Many leaders in organizations, both nonprofit and private sector, are staring at the emails on their laptops and wondering what tone they should use to respond. Yes, they are fearful.
The electronic paper trails retrieved by the government powers that be from various computers associated with the military have alerted professionals to how easy it is for emails to be misinterpreted. Even the amount of them, such as the 20,000 to 30,000 pages from Commander John Allen to unpaid military liaison Jill Kelley, can be viewed in a negative light. The public reading about this in the media wonder why a leader was spending so much time digitally chatting instead of fighting a war.
The reality is that in 2012 digital communications are the preferred way of conducting our transactions. All generations, not only Millennials, are choosing typing over talking on the phone. It’s a must-do to have those emails differentiate each nonprofit and each business from all the rest of the entities seeking attention out there. That means that they have to contain the organization’s unique personality or brand. No, they cannot be devoid of a clear identity. The Red Cross has a distinct image which differs from that of the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Facebook will never be mistaken for Google or Microsoft.
Yes, caution is always needed in professional communications. But trying to play it “too safe” is likely to alienate donors, prospects, customers and clients. They need to know who you are as a professional entity. That is the beginning of trust.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation on marketing, partnerships, public relations, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.