How to Close a Letter Properly

Personal letters will have different closing styles than business ones.

There is a vast range of polite behaviors associated with personal and business correspondence. Closing a letter properly presents its own set of challenges, but it's not particularly difficult compared to the rest of the letter. It requires selecting a final message or impression to leave the recipient with. How you formulate the closing of your letter depends greatly on the person you're writing to.

Instructions

1. Summarize the letter, if appropriate. For example, if you've been discussing your future vacation plans, write: "All in all, it looks like the next few weeks will be quite the adventure!" Or, if your letter is intended for a business client, write: "I'm sure we have a great potential for a future working relationship."

2. Write that you're looking forward to hearing back from the letter's recipient. This will also vary depending on the tone of your letter. For example, if it's a personal letter to a close friend, write: "I can't wait to read what you've been up to!" For a business letter, a message such as "I look forward to discussing our future projects" might be appropriate.

3. Write a closing phrase. These may vary, but typically "Yours sincerely," "Best wishes" or "With best regards" work well.

4. Sign and print your name a few inches below your closing phrase. If your letter is business-related, write your position within the company alongside your name.

References

• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the Basic Business Letter
• Saint Michael's College; Writing a Business Letter; Christine Bauer-Ramazani; July 18, 2008