5 Ways to Add Emotions to your Emails (without using emojis!)
Emails are cold. Just black letters on a white background. At least that’s how it should be. Yet, many of us read between the lines and detect emotions that are probably not there. And when you read an email using your inner voice, it sounds cold, almost aggressive. Without any softening tone of voice or a reassuring smile, an opinion can be transformed into a judgment. A simple request becomes a command.
So how can we add emotions and reassure the reader? An easy solution is to use emojis. But frankly, they’re too informal for business emails. And you might lose credibility with a client if you include little laughing or crying faces. How to add positive emotion to a business email without using emojis?
Here are five techniques:
An easy place to start is in the opening to the email. Rather than a bland ‘how are you?’ or the meaningless ‘I hope you’re well’, it’s warmer to start with:
- Reaching out to you is always a pleasure.
- Let me try to brighten your day (at least, a little)
Or if you are replying to an email:
- It’s great to hear from you.
- I was pleasantly surprised to hear from you.
A simple, warm opening can set a positive tone and put the reader into a positive frame of mind.
When making requests, rather than asking yes/no questions like ‘could you…?’, it’s easy to express how you will feel if the recipient does what you are requesting:
- I’d appreciate it if you could…
- I’d be grateful if you would…
In both cases, you are informing the reader about the positive emotions (appreciation, gratitude) you will feel when they meet your request.
Sometimes direct questions can come across as threatening when written in an email. Even when they are harmless. Simply asking ‘what’s the status of the project?’ can feel like an accusation, especially if the recipient is struggling with the project.
A good way to soften this question is to include the emotion of curiosity. By asking:
- I’m curious how the project is going. Can you let me know how things are going?
The reader understands that you are simply showing interest and are looking to satisfy your curiosity.
- I’m curious about … / how…
- I’m keen to hear your thoughts on …
- I’d be interested to know what’s happening with…
Another good way of slipping emotions into a text is to use adverbs at the start of the sentence:
- Hopefully,…
- Luckily,…
- Curiously,…
- Fortunately,…
Adverbs set an emotional frame for the sentence that follows.
If you want to get really sophisticated, then you can borrow a trick from Hollywood. When you sit down in the cinema, the movie takes you through a chain of emotions. Up and down like a roller coaster. First you empathize with the lead character, then something tragic happens and you feel their pain. You feel the tension and doubt whether they will pull through. But they don’t give up and you admire their persistence. Finally, you feel the glow of their success as you reach the Hollywood ending.
The sequence of emotions is deliberate. The film studios know what they are doing. They want to take you through a chain of emotions so that you go on an emotional journey as you watch the movie.
So how does this translate to emails? Well, if you do it elegantly, you can take your reader through a chain of emotions:
Hi Jarred,
Reaching out to you is always a pleasure, especially when I need some help. [warmth]
We’ve been facing some issues with the Geo implementation. We are struggling to upload our data into the platform. [doubt]
I’d be really grateful if you could join us on a call to discuss the issue. [gratitude]
Hopefully, we can work it out together and find a solution. [hope]
Best Regards
Josh
Finally, a word of warning. This is something that you shouldn’t overuse. A few subtle emotive expressions is enough to infuse your email with a positive tone, and help the reader to read your email with a smile on their face.