This Week's Blog

The worksheet

When I reviewed my email files to find one to write about I noticed a pattern. The more familiar someone was with you the less information and "niceties" there was in the email. In each of these messages the tone was set in the first line of the email. I knew the content of the message before reading the entire text.

Chase Bank opens their formal business email with Mr. Charles E. Pelaske Jr... This tips me off there may be something legal in the memo. The opening was followed by legal stuff telling me they changed the terms on a credit card I do not use. Publisher's Clearing House does not know me at all. They refer to me as Mr. Pelaske before they offer to fix my financial position. The most familiar was from my brother. “Check this out" was all he wrote and he included a web site address.

Chase tried to maintain a friendly tone. Other than the opening paragraph, the message was bland and unappealing. Writing this type of message is difficult. The ability to deliver bad news while trying to keep customer goodwill takes talent. Chase effectively balanced the bad news by reminding customers of the services available to them for the increased cost.

Publisher's Clearing House sent their usual promotion of giving away millions of dollars. The email was a full page of how the reader could become rich and how others have already become rich by clicking on the link. The sale of actual merchandise does not occur until you have clicked on the link. The tone is upbeat throughout the entire email. They want the reader to feel the sense of urgency to click the link by the use of bold print with underling. These mental pushes are on the key parts requesting the reader to respond now and prompt entry needed. The reference to others that lost because they failed to respond seems mildly threatening. This approach must work because they have been using it for decades.

My brother's email would be impossible to discern a tone in without the entire context of where the link went and why he sent it to me. This short an email may be acceptable between family members. In the work place it would be a mistake, no matter how well or how long you worked with someone. The intended joke could backfire by misinterpretation.