Analysing the Recipient
You must be certain that the information you wish to put across will be understood by the recipient and not misinterpreted in any way. Otherwise you cannot expect to initiate the desired action, whether a large order or a cheque in settlement of an outstanding account. Consider the person who will receive and read the letter: previous correspondence and telephone conversations should have given you an accurate impression of his or her personality, knowledge and views of the matter. Put yourself in the reader’s position, imagining what his or her reaction will be upon opening and studying your letter. Decide what is most likely to generate the required response: for the reader to reach for that order form or cheque-book.
Preparing a Draft
Knowing what you want to achieve, being conscious of the background facts and aware of the recipient, you should be able to jot down the points you wish to make in your initial draft. For example, imagine you have received a letter of complaint about damaged goods delivered to a customer. Your company’s policy in such situations is to resolve the complaint as quickly and as fairly as possible, and to maintain the customer’s goodwill. Six of the 12 products were found to be damaged when their container was opened, and it is most likely that the carrier is to blame as goods are always checked before leaving your warehouse. The customer wants you to deliver replacement products and collect and credit him for these damaged items as soon as you can. A formal, matter-of-fact approach is taken by the customer in his letter to your company.
From this you can note various points for inclusion in your preliminary draft – ‘we want to apologise for the problem,’ ‘we wish to explain why it occurred,’ ‘we agree to your suggested solution,’ ‘we have set about resolving the complaint’ and ‘we want to apologise again’. Then sketch out a very rough-and-ready draft, jiggling it into an approximate order but not worrying too much about its appearance, layout or style at the moment. An example of this draft is shown in Letter 1.1.
The Appearance of a Letter
Putting the draft aside for a moment, you now need to consider the appearance of your letter. This will have a significant impact on the reader and can affect the success or failure of your letter. There are two main areas to think over:
1) envelopes
2) paper.
Envelopes
From the recipient’s point of view, the envelope you use is his or her first point of contact with you – and could also be the last! A cheap and scruffy one with a misspelt name and address scribbled across it is unlikely to impress the reader or put him or her in a favourable mood towards the letter within it. Choose quality envelopes, which help to convey a professional and dignified image of your firm. White or other conservative colours can develop this impression – and also stand out from the nondescript buff envelopes used so often by run-of-the-mill businesses.
Carefully put the recipient’s name, job title (if appropriate), address and postcode in the centre of the front of the envelope, making sure they are identical to those on the letter itself. If you make an error, always start again with a fresh envelope – writing over or crossing out a mistake looks careless. Should you have a rubberstamp of your firm’s name and/or logo, imprint it at the top left. Neatly place a stamp in the top right-hand corner.
Paper
You should select watermarked, A4-sized paper (or 8½ x 11 inches for U.S. businesspeople) for your letters – ideally it will match the envelopes so that a neat and unified image is put across. Half-sized A5 paper (U.S. equivalent would be 4 X 6 inches) can be used for shorter letters such as acknowledgements, assuming that you have smaller envelopes as well. It is important that the paper and envelope fit together properly, maintaining that complementary and coordinated impression.
You will have to use common sense to decide whether to type or write the letter by hand. A typed letter is more formal and professional in appearance, whereas a handwritten one is more personal, which may be appropriate on some occasions, such as when you have to apologise, offer condolences or thank someone. Whatever your choice, letters must be neat and easy to read. Tidy, error-free text is essential, as are paragraphs of similar size and generous margins at the top, sides and bottom. Fold each sheet into a third and third again, rather than into quarters; this ensures that it will be less creased and more attractive when removed from the envelope.
The Layout of a Letter
It is then sensible to think about the layout of your letter. Clearly, this is as important as its appearance. You may wish to incorporate numerous entries, as follows:
• letterhead
• references
• date
• name and address
• greeting
• subject matter
• message
• continuation sheets
• complimentary close
• signature
• enclosures
• copies.
Letterhead
Your letterhead should include your firm’s name, address, telephone number, fax number and logo, as relevant. Other additions may be required by law, such as the names of the company directors, although this depends on the way in which your business is organised and run. Your professional advisers will confirm the exact requirements, on request. Typically, the letterhead will cross the top of the paper, unless you prefer to place it to one side or the other.
References
These are optional, although you should quote your own (‘Our ref:’) if you handle a large volume of letters, and/or the recipient’s (‘Your ref:’) if this has been stated in earlier correspondence. Usually, references comprise the initials of the writer followed by those of the typist. Thus, a letter from Peter Abbot typed by Sarah James might have the reference PA/SJ. Alternatively, each subject and/or person in the firm can be given his or her own reference; SAL for Sales, 32 for Janet Baker, and so on. Place references three to five lines beneath the letterhead and one line space apart.
Date
Your letter must be dated – an obvious point perhaps, but one which often seems to be overlooked none the less. Put 3 (not 3rd) January 1996, 11 (not 11th) August 1996 or 2 (not 2nd) December 1996. Never abbreviate to ‘Jan’, ‘Aug’ or ‘Dec’. Also avoid ‘3/1/96’, ‘11-8-96’ or ‘December 2 1996’ (unless of course this is the accepted style in your country, as would be the case in the U.S.). Type or write the date in full, some two or three lines below the previous entry.
Name and Address
Always incorporate the recipient’s name, job title (if appropriate), address and postcode in the letter. Check spellings if necessary by referring to earlier letters or telephoning his or her company for guidance. Be especially careful with the person’s name – it is irritating to be