With my kids’ school now in session, I recently received a volunteer email to rally the troops for the upcoming year. The intention of the writer, I think, was to motivate volunteers to donate their time and money for various programs. However, the extra large red font and capitalization came across as a scolding rather than an invitation to a great new year of volunteering. Instead of getting out my checkbook, I wanted to run the other way. The funny thing is, I’ve met the copywriter and the email couldn’t have been more opposite of her positive and cheerful personality.

This got me thinking about how we communicate with each other online. While certain social media tools such as video blogs, webinars, and audio files allow for certain inflections in our voice to set a proper tone, written communication is missing one of the most important components of communication — body language. With any in-person conversation, a smile or friendly gesture speaks volumes to your demeanor. It’s different with emails, blogs and Tweets. As copywriters, we’re often too focused on what we have to say that we don’t invest the same level of time and energy in how to say it. As a result, there’s potential for our message to get misinterpreted.

The challenge for every content writer is to communicate in a way that is as natural as talking to someone in the same room. While the subject matter is important, the tone on how you deliver your message plays a critical role in connecting with your audience. For example, with email there’s no affirmation to emotionally support what you are trying to say. The wrong tone, or even lack of tone, can distance yourself from your readers. Here are a few things you should think about when drafting your next email.

• Bring energy to your written voice. If your copy lacks energy or is too stern, you’ll turn off your readers. To avoid sounding indifferent, keep your voice active and choose your words carefully. Remember that every positive and negative word impacts your audience one way or another. The tone you set for yourself is directly expressed through the words you select.
• Understand your audience. While you may know all the right buzz words that attract your audience, knowing what tone motivates them is equally as important when communicating online. Because we are often too busy crafting the perfect message, it’s always a good idea to step back to make sure you’ve included the right adjectives to support what you are trying to communicate. Collective pronouns such as “we” or “us” also connect you with your audience, creating a tone that you both share the same experiences.
• A positive tone is always the best motivator. People are motivated by positive reinforcement. For example, thanking someone for their time or expressing your appreciation for them keeps the conversation insightful, upbeat, and adds more personality to your writing voice. Pay attention to your non-verbal communications such as punctuation, capitalization, and font size.
• Keep the content and tone consistent. Staying on message is critical to any communication. Keeping the right tone that is consistent with the message should also be treated with the same consideration. The wrong phrase or comment can quickly spoil a well written email. Without a consistent tone, there is too much potential for miscommunication.

Social media is all about initiating conversations and building relationships. Because many writing platforms lack one of the most basic elements of communication in body language, the challenge for copywriters is to balance the right words with the right tone that is most effective with your audience.