When I was 15, I was snappy and rude. When called for dinner, I’d say, “I’ll be right there!” but my tone would say, “Ugh! Can’t a girl listen to Tiffany in peace?”
My (saintly) mother would tell me (10 times a day), “Watch your tone, missy!”
The point?
You can say the nicest thing in the world—but if you say it with an attitude—the attitude speaks louder than the words.
You can say, “Excuse me” politely—or argumentatively.
You can say, “Can I help you?” helpfully—or agitatedly.
In website writing, tone becomes even harder, because you can’t hear it. The written words have to do double time. You can write “trust me,” but if you don’t relay a feeling of trust throughout your content—writing “trust me” is useless. As a matter of fact, I don’t think your website should ever say how “trustworthy” you are.
Trust me.
It just feels sneaky. See?
Sure, it’s impossible to determine how someone will read, interpret, and feel about what you write. But choosing your language, and carefully considering your audience, can help.
If you need help watching your tone, I’ll be your Momma.