Guide from the Free Sales Email Grader
Sales Buzzwords to Avoid in Emails
Short answer: cut any word that could describe any product at any company, and replace it with what actually happens for this reader. Here is what public research says about buzzwords, a list of common ones, and how to rewrite them in plain words.
What the research says
Gong's 2025 cold email research found that short language about the buyer's priority does better than a product pitch, a buzzword, or a hype number, and that buzzwords in a subject line hurt opens. An earlier Gong review found that a return on investment (ROI) claim on a cold note works against you.
Lavender's guidance points the same way from a different angle: short, simple words and short sentences are easier to read. Most buzzwords are neither short nor simple.
Based on: Gong, 2025Gong, 2021Lavender, 2023
Why buzzwords backfire
A buzzword asks the reader to trust a claim without showing anything. “Best-in-class” and “cutting-edge” say you think highly of your product, which the reader already assumed. They also make an email sound like a brochure, which is exactly what a busy person skips. This is a writing practice, not a study result.
Writing practice, not a study result.
Common buzzwords to cut
These are words and phrases the Free Sales Email Grader flags as brochure language. The list is writing practice, not a ranked study.
- Synergy, and anything synergistic.
- Best-in-class, world-class, industry-leading.
- Cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, next-generation.
- Seamless, turnkey, all-in-one, one-stop shop.
- Game-changer, revolutionize, paradigm shift.
- Robust solution, holistic solution, end-to-end solution.
- Unlock value, move the needle, low-hanging fruit.
Writing practice, not a study result.
Filler phrases that waste the first line
Phrases like the ones below are not wrong, but they spend the most valuable line of your email on nothing. Start with the reason you are writing instead. This is a writing practice, not a study result.
- “I hope this email finds you well.”
- “I just wanted to reach out.”
- “Excited to share.”
- “Touch base” and “circle back.”
Writing practice, not a study result.
Three before and after rewrites
Every example here is invented to show a pattern.
A brochure claim versus what happens
Weak: Our best-in-class platform seamlessly streamlines your workflows.
Better: New agents get access to every system on their first morning.
The weak version could describe any software. The better one says what changes for the reader, in words they would use.
Based on: Gong, 2025
Jargon versus a plain question
Weak: Would love to explore synergies and unlock value together.
Better: Is onboarding speed a priority for you this quarter?
The weak version asks for a vague partnership. The better one asks one question the reader can answer in a word.
Based on: Gong Labs, 2020
Hype in the subject versus a topic
Weak: Revolutionize your support team
Better: Support hiring at Northline
Hype in a subject line reads like an ad. A plain topic reads like a note from a colleague.
Based on: Gong / 30MPC, 2025
A simple test
Read each sentence and ask: could a competitor paste this into their email unchanged? If yes, it is probably a buzzword. Replace it with something only true for this reader, or cut it. This is a writing practice, not a study result.
Writing practice, not a study result.
Find the buzzwords in your email
Paste your subject and email into the Free Sales Email Grader. It quotes any buzzwords and filler it finds, explains why each one hurts, and suggests a plainer, friendlier rewrite. It is free, and nothing you paste is stored.
Try the Free Sales Email GraderSources
- Gong. Does cold email even work any more? Here's what the data says (2025). Read the source
- Gong. Before You Hit Send: 7 Sales Email Statistics To Boost Your Email Game (2021). Read the source
- Lavender. Cold Email 101: How to Write Emails People Actually Read (and Reply To) (2023). Read the source
- Gong Labs. This surprising cold email CTA will help you book a lot more meetings (2020). Read the source
- Gong / 30MPC. 4 Data-Backed Subject Lines to Get Your Cold Emails Opened (2025). Read the source
Advice marked as writing practice is common sense for clear email, not a study result. See where all of our guidance comes from. No statistic on this page is invented.