But, using them in emoji marketing and sales requires a slightly different approach than texting with friends or colleagues.
Get it right, and those small, colourful icons can help you build stronger business relationships and boost engagement. Get it wrong, and they might make you seem unprofessional.
We'll be talking about how to use emojis strategically so they work for your B2B brand rather than against it.
Key considerations for using emojis in B2B
We’re not here to give you top tips for using more emojis. We’re here to help you with tips for using emojis better.
So, before you start aggressively sprinkling your emails and social media posts with colorful icons, here are 3 factors to consider for successful emoji usage:
1. Understand your audience
Each demographic group responds to emojis in different ways so you'll need to consider the following factors:
Age: Younger generations tend to be more comfortable with emojis in professional settings.
Industry: Tech startups might be more receptive to emojis than the banking sector.
Company culture: Does the company you're targeting have a more formal or relaxed style?
2. Match the context
Because emojis aren't a one-size-fits-all solution, you'll have to think about the channels and sales funnel stage. An emoji in a LinkedIn comment might work, but not in a formal proposal.
And, depending on where your buyer is in their journey, emojis probably will be a better fit during outreach, but will feel out of place during the deal closing.
3. Remain professional
Emojis won't be relevant for each message and, if used incorrectly, may create awkwardness, especially if your recipient misinterprets it.
Not all emojis are easy to decipher, so be aware of this - especially if you are dealing with international customers!
It's safer to stick to simple, classic emojis that are understood no matter what the setting is.
Remember to choose wisely and consider how formatting plays a role in clarity and professionalism. Let's dive into some specific tips to make sure your emojis convey the right message.
Emoji formatting: Keeping your message clear
Before you start adding emojis to your outreach, here are some essential formatting guidelines to ensure your message looks polished and makes the right impact on every platform.
A poorly placed or oversized emoji can distract from your carefully crafted blog or social media content calendar!
Here's how to get emoji formatting right the first time.
Clarity is King
Different devices (mobile devices, laptops, etc.) can display emojis in slightly different sizes and styles. Opt for simple, widely-recognized emojis that are unlikely to be misconstrued.
Be sure to keep accessibility in mind; screen readers may convey emojis with verbal descriptions, so clarity is essential.
Placement Matters
Where you place an emoji within your text subtly changes its impact.
Take a look at these two examples:
- Beginning of Sentence: Sets a friendly or playful tone. "😊 Happy to help with that!"
- End of Sentence: Adds a touch of emotion without dominating. "Let's schedule a call to discuss this further! 😊"
💡 Pro tips:
1. Less is more:
A single emoji can pack a lot of punch. Don't over use them or use the same emoji too often. This dilutes their effect and can make your communication look cluttered and unprofessional.
2. Test and observe:
See how the emojis you choose look on different devices and platforms before sending out important communications.
3. Complement, don't replace:
Emojis should enhance your message, not become the message itself. Avoid replacing entire words with emojis, especially in formal contexts.
Now that you know the formatting basics, let's explore how to strategically weave emojis into your broader B2B marketing efforts.
Emojis across B2B marketing channels: Building your emoji marketing strategy
You got a brief overview of 'when' and 'why' to use emojis as well as how to format them. Let's explore how to use them effectively on different marketing channels.
Emojis in email marketing
Email outreach is very effective if you're prepared, but 9 out of 10 times, an email ends up in the trash. Here are our tips for using emojis for your email outreach.
💡How to use emojis in the subject line
- Grab attention: An emoji can make your email stand out in a crowded inbox, just like a captivating photo.
- Less is best: One or two well-chosen emojis are usually enough. Think of them as spice on your main dish.
- Placement matters: Experiment with placing the emoji at the beginning or end of your subject line.
💡Where to place emojis in the email body
- Greetings and closings: A friendly wave 👋 at the start or a simple thumbs up 👍 at the end can add a touch of warmth.
- Emphasising points: Highlight key phrases or offers with a relevant emoji (e.g., a lightbulb 💡for an insightful tip).
