| Experienced letter writers often admit that some of | | | | the person who is the recipient. Even when the subject |
| the most challenging letters they have to write are | | | | of a letter is routine and conventional, there are ways |
| those that are addressed to people who themselves | | | | to bring the reader into the picture. |
| are in the business of writing and presenting ideas and | | | | Analyzing your audience |
| thus are likely to be highly critical of anything that is | | | | 1. The media. These people are in the business of |
| amateurish. This group includes people who work for | | | | working with ideas and issues and communicating |
| the media and public relations agencies. The next most | | | | them to people through magazines, newspapers, |
| challenging assignment, they say, is writing letters | | | | broadcasts, and other media. They may be writers, |
| aimed at staff members of business and professional | | | | editors, publishers, administrators, or marketers, but |
| associations. Why? Primarily because those recipients | | | | they are dedicated to better communication, and they |
| have to send out so many letters in their daily work | | | | respond favorably to letters that clarify ideas and |
| that they are likely to cast a critical eye on their own | | | | issues and given them something substantial to think |
| incoming mail. | | | | about. |
| If you have a hang-up about writing letters to these | | | | 2. Public relations. Like those in the media, these people |
| discriminating audiences, you can relax. You may be | | | | are concerned with ideas and issues. The main |
| better off with less experience because you can be | | | | difference is that, whether because of personal |
| yourself and express your own ideas in an honest and | | | | convictions or loyalty to clients, they are likely to have |
| straightforward fashion. The pros recognize and | | | | preconceived opinions about the issues. They respond |
| respect letters that come from the heart rather than | | | | well to suggestions for improving relationships between |
| the copywriter's formula bank. | | | | organizations and the public. |
| Write to a person, not to an address | | | | 3. Business Associations. The kinds of staff members |
| Before you write the first word in your letter, close | | | | you are likely to write to in business associations are |
| your eyes and imagine your letter being read. Do you | | | | much like people in public relations, but more |
| see a flesh-and-blood person in that image? Or do you | | | | specialized. They are committed to the goal of helping |
| visualize an office, a bank, a repair shop, a retail store, | | | | business in general and their own field in particular to |
| or some other structural entity? | | | | flourish and be economically healthy. They respond |
| Once you envision a real person opening the envelope, | | | | well to requests for information and to ideas that will |
| you are on the right track. But you still have to | | | | be mutually beneficial to the recipient, as well as the |
| overcome a second hurdle, which is to have | | | | letter writer. |
| reasonably realistic understanding of the recipient's | | | | 4. Professional Association. Picture the staff member |
| interest. Many letters fail to make their mark because | | | | you are writing to as a person who is more "vertical" in |
| they stress situations and ideas relating to the writer, | | | | both interests and experience. He or she will be |
| rather than the reader. How often have you read | | | | perhaps less knowledgeable about general business, |
| letters, for example, from friends or associates and | | | | but substantially informed about the work and goals of |
| ended with the distinct thought that the writers were | | | | the profession that the association represents. These |
| looking for sympathy or understanding for themselves | | | | people react positively to requests for data and |
| and were not really too concerned with how you | | | | publications that can spread their message, as well as |
| were making out these days? Don't fall into that trap. | | | | ideas for improving any relationships affecting the |
| When composing your thoughts, think in terms of you, | | | | association. |