89: Six Phrases to Make Your Emails More Upbeat

If you were to analyze every written conversation of yours over the past few months, let's start with March 15, the IDEs of March. If you were to check for the sentiment or the tone of your writing, which column would it fall into? The sunny positive column or the stressed out and dour column? Me. Definitely the latter. From the pandemic to the economy running a business in these times of these difficult conversations about race inclusion, how are we going to stay in business? These events impacted me personally and certainly bled into my professional communications. And I'm sure the same happened to you with social distancing. Yes, zoom calls have increased, but so has the use of emails. On the podcast this week, I share phrases to bring a little light back into your communications so you don't pass on your anxiety and stress and to your customers and your colleagues. If you're like me and your writing nowadays still seems like it's in the season of gloom, you're not alone. In the months after the initial pandemic outbreak, the digital writing tool Grammarly saw a 75% drop in in the percent of people in the US writing with an optimistic tone. But the data also indicated a nearly 70% rise in the percent of people in the US using a more informative tone, indicating that many of us were instructing one another and sharing our knowledge. Now, that stat changed my outlook because I was feeling like my writing was certainly a little gloomier in tone than usual. But But I also recognize that I've been doing a lot of explaining and educating over these past few months. So for many of you, you've likely noticed a shadow form over your usual sunny self after you've taken hit after hit. And as we all navigate uncertainty, let's face it, there's a lot of stress and it's going to show up in our writing. I don't know if you're like me, but it seems as if every day presents a new challenge and and to meet them, you've got to write about them. But too much of a negative tone in your writing. When your words convey how you feel about a subject, well, it can cause problems. For one, it's affecting people's impression of you. Are you the Karen of corporate emails? And for all the Karens out there, I'm so sorry to say that, but now it's been appropriated and a Karen is considered like the nudge customer. And I'm saying this as a Molly. The Molly was a popular drug, so when people would take Molly. So I get it. I survived at Karen's of the world, so I know you can as well. 2. Are you increasing a customer's stress and testing their patience by inserting your problems while trying to solve their problems? And lastly, as many of us know, a negative email to a customer can easily find its way onto social media. Never forget, just because you write in a certain way doesn't mean it's received the same way. So on the podcast today, six simple to remember phrases you can insert into your writing today to help you build or maintain a positive relationship with a customer or colleague remotely. So open up the sunroof in your car, put on your headphones, or walk outdoors because I am bringing you some sunshine. All right, here we go. Number one thank you. Now, how difficult is it to say thank you? I know sometimes it's tough to some people, but writing it is painless. I've noticed that I've added the phrase to almost every conversation lately at one point or another. Thanks so much has been my spin on the thank you. So start it at the top or mean it at the end. Expressing your genuine gratitude will lighten up any email. Two examples from my communications last week thank you so much for sharing your feedback. I wrote that to a listener, Stephanie, in Columbus, Ohio, who replied to my weekly email. This is where I'll insert if you want my weekly email, you can head on over to mollymcpherson.com subscribe and you'll be a part of my weekly emails. Another example thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to speak with me. I know how busy you are this time of year. All right, next. How can I help you? This phrase will go far. Nowadays, who doesn't need help and who doesn't love a person who asks when people are on edge or dealing with stress, the best way to communicate positivity is to offer support. I want to decrease your workload. How can I help? That project seems like a big job for one person. How can I help you? You've been experiencing a lot of problems with this request. How can I help you? Next, A close cousin to the How I can help you is Let me find out for you. This phrase is literally saving someone's time and likely their emotional energy. Some I've got this Examples the zoom call starts at three, but they did not send the link. Let me find it. You've been waiting too long for your service call. Let me find out what happened. I know you're concerned about social distancing. Let me find out if they are requiring people to wear masks. Next I can Here is Where you state what you can do instead of what you can't. This is what it sounds like in the negative tone. I'm booked tomorrow morning, so I can't review the proposal until later in the day. A more positive spin. I have an opening on my schedule tomorrow at 1 to review your article. It's positive and you have full control of your schedule, which. Which makes everyone happy. Next. You are so blank. This is where we insert the compliment. You are so wonderful. Helpful, thoughtful, intelligent, witty. Tell people something nice about the interaction. Is there anyone who wouldn't want to read a compliment about themselves? Well, in the positive light, even better. Writing a compliment is mightier than the spoken one. It takes more thought. Thought. You are so helpful. You are so accommodating. Thank you. You are so easy to work with. I cannot wait to work with you again. And finally, don't worry. There is no chance for misinterpretation here. A simple way to lessen a customer's worry is to tell them not to. It's another way of saying, I've got this. You didn't receive the package. Don't worry, I'll find it. You were having difficulty contacting us. Don't worry, I'll extend the deadline. Your conference is in jeopardy of being canceled. Don't worry, I can do it virtually. I've been writing that line a lot these past few months. So there you have it. Six phrases to bring a little more sunny optimism into your writing that will help you replace kindness with being a Karen, lessen a customer stress and reducing impatience, decreasing the chances of a negative social media hit job and increasing the chance of a positive review. Now, how can I help you find the right response at the right time on the right channel? Well, sign up now to join the waiting list for access to the Response kit. The purpose of the Response Kit is to offer resources to help communicators and people who communicate for a business and to help craft and deliver the right message via social media statement or video at the right time, when to release a statement and on the right channel. So Response Kit offers plenty of social media how to's for how to handle a response. So head on over to responsekit.com to join our wait list and we will email you when we are ready to launch. It's coming soon folks. Thank you for listening to this week's edition of the podcast. Thanks for watching. Don't worry, I'll be here again next week to help you, the listener, find the right response at the right time on the right channel. Bye for now.