Communication Best Practices

70% use words that undermine their authority. Especially in work emails. 9 phrases I'm retiring from my emails: (and what I plan to use instead) “So sorry for the delay” → “Thanks for your patience” “What works best for you?” → “Could you do…?” “No problem/no worries” → “Always happy to help” “I was just wondering if we…” → “I propose we…” “I hope this looks ok” → “I look forward to your feedback” “Hopefully that makes sense?” → “Let me know if you have questions” “Just wanted to check in” → “When can I expect an update” “Ahhh sorry my bad, totally missed that” → “Thanks for letting me know” ”So sorry to bother you but…” → “I wanted to discuss…” —- Most don’t realize this, Our words shape perceptions. The key is recognizing ones that diminish authority. Then replace them with clear, confident language. Small changes can make a big impact. Start communicating confidently today! Do you find yourself using any of these phrases? Let me know. --- Reshare ♻ to help others communicate more confidently. And follow me for more posts like this.

🐝 How To Write Effective UX Research Invite Emails (https://lnkd.in/erqNpkBX), with examples on how brands across B2B and B2C craft emails to get users to give feedback and what you can do to get more responses. By Rosie Hoggmascall. 🚫 Avoid generic, vague and company-focused subject lines. ✅ Good subject line: “What do you think of [X] so far?”. ✅ Better subject line: “👋 Can you answer one quick question?”. ✅ For subject lines, try a direct question that is easy to answer. ✅ Introduce yourself in the very first line of body copy. ✅ Explain how long the survey is going to take (5–10 mins max). ✅ Include a survey link in the top 50% of the email. ✅ Be specific and explain why you are inviting that person. ✅ Include an authentic email signature from a real person. ✅ Good copy comes from a real person, not a big company. ✅ Show how many people joined already as social proof. ✅ Put company’s logo at the bottom of your invite email. ✅ Test plain text format: no imagery vs. branded template. Some emails prompt users to share their insights to get a chance to win a $250 prize for their time. In my experience, giving a guaranteed $50 voucher works better. And: reward doesn’t have to be cash: it must be meaningful. Suggest to plant trees, or support initiatives, or donate funds to a charity of their choice. The more an invitation feels like an invite from a colleague who is genuinely interested, the more likely customers are to respond. However, we don’t want generic responses. We want honest, constructive, helpful insights — and they aren’t coming from generic emails from corporate research initiatives. Show yourself and your name, and perhaps even your work phone number. Explain how customer’s time and effort will help you and your team. As a result, you might not just get constructive insights, but bring people on your side, willing to participate and help for years to come. Useful resources: How to Write Compelling UX Research Invite Emails (+ Templates and Examples), by Lizzy Burnam 🐞 https://lnkd.in/erfKiCHi Email Templates To Recruit All The Users You Need in 24 Hours, by Chuck Liu https://lnkd.in/ev6MhEGT How To Recruit UX Research Participants, by Gitlab https://lnkd.in/edg9iXKS UX Research Recruiting Email Tips, by Adam Smolinski, Annegret Lasch, David DeSanto https://lnkd.in/e8b556Wy How To Recruit Research Participants By Email, by Olivia Seitz https://lnkd.in/eJFZT6Qf Research Recruitment Email Strategies, by Lauren Gibson https://lnkd.in/e2xBk6MZ #ux #design

⛔️Stop apologizing in your emails! It’s time to communicate like a leader. What if I told you that one simple change could boost your credibility instantly? - I used to say “sorry” all the time. Every delay, every small mistake, every inconvenience? I would apologize. 😔 But here’s the truth → unnecessary apologies can diminish your credibility. They even dilute the impact of the word “sorry” when it's truly needed. So, how do we communicate with confidence and clarity without over-apologizing? Check out this insightful guide from Project Management: 1. Took a while: ➦ Instead of “Sorry for the delay,” ➨ Say “Thanks for your patience.” 2. My schedule matters too: ➦ Replace “What works best for you?” ➨ With “Could you do…?” 3. Yeah, you are welcome: ➦ Swap “No problem/No worries” ➨ For “Always happy to help.” 4. I know what I’m doing: ➦ Ditch “I think maybe we should…” ➨ For “It’d best if we…” 5. Working this is hard: ➦ Stop rewriting your email for 40 minutes. ➨ Opt for “It’d be easier to discuss in person.” 6. Do you get it?: ➦ Rather than “Hopefully that makes sense?” ➨ Use “Let me know if you have questions.” 7. Where are we on this: ➦ Instead of “Just wanted to check in,” ➨ Ask “When can I expect an update?” 8. I made a small error: ➦ Skip “Ahh sorry my bad, totally missed that,” ➨ And say “Thanks for letting me know.” 9. I have an appointment: ➦ Replace “Could I possibly leave early?” ➨ With “I will need to leave at…” Adopting these small changes can transform your professional communication. You’ll come across as more confident and credible. Stop being subservient. It’s not a good look. Let’s stop the unnecessary apologies and start owning our communication. We can rewrite our professional narrative. One bold, unapologetic email at a time. — ♻️ Repost to empower someone in your network. Follow me, Shulin Lee, for more. P.S. I’m not asking people to be rude. “Sorry” is sometimes needed. But if you’re using it most of the time, it probably isn’t.

