I know writing emails seems pretty basic—doesn’t it?

You’d think so, but from what I’ve seen, there are a LOT of people who don’t know how to write emails.

This is the basic format of the ones I see:

GREETING: Hi Bob,

REASON FOR EMAILING: I wanted to check in about your new product development.

QUESTIONS/CALL TO ACTION: When can I get a sample?

SIGNATURE: Sarah

While keeping things short and snappy may work for around-the-office questions and memos, when emailing a client, it can sound just plain rude.

Why does this come off as rude? In person, making a quick request or demand can be balanced out by a friendly tone, body language, eye contact, and a smile. But in an email, your recipient only has the words you type from which to cypher your meaning.

And if you’re an entrepreneur, emailing may be the most crucial piece in your sales process—which means it’s especially important that you come across the way that you want to in the inbox!

Here are my four best tips on writing professional emails that are personal, clear and compelling.

1. Make it Personal

Here’s the tricky thing: We write business emails to get a response. We may be looking for an answer to a question, a file to review, or a response to our proposal.

It’s tempting to just dump everything you need into a few sentences and hit send. But I’m going to share a secret with you: I do that all the time—but I don’t hit send.

Before I hit send, I go back to the beginning of the email. I’ll add in a sentence or two with a personal comment or a wish of goodwill—something that reminds both myself and the person I’m writing to that we’re real people, and it’s okay to be nice about it!

2. Make it Perfect

Next, I carefully comb through the sentences that follow. Do they make sense? Is my grammar correct? Am I clear about how I want the recipient to respond?

The best way to proofread is to read your email aloud. You’ll be way more likely to catch typos than if you just scanned it!

3. Make it Actionable

Finally, I take a look at the closing of the email. When possible, I’ll add in a friendly send-off, even something as simple as, “Looking forward to hearing back from you soon!” which actually functions as a call to action, while still sounding kind.

I may even say “I’m available Monday from 3-4pm. Would it work for you to have a call then?” The more specific your call-to-action is, the better—it makes less work for the person you’re emailing!

4. Use the Right Voice.

Always remember to take your relationship with the recipient into account. Don’t be too cutesy when emailing a new client for the first time, and don’t be too formal when emailing someone you’ve known for 10 years. As your personal relationship evolves, your technological relationship should too.

So, what’s the secret to writing an email?

Remember, you’re not in the same room, so body language, eye contact, and tone of voice won’t do anything to help convey your meaning.

So ultimately, you have to write every email twice.

The first time, you get out all the questions/issues you need to address. The second time, you make it sound warm and inviting, as though you’re a real human taking time to contact another real human.

And here’s the real secret: The more human, authentic and personal you are, the more business success you’ll have.

Warmly,

Elle

P.S. Are you ready to level up communication strategies for your small business? Click here to schedule a discovery call with me!

Elle is a veteran entrepreneur and creative strategist who takes businesses to the next level and helps thought leaders expand their influence. As a pitch coach for Aviatra’s LAUNCH cohorts, she uses her background as a professional actress to help women explain what they do with confidence and presence. Visit her website here.

 

As an actress, my career by nature put my talents on display. But like many women, I am not always comfortable stepping forward and taking ownership for my own contributions and making the work I’ve done known to others.  Do you ever struggle with knowing how to talk about yourself? I hope that my journey will propel you forward in yours!

If I was on stage, my talent was visible to every person in the audience. But there was another side of my acting career that was much more behind the scenes.  Before each audition, I would research the play and the character, and I walked into the audition room knowing that my preparation would speak for itself. All the years and hours of training and all the attention to detail set me up for success on the stage without having to tell people.

As a “day job,” I started a children’s theatre company in south Dayton, which grew from one class of 12 students to a series of classes and summer camps along with full production season that served hundreds of students in the community. Believe it or not, I grew it through word of mouth in prehistoric times, WAY before Facebook groups and events. And while, over the last 25 years, the theater continues to be a thriving part of the local community, there are very few who even know that it was my blood, sweat, and tears that spent its first 8 years launching and building it.

Years ago, when the theatre company celebrated its ten year anniversary with a big party, I decided not to go. I wanted to instead let the current team that runs the theatre enjoy the spotlight.

Though I still feel confident in my decision, it makes me wonder: why was I so afraid to have my name and my contributions visible? How can I be a person who’s so comfortable taking center stage, and yet I got stage fright at the thought of making my behind-the-scenes work known?

Then it got me thinking about the difference between self-promotion and creating visibility for yourself. While I have no problem jumping up on stage and letting my talents be seen, it felt like a whole different situation to show up to that event and to garner attention for starting the theatre.

Rather than letting my work speak for itself, I’d be speaking up for my work, and that felt uncomfortable to me.

So, I started asking myself some hard questions about why, and I came to this process that I want to share with you.

1. Examine your motivations

I, like many women, fear creating visibility for myself because I fear coming across as prideful and braggadocious. But in the end, I think it all comes down to MOTIVATIONS. Why do you want to talk about your accomplishments?

