A Four Point Formula for Effective Business Letter

fundamentals of effective business letter

The Fundamentals of Effective Business Letter

There are probably as many formulas for effective business letters as there are writing experts, but, in the end, all business letter included all the free sample business letter that we provide here, share the same fundamentals: shortness, simplicity, strength, and sincerity. These comprise the writer's formula conceived by Mona Sheppard, a prominent consultant to corporations and the U.S. government.

Here the Four Point you need to understand:

1. Shortness

This is the golden rule of business writing. Say only what needs to be said, and use only the words needed to say it. Use Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs.

2. Simplicity

Know your subject so well you can discuss it confidently and naturally. Keep closely related parts of a sentence together. Connect sentences so the reader can follow you from one to another without getting lost.

3. Strength

Use words that stand for things the reader can feel, hear, taste, touch and see. Use active verbs, emphasize the main idea of your letter.

4. Sincerity

Be natural and conversational, be human and avoid old-fashioned letter language. And above all, don't try to hedge or cover up with fancy words when you're discussing a mistake. Admit the mistake. That's what sincerity is all about.

Here's a horrible example of an important letter that violates formula on nearly all counts,

"Sick leave shall be granted to employees when they are incapacitated for the performance of their duties, when a member of the immediate family of employee  is affected with contagious disease and requires care and attendance of the employee, or when, through exposureto contagious disease, the presence of the employee  at his post of duty would jeopardize the health of others or for medical dental or optical examination or treatment or by sickness, pregnancy, confinement."

How many employees would read and understand that letter, even though it's about a matter of concern to them? Applying the four points in the formula makes a big difference in the free sample business letter below:

"Employees are granted sick leave for these four reasons:

1. A member of their family has a contagious disease and needs their care;
2. Their presence on the job would jeopardize others through  exposure to contagious disease;
3. They need optical, dental or medical treatment;
4. They cannot work due to sickness, pregnancy, confinement or injury."