Is "Best regards" too formal?

Depends on the context. In most modern workplaces, "Thanks" or "Best" land warmer and still read as professional.

How long should a professional email be?

As short as it can be while still being clear. If the reader can understand the ask and act on it in under thirty seconds, the length is right. When an email starts running past a few short paragraphs, it is usually a sign the topic should be a call, a document, or a meeting instead.

Mibbi Blog · 2025-12-09

How to Make Emails Sound More Professional

Professional emails are not formal emails. They are clear, courteous, and easy to act on — and that is a much lower bar than "sounding important." Most emails that read as unprofessional are not rude; they are just vague, buried, or hard to skim. Here are five small changes that fix that without making you sound like a robot.

Use a real subject line

Not "quick question" — name the actual question. A specific subject line saves the reader thirty seconds and makes the email easier to find later.

Greet the person by name

"Hi Sam," beats "Hey" or no greeting. A name signals attention. It is one second of effort that lands the rest of the email better.

Put the ask in the first paragraph

Busy readers skim the first paragraph and decide whether to read the rest. If the ask is buried, it gets missed.

Use shorter sentences than you think

Long sentences read as bureaucratic. Short sentences read as confident. When in doubt, cut a sentence into two.

End with a clear close

"Thanks — Anh." "Best, Anh." Pick one and stick with it. Inconsistent sign-offs make you sound uncertain about the email itself.

Proofread the small things

Nothing undercuts a professional email faster than the wrong name, a broken link, or a missing attachment you said was attached. These small slips read as carelessness even when the content is excellent. Before you hit send, do a five-second check: right recipient, right name spelled correctly, attachment actually attached, and any promised link actually pasted in.

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FAQ

Is "Best regards" too formal?: Depends on the context. In most modern workplaces, "Thanks" or "Best" land warmer and still read as professional.
How long should a professional email be?: As short as it can be while still being clear. If the reader can understand the ask and act on it in under thirty seconds, the length is right. When an email starts running past a few short paragraphs, it is usually a sign the topic should be a call, a document, or a meeting instead.