This is part 6 in my Using Your "SEND" Glands? arc. This arc deals with some NextStage and related research on the signature files people place at the end of their emails. Part 1 gave some examples of typical signature files and part 2 introduced the concept of psycho-social distance between sender and receiver of an email. Part 3 expanded on the concept of psycho-social distance as the "Six Degrees of Separation" on steroids. Part 4 introduced my business signature file as a working model going forward and the concept that what's left out is as important as what's place in a signature file.
We started analyzing how the research's findings explain what's in my and others' signature files in Part 5. We continue with that analysis here.
So far we've learned that the sender believes the message is more important than the messenger and that the messenger is pretty important, too, and that both of these items are at the non-conscious, non-intentional level.
The sender includes a quote in their signature file as the first intentional, conscious piece of information. The quote is also visually separated from the rest of the signature file, so its position as the first intentional signature file element and its visual separation from the rest of the signature file's content indicate the sender believes it is an important piece of information.
I know the sender so I know that quote changes periodically. Therefore the quote isn't as important as the fact that the quote is there.
Recognizing that this is an intentional part of the communication of the signature file, what is the sender's intention for including a quote? I'd suggest taking a step back. The sender isn't including a quote, per se, they're including a communication element. What are they communicating? Obviously something they believe is important. Again, not the quote but the inclusion of the quote.
The inclusion of a quote is important because it achieves some purpose in the sender's mind. But what is that purpose? Because the quotes are included, they are important, because they are important there's a good chance they're not randomly selected for inclusion. Because they are not randomly selected the sender is communicating something about themselves.
Thus the sender is not communicating a quote, per se, but an indication of themselves. Literally, the sender is sharing something about themselves for those willing to accept the offering.
Hmm...interesting, but signature files should be part of your personal and professional marketing arsenal. One has to wonder if the inclusion of a quote adds or subtracts value from the overall communication as it is essentially a statement of either confidence or vulnerability; the sender is projecting a piece of themselves into the virtual world, much like explorers who journey into unknown lands. In either case, the sender is exposing a part of themselves and one must determine its worth in a business communication.
More to follow...
Please contact NextStage for information regarding presentations and trainings on this and other topics.
Links for this post:
- Online Anthropology blog posts
- Online Identity blog posts
- Online Privacy blog posts
- Online Trust blog posts
- The Using Your "SEND" Glands? arc
I'll be speaking at the San Francisco April '07 Emetrics Summit on Quantifying and Optimizing the Human Side of Online Marketing on May 7, 2007. Come on by and say hello.
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