Stop saying you are "thrilled" nobody believes you.

We’ve all seen them—the press releases and LinkedIn posts where someone is “thrilled” to be promoted, “delighted” to partner with a new client, or “excited” to announce a new venture. It’s the corporate equivalent of a wet handshake: predictable, forgettable, and lacking any real substance.

The problem with words like "thrilled" and "delighted" isn’t that they’re bad words. It’s that they’re empty. They don’t tell you anything meaningful. They don’t show personality, perspective, or genuine sentiment. They’re the copy and paste response that people use when they don’t know what else to say—or worse, when they haven’t really thought about it at all.

So, what should you say instead? A good quote should sound like something a real person would say in a conversation. It should add value, insight, or even a little personality.

Instead of saying:

“We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with [X Company].”

Try:

“This partnership is a game-changer for us. [X Company) brings expertise that will help us push boundaries, and we can’t wait to get started.”

Or, instead of:

“I’m delighted to be joining [Company] as their new Head of Marketing.”

Try:

“Joining [Company] is an incredible opportunity. Their vision for the future of [industry] aligns perfectly with what I’m passionate about, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

These versions do a few things. They sound like something a real person would say. They explain why the news actually matters. They avoid overused, throwaway words that could apply to any situation.

Why does it matter? Because words shape perception. If your quotes sound generic, so do you. If they sound authentic, insightful, and confident, people take notice. In business, you don’t want to blend into the background—you want to stand out.

So, the next time you need to give a quote, take an extra minute to think about what you really want to say. Because if the best you can come up with is “thrilled” or “delighted,” then maybe—just maybe—you’re best not saying anything at all.