Ways to End a Thank You Letter or Card

People commonly fret about what to write in letters or cards that express strong emotions. This is particularly true for thank you letters. Expressing gratitude can be difficult for some people, and they struggle with accurately expressing what they’re feeling. Once you’ve completed the body of your card, you might assume you’re finished, but the closing you choose can make a difference. There’s generally no wrong way to close a thank you card. However, a fitting ending can capture and summarize your sentiment in a way that elevates your gratitude. When you have just a few words to adequately express yourself you want to consider closely those you choose. Below you’ll find 25 of our favorite ways to end a thank you letter or card, along with some tips geared toward improving your letter writing overall, whether you're thanking your boss or a family member. Remember, as long as your ending is appropriate it won’t ever ruin your card — there are just good and better endings. SEE ALSO: What to Say in a Business Thank You Card

3 TIPS TO A HEARTFELT THANK YOU LETTER OR CARD

• Don’t overthink it. When you express gratitude, just speak from your heart. You might think that dressing up your thoughts in flowery language improves them, but your recipient would prefer to hear from you unvarnished.
• Having a hard time figuring out what to say? Grab a piece of scratch paper and just write down whatever comes to your mind, stream of consciousness. Don’t worry about editing or saying the right thing. If you write down everything, the core of what you want to say will be there. Only once you’re finished should you start picking out the best bits.
• It’s a thank you note, so. say thank you! There’s very little need to talk about anything else. Begin your note with an earnest expression of gratitude. Then let them know what their gesture meant to you, say something nice about your recipient, and then thank them again. That’s enough to create a compelling thank you.

3 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN EXPRESSING GRATITUDE

• When you’re sending a thank you card, you don’t need to write a novel. A few choice sentences can mean more than paragraphs of text. However, if you feel a longer message is warranted, favor a letter over a card. Cards are best used for short, meaningful sentiments.
• Keep the focus of your thank you letter or card on your recipient. You’re celebrating the impact they’ve made on your life, so don’t spend time talking about yourself. Keeping your message can help maintain proper focus.
• Don’t let too much time elapse between your recipient’s favor and your thank you card. Delaying too long sends the wrong message — one where you don’t care enough to be timely. For example, you risk offending people if you wait too long after your wedding to send wedding thank you notes.

WHY THE RIGHT SIGN OFF IS IMPORTANT

The thank you letter closing phrase you choose says a lot about you and your recipient’s relationship. If you choose something too familiar in a professional setting you could make the other person uncomfortable. Likewise, choosing a formal closing with someone you know well can feel out of place.

As we said earlier, it’s hard to get the letter closing wrong as long as your choose something appropriate, so that’s your first task. Decide whether you’re sending a professional thank you letter or card or something more casual. You’ll notice that we’ve separated our closing into professional and personal columns.

Once you’ve determined how familiar your closing should be, simply decide which closing best reflects how you want your recipient to feel. You might express love, gratitude, or warm wishes. The choice is personal to you and your recipient.

HERE ARE 25 WAYS YOU CAN END A THANK YOU LETTER OR CARD

Your relationship with the recipient should influence your choice of ending. You can afford to be more casual with a friend or family member versus business associates. As you peruse this list, bear in mind that you can use any of the 25 casually, but you should only use the professional closings in a business context, like a business letter, job interview response, cover letters, etc. Selection is important to make a positive impression.

Professional Endings

Remember, the more formal your relationship, the more formal the closing.

• Best,
• Yours appreciatively,
• Respectfully yours,
• In your debt,
• With deep gratitude,
• Gratefully,
• Many thanks,
• With warm regards,
• Graciously yours,
• With fond appreciation,
• Warmest wishes,
• Cheerfully yours,
• Thanks for all you do,

Personal Endings

These endings are appropriate for friends and family. Only use them in a professional setting if you’re good friends with your recipient.

• Thanks again!
• All the best,
• Can’t thank you enough!
• Thanks for everything,
• All my love,
• Cheers!
• You're greatly appreciated!
• You’re the best!
• Forever thankful,
• Thanks for being you!
• All thanks to you!
• Humbled by your kindness,

Let Your Closing Make an Impression

The closing you choose is important because it’s the last thing your recipient will read. It’s your last chance to speak from your heart. Yes, your thank you letter or card would be fine closing with a standard “Sincerely” but doesn’t your recipient deserve better? They did you a solid. Shouldn’t you return the favor by putting some thought into every part of your card?

