGN-OFF

Closing Sentence Examples

Your closing sentence should either summarize your message, offer a call to action, or both. This closing sentence is your last chance to make an impression on your letter's recipient. Here are some examples of effective closing sentences that maintain a professional tone and leave a good impression.

• "Please know that we understand your concerns and have taken all appropriate steps to remedy the situation." 
• "Your continued cooperation on the matter we've discussed is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to call me with any questions." 
• "Thank you for your business. We look forward to continued working together in the future." 
• "Thank you for your time and consideration." 
• "If there's anything else we can do, please don't hesitate to let us know." 
• "Thank you for your interest in our company." 
• "We appreciate your feedback and will work to improve our services." 
• "Thank you for your support."
• "We look forward to serving you in the future." 
• "Thank you for being a loyal customer." 
• "Thank you for your time and effort on this project. I truly appreciate it." 
• "Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time." 
• "We hope that we can count on your continued support." 
• "Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you." 
• "Thank you for choosing our company." 
• "Thank you, again, for coming to us with your concerns. We'll do everything we can to resolve the issue as quickly as possible." 
• "We'll be in touch soon." 
• "Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this matter." 
• "I hope this finds you well." 
• "As always, thank you for your business."
• "Please don't hesitate to contact me if there's anything I can do." 
• "Have a great day!" 
• "We expect to see some real improvement over the coming weeks or your position could be in jeopardy. Please sign and return this to HR within the week." 
• "I hope we can come to an agreement on terms so that our business relationship can continue." 
• "You've been a valuable member of the team, and we look forward to many more years of your service."

SHOULD YOU USE A SIGNATURE?

NEED HELP SENDING YOUR PROFESSIONAL HANDWRITTEN LETTERS?

Heartfelt thank you cards make a lovely closing to a successful holiday party. They serve to rekindle your guests’ holiday cheer and remind them of beautiful memories.  

SEE ALSO:  Gratitude is a Business Strategy

We can also include your handwritten signature and, if you're looking for the ultimate personalization, we can recreate your handwriting with a custom Infinity font that perfectly replicates the subtleties of your own handwriting. Not only do you get the benefit of automated handwriting, but your recipients will also recognize the writing as uniquely yours — even if it's not.