Should you write a ‘soft intro’ to emails like ‘I hope you’re well’?
This is THE most common question I get asked - and everyone has a strong opinion on the matter!
Some people are all, ‘For *>£$’s sake! Cut the BS waffle and just get to the point!’
And others are more ‘I really like the personal touch. Otherwise it just feels brusque and impersonal.’
So, who’s right?
Well, let’s look at some research shared by Dr Robert Cialdini.
Two well-known business schools carried out a series of negotiation studies between MBA students.
Certain groups were told, ‘Time is money. Get straight down to business.’
In this group, around 55% were able to come to an agreement.
But a second group was advised, ‘Before you start negotiations, swap personal information with each other. Find a similarity you share in common and then begin negotiating.’
In this group, a staggering 90% were able to come to an agreement. And these agreements were typically worth 18% more to both parties.
Why did this happen? Finding areas of similarity with others triggers the Liking Principle, which in turn makes people more likely to say yes to us.
So what does this mean for your email openers?
Well, a personalised, thoughtful opener can help to build relationships with people. One that references things you have in common - whether it’s dogs, kids or Netflix shows.
It'll help people know and like you – key to building trust, faster. And if they like you, they’ll be more likely to say yes to you.
But a word of warning: if your recipient’s email style is short and curt, they may just want you to get to the point.
And, never ever start with the charisma vacuum ‘I hope you’re well.’
(I may have mentioned this once or twice before. Ahem.)
Let me know how you get on!
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