Choose a closing that expresses your core sentiment. Barring that, pick something you know will be meaningful to your recipient. The card is from you, but it belongs to them. Choose your closing sign off with them in mind.

More Formal Closing Phrases You Can Use

Didn't find what you were looking for in our first grouping? Here's another selection you can pick from. These note closings are just as strong and provide extra usage options.

• With sincere gratitude,
• Best regards,
• With sincere thanks,
• Gratefully yours
• With deep respect,
• With gracious thoughts,
• All my thanks,
• With true appreciation,
• Appreciately yours
• You are appreciated,

Extra Informal Closing Phrases

Not to be outdone, our selection of casual letter closings is also growing. These would be great for close friends or family members, thanking them for their hospitality or a favor, but not a potential employer or a client.

• With a grateful heart,
• I owe you one!
• Thanks for the solid!
• Best wishes and thanks!
• I owe you big!
• Hoping to pay it forward!
• Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
• Thanks for always being there,
• With boundless appreciation,
• Thanks to you all!

Sample Letter Templates

Let's look at a few closings in context. It's helpful to see how your letter closings will sit in a professional letter, a job offer thank you, birthday party thanks, and more. A well-written letter considers all of its parts, and no part is more important than the rest. Remember the professional boundaries that exist around using informal closings in a formal letter. Each letter example demonstrates a different usage.

Thanking a Friend for a Gift

Thank you so much for the concert tickets you so graciously bought us. I should have known you'd know they are our favorite band. You know us so well, but then, you take the time to listen. That's one of the many things we appreciate about you.

Any chance you'll be in our neck of the woods sometime soon? We'd love to get the chance to catch up before the concert. If not at least we know we'll get to see you then! Thanks again for the generous gift. You're a great friend.

You're the best!

Leslie and Mark

How to Thank a Professor or Teacher

Dear Dr. Kluey,

Thank you for being an amazing professor and mentor. I have learned so much from you in the short time we have worked together. Your guidance has been invaluable. I feel so much more confident about my career options now that I understand what I'm working for. I am truly grateful for your support.

Sincerely yours,

Ian Butchner

Thanking a Business or Organization

Dear Mr. Prendis,

Thank you for the invitation to speak at your organization's annual conference. I am honored to have been given this opportunity and I look forward to sharing my insights with your members. Your gatherings are always a stimulating mix of good conversation and even better analysis. I appreciate the chance to share in the limelight.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to working with you.

With deep gratitude,

Janis Levine

Thanking a Sponsor or Donor

Dear Mrs. Gates,

We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your continued support of our organization. Your generosity allows us to continue our work in the community and we are truly grateful. We would not be able to do what we do without people like you.

Thank you for your kindness and support. It's the generosity of donors like you that allow us to carry out our mission around the world. We hope to continue making a difference with your help.

Warmest thanks,

The staff of Community Outreach

Thanking a Customer or Client

Dear Mr. Anderson,

Thank you for choosing our company to be your service provider. We appreciate your business and we are committed to giving you the best service possible. We value our customers and we are always working to improve our service.

Thank you for your support. If there's anything else we can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. We're excited for the opportunity to further this relationship, and we look forward to serving you in the future.

Thanking an Interviewer or Potential Employer

Dear Mr. Smith,

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. I enjoyed our conversation and I am excited about the opportunity to work for your company. I am confident that I have the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and I am eager to put my abilities to work for you.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanking a Network Contact

Dear Ms. Doe,

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and introduce me to your network of contacts. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about your work and to get advice from you about my career goals. It was also great to catch up with you and hear about what's going on in your life.

I am grateful for the connections you have helped me make, and I look forward to staying in touch. Thank you again for your time and your help.

As you can see, there are many different ways to end a thank you letter or card. Choose the one that feels right for the occasion and the relationship you have with the recipient. No matter which closing you choose, always remember to express your thanks clearly and sincerely.

LET SIMPLY NOTED AUTOMATE YOUR THANK YOU CARDS

Knowing what to write in a thank you card is only half the battle. You also need the time to write it, and if you’re a busy professional, that’s often not the case. You want to take advantage of the power of handwritten thank you cards, but you miss the chance with your customers and clients because the time commitment is too great.

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