There’s a difference between seeking attention and seeking recognition, so start understanding how those two things feel different.

Is your ego wanting recognition for no good reason? Or, is your inner critic sabotaging you and telling you you don’t deserve recognition even if you do?

Spend some time reflecting on whether your ego or your inner critic (sometimes they’re the same) are motivating you. If either of them are getting the final say, it’s time to let your true self call the shots.

2. Find the time and place

There is a time and place to speak up for your work.

Of course you’ll have to feel this out yourself, but generally speaking, it’s not when you’re at a party for someone else, talking to a friend who’s in the middle of a hard season, or when you’re trying to one-up the successful person you’re in conversation with.

But when you’re in an interview, seeking a promotion, or pitching your product or services to someone who’s looking to go into business with you, it’s acceptable—and even necessary—to take all the credit!

I also highly recommend finding a supportive group of women who will celebrate your wins and achievements, rather than feeling intimidated by them.

3. Reframe your accomplishments

Here’s what I’ve learned: Stating what I’ve accomplished isn’t bragging or  self promotion. It’s creating visibility.

Letting yourself be seen is a necessary piece of living in wholeness, and it’s also necessary if you want to step fully into who you were made to be.

In order for small businesses to grow or personal brands to flourish, you have to make peace with being visible and with pulling back the curtain on your own hard work.

Are there any areas of your life where you need to create visibility for yourself? I’d love to spend a strategy day with you to help you step into visibility in new ways. Click here to schedule a discovery call with me!

Elle is a veteran entrepreneur and creative strategist who takes businesses to the next level and helps thought leaders expand their influence. As a pitch coach for Aviatra’s LAUNCH cohorts, she uses her background as a professional actress to help women explain what they do with confidence and presence. Visit her website here.

 

We are all born and raised with different learning styles and personality types. Then add in the wide variety of lifestyles women of all age ranges experience. There is no “one size fits all” approach to learning how to start and grow a new business. Add to the equation that everyone starting a business is at different stages. Some may have just the spark of an idea. Others may have become “accidental entrepreneurs” and have actually been in business a few years, but never took the giant steps backwards to plan appropriately in order to move forward. Others still may have taken over a business for a family member or friend. Add that all up, and we all need to approach learning and planning for success at different rates of speed. For women, we also need to take into account that we are all constantly keeping a lot of plates in the air.

AVIATRA ACCELERATORS OFFERS SOLUTIONS FOR BALANCING IT ALL!

As experts in the field of women entrepreneurs across all industries, Aviatra Accelerators has observed and listened over the years to the challenges facing female founders. Not the least of the challenges is time management and the ever-present juggling act. Aviatra’s new AVIATRA365™ online digital curriculum is one more way we can be sure that women starting businesses get all they need to succeed. We know that the cohort approach works! Working and learning together and cheering each other on are key components for success. But not everyone has the time or availability to physically attend 9-12 weeks of classes. For these female founders, the digital solution is the perfect hybrid of education, coaching, and mentoring within a community that cares about their success, but doing it on their own time, at their own pace.

More and more women are starting businesses, whether full time or side hustle. According to NAWBO, more than 11.6 million businesses in the US are owned by women, generating over $1.7 Trillion in sales per year. https://www.nawbo.org/resources/women-business-owner-statistics with many setting out on their own with little to no guidance. An Aviatra educated woman entrepreneur has an 80% likelihood of launching and staying in business at least 5 years, indicating the value and impact of solid, well vetted training, coaching and mentoring. The digital approach is just one more impactful way to assure the female founder’s success when launching her own venture. Women need to know they are not alone, and knowledge is power. Digital curriculum is a tool to meet her where she is, on her own terms.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO ALL OF US?

When women succeed in business and in life in general, our entire society is positively impacted. According to the 2017 State od Women-Owned Businesses Report commissioned by American Express tells us that “The combination of women-owned businesses and firms equally owned by men and women together account for 47% of all businesses. These firms employ 14% of the workforce and generate 7% of revenues” These figures tell us that women owned businesses continue to be on the rise, but there is still work to be done to grow those businesses to the be equal in revenue and workforce to their percentage of the total US companies. Education, coaching, mentoring and access to capital are the keys to supporting this growth, as well as the critical need to continue to force the banking and investment industries to lend and invest equally in women and minority owned businesses. That’s another discussion for another day! In the meantime, I continue to be passionate about empowering female entrepreneurs at all stages, in all industries, and in as many different learning opportunities as possible.

https://aviatraaccelerators.org/get-started/aviatra365/

Do you ever struggle to speak your mind or ask for what you really want?

I believe there is one main thing holding so many women back from their life calling.  And it’s not lack of money or opportunity or experience—it’s failing to advocate for ourselves.

For the past 20+ years of my entrepreneurial career, I have lived by a simple maxim: “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”

This philosophy has won me pitches for corporate clients that no one thought I could win, secured a spot for me in an elite conservatory that I missed the application deadline for, and has even gotten me special permission to import juggling balls from U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Pentagon. (But that’s a story for another time.)