An Exec Assistant taught me one of my favorite practices, and it helped me win a two-year deal with a Top 5 insurance SVP (# 266 on the Fortune 500). Here's how it works: 1/ Set your calendar invite to start at :05 after 2/ Attach an exec summary / 1-page business case 3/ Let their EA know there's a pre-read in the invite The reason this works? → One, ever notice execs join your call a couple mins late anyway? That’s because they’re often rushing in from another meeting, thinking, “Why am I in this next meeting again?” Searching their inbox for context on what it’s about. Put the answer right there in the invite, with space to read it. Related: → Second, execs are sharp. They think clearly, know what they want, and will process written information WAY faster than the pace of a typical sales conversation. Sharing a pre-read — without expecting "homework" to be done before — jumps you right into their feedback. But for this to work? Your exec summary/biz case can't be a 30-slide branded deck. That triggers a "eh, another vendor selling me stuff" thought. Here's what to do instead: https://lnkd.in/gYDY6CzY

If you're cold emailing or calling me – or any C-level executive – here’s what NOT to do. Don’t ask for a meeting with me. Executives are more overwhelmed and more ruthless with our time than ever. So if you’re trying to break in at the top, here’s the play that works today: ✅ Keep the ask simple. ✅ Show me you understand my business by personalizing your message.
 ✅ Ask me to connect you to the right person on my team. You don’t want me in that first meeting. You want me curious enough to forward your message with context to my CRO, CMO, or CIO and say, “Hey, this looks interesting. Can you take it?” When that happens - you’ll get a meeting with one of our top leaders. But if you ask me to take the meeting? 99% of the time, I won’t. Maybe I forward it - usually I hit delete. But if you’ve done a good job of personalizing your message - I’ll always be open to connecting you to the right person on my team. Your CTA to the CEO shouldn’t be a 30-minute demo. It should show me that you can solve a problem that I care a LOT about. So ask for that intro - and give me a reason to make it.

An ecommerce company recently approached my team to do an email audit as they were facing challenges with low open and click-through rates. After analyzing their email account, here are our main recommendations to revive their email marketing channel: 1. Strategic Email Segmentation: Currently, your emails lack personal relevance due to a one-size-fits-all approach. This is a crucial area to address. Action Plan: Implement segmentation based on purchase history, engagement levels, browsing behavior, and demographic information. 2. Personalized Content Creation: Generic content won't cut it. Your audience needs to feel that each email is crafted for them. Action Plan: Develop emails specifically tailored to the different segments. This includes curated product recommendations, personalized offers, and content that aligns with their interests. 3. Subject Line A/B Testing: Your current subject lines aren't doing their job. You need to be implementing ongoing A/B subject line tests, as this is low-hanging fruit to improve your open rates. Action Plan: Regularly test different subject line styles and formats to identify what resonates best with each segment. Keep track of the metrics to inform future campaigns. 4. Mobile Optimization: A significant portion of your audience reads emails on mobile devices. Neglecting this is causing a decrease in your email engagement rates. Action Plan: Ensure all emails are responsive and visually appealing on various screen sizes. Test your emails on multiple devices before sending them out. Additional Campaign Strategies We Recommend: - Launch a Monthly Newsletter: This should include new arrivals, style guides, and user-generated content. It’s an excellent way to keep your brand in the minds of your customers. - Seasonal Campaign Integration: Tailor your campaigns to align with holidays and seasons. This approach can significantly boost engagement and sales during key periods. - Re-Engagement Campaigns: Specifically target subscribers who haven't interacted with your brand recently. Offer them unique incentives to rekindle their interest. Next steps: 1. If you found this helpful, please leave a comment and let me know. 2. If you own/run/work at an Ecommerce company doing at least $1 million in annual revenue, message me so my team can audit your email channel to see if there's a good fit for working together.

