Body Of The Letter

A question frequently asked is: «How long should a good letter be?» The answer is: «As long as it is necessary to say what has to be said». The manner of interpreting this varies, of course, with the writer, and also very greatly with the nationality of the writer and of course it depends on the subject of the letter. It is a question of how much information you put in the letter. Your letter should be neither too long nor too short. The right length includes the right amount of information. Still it is better to include too much information than too little.

The way to get the right amount of information in your letter, and to get it in the right order, is by planning your letter in advance. This four point plan provides a useful but simple framework for structuring all business communications:

The first sentence or paragraph of a letter is an important one since it sets the tone of the letter and gives your reader his first impression of you and your company. Here are some ways to begin a letter:

Middle paragraphs are the main part of your letter and will concern the points that need to be made, answers you wish to give, or questions you want to ask. It is in the middle paragraphs of the letter that planning is most important, to make sure that your points are made clearly, fully and in a logical sequence.

When closing the letter, encourage further enquiries or correspondence and mention that you look forward to hearing from your correspondent soon.