When composing a business email, you should be very careful with your words and tone. You need to use words in such a way that your email sounds professional and appears far more respectable. In this list, we’ll suggest 8 such expressions that you should never use in your business emails.
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“Hey!”
Common when sending emails specifically, the salutation “hey” can seem widely informal. You can use this among your peers but expect to get royally shot down if you start discussions with another company or client like this. Instead of saying “Hey John” use “Hello, John.” or just simply address him as — Dear John (if you know him well). It is more professional and makes it clear that you are taking the communication seriously.
“Just Checking in…”
When you say this, it can get the receiver confused with the intent behind your sentence. So always try to be more targeted about what you are following up on or why you reached out. For instance, when you are writing an email about a recent project, rather than bluntly saying “Just checking in on the project” – say this: “I just wanted to check back in and see what’s going on with the proposal from last week. I’d appreciate a follow-up.”
This clarity then creates a mutual understanding between you and the one receiving your message, which makes them respond accordingly and won’t waste anyone’s time.
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“Sorry for the Confusion”
This phrase can sound rude because it feels defensive and pushes the blame to the other person. Instead, you can use the chance to acknowledge the misunderstanding in a lot nicer way. Avoid saying, “Sorry for the confusion about the meeting time,” try saying — “Thank you for your patience as we figure out our meeting time.” This will convince the receiver that you want to resolve the issue without sounding defensive.
“Thanks in Advance!”
Gratitude is important — but when you combine it with “Thanks in advance!” — that can often be pretty entitled, as it assumes that the other person will do what you expect. This might make them feel the need to respond with a positive note. A better approach would be to thank the person after they have helped you or to make a more humble request.
In this case make your question: “Do you mind helping me with this?” followed by, “Thank you for your help!”
“No Worries!”
It’s a casual kind of phrase that can totally downplay the importance of the issue it concerns – An error or maybe someone is just running late. Use a more professional reassuring statement like this: “It did set us back by a day or two, but we are working on resolving the issue. Let’s figure out how we can prevent these errors going forward.”
“I Hope This Email Finds You Well”
Although this is a standard greeting, this can lead to the feeling that — cliché alert ahead!
Try to personalize your greeting or avoid it where appropriate. Instead of saying, “I hope this email finds you well” — try out simply starting with your main point or by stating that you wished them a good week and get down to business.
“Best Wishes!”
“Best wishes” would not work in formal email writing or when reaching out to clients or those higher up than us. It can seem a bit too casual in professional settings. Instead, use more formal sign-offs that show respect and convey a professional tone. Try — “Sincerely, Fifth Estate Newsletter Team.”
“At Your Earliest Convenience”
It sounds a little bit like you are forcing the recipient to act without them fully knowing your expectations. This could also infer that their other responsibilities are not as significant as your request. A better way is to set a specific timeline or be clear about what you need.
Apart from saying, “Please get back to me whenever is convenient for you,” try: “Could you provide your comments by Friday? I appreciate your help!”
It shows both respect for their time and gives them a clear deadline.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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