When I was at Salesforce, I used this exact cold email framework to book meetings with CEOs, COOs, and CFOs at the biggest companies in the world. Now I coach 100s of reps to use it—and they’re landing meetings that most sellers only dream about. Most reps never get to sell to the C-suite. Not because they don’t work hard. But because they reach out with transactional garbage that looks like every other email in the inbox. Executives don’t want another seller. They want a partner who understands their business. Here’s the cold email formula that works: 1. Warm and personal Lead with a sincere compliment. “I saw your podcast on ___…” “I read your Forbes interview and was moved by…” Show them you did your homework. Not some AI-generated flattery—real human admiration. 2. Shared values or struggle Make it human. “I related deeply when you talked about overcoming ___. I’ve faced something similar.” Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s how you earn trust. 3. Research-backed insight Cite a 10-K, public statement, or article. “Based on your Q1 earnings call, I noticed you're focused on X.” Link to the source. Build credibility. 4. A sharp POV + direct linkage Don’t say, “We help companies like yours.” Say, “You’re trying to achieve X. Companies on that journey often hit Y. Here’s how we solve it.” Make the connection crystal clear. 5. Soft CTA, strong conviction No desperate energy. Just: “If this is a priority, would it make sense to connect?” You’re not begging. You’re offering value. If you want my exact cold email template (and to see 13 real email examples me and my clients used to book C-suite meetings) grab them here: https://lnkd.in/g84w_utx

If you over-curate & overthink your personal brand to perfection, your engagement will be dead! You see them everywhere—polished, poised, and perfectly positioned personal brands. Yet, their engagement is flat. Their audience? Passive. This is the"Perfect Persona" Effect—where people curate an online brand so flawlessly that it becomes unrelatable. And science backs this up. 📌 A study from Harvard Business Review found that leaders who share their struggles increase trust by 66% compared to those who only share polished success. 📌 Social psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson’s "Pratfall Effect" proves that people perceive those who show vulnerability as more likable than those who appear perfect. The brands that win aren’t the ones that look flawless. They’re the ones that feel real. This is how we work this out with SackBerry clients: 1. Show the process, not just the results. ❌ “We grew our business 10x in a year!” ✅ “We struggled for months with zero sales—here’s what finally worked.” People relate to struggles, lessons, and real journeys. Share the how, not just the highlight. 2. Write like you talk. The easiest way to sound human? Read your post out loud. If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, rewrite it. 3. Share your unpopular opinions. The fastest way to stand out isn’t to blend in. Take a stance. Challenge industry clichés. Say what others won’t. 4. Use the “3-Post Rule” to create trust. Your content should rotate between these formats: A personal story (human connection) An actionable insight (expert credibility) A polarizing take (sparks discussion) 5. Don’t fear the “mess.” -Not every post needs to be perfect. - Test new ideas. - Share drafts. - Build in public. People love watching something unfold in real time. So, tell me—what’s one thing you wish more people shared online? #PersonalBranding #Authenticity #BuildingInPublic #ContentMarketing

The most dangerous thing about over-preparation? It can harm your influence.   When leaders rehearse every word, they think they’re building credibility, but in most cases what they’re actually building is distance.   Polished scripts signal performance → Performance blocks authenticity → Without authenticity, trust evaporates.   High-impact leaders don’t memorize lines. They prepare scaffolding, not scripts.   They anchor points to stay sharp. Anticipate tough questions. And leave space (lots of it) for presence.   Imperfection isn’t weakness. It’s evidence you’re real. And real is what earns trust.   Next time you prepare, ask yourself: Am I rehearsing to perform? Or preparing to connect?   One leads to applause. The other leads to influence.  

Most emails at work are too long, too late, or too emotional. Especially in mid and senior roles, email is not just communication—it’s reputation on record. Here are 5 email tips I use that might just save you from your next oops moment: 1. Never Reply in Anger An angry reply is never the power move you think it is. You won’t win a war of words over email—just escalate it. Breathe. Walk. Call. Or better, talk in person. 2. Write for Mobile, Not for Glory Over 80% of emails are read on phones. Yet we keep formatting like we’re publishing a brochure. Keep it clean, simple, and scroll-friendly. 3. Inbox Zero Is a Mirage Chasing a zero inbox is like chasing nirvana with a to-do list. Let some emails marinate. Not every message needs an instant reply. You're paid to prioritize, not to ping-pong. 4. Some Problems Solve Themselves Every now and then, inaction is wisdom. That annoying thread? Give it time. Silence can be strategy. 5. Be Brief, or Be Ignored Long emails = long snooze. Your audience is busy. If they have to scroll thrice, you’ve already lost them. Lead with the point, not a preamble. 💬 Have an email rule you live by? Drop it in the comments—someone out there might need it today. 🔁 And if this helped, share it with someone who’s about to hit “Reply All.” 🧱