- Replacing words: Sometimes, a single emoji can replace a whole phrase for brevity (e.g., a calendar emoji 📅 instead of "schedule a meeting").
Need inspiration? Here are some examples of effective emoji use in your email marketing strategy:
"🔥Hot new features released for April!"
"Don't forget to sign up for our webinar tomorrow. ⏰"
"Our offices will be closed for vacation for 2 days. 🌴"
Social media marketing
Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter offer more flexibility with emojis, making them a core part of many social media marketing strategies.
Emojis can enhance both your own social posts as well as comments and replies. You can add a touch of your brand voice to your post to increase engagement. They can also make your posts more eye-catching and help increase comments and shares.
It can sometimes be difficult to gauge tone online, and incorporating emojis can clarify if your message is lighthearted, congratulatory, or serious.
Using simple emojis that are universally understood can help your brand's reputation.
Take a look at these examples:
→ A show of support: Thumbs up 👍
→ Celebrate a win: Clapping hands 👏 or raised hands 🙌
→ Agree with someone: The one hundred emoji 💯
But don't overboard by using too many emojis, this might have the opposite effect and turn off your followers.
Other channels
While less common, emojis can occasionally break up text-heavy slides or highlight key statistics in presentations or reports. But we advise being careful as it can move into being unprofessional quite quickly.
Emojis in your website copy on landing pages might add a touch of friendliness, but this is highly dependent on your brand's overall style and marketing strategy.
No matter where you want to incorporate emojis, you need to make sure you use caution. Find out what works by experimenting and seeing how your audience reacts.
You can do a web search to find emojis and clarify what they mean to ensure that your emoji use aligns with your target audience.
Boosting B2B sales with emojis
You aren't limited to using emojis in marketing! Incorporating them into your sales cycle can add a more human touch.
Here's our guide (with examples) on how to use emojis strategically during the different sales stages.
Prospecting: Using emojis in outreach emails or messages
Subject line: An emoji should make your prospect curious, not dominate.
- "Quick question for you 🙋♀️"
- "Saw your profile and noticed...👀"
Friendly intro: Replace stiff greetings with a subtle, professional emoji.
- "Hello [Name], hope your week is off to a great start! 👋"
- "Hello [Name], noticed we both love [industry topic]. Would love to hear your thoughts sometime 💡"
Shared interest targeting: Use relevant emojis to highlight an offer or shared connection.
- "Noticed we're both at the [conference name] next month 💼. Love to connect!"
- "Loved your recent article on [topic]! Would be great to get your perspective on something similar 🤔"
- "Always looking to connect with others passionate about [industry trend]. Let's chat! 🤝"
Follow-ups: Add friendly nudges and reminders with appropriate emojis
The gentle reminder: Business moves so fast and people may just have missed a message. No need to put them under pressure.
- "Just checking in on this [proposal, idea, etc.] ⏰"
- "Wanted to make sure you didn't miss this [proposal/info]. Let me know if you need anything else! 💫"
- "Just a quick bump on this [request]. Would love to get this moving forward! 😊"
Positivity boost: A simple thumbs-up emoji can re-engage a conversation without being overly pushy.
- "Hope your week is going well! Let me know if I can answer any questions about [topic] 👍"
- "Still interested in exploring this further? Happy to chat! 😁"
- "No pressure at all, just wanted to put this back on your radar 👌"
Urgency cue (use with caution): Subtle signals might nudge a slow-moving prospect, but don't use these aggressively.
- "This offer is time-sensitive! Don't miss out ⌛️"
- "Last few spots available for the [webinar/event]. Register now! 🏃♀️"
- "Just a heads-up that the deadline for [action] is approaching 📅"
Important reminders
Context is key: The emoji should match the overall tone of your follow-up and target audience. Also keep in mind the tone of any previous communications. A random emoji without context will have the opposite effect of what you were aiming for.
Personalize whenever possible: Use the prospect's name and do thorough research to find information you can use to really stand out.
