Emails are Conversations

Ideas about email from the psychology of language

Psychologist …

Usability & Customer Experience Consultant

…since 1992

David Hawdale

To increase sales and profitability

Not Idle Chat

A Conversation

I say somethin

gThen I react to what you have said by saying

something

Then I react to what you replied to what I said by

saying something

And then I react to …

(etc…)

“Turn taking is key to an organised conversation. If this convention did not exist it would be mayhem!”

Turn Changing Cues:

Questions, intonations, gestures, eye line

Violations:

Interruption, not taking a turn, attending elsewhere

Email?

A Conversation

I say somethin

gThen I react to what you have said by saying something

Then I react to what you replied to what I said by

saying something

And then I react to …

(etc…)

Grice’s Conversational MaximsMaxim of Quantity

Make your contribution as informative as necessary.

Maxim of Quality:

Do not say what you believe to be false or for which you lack adequate evidence.

Maxim of Relevance:

Be relevant

Maxim of Manner:

Do not be obscure, be clear, brief and orderly.

Email?

‘Pragmatics’ - the study of the ability of speakers to communicate more than what is explicitly stated…

Conversational partners ‘fill in the blanks’ when the maxims are broken!

Breaking the Maxims…

Alice: “Where’s Eddie?”Bob: “There’s a yellow VW parked outside Sues house…”

Joined Up

Would you like me to email you

about flight offers?

Yes Please

I got one to Barcelona and one to

Paris

Tell me about the Paris one

The Paris one costs … (etc.)

Emails are Conversations … not Flyers!

Turn Taking

What do you do to cue prospects to take a turn?

Prospects not taking a turn? Don’t shout, talk about something else!

Conversational Maxims

Follow the Maxims. If you don’t your prospects will fill in the blanks in way you don’t expect and don’t want

Joined Up

Conversational turns e.g. sign up offers, ads, emails and landing pages cannot be created in isolation, but should be written as a conversation

Emails are Conversations

www.hawdale-associates.co.uk/silverpop/

07980 884231