I'll bet you never give much thought to your body language when using email, texting or instant messaging. But maybe you should. It turns out that, just like nonverbal communication represents 65% of what we "say," our written communication is more than the words we type.  And it's not just those emoticons that let people "see" us beyond what we type. We all have a "voice" when it comes to writing and just like with body language, we give off cues when we are excited, pleased, worried, annoyed, mistrusting or even, deceitful. While the cues are different for everyone, there are enough similarities to qualify them as "mood cues." So, just as I can see you, with a little training you can "see" me. And while I admit that I love the popular crime shows where profiling, or criminal investigative analysis plays a big part, we don't have to be like Jody Foster as Clarice in Silence of the Lambs to get value out of understanding a little bit about how profiling works in our business communication.

My point is, haven't you ever written what you thought was a clear, concise email only to have others interpret it quite differently? I sure have. Just like body language is crucial for understanding others or getting your spoken message across, virtual body language is important. And let's face it, since words on a page are pretty flat, and I'm not talking about writing like you're the great Oscar Wilde, a master dramatist. I'm just saying that taking some time to get better at text communications in business is a great way to have a little control and stand out. Plus you'll be better at interpreting what you're getting from others and know the best way to respond.
You already know the basics. Type as clearly as possible and use as few words as possible. Act like an editor and see how few words you can use to get your point across. If it's an important communication...and most should be, take a couple of minutes to slowdown and re-read the message. If it doesn't sound right in your head, read it out loud. Know that some people write the way they speak, thank goodness. These are people who like me, write pretty much the same way I speak. What you read is what you get, and you can definitely read my mood in my writing. Here are some other "cues" for you to start recognizing:

• Short can mean annoyed, angry or cold.
• Verbose means pleased or happy.
• Genuine humor and humility is a good sign. These are people who are relatively straight forward people you can trust.
• Consistently precise grammar can mean controlling behavior.  
• Don't take emoticons verbatim. Some people use them as sarcasm.
• Overly expressive people tend to be needy or seeking drama.
• Constant use of shorthand or abbreviation can mean chaotic or self-centered or selfish.

And my favorite, because it's easy to read...Overly formal means they see you as an authority figure or are selling something. People who are unusually polite probably see you as an authority figure and want to make a good impression, or they're trying to sell you something or get something from you.

The first step to becoming a "profiler" is to understand and work on your side of the communication. Take some time and notice if certain elements of your writing style send unintended messages in your virtual communications. As with real body language, it helps if you have a baseline on the individual - you know a little about them and how they normally communicate. And of course, know that in both virtual and physical body language cues can mean several different things, so try your best to take all the cues in aggregate. You don't have to be a forensic psychologist or behavioral science professional to improve your virtual image.