Professional Letter Closings

Professional letters have a standard format that need to be followed strictly. The salutation or the opening lines as well as the closing lines are the important aspects of any business letter. Although these are quite minor components of the letter, it can make or mar your efforts in letter writing. But, you need not get intimidated by the prospect of writing a professional business letter. Following proper rules and format will make your job easier. Business letters form an important part of business writing. Firstly, let us take a look at things that affect the format of a letter.

• The pattern of the formal letter may differ according to region; for e.g., the standard American letter format is different from the standard British letter format.
• The relationship of the sender and the recipient also plays an important role in the style of business letter closings.
• Professional letter wordings change according to the rank or the designation of the recipient.
• The tone of the letter; for e.g., whether the letter is a formal note or a friendly/congratulatory letter; is also important for determining the letter wording.

Format of Professional Letter Endings

While writing the letter closing salutation, the first and the foremost thing to remember is that only the first letter of the first word is capitalized, and not the second word. Also, you must not forget to put a comma (,) after the letter closing salutation. The letter closing is immediately followed by the sender's name and designation. The following is the format of professional letter closing.

Yours sincerely,
(leave 2-3 lines for your signature)
Sender's name
Designation

This standard format is used while ending any formal or business letter. Now, the closing salutations (or sign off lines) vary according to the nature and intention of the letter. It should be noted that according to the format, when the sender does not know the recipient's name, he ends the letter with 'Yours faithfully'; while when the sender and the recipient know each other well, 'Yours sincerely' is used. Following are examples of professional letter closings that will be helpful to you.

Business Letter Closings for New Business Contacts

The following are frequently used closings of professional letters that can be used when writing a letter to a new business contact, or to the employer. As these are traditional business letter closing, they are universally applicable and can be used in nearly all formal letters. ➡ Yours truly, ➡ Yours sincerely, ➡ Sincerely, ➡ Yours faithfully, ➡ Yours respectfully,

Business Letter Closings for Old Business Contacts

The following letter closings can be used in letters for old business contacts or for people you have known for a long time. In this case, along with professionalism, it is necessary for the sender to sound friendly. ➡ Best regards, ➡ Warm regards, ➡ Best wishes, ➡ With appreciation, ➡ Cordially,

Professional Letter Closings For Thank you Notes

Sometimes, you may need to thank someone for any help, advice, etc. You can mention the reason for thanking the person or can just use the simple 'thank you'; both are acceptable. The following are the appropriate closing lines for formal thank you notes or mails. ➡ Thank you for your kindness and consideration, ➡ Thank you for your time, ➡ Thank you for your attention to the request, ➡ Thank you for your help, ➡ Many thanks, ➡ Kind thanks, ➡ Thank you,

Letter Closings for Formal Yet Friendly Letters

The following letter closings can be used when writing a letter to a familiar person; while not making it look too casual. These wordings look friendly, yet retain the businesslike manner. ➡ With all good wishes, ➡ Best wishes for your future, ➡ Warm greetings to all, ➡ Wishing you a safe journey, ➡ With personal regards, ➡ Health and happiness, ➡ Peace and blessings,

Miscellaneous Letter Closing Words

Sometimes, in case of letters in diplomatic circles, the letter closings can also be elaborate. In case of letters to any head of state or government officials, one can simply conclude with 'Sincerely'. On the other hand, the traditional style of letter closing is used when writing for kings or monarchs. Here are some examples.

➡ I have the honor to be Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant.

➡ May I always live to serve you and the crown.

Sometimes, the closings differ according to the subject of the letter, as in apology letter, reference letter or a condolence letter. The following are a few situational closing lines for letters that can be used before the closing wordings given above.

➡ I apologize for the inconvenience.

➡ I look forward to seeing you again.

➡ I am looking forward to your reply.

➡ Please feel free to contact for further information.

➡ My deepest sympathies are with you and your family.

It is better to give a prior thought on professional letter wordings. You can use the traditional letter closings rather than risk offending the reader(s) with casual or informal closings. As aforementioned, knowing the basic rules and a bit of practice will help you write professional letters successfully. Good luck!