Operating in both the business & personal spheres in the digital age means using email; it's now just a fact of life. Once upon a time, when it was "shiny & new," it used to be a fun, cool thing. Now it's more of a necessary chore which is why in business, using email effectively can make you stand out. What do I mean & how do you do it?! In order to understand these things, let's back up a little bit. It's a generally accepted fact that business is about relationships so building strong business relationships is an essential skill. Even in the digital age, we all prefer doing this the old fashioned way, personally & in the real world but like in everything else, time is tight & attitude is everything. Sadly, these days, "real world touch" is a luxury because time is almost always limited & at a premium which brings me back to attitude & our "have to" emails.
Business Relationships & Email
There are at least 2 keys to building a strong business relationship & one of them is credibility. A couple of ways that you can prove things like the fact that you really know your stuff and/0r that you truly produce results is actually more easily resolved online. One example is sending useful, actionable information that can often be immediately used. This builds credibility. Not only does it build credibility but it satisfies a less tangible axiom of business which is "always give before you ask." Doing the equivalent face to face can be far more challenging.
"It IS Personal Not Just Business"
The phrase "it's not personal, it's just business " may work in books, movies, & on TV [notably used in The Godfather & the Apprentice] but business is about people & relationships. In its own way, it IS personal which is why the other key to a strong business relationship is creating an interpersonal one as well. For example, before someone will hire you as their editor, coach, or trainer for their business, you have to establish some kind of relationship in order for people to trust you. Being successful means demonstrating that you are both skilled and personable. Trust is a critical quality in both realms & building trust in an email is obviously more challenging. In the real world, you get a feel for someone through all sorts of cues that are both obvious & subtle. Achieving this through email is more difficult but it is doable. Here are 4 things for you to consider.
- The style of your email. The email we get from friends is different from standard business email. Friends use an informal casual style. A stiffer more formal email is from someone you don't know well. This means that receiving a stiff & formal email automatically classifies the sender [you] as someone the reader doesn't know well or worse, a machine. These are the emails that are a reflection of an algorithm. They are the kiss of death. On the other hand, if your emails sound like someone you have coffee with, that psychologically classifies them as from someone they know well [read; more inclined to trust] because those are the kinds of emails we get from friends.
- The 2nd thing you can do to build a relationship is to send "textured" emails. For example, integrate relevant pictures, or links to videos. This gives the person you are talking to something tangible, something that can actually touch them. It also reflects communication on more than one level. It may not seem possible but multi-modal communication helps people to feel as if they know you better.
- The 3rd strategy is all about the content you use. For example, when you are building credibility by sending useful information, don't make it completely cold, stiff & factual. Integrate personal stories which by themselves build rapport. Everyone likes to tout their successes. Turn it around. Be a bit vulnerable. Use some self-disclosure by providing examples of when things didn't go well for you; what your takeaways were from those experiences; how you turned things around. When you do this, you are letting others in. Demonstrating honesty & vulnerability makes people feel as if they know you better & can trust you more.
- The fourth & final idea is interaction. Go ahead, intentionally try to trigger a personal response. This can be done by sending a quick follow-up email such as " hey did you get that white paper I sent?" An affirmative response can become the start of a conversation. Alternatively, ask a question like *what's the biggest challenge facing your business right now?* Another strategy is to ask for feedback on a story or an article you wrote (one that was ideally potentially useful to them). Ask about their experiences in this area. Asking questions which provides more information about them & their business does 2 things. It helps build a relationship & it gives you more things to work with. A cautionary word here. One way to virtually guarantee failure is attempting to leverage a non-existent relationship. I don't know about you but I get robo-telemarketing calls using this dreadful strategy all the time. From where I sit that is also a sure ticket to terrible PR...OK, at least with me.
Manage Your Expectations
To be fair, you have to have realistic expectations. There won't be a personal response from everyone. In actuality, it will be a small percentage but it will lead to a stronger relationship. Armed with a legitimate connection, you can leave the digital world & follow up with a call or plan a meeting. It's your bridge to a more personal relationship. In personal relationships, trust can grow which of course is key because "people do business with people they know & trust!" Like tons of other things, email is another business tool but how it's used is very much "a mindset thing" as much as a strategy. While it may seem a bit dramatic when conducting business ask yourself which is more useful, a scalpel or a meat cleaver [aside from being a Dr or a butcher that is].
Robots, Hacks, & Micro-Surgeons
Anybody can hack off a piece of meat...no time, skill, strategy, & very little training is required [like sending a robo-email] while masterful use of a scalpel requires training, thought, precision & a clear idea of the end result you are trying to achieve. With that in mind, when you write your next business email before you press "send," just ask yourself one question: "is this email the work of a robot, a hack, or a micro-surgeon?!"
