My most recent e-letter made the case for the principle “give before you get.” It’s a principle to live by, both personally and professionally. Giving just feels good. If you do it right, it makes other people feel good too.
(It also makes them open your e-mail newsletter. The fact that you’re reading this message is evidence that giving has practical as well as emotional and moral benefits.)
So my gift to you this month is five more gifts communicators have to give.
1. Humor
As Steve said when he e-mailed this suggestion (hi, Steve!), the gift of humor should have been on my original list because I practice it myself, or try to. Why? Because I myself like to read e-letters that make me chuckle. A laugh – or even just a wry smile – is a great gift to give a reader.
2. Personality
For me, #1 is a subset of #2. My e-letter makes you laugh (if it does) because I am the kind of person who likes to make people laugh. You might not be that kind of person, but you are some kind of person. Let who you are show through.
People like to communicate with real people, not with corporate monoliths. (Think about how much you look forward to e-mails from your bank.) You’re not a corporate monolith, so don’t write like one.
If you do happen to work for a corporate monolith, you still have a personality to project. It’s called your corporation’s brand. Look at the “style” section of your corporate brand guidelines. I will bet my extensive collection of stuffed office animals that it doesn’t tell you to write like a bank.
3. Attention to detail
Is the logo placed according to brand guidelines? (Yes, good communicators read brand guidelines. Another gift to our clients. You’re welcome.) Are the board members’ names spelled correctly? Did we any words out? Communicators obsess about these things so our clients don’t have to.
Leave! LEAVE any words out! Thank goodness for my proofreader.
4. Respect
We respect our readers’ time by making messages as short and easy to digest as possible. We respect their autonomy by letting them decide whether they want to click or page forward for more, rather than dumping a ton of information on them. We respect their humanity by speaking to their hearts as well as their minds.
5. Goodwill
Good communicators want our readers (viewers, listeners) to succeed – and not just at what we’re trying to get them to do.
I want you to succeed at whatever you are trying to do – as long as it isn’t harmful like, say, wielding deadly weapons or writing like a bank.
Wanting the best for you makes it easier for me to write to you or for you. If you’re a client, it helps me to collaborate with you to meet your communication goals. If you’re a reader, it enables me to put myself in your chair.
An intention for 2014
Of course I am better at wanting to have goodwill than I am at doing it. I’ve just written myself an intention (I don’t do resolutions) for 2014: I’m going to make goodwill one of my keywords.
How about you? What intentions have you set for your work this year?