In a world where emojis have their own movie, it may seem friendly to send a smiley face to your client at the end of your email. But it could backfire.
A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science (ominously titled
The Dark Side of a Smiley) found that people who sent emails with a 🙂 were not viewed as being more warm or friendly. Rather, they were viewed as less competent. Not a great first impression.
Conclusion: Stick to real-life smiles, not virtual ones.
Read Feel Good online and monthly in the magazine.
