How to write a better letter
Letter-writing is an important managerial skill; managers are often judged by the quality of the letters they write. The problem is that most of us usually become expert letter-writers after years of trial and error. If you would like to cut the process short, here is a proven strategy and several important points for you to consider...
1. Take your time.
Letter-writing is not something to do in a hurry. Routine business letters may require only a few minutes of thinking about phrasing and sequencing, but more important letters can require many hours of planning and drafting and passing through several versions before completion.
2. Assemble all relevant data.
Gather all the data you will need to prepare the letter, including previous correspondence, company files, and policy handbooks. Extract the details necessary for your first draft.
3. Group and sequence your material.
Know roughly what you want to say. Collate all the relevant pieces of information under headings, arranging the material in a logical sequence. If your letter is being written in response to someone else's, know exactly what is expected of you - information, opinion, clarification, instructions - and make sure your letter does what it should do. It is often useful to underline the points to be answered. Make brief marginal notes on these items.
