I got an email from John Costello, an insurance executive I recently met. He had the following lines written just below the signature:

Tip your server. Return your shopping cart. Hold the door for the person behind you. Let someone into your lane. Small acts of kindness can have a ripple effect. That's how we change the world…

• What do you think? Does it make you think about the person who sent the email?  

• Do you feel like you got a glimpse into their personality? Can't we tell a little bit (or a lot!) about what kind of person this is because of the included tagline?

• Isn't it nice to have a better sense of a person than an email alone can offer?

We live in a world that uses electronic communications often, and often in place of live chats. 

Email and text are tremendous tools and super convenient. I use them both constantly, as I'm sure you do.

But if you know me, you know that I have highlighted study after study that proves that while convenient, electronic, written communication is less effective than voice or in person. So, what can we do? 

We can distinguish ourselves with a motto.

Creating a yearly motto was suggested to me by my cousin Steve. It is one of the best things anyone has ever taught me, and I hope to pass it on to you.

A motto embedded in your email signature serves two purposes. First, it gives people a deeper view of who you are. It humanizes your email and puts a little dash of your personality in it. Secondly, it constantly reminds you of who you are or aspire to be. My 2023 motto is 

"Recall people by their best qualities. After all, roses have thorns, but that's not how we describe them."  

When you read that, it gives you a glimpse into my values. It gives you a sense of what matters to me. At the same time, it reminds me to suspend negative judgments and to look for the good in all people.

Create a motto or simple tagline yourself. It will change how folks see you and how you see yourself.

Own Your Sales Gene…