Business Letter Writing

Do you like to write? Of course you don’t.

 Most people freeze up when you ask them to write a letter. I remember being a manager at AT&T and one of my people went to a company sponsored writing class. After the first session, he begged me to get him out of the class. It seems he was frantic at having to express himself in writing.

 Getting him out.....Not a Good Idea

I got him out of the class, but I didn't do him a favor. Writing is important not only for business purposes but also for your personal needs. My experience with writing is somewhat odd in that I find writing somewhat easy. So, I have some unofficial rules for writing which may entice you to improve your writing skills.

 A) Brief is Better 

 B) Start with a List of Words

C) Five Main Parts to any Business Letter

D) Watch Your Tone

E) The Words Should Flow

F) Use Simple Words; Avoid Acronyms

A. Brief is Better

The business letter should be brief and to the point. You should establish rapport and state the purpose for the communication right at the beginning. Then support the reason or reasons in the body of the letter. The whole letter should be no more than 1 and ½  pages, preferably a single page.

 B. Start with a List of Words

Some people see the blank page and their minds cannot proceed. This is where most “non-professional writers” get stuck. I have suggested this simple approach with both my daughters when they were going to school. Today they write letters very well. Try the following: Write one sentence to describe what you have to write about. For example I’ll choose: “Set up a business luncheon to discuss a contract”.

List some words: lunch, meet, restaurant, time, day, reason, etc. These are the words you want to build your sentences around. There are some standard parts to writing any letter which rarely change. First, try putting the information for your letter on a piece of paper as it is C. below. 

 C. Five Main Parts to any Business Letter

The main parts of a business letter are:

 1) The addressee, address, etc.

 2) The Greeting

 3) Upfront, the reason for the communication –

 4) Qualify and explain the reasons – The what, when, where, how,  why, who.

     The Why ( length depends on explanation needed)

 5) Final thoughts and then give the addressee a method of response and your address.

Now let's jot down some items you should have in your practice the letter.

 Name, title of addressee, company:   Mr. Jack Smith, Vice     President, Can do Services

Address:                                              123 Main St, Anywhere, Any State 00000

 The Greeting :   Dear Jack or Dear Mr. Smith (if you don’t know him or her)

 The body of the letter : Answer the following:

- what?   Lunch conference

- when?, Thursday, April 1^st  12:00 PM

- where? At Silvios’s Restaurant

- how?    My company administrator

- why?   State contract concerns with widget contract, working together   

- who?    Jack Smith, Ed Jones, Harry Black

Not many companies can supply what we together can supply. Contact me at

800-000-0000

 Make sure you are giving the addressee enough information to understand what you are proposing, what you expect him or her to do, when, where, how, who and why.

 Now I’ll answer the questions above and write a sentence that includes the words.

 I would like to arrange a Conference Lunch at Silvio’s Restaurant  on Thursday,

 April 1^st  12:00 PM.

 My staff  will coordinate the luncheon.

 Please bring Ed Jones and I will bring Harry Black

 We can discuss the State concerns with the widget contract.

 As you know few companies can manufacture and ship on time. We can work together.

 D. Watch Your Tone  

Now there comes a certain art of making the words flow well and contain the right tone. The right tone comes from the words you use. The 'Tone' can be persuasive, confrontational or confusing. The words support the tone and supply an effective letter. The 'Flow' must help the words and the tone get across without confusing or boring the reader.

"We demand that you do this or that.” is likely to put the reader on the defensive, while changing to “We would appreciate it if you would do this or that” has a different tone to allow the reader to make a decision to comply. After you write a letter, read your words and ask yourself how you personally would react to them. That’s probably how the addressee will react also.

E. The Words Should Flow

I like to describe the 'flow' of a letter as a stream meandering down from the  mountain’s peak to its base. The water works its way down, flows around rocks and then drops over small waterfalls on its way. Your sentences should move continuously from the greeting through the main points of the letter, slows down in a pool where the simple what’s, when’s, where’s, how’s, why’s and who’s are clarified. If you want a favorable response, let the addressee understand you and he or she will see no reason to refuse your request. 

Your concluding paragraph in which you cordially ask for your addressee’s response and give them a method of contacting you.

F. Use Simple Words; Avoid Acronyms

Most of us understand the English Language in simple terms and concepts. There is no need to try to impress your addressee with large words when smaller ones will do. Also try to avoid terms of the trade or acronyms. When I worked at AT&T in Service Costs and Rates, I thought I had moved to a foreign country. Everybody spoke in acronyms: FCC, ABD, CCS, FICA, LSMFT, etc. It took months to understand and communicate.

Click Here to see an example.                                                   RJS