Tone and Voice

The Tone Spectrum

In the previous lesson, we explored subject lines that get opened. Now let’s build on that foundation. Email tone isn’t binary—formal or casual. It’s a spectrum:

VERY FORMAL ←————————————————————————→ VERY CASUAL
Legal notice    Executive    Standard    Friendly    Close colleague
               report       business    professional    banter

Most professional email lives in the middle. But knowing how to move along this spectrum is crucial.

Factors That Determine Tone

1. Relationship

First contact: More formal Established relationship: Can be warmer Close colleague: Can be casual

2. Hierarchy

Writing up (to executives, clients): More careful, respectful Writing across (peers): Standard professional Writing down (direct reports): Warm but clear

3. Content

Bad news: Measured, empathetic Good news: Warmer, more energetic Urgent requests: Direct, clear Complex information: Straightforward, structured

4. Company Culture

Traditional industries (law, finance): More formal Startups, creative industries: More casual When unsure: Match the tone others use with you

The Tone Dials

Think of tone as three dials you can adjust:

Dial 1: Formality

Formal indicators:

• Complete sentences
• Full words (not contractions)
• Traditional greetings (“Dear Mr. Smith”)
• “Please” and “Thank you”

Casual indicators:

• Contractions (I’m, we’ll, don’t)
• Shorter sentences
• First names
• Conversational phrases

Dial 2: Warmth

Warmer tone:

• Express appreciation
• Acknowledge their perspective
• Show personality
• Use “we” language

Cooler tone:

• Stick to facts
• Brief acknowledgments
• Less personal
• More transactional

Dial 3: Directness

More direct:

• Get to the point quickly
• State requests clearly
• Shorter emails
• Less hedging

More cushioned:

• Build context first
• Soften requests
• More explanation
• More qualifying language

Tone Examples

Same Message, Different Tones

Request for deadline extension:

Very formal (legal client):

Dear Ms. Johnson,

I am writing to request an extension on the deliverable deadline currently set for March 15th. Due to unforeseen complexities in the analysis, additional time would allow us to ensure the quality you expect.

Would a new deadline of March 22nd be acceptable?

Thank you for your consideration.

Regards, Alex Chen

Standard professional (external partner):

Hi Sarah,

Quick request—can we push the March 15th deadline to March 22nd? The analysis is taking longer than expected and I want to make sure we get it right.

Let me know if that works on your end.

Thanks, Alex

Casual (close colleague):

Hey Sarah,

Running behind on that analysis—any chance we can move the deadline to the 22nd? Sorry for the ask, just want to make sure it’s solid before I send it over.

Thanks! Alex

Quick check: Before moving on, can you recall the key concept we just covered? Try to explain it in your own words before continuing.

All three are professional. They’re calibrated for different relationships.

Danger Zones

Too Formal

Signs:

• “Please be advised that…”
• “Per our previous correspondence…”
• “It would be greatly appreciated if…”
• Full title + last name when you’re on a first-name basis

Risk: Coming across as cold, robotic, or passive-aggressive.

Too Casual

Signs:

• Slang with executives
• Emoji with people you haven’t met
• Overly familiar greetings (“Hey buddy”)
• Jokes before rapport is established

Risk: Seeming unprofessional or presumptuous.

The Passive-Aggressive Zone

Phrases that sound worse than intended:

• “As I mentioned before…” (implies they weren’t listening)
• “Per my last email…” (implies they didn’t read it)
• “Going forward…” (implies they screwed up)
• “Just to clarify…” (implies they’re confused)

These phrases are sometimes necessary, but be aware they can come across negatively.

Calibrating Your Tone

When Unsure, Match Their Energy

Look at emails they’ve sent you. Match their:

• Greeting style
• Formality level
• Length
• Sign-off style

This is almost always safe.

Start Slightly More Formal

If it’s a new relationship, err on the side of slightly more formal. You can always become more casual. Going the other direction is awkward.

Read It Aloud

Would you say this to the person’s face? If it sounds robotic or cold when spoken, revise.

The Newspaper Test

Could this email be published without embarrassing you? If not, reconsider.

Tone by Situation

Quick Tone Fixes

Too robotic? Add a personal touch:

• Before: “Please find attached the report.”
• After: “Here’s the report—let me know if you have questions.”

Too casual? Add a bit of structure:

• Before: “hey quick q - can u approve this?”
• After: “Quick question—can you approve the attached?”

Too aggressive? Soften with context:

• Before: “You missed the deadline.”
• After: “I didn’t see the report come through—everything okay?”

Key Takeaways

• Tone is a spectrum, not binary
• Match tone to relationship, hierarchy, content, and culture
• Adjust three dials: formality, warmth, directness
• When unsure, match the tone others use with you
• Err slightly formal with new contacts, then adjust
• Read aloud to catch tone issues

Next: the hardest emails—delivering difficult messages professionally.

Up next: In the next lesson, we’ll dive into Difficult Emails.