Write so he'll enjoy it

Write the entire letter from his point of view — what's in it for him? Beat him to the draw — surprise him by ans­wering the questions and objections he might have.

Be positive — he'll be more receptive to what you have to say.

Be nice. Contrary to the cliche, genuinely nice guys most often finish first or very near it. I admit it's not easy when you've got a gripe. To be agreeable while disagreeing that's an art.

Be natural — write the way you talk. Imagine him sitting in front of you — what would you say to him?

Business jargon too often is cold, stiff, unnatural.

Suppose I came up to you and said, "I acknowledge receipt of your letter and I beg to thank you." You'd think, "Huh? You're putting me on."

The acid test — read your letter out loud when you're done. You might get a shock — but you'll know for sure if it sounds natural.

Don't be cute or flippant. The reader won't take you seriously. This doesn't mean you've got to be dull. You prefer your letter to knock 'em dead rather than bore' em to death.

Three points to remember:

Have a sense of humor. That's refreshing anywhere — a nice surprise in a business letter..

Be specific. If I tell you there's a new fuel that could save gasoline, you might not believe me, but suppose I tell you this: "Gasohol" — 10% alcohol, 90% gasoline — works as well as straight gasoline. Since you can make alcohol from grain or corn stalks, wood or wood waste, coal — even garbage, it's not worth some real follow-through.

Now you've got something to sink your teeth into.

Lean heavier on nouns and verbs, lighter on adjectives. Use the active voice instead of the passive. Your writing will have more guts.

Which of these is stronger?

Active voice: "I kicked out my money manager." Or, passive voice: "My money manager was kicked out by me."