“Please Don’t Hesitate…” – Are We Still Saying This?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever ended an email with “Please do not hesitate to contact me… “

We’ve all done it! But let’s be honest—that phrase is as fresh as a fax machine. 

But here’s the thing: Communication expert Andy Bounds suggests we drop the hesitation entirely.

Instead, try this magic formula if you want the reader to do something:

“Please can you [do your action] by [deadline]. And then I’ll [do my next action].”

Here are some examples:

Old:
“Please don’t hesitate to reply/call me.”
New:
“Please can you share the report by Friday? And then I’ll finalise the presentation.” 
“Please send over any questions by Wednesday, and I’ll prepare detailed answers for our call.”
“Please send me the updated numbers by 3 pm, and I’ll include them in the report.”
“Please share the document by tomorrow. And I’ll review and send feedback by Thursday.”
“Please send me your slides by noon, and I’ll refine them before our meeting.”

These versions eliminate vagueness, create a clear action plan and make collaboration feel more structured and efficient. 

Try this in your next email. And if “hesitate” still sneaks in, just blame the fax machine. 😆