Tone and Voice in Emails
If you’ve already got an email list, you’re probably wondering what you’re supposed to do with it. Maybe you have some writer’s block or you’re unsure what your subscribers want to hear about from you. We can definitely help with that!
The first thing you want to be mindful of is your tone. This should change based on who you’re speaking to. Consider your target audience and how they would want or need to be spoken to. Ask yourself who your primary customer is, what needs of theirs you are filling, and what they want to hear from your business. Once you have those questions answered, it might change how you communicate with them. Are you speaking to business owners with limited time to read emails? Maybe you should keep your emails concise and simple, so they don’t require much focus. Are you speaking to potential donors who have followed your nonprofit fundraising efforts for a while, or newcomers who have just learned about what you do? You should speak to those two audiences differently!
One thing to consider is segmenting your email list. This means sending out different emails to different lists. It will take more time to adapt your emails to multiple audiences, but it might be a more effective way to get your message across. This is a cost-benefit scenario that will be unique to each business, but we are happy to walk you through the consideration process if you are interested in going this route.
When addressing your email list, consider both your message (what you are telling them) and your tone (how you say it). Your tone could be upbeat, silly, joyful. Or it could be serious, heartfelt, and vulnerable. Or anything in between! Developing your tone takes time and effort (we can help with that!) but trying out a few different styles might help you find where you fall. Take a single message, for example. Let’s say you want to tell your customers about an upcoming discount. It could be said a few different ways:
Now’s the time to try out our services! We’re offering a 10% discount for a limited time.
Are you going to try us out or not?! Here’s 10% off.
Psssst. Hey, you! Yes - you! Here’s 10% off, don’t tell anyone!
If you’ve been thinking about trying us out, we want to help. Here’s 10% off.
Okay, okay, we hear you! Here’s 10% off your next service with us.
To try out tone, you can send yourself some sample emails and see how they sound and look. When you’ve nailed down how you want your business and brand to ‘sound,’ try labeling that voice and record it somewhere. Maybe you want to sound sassy and fun, or professional and formal. Maybe your voice is ‘professional with a bit of sass’!
Whatever you’ve decided for your tone - try writing it down and referring to it whenever you are writing for your business. It can help point you in the right direction, cure writer’s block, and keep your voice consistent - an important part of brand recognition. Your audience should be able to tell the email is from you by reading the subject line, without even seeing who it came from. This recognition will help you build a connection with your audience so they feel like they know you better as a business.
Want to take it a step further? Hit that button below, and let’s chat!
