Imagine the situation. You are burying your beloved grandmother. The funeral director comes up to you and, smiling broadly, cheerfully shakes your hand. What would you think of this man? A rude man? A heartless man? A jerk? Your subscribers will think the same of you if you address them in an inappropriate manner.
Effective email communication is now a requirement for any organization, and for many professionals, it is the most immediate mode of communication. Most of us send and receive emails at work on a daily basis, but when was the last time you considered your email communication style, and how you could improve it?
Your writing style reflects you and your organization, so it should be tailored to the needs and expectations of your target audience. You can vary your style depending on the nature of your message and your relationship with the reader because you send emails to a variety of people. The tone and style can be informal, conversational, or formal. If you work for a large company and are writing to your superiors or potential clients, you should employ a formal tone that demonstrates respect.
However, in a fast e-mail to your colleagues with whom you have a close relationship, the same tone could come across as stiff and even unpleasant.
Let's figure it out when you need to stay serious with your followers, and when you can communicate with them in a relaxed tone.
Business Communication Style
The business communication style is appropriate for a variety of serious fields, including medicine, insurance, legal, and banking services, among others. If your company falls under one of these categories, your tone should be serious the majority of the time. What other option do you have? After all, you're a professional, and they expect more than jokes and emojis from you. Do you agree with it? Yes, of course. Does this mean that using a neutral communication style and humor is absolute taboo in your mailings? And this is where I would disagree.
Being serious all the time is also bad for you. Think back to your college years. Surely you had at least one teacher who dictated his brilliant lessons in a monotone voice from lecture to lecture. Yes, this man was a respected expert, professor, and PhD candidate, but who listened to him? It isn't because students are stupid and uninterested. It's just that everyone wants to relax a little sometimes. And, believe me, bankers, economists, and businessmen are no exception.
Let me give you an example so that these words do not appear meaningless to you. Saxo Bank is one of the largest online investment banks in the world with offices throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. This website's target audience is primarily composed of serious and wealthy people, such as businessmen.
But sometimes they include elements of conversational style in their newsletters. Pay attention to what interesting phrases are inserted into the Saxo Bank email letters: "Don't take it personally", "Slowly but surely", "The threat of the crisis has remained in distant memories". By the way, during their public speeches, Saxo specialists also do not miss a chance to make a joke or make a vivid comparison, which makes their expert speech truly bright and memorable.
What conclusion can be drawn from all this? I think that occasionally lowering the level of formality in your mailings will not only not damage but actually help your business. Do not think that clients will immediately turn away from you and conclude that you are unprofessional. Nothing bad will happen if you do it correctly (feel your audience and use the right words). Furthermore, you can always track the indicators of these emails - open rates, clicks, and shares, for example - and stop your experiments if they fail.
Neutral communication style
In what niches can a neutral communication style be used? This can definitely include most online retail stores, as well as all entertainment establishments and services (clubs, bars, cafes, cinemas, fitness centers, travel agencies, etc.).
For example, the target audience of the online store is mostly young women. The email marketer affectionately calls them "favorite female customers" and gives them a 14% discount. It's all very simple, friendly, and feminine. I think such a mailing will arouse a lot of pleasant feelings among the women.
Also, if you write letters in this style, it will be quite normal if you put some kind of emojis after the greeting. Or attach a picture related to your brand.
Communication style
A communication style is a way you communicate with your acquaintances and friends. You should use it carefully. Not all subjects can benefit from this method of communication with clients. In what cases is this style appropriate?
- If you are a brand yourself.
- If you are a representative of your brand.
The right words are the key to success
We looked at three types of communication that can be used in an email newsletter. It's up to you to pick which one is best for you (depending on your target audience and the nature of your business). All I can suggest is that you don't ignore it. Email marketing is a powerful tool for attracting clients, but only if done correctly.
Knowing when to write, and whether to make your correspondence formal or informal, will help you build a strong business reputation and long-term business partnerships.