How to Achieve the Appropriate Tone in Email

Are your email messages too casual?  Or, are they too formal?  Are you using the appropriate tone?

Email messages are different from typed letters.  You can’t be “too” formal in a letter.  In an email, too formal looks silly.  What’s the appropriate tone for an email?  -- slightly more casual than a letter.  Yet, there’s a fine line between being too relaxed and too stiff.

To some degree, the attitude and culture of your company will dictate the amount of formality necessary.  For example, floral shops and hotels won’t be as formal as a bank or law firm.

As you compose the message, consider the person who will be reading it.  Know your audience.

The job gets easier when you’re replying to a message.  You can already see the tone of the sender.  All you have to do is match that tone.

When in doubt, strive for a tone that is professional, yet conversational.  One easy way to achieve a conversational tone is to use contractions (I’ll, we’ll, he’s, she’s).

Also, it’s acceptable to use pronouns.  In conversation, we use the words “I, we, you.”  So, use these in emails.  For example, “It is suggested . . . “ sounds very stiff.  Instead, try, “I suggest . . .”

Be careful with the pronoun “I.”  Using too many can be perceived as egotistical.  You don’t want to appear pompous.  If you notice an abundance of “I’s,” try rewriting every other sentence.  This will create variety, and that pesky personal pronoun won’t be as obvious.

Email is a great form of communicating.  Just remember that your old typed-letter writing style should be adapted so your messages don’t sound stilted and stiff.  On the other hand, email is NOT a license to be sloppy.  The most effective email messages find a happy balance.  They have a conversational tone.

A Copywriting Lesson from Dr. Seuss

Looking for inspiration for your next marketing communication? Try the children’s bookshelf.

Dr. Seuss has entertained young (and old) audiences for nearly 50 years with titles such as  The Cat in the Hat,Hop on Pop and Green Eggs and Ham.

The reason why his books remain so popular says something about what makes for good writing (and reading), no matter who or where the audience is.

Nouns and Verbs

Nothing keeps readers moving like strong noun-verb combinations. If the sentence were a train, nouns and verbs would be the engine. Adjectives, adverbs and the other parts of speech make the train longer and slower. Dr. Seuss' sentences have strong engines pulling light loads to keep readers moving down the tracks.

Lots of Periods

A byproduct of eliminating the extraneous words is shorter sentence length. Lots of periods. Paradoxically, more sentences of shorter length increase reading speed and comprehension. Dr. Seuss, as are many children's authors, is a champion of the short sentence.

Imagination

Albert Einstein said, "The gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge." Were it not for imagination, there would be no Cat in the Hat and no Dr. Seuss. Imagination is the beginning of copywriting because first there must be an idea or concept.

Fun

Dr. Seuss' books are fun to read. They're funny, too, but that's not the same thing. Fun to read is material that's entertaining and effortless for readers, an excellent standard for all writing.

Lyrical

Dr. Seuss' books are written in verse. Of course they're lyrical. However, this goes beyond silly rhymes. There are a sound and rhythm to the words that, like a favorite tune, you don't mind hearing over and over. Good writing of all varieties is pleasing to the eye and ear.

Economical

Children have short attention spans. Dr. Seuss knows how to tell a story without unnecessary detours. Every word counts. That's good advice for all who write copy because children aren't the only ones with short attention spans.

Memorable

This is the litmus test for all writing. Did readers take something away? Was their time well invested? The Cat in the Hat is a story about having fun, even on a rainy day. Now that's worthwhile reading.