I’ve used the same six  strategies to advocate for myself and get what I want no matter what, and I’d love to share them with you.

1. Let life surprise you.

Advocating for yourself starts with an openness to discovering what you want.

Earlier this year, when I was in San Diego, I was driving up and down the city streets with my daughter Mirabelle.

To my surprise, we came upon a building that had my name on it—literally! “Elle” was elegantly scripted in gold lettering against a brick backdrop.  Getting closer, I realized it was the sign for a bridal boutique named “elle.” It was Sunday, so they were not open, but after googling I found out they were closing their brick and mortar site in two days to offer online and appointment-only services.

Because I was observant and present, I noticed the elle sign in the first place. Granted, my brain was in vacation mode so the flexibility came easily—but who says we can’t keep our eyes and minds open all the time!

2. Ask for exactly what you want.

If the bridal shop closed, they wouldn’t need a sign, right? So I called and left a message explaining that I would be interested in buying the sign.  I got a call back, and I explained to the elle boutique owner how I stumbled upon her beautiful sign and if she was closing, that I would be interested in taking it home with me.

Of all the things she needed to liquidate, the sign was not one of the things she even considered selling—but hey, Elle showed up! I found out there was an even bigger sign and said I’d take both.  This was such a fun find and a delight for both her and me.

If I hadn’t dug a little deeper into learning about the bridal boutique, I would have never known they were closing and that the sign was even an option for me.

And if I hadn’t asked…the answer would have been no.

3. Believe that what may seem impossible is possible.

But then it hit me…. How in the world am I going to get this home?  And how big is the big sign?

The big sign ended up being in two pieces and probably 4 feet long. Keep in mind that I am just over 5 feet tall.

I picked it up and decided it was doable. I could carry this on my plane ride home, couldn’t I?   Of course, my teenage daughter thought I was crazy. We already had the limit of carry-on items, and this was definitely not going to fit under the seat in front of me.

“You will never make it home with those,” my daughter Mirabelle said.

“Watch me.”

When you come upon a seemingly impossible hurdle, cheerfully ignore the naysayers (looking at you, Mirabelle) and stay optimistic. Is there a chance you won’t achieve your outcome? Sure. But could you achieve it if you didn’t believe you could? Probably not! It starts with a mindset of abundance and possibility. Make a choice and move forward as if you will get the outcome you expect.

4. Get creative.

Believing I would get the signs home with me, I began creatively strategizing the journey.

I got packing tape, plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap and went to work.  Thank goodness the sign material was lightweight! I stacked the pieces, mummified it in the plastic bags and bubble wrap, taped it like a cast and created a strap with anything left over.  It ended up fitting over my shoulder and on my back like some oversized, very flat instrument.

I felt like a traveling indie musician toting her guitar, needing no other luggage. Mirabelle was still unimpressed. And we still had two carry-on bags.

You may have to make your own rules or turn a 4-foot sign into a carry-on bag, but be open to new possibilities. Obstacles aren’t problems—they’re opportunities for creativity!

5. Tell stories.

If advocating for yourself is difficult for you, you probably think “advocating” would look like being that person who demands she has her needs met and is always asking to “see the manager.” (You know the type.) And you do not have to be her in order to get what you want.

I didn’t convince airline customer service agents to let me take the sign on the plane by being demanding—instead, I treated them like a fellow human being and told them my story. When you are authentic about what you need and why you need it, people are so much more likely to say yes.

Every step of the trip home was an exercise in customer service.  I tried to be the best customer possible so that every person along my travels would provide me with the service I needed in order to get this thing across the Ohio border.

I told the story of the bridal business that had my name and how my daughter didn’t believe I could actually get the sign home. I told the story of serendipity, timing and my hunt for supplies to wrap my masterpiece.

All along the way, people listened in and shared my excitement.  It was an adventure, and everyone wanted to help me get this thing home.

And guess what? I did. Although the signs weren’t anything close to the size of carry-on bags, I carried them onto every plane—with permission. Soon, I’ll hang the elle sign on the wall in my office.

6. Never underestimate the power of kindness.

If you ask for what you want and have clear calls to action  in your social media posts and on your website, people will respond. And if you live your life with eyes wide open and a creative spirit ready to problem-solve, no opportunity will pass you by.

Instead of assuming the world is against you, assume that people want to help you, support you, buy your products or use your services.

You’ll be amazed by how true that becomes!

I love spending Strategy Days 1-1 with women who are ready to expand, advocate for themselves, ask for what they need and take their business to the next level. Click here to schedule a discovery call with me!

Elle is a veteran entrepreneur and creative strategist who takes businesses to the next level and helps thought leaders expand their influence. As a pitch coach for Aviatra’s LAUNCH cohorts, she uses her background as a professional actress to help women explain what they do with confidence and presence. Visit her website here.