Your Email Body Language

What do your emails say about you?

“Regardless of the changes in technology, the market for well-crafted messages will always have an audience." ?Steve Burnett

We all know that body language some times speaks more clearly about what we are thinking than our actual words. We know that crossing our arms while speaking (or listening) communicates that we may be closed off; rolling our eyes makes a statement that we don’t agree with what is being said; looking away may mean we are distracted or bored and avoiding eye contact when speaking may mean that we are not being truthful.

But there is also email body language which is the message you are conveying with the written word that may tell the recipient things about you or what you are saying that you don’t intend.

For example. You receive an email from a client asking you a question to which you do not know the answer. You forward the email to someone else in your office that does have the answer and assume they will get back to you with it in a reasonable time. Meanwhile, the client waits for your response. The colleague gets busy and does not get back to you until a week later and you then answer your client.
What is the client left with? The sense that you don’t find them important or that you are too busy to handle their inquiry. But that was not your intention at all! In other words, they picture you with your arms folded or visualize you as stressed out with no time to handle the details.

How do we avoid this? When the client emails you with a question you cannot answer, simply tell them as such and that you will need to get with another individual in your office, but that you will get back to them as soon as possible. When you email your colleague for the answer, blind carbon copy yourself and then drop and drag the email into your Outlook ™ tasks for the next day. That way, if you don’t receive a response in a timely manner, you can remind your colleague and get back to the client quickly so his or her impression of you is that you are on the ball.

Another example is when you send an email that leaves out a warm greeting or a closing. While this is generally suitable for internal conversation where you actually see and talk to your co-workers during the day, when you are initiating or responding to an email outside the office, adding a “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” or the word “Greetings” to the beginning of your email sets a warm tone. Likewise, ending an email with “Thank you”, “Have a great day” or “Best regards” leaves the reader feeling positive about you. I also like to add an exclamation point to my greeting and closing so people can see that I am enthusiastic.

Otherwise, your email body language may leave someone wondering if you are a kind and caring person ready to assist them or an unfriendly and burdened individual that they are bothering.

We are all human beings dealing with other human beings so kindness always wins the day and the more words you can use in your email that connote kindness and the more responsive you are even if you don’t have all or most of the information someone is seeking will put you in a favorable light, make people feel welcome and allow clients and customers to feel that they made the right choice by doing business with you.

So take a few extra minutes to put warm touches on your email. Brighten someone else’s day and know that it is contagious. We all learn from each other and when you have clear, positive and warm engagements in email, others will remember that and may even adopt some of your style so they can pass it on.

Email body language is strong. May it work to your advantage!

Jane Schulte
		About the author:
		Jane Schulte is Executive Vice President and COO of PRISM Title & Closing Services, Ltd. located in Ft. Wright, Kentucky. This is an excerpt from her latest ebook, WORK SMART, Not Hard! Go to www.stop-struggling.com to purchase a copy.