It may seem uncomfortable to get to the point immediately when you write a business letter. We don't usually do it in our conversations...but we do in effective letters. Here is why:
When you write to a company, imagine how your letter is received and read. A high volume of letters come in every business day. The department likely processes large amounts of written material daily and staff skim letters quickly.
The person who has read your letter has an action file as well as another file where unclear letters waits until someone can figure out what the letter is asking.
You want your letter to be moved to the action file. It has the best chance if it is easy to understand and resolve.
In your letter, it is also best to use "active voice" instead of "passive voice." Why is this?
Passive voice requires longer verb forms, building longer sentences that are tiresome to read.
- Passive voice: "A problem - among several related issues - of some urgency has recently arisen and, to the extent possible, it is important that, if possible, it be resolved appropriately by the correct department in the near future, if not sooner."
- Active voice: "I am writing to inform you of my problem. I need action and your help to resolve it."
Notice how with active voice, you can immediately understand the writer's purpose. With passive voice, it may take a couple of reads (or more) before you can understand exactly what is being requested.
Next: Set The "tone" of your letter
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