Keep it simple: Be thoughtful with your follow-up cadence. Use emojis sparingly and don't use them repeatedly in each communication. Too many emojis can feel pushy!
Sales conversations: Build rapport with emojis in sales chats
When in chat-based sales conversations, your communication is missing the facial expressions and vocal cues you'd get in video or voice calls.
Boost engagement using the following examples:
- Ice Breakers: A friendly wave 👋 or simple smile 😊 can put a nervous prospect at ease.
- Expressing genuine excitement: Celebrating a closed deal with a handshake 👏 or confetti 🎉 shows authentic enthusiasm.
- Emphasizing agreement: A quick "yes" with a green tick ✔️ can efficiently seal a minor decision point during a conversation.
But don't just leave it at that and expect to be successful. Test and learn by analyzing open rates, responses, and overall close rates to see how emojis impact your sales cycle.
When NOT to use emojis
Emojis can be powerful tools to convey emotions in digital communication, there are times when not using them is the wiser choice. It's crucial to recognize these situations to maintain professionalism and avoid misunderstandings.
Here's when not to use them:
✖️ Highly formal situations
Legal documents, detailed contracts, and communications during sensitive situations often demand a strictly formal tone. Emojis might detract from the seriousness of these interactions.
✖️ Misinterpretation of meaning in different cultures
Emojis, just like words, can have different interpretations across cultures and contexts. If unsure about the exact meaning or how an emoji might be received, it's safer to avoid it.
Some examples of potentially confusing emojis:
- Thumbs up: While this generally signifies agreement in Western cultures, it can be considered rude in certain Middle Eastern countries or Greece.
- Waving hand: This friendly gesture can have multiple interpretations, such as greeting, goodbye, or even dismissal depending on the context and culture.
✖️Reduced impact through overuse
The novelty of emojis wears off when you overdo it. If you pepper every sentence with emojis, their special ability to convey emotions or tone is lost.
Examples of Bad Emoji Usage
- Flirty emojis in a professional setting: Emojis like the winking face 😉, or kissy face 😘 are highly inappropriate for business communication.
- During difficult conversations: Using emojis to downplay a serious issue or replace genuine empathy can come across as insensitive.
- Overwhelm with informal emojis: While some emojis can work in B2B, cute or overly informal ones (like animals or food) risks undermining your professionalism.
Tips for masterful emoji use in sales and marketing
Mastering emojis in your B2B communication isn't about using as many as possible – it's about using them wisely and aligning them with your marketing message and brand voice.
Here's your checklist for becoming an emoji pro:
✔️Start small: Begin by incorporating just a few emojis that can potentially boost engagement within selected channels. Observe how your audience responds before gradually increasing usage.
✔️Emoji resources for B2B: Websites like these offer clarity and professional options:
- Emojipedia: (https://emojipedia.org/) Search for specific emojis, see their meanings, and understand how they look on different platforms.
- Business-focused emoji libraries: Some websites curate collections specifically for professional use.
✔️ Align with your brand: Does your company have a playful persona or a more serious one? Create a simple emoji guide that matches your brand voice, so your team stays consistent.
✔️ Test and analyze: Pay attention to open rates, response times, and overall engagement for content with and without emojis. This helps you identify which emojis work best for your target audience.
💡Pro tip: Check out information on how to use emoji keyboard shortcuts if they’re available to you!
Planning your use of emojis in marketing or sales doesn’t have to be a headache if you do your research and align on a strategy.
Emojis: Your Secret Weapon for B2B Engagement
Emojis aren't just a fad; they're a subtle but impactful way to humanise your B2B brand. From adding personality to your emails to sparking conversations on social media, emojis offer a unique chance to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Remember, start small, experiment, and observe how your audience responds. The right emoji, used strategically, can be a surprisingly powerful tool to boost engagement and build stronger relationships.
Ready to see how emojis can transform your outreach and sales efforts? Book a free demo with our team here at emlen and discover how our buyer enablement software empowers you to personalise communication at scale.
