The Science of the “From” Side

Need scientific proof that ‘humanizing’ your email is better than institutionalizing? 

Would you believe that there are actually neurochemical corollaries to these phenomena according to James Bailey, an organizational behavioralist at GW University?

A study by Satoshi Kanazawa, an evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics,  reports that recognition benefits go back to hunter gatherer societies of more than 10,000 years ago.  We are hardwired to pay attention to those that are familiar.   

Humans unconsciously feel that people we see  frequently are our friends (which explains celebrity endorsements).   

Kanazawa says: “It makes us more susceptible to product messages, because we’re designed to trust our friends.” 

Neuroscientists call this the “mere exposure effect” .  The more we see a face, the more we like it.  The more familiar we become with a person, the more we like them.

Does that translate into more successful email, or more importantly relationships?  You know my thoughts. 

Try it.

You can read more about this in an article by Thomas Mucha in this month’s Business 2.0

Comments

[Xavier Casanova]

Interesting points - it's true that I personally developed some kind of sympathy for this "John Goditel" who's been spamming my Inbox for months. Nevertheless I did unsubscribe when they finally made that possible.

Friend is one thing - customer is another, do you think humanizing the "From" line drives higher profits in the long run? Also, do you think it's conceivable that Sony would pick Joe Schmoe as their "From"? Do you have data to support these assertions in the real world?