You express your ideas, opinion and message with more than just words when you communicate in person. Body language, tone of voice and expression all help your audience understand the meaning behind your words. Unfortunately, now most of our communication is written or online. Communicating with unclear terms, or without confidence, can risk having you sound as if you don’t believe in your own ideas.

How will someone else agree with you, buy your product, or appreciate your message if you don’t love your own ideas?

Who Are You Trying To Convince?

Often we make an effort to make our emails, texts and other written communication kinder by softening the words to try and avoid coming across as unfriendly, or demanding. There’s a time and place to communicate using these words. Their place isn’t when you’re looking to gain support, appreciation and confidence in what you have to say.

When you add weak, filler, words like perhaps, maybe, or I thought, to your message, you don’t sound confident in yourself. Instead, it’s almost as if you’re trying to convince yourself of your message in addition to the reader—that’s not going to encourage others to put their confidence in you.

Mind Your Manners

This doesn’t mean to send a message that is abrupt, or harsh. Don’t forget you manners. Professionalism and courtesy are always essential in written communication. This fills in the gaps left by the reader’s inability to see your body language, or “hear” what you have to say. You don’t want someone to misconstrue an innocent comment as being rude.

Don’t neglect words such as thank you, please and other appreciatory terms. Adding a little personal talk to begin, or end, your message can help add a little personality in a succinct message. Be careful not to lose the heart of your message with too much chitchat.

Increase Your Awareness

Often we’ve become so accustomed to writing in this style that we don’t realize the words are creeping into our professional and personal communication. It’s especially important to review your correspondence if you’re starting a new role and want others to gain confidence in your abilities.

1. Take the time to review your correspondence before you send it.
2. Does it sound more like a question than a statement?
3. Cut out extraneous, or weak words and restructure the sentence
4. Reread your message. Does it sound more confident?

“I thought you might like these examples of words that weaken the confidence in your message.”

rewrite: “Here are examples of words that weaken the confidence in your message.”

“I wanted to provide a couple of examples that just might explain it better and I think these might give you a better idea.”

rewrite: “These are a couple of examples that explain it and give you a better idea.”

“Perhaps if you review what I just sent you will probably really see the benefit. I feel it actually is kind of a good idea.”

rewrite: “If you review what I sent, you will see the benefit. It is a good idea.”

Precise Can be Powerful

Communicating with a direct message can make you sound more credible and confident in yourself and your ideas. You might be pleasantly surprised to discover an additional benefit of increasing your confidence in yourself. If you love your ideas, empower yourself by asking for what you want with confidence—and a smile.

This post was written as part of a Pop Up Blog Carnival hosted by the Healthcare Marketing Network.  

More great posts by freelance healthcare writers on this topic can be found on the Healthcare Marketing Network blog. 

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