Unlike employees in bigger companies, freelancers often don’t need a uniform email sign off. If you are a freelancer, you are probably working with different types of people, which means you’ll have to rely on your creativity in communication. After replying to an email from a client, you should think about what message you’re trying to send. There are plenty of good ways to sign off a message for clients. If you are a freelancer, take a look at our list of best email sign offs.
Formal sign offs – you can never go wrong
It’s always good to stay professional and formal at the end of your email. As long as it’s friendly, it’s a good idea to write a formal sign off. What you can include in this writing is details of your next steps (or your clients), or write an honest line that shows gratitude. Here are some examples:
- “Regards/Best regards/Kind regards…” – This is probably the most formal way to end the email. No matter which industry you’re in, it’s never a bad idea to sign off by sending good wishes or best regards.
- “Great working with you…” – This type of email sign offs will show your enthusiasm for the project. Further, it will show your client how dedicated and committed you are to the project.
- “Respectfully,” – probably one of the most formal sign offs there is. It’s a great option when communicating with older clients.
- “Sincerely,” – it’s ok to show sensibility, no matter which type of client you’re working for.
- “Have a great weekend, have a nice holiday…” – Just like “best regards”, these email sign offs show friendliness. This one is best when used on Friday, or during the last part of the week. Also, it’s good to wish a client a good weekend after long working hours on complicated projects.
“Thank you” sign offs – show your kind side
Any email sign offs that include a simple “thank you” can be a good idea. You can use this phrase to actually thank someone for their service, or after asking for a payment, or further details regarding projects. Saying you are thankful can be used in different situations. For example, you could say you are grateful for the call you had with a client. Or, you could say thank you after getting specific details about your work. Not to forget, it’s almost implied to say “thank you” after getting praised or receiving a payment.
Sign offs as requests – suggest the next steps
Not all email sign offs are there to reflect formality or gratitude. When talking about the best sign offs for freelancers, you should also consider those which suggest the next step. Let’s say that you just started working on a project or negotiating a deal. If you are looking to get any specific details, information, or thorough explanation in your detail, you can always use some of the sign offs as requests. This will be a subtle way to show your deep interest in the project while being sincere and professional at the same time. Here are some examples:
- Requesting payment – You can phrase this one as you want, but make sure it’s friendly, simple, and to the point.
- Confirming a deadline for a project – This can be a good way of showing responsibility. For example, a simple “The project will be done until (specific date)” is always a good idea.
- Important reminders – If you need to send a request for payment, project information, or any other matter, you could rely on the sentences that and with “I look forward to…”, or “Please let me know when you can…”.
Sign offs for specific situations
If you want to be more specific about in your email sign offs, here are some examples:
- Mentioning future work opportunities. Are you looking for more work or want to expand your partnership with a client? In these situations, you can always mention your ideas for future collaboration.
- Confirming the project after negotiation. So, a client gave you some time to think about the project and you decided to accept it. The best way to write an email sign off is to say something like “Looking forward to working with you”, or “Let me know when we can start”.
Saying “thank you” or wishing for a great weekend is often not specific enough. This is why you can always adjust your email sign offs to your specific situation.
Email sign offs you should avoid
Even though it may sound like you have a wide pallet of sign offs to choose from, some of them can be a bad decision. Besides being friendly, enthusiastic, and thoughtful, your sign off should be professional. In case you don’t know the person you are communicating with, you should make sure to stay away from jokes, or phrases that could sound too personal. At the best, these could make you sound unprofessional or sloppy. Take a look at some of the worst email sign offs every freelancer should avoid.
- “Thanks” instead of “thank you”. This one almost always sounds unprofessional, unless you are talking to close members of your team.
- “Talk to you later”. You could say this to a friend in a message, or after letting your sister know when you’ll meet for dinner. When communicating with clients, this is one of the worst email sign offs you could use.
- “Cheers!”. Even if you met your future client in a pub, you shouldn’t sound as if you are waiting to grab a beer after replying to the email.
- One-word sign offs. Words like ciao, later, soon and others are the most unprofessional ways to sign off. Besides these, you should also avoid slang and shortened (modern) and abbreviations like TTYL (talk to you later).
How to decide which email sign offs to use?
If you are a freelancer, there is a big chance you’ll work with plenty of different clients. Depending on the service you offer, your email sign offs could be more or less formal. Simply said, it’s a good idea to show your personality while keeping a professional attitude. For example, there is nothing wrong with being friendly, but saying “thank you” too many times could sound apologetic. On the other hand, being too formal could scare away potential clients that are looking for a creative, relaxed, and friendly approach. Whether you are a writer, a marketing expert, or an architect, make sure to create email sign offs that will best describe your personality and your work.
