Are you tired of receiving emails at work that use the same, overused phrase?

How many times does the sender use a cliché phrase?

Are you sick of getting an email with impersonal phrases?

Smart people at work compose emails differently, and you can learn a lot from them. They know that the phrase, “I hope this email finds you well,” doesn’t work as effectively. They know we live in our email inboxes and that every sentence matters.

If you are tired of getting your email lost in other people’s inboxes and looking to use alternative correspondence, this article is for you. This article will walk through formal and informal phrases that work when you are writing emails at work.

1. It’s great to hear from you

This statement is a perfect formal phrase that is a classic. It’s an excellent way to continue to establish rapport with your colleagues. The person you are emailing with is happy to read this line.

This line is genuine, and it comes from the heart. Smart people use this line to say thank you for emailing me. They are glad that the sender proactively reached out or followed up on an item that may have been discussed in person. This phrase works wonders if you are looking for a go-to line to use as a beginning in your email correspondence.

2. I’m eager to get your expertise on [insert topic]

Top performers understand they should ask for advice instead of feedback. This phrase is just that. When you say this phrase, you seek the recipient's advice on a critical task or project.

This works because it flatters and butters up the one you are emailing. It also gets the job done in a polite and respectful manner. The next time you are emailing your colleagues and boss, seek out their advice instead of their feedback because it will significantly impact your performance.

3. I loved your recent [insert activity]

Using a phrase that congratulates or signifies your appreciation for their personal activity is a great way to win the favor of an email recipient. This social trigger helps you establish a meaningful connection with a colleague. If it comes across as genuine and you provide an explanation for why, you can use this phrase as an excellent way to deepen a relationship.

Intelligent people use opportunities like this to connect with their colleagues and continue their relationships. Using this phrase helps you grow relationships with your colleagues. Since you spend a third of your life at work, this phrase shows that you care about building relationships, not making email all about business all the time.

4. It was great to see you [insert where]

If you haven’t seen someone in a while and hope to continue to grow the relationship, this phrase helps you show that you want to keep the connection alive and moving forward. Smart people add details to this phrase on why it was great to see the other person.

When you use a phrase like this, you don’t want to assume that the other person remembers seeing you. Therefore, you must expand on what the conversation was about and why it is important to you and them. This phrase, if done with sincerity, helps you connect with colleagues you have lost touch with.

5. This [article or photo] made me think of you

If you have been scrolling through your social media feed such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram and you see something that reminds you of someone in a positive way, you should send that energy out into the world and share those thoughts with the other person. Don’t be afraid to share what you are thinking.

This phrase works because you make work more personal and less formal. This is a flattering and insightful phrase that helps you deepen a relationship with your colleagues.

Make sure you genuinely explain why you are reminded of them. It will help you grow closer to them and show that you think about them. Everyone loves to hear that other people are thinking about them.

6. I hope today is treating you well

This phrase is a twist on the “I hope you had a good weekend.” This phrase goes into your curiosity about how their day is going. It’s better than, “how are you?” This phrase is asking if your colleague is doing okay and hope that they are doing well.

7. Thank you for your quick response

This is one of my favorite phrases to use at work. It works when you are emailing the other person, and they responded within 24 hours. We get tons of emails at work, so thanking the other person that they made you a priority should not go unnoticed.

If your colleagues work in Europe or Asia and live in a different time zone, using this line lets them know how grateful you are for their time and input. People love to be appreciated, and this phrase works well.

If you don’t overuse this phrase, it makes your email correspondence more memorable because colleagues like to work with others who are humble and thankful.

Bringing It All Together

Ensure your emails get read and you become known as a good person with good email correspondence etiquette. Intelligent people have mastered phrases that make sure their emails are returned. Use some of these phrases the next time you think your recipients are becoming uninterested in reading your emails because you are not getting responses.

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