Welcome to another instalment of the online presence blog. This month I thought I would touch on how to write better emails. These days so many of us use email on a daily basis. Here are a few of the emailing hacks I have picked up over the years, that will make you stand out from your competitors, handle difficult people easily and leave customers feeling reassured.
The secret to positive email language
Positive language in emails is easily missed. I am not talking about injecting your email with buzz-words like “awesome” or “amazing”. Instead it’s about filtering out the phrases that add negativity to your emails, and replacing them with subtle, but positive phrases.
Here are some phrases that quietly add negativity and/or the grumps to your email’s tone:
“No problem”
“Unfortunately”
“Sorry for the inconvenience”
Replacing negative phrases will change the energy in your email exchanges:
“No problem” >>> My pleasure.
This phrase makes people feel really assured that you are happy and invested in their experience. The words “no” and “problem” can make the brain see a negative where there isn’t one. Don’t give it any reason to doubt you.
“Unfortunately” >>> This is often worth dropping from your emails altogether!
Ask yourself, is the situation really unfortunate? Or are you getting ready to apologise for something that isn’t your fault? Unfortunately gets bandied around way too often. For example “unfortunately, we are fully booked” (that doesn’t sound unfortunate to me, good for you!) Instead, try leaving “unfortunately” out of the equation and stick to stating the facts. There’s no need to brace for impact, it’s your email and your life.
“Sorry for the inconvenience” >>> Thank you for your patience and understanding.
At some point in our businesses, we will be in the wrong about something. The trick is, knowing exactly when it’s the right time to say sorry. As Brits, we are quick to jump to saying sorry. Some might say apologising too much makes you look weak. If you’re realising that you say sorry too often (but the issue at hand isn’t really your fault) think about thanking people instead. A simple thank you for your patience is often all thats needed to keep people on your side and prevent conflict.
Keep your promises
If you’ve promised to email, someone, or send a document – make sure it happens. You can also include the phrase into your email: “Please see attached, as promised”.
This is a lovely phrase to include in your emails – it directly tells people you are someone who keeps promises. You’re reliable. In a world where so many of us have experienced broken promises, this one can resonate very highly with customers who may have been let down or scammed in the past.
Bullet points
We all know someone who sends war and peace length emails. These senders tend to be your detail-orientated types who don’t want to miss anything out – and there is a time and place for those sorts of emails.
However, day-to-day I find bullet points get the job done. If you’re struggling to make sense of what you want to say, bullet points can save your bacon.
Another reason I love bullet points – they’re considered ADHD and dyslexia-friendly. If you’re emailing someone who gets in a muddle or finds it hard to pick out actionable points, bullet points will be greatly appreciated by them.
Try it out and let me know how you get on in the comments.
Schedule emails ahead of time
Sometimes we all need to buy ourselves some time with an email exchange.
It could be that you’re going out later, feel stressed out, or need time to think.
Maybe you’d rather not get a reply same day because its a difficult subject, or perhaps an invoice or reminder needs to go out on a particular date and you won’t be at your desk that day.
Whatever your reason, make the most of the scheduling tools available in your inbox. Prioritise your schedule, health and peace of mind. Take your time, and ignore the false sense of urgency that emails can create.
Inject your personality
10-15 years ago, emails were a bit “LinkedIn” if you know what I mean. All business, super-professional, straight up and down – basically, not much fun. At least, thats how I experienced them.
These days people are a bit more relaxed – I think Covid helped with that. We all got a chance to see a much more human side to each other.
I digress.
These days it’s commonplace to include a smiley emoji, and use more informal language. I always try to be two things in my emails, concise, and friendly. You may find this also works well for you – or perhaps you would like to lean towards organised and cheerful, or detailed and cheeky.
Provided you keep it clean, there is a lot more flexibility in being yourself. Professionalism doesn’t have to be dull.
About the Author
Catherine Jarvis Clothier is a digital marketer and online presence specialist living and working in Kent, UK. She has worked in unusual UK businesses for over 10 years across the South of England, particularly in automotive and therapy-based enterprises. Catherine specialises in social media, SEO and web design. She can be contacted here for online business consultations.