10 phrases to avoid in formal mails
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Personal or professional, you can’t do without emails.
Especially, when it comes to business, an email can decide the fate of not just your company but also you as an employee.
According to job search and career advice website The Muse, over 100 billion mails are sent worldwide in a day, while the average time spent on reading those mails is 15-20 seconds.
Hence, you can’t end up writing gibberish that might end up in losing clients. It is very important to maintain proper etiquette and avoid typing meaningless phrases.
Here are 10 phrases that you should avoid in office mails:
- “I don’t know” is perhaps one of the most unprofessional phrases used in formal mails. Replace it with “I will get back to you on that ” or “That is exactly what we are looking to find out”.
- Don’t use “that is okay” in your emails. It only suggests that you are not good at your job and unsure about what needs to be done in that given situation.
- Don’t start your mail with “I am so-and-so of the company”. The client might find an introduction based on your designation to be arrogant and superficial.
- No matter how cool “Hey” sounds, it is too casual for formal mails. Start with “Hello, I am [name] from [name of company]”.
- Add a “you” to “Thanks”. A proper “Thank you” instead of “Thanks” makes a lot of difference in impression. It is considered to be a more respectful way to convey regards.
- “That’s Fine” is a colloquial term that is better be replaced with “That was a good effort”.
- When you type “I’m sorry”, it gives an impression of indifference. Better write “My sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused”.
- Emotional adverbs like “extremely”, “enormously”, and “exceptionally” should be avoided. For example: Instead of “I’m extremely busy”, type, “I am having a tight schedule.”
- Don’t use any exclamation mark in your professional mails. It looks childish. Period.
- When you use phrases like “I am forwarding…” or “I have forwarded…”, it suggests sending material to that person. Be specific and crisp. Use “sending” “have sent”.
(Sources: The Muse, Inc. Magazine, Lifehack, YourStory)