| The
Most Detested Canadian Cliché
When
I conduct a workshop on business writing, I often ask the
participants
which cliché they dislike the most.
The most common answer is Thanking you in advance for
your anticipated co-operation.
Why? There seem
to be two reasons:
First,
it is normally used after a question, such as “Would
you please send me the following documents?” The
question implies the reader has a choice. Then the writer
finishes the request
with the words “thanking you in advance for . . .” Now
the request has become a demand, and demands tend to irritate
stressed business people.
Second, people have trouble with this phrase as it implies
the writer is grateful at the moment of writing but will
not care when the task is actually done.
Instead
of “thanking people in advance,” why
not write “I would appreciate your …”
or “I
look forward to …”
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