Correspondence Etiquette: 5 Ways to Make Your Company’s Correspondences More Effective

You’ve probably heard the old saying “it’s better to seek forgiveness than to ask for permission.” While this might have been true back in the days when our grandparents were kids, it doesn’t really apply anymore. If you’re running a business, you can’t afford to take any chances. A mistake here and there could land you in hot water or even get you sued. To keep your business safe, you need to have a few business correspondences in place, whether you like it or not.

There are a few steps you can take to make sure your business correspondences are effective:

Always keep clients informed

When starting a new business correspondence with a customer, always include the reason why you’re sending them a letter. This helps them understand that you saw value in their business and that they should value your product or service as well

Work on your subject line — It’s the first thing that recipients will see and it needs to be interesting enough to draw them in and make them open the email. Subject lines should tell an enticing story and give the recipient a reason to read what you have written. Avoid including too much information right off the bat; instead, wait until the email has been read before laying everything out.

Make it personal

Don’t use a “default” address for every single person. Instead of using something generic like “Dear Customer,” try using the person’s name. For instance, when sending an email about a product, try something like, “Dear John, I wanted to let you know that we have restocked our organic apples.” This type of correspondence will help you connect with customers on a deeper level.

The important part here is that you address the reader in such a way that they feel respected and taken seriously as an individual (or business). If your correspondence such as a letter of authorization is addressed with just a salutation, it will feel more like automated messages and will therefore diminish the impact of what you are trying to convey.The internet has great  letter of authorization collections .Check them out here!!

 Use short paragraphs

Keep the paragraphs on your business correspondences as short as you can. If you find yourself writing more than three sentences in a paragraph, try to rework the structure of your sentence so that it is more concise.

Use a consistent and clear signature block at the end of every letter, email, etc. This will keep your branding consistent, recognizable, and professional. Remember to include your company’s name, location, and phone number

Eliminate the ‘Copy & Paste’ mentality

If you are still communicating with your business’ important contacts using an email that has been copied and pasted from an old email, then it is time to update your email signature. If you are represented by any of the big players in business correspondence such as Salesforce, Insightly, Mailchimp, etc., then you can update your signature with their tools. Some companies even have their own app that allows you to do this.

Final words

The one thing you should never forget is that correspondence is not a one way street, it’s more like running a marathon.It’s a communication process in which the receiver is not only waiting for a letter but also ready to respond to you. When you are in business, it’s always important to write the best possible letters to everyone you work with. Each letter should be handwritten and carefully crafted.