Letter Writing – Becoming An Active Professional

Module 4

Writing a Professional Letter

There are guidelines to writing a professional letter that will assist you in communicating you message more effectively. Today most computers have “letter wizards” that allow you to choose a pre-formatted letter and you fill in the required information. While this, indeed, is helpful you must still know how to craft your words to communicate the meaning to the recipient of the letter.

1. Several professional writing sites have suggested that you have only 20-30 seconds to catch the reader and make an impact. If your letter does not make an immediate impact, it is likely to end up in the nearest garbage can.

How do I make an impact in 20-30 seconds?

· Make sure your message is clear in the first sentence. “I am writing to tell you…..” or “I felt compelled to inform you…”

· Your letter should not exceed 1 page in length

· Explain the problem as clearly, briefly, and fairly as possible. In the first and last lines of the letter, clearly state your expectations of the other party

· Include all the important information, including dates and times of the occurrence. Include information on how you can be contacted, such as a phone number and address.

2. Make sure your letter is free from grammatical and spelling errors. How do I make sure my letter is error free?

· Running spell check only does so much….if you use the wrong form of a word, it may not catch the error.

· Reading the letter out loud to yourself is a good way to see if the content makes sense.

· Have someone else read the letter. If it makes sense to them, it is likely the intended recipient will feel the same way. But, make sure the person you have read the letter is honest with you and doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear.

3. Salutation guidelines

How do I address the recipient of the letter?

· Do not use: “To whom is may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”. These are both impersonal and it will look like a form letter.

· Instead, use: “Dear Mr. Smith”, “Dear Ms. Smith”. Only use “Mrs.” If you are sure that this title applies.

· Following the salutation, you can use either a colon (:) or a comma (,)

NUR 391

Professional Ethics

2016 Purdue University Northwest

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4. There are some descriptors that more effective when writing a letter about a complaint or a letter of concern. The following list of descriptors may be helpful to you as you construct your letter. This is not an exhaustive comprehensive list, but one that can be used with word selection for your letter.

· Compensate, Concerned

· Damage, Defective, Degrading, Disappoint, Disrespect, Disturbed

· Embarrassing

· Impolite, Incomplete, Inconsiderate, Inconvenient

· Mishandle, Misinterpret, Misrepresent

· Negotiate

· Offend, Offensive,

· Reimburse, Repair, Resolve, Restore, Return, Rude,

· Thoughtless

· Uncooperative, Unhappy, Unprofessional, Upset

Sample Letter Format

Parts of a business letter should include the following:

1. Sender’s Address

2. Date

3. Inside Address

4. Salutation

5. Body

6. Closing

7. Enclosures – only if it applies

8. Typist Initials – only if it applies