Below is a presentation I gave at a company-wide meetup, covering all the nuances of language when communicating with users via text.

Video, Part 1

Video, Part 2

Here are the topics covered:

1. Kindergarten Taught Us Wrong

2. Walk a Mile in Their Head

• How tech-savvy is the user?
• What is the user’s communication style?
• How resistant is the user?
• Who does the user blame for their issues?
• Have we made a fair assessment of the user’s mindset?

3. Convey Warmth and Friendliness (When Appropriate)

• A proper greeting
• Suggest instead of command
• Modalities
• Whimperatives
• “Need” versus “want”
• Softeners
• Avoid accusations
• Smileys and exclamation points
• Mirror the user’s communication style

4. The Delicate Art of Saying “No”

• The Power of “Because”
• Turn “no” into a positive
• Ask for clarification
• Double-check
• Offer alternatives

5. Create Empathy

• Direct users to support pages in a reassuring manner
• Reflect back the user’s concerns
• Keep empathy and explanations separate

Annotated slide deck