The Dos and Don’ts of Letter Writing

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Updated August 2022

How to Write a Letter to Clients

With all due respect to Ray Tomlinson, the purported inventor of email, email is to letter writing as video is to the radio star.

With email’s speed, ease, and accessibility there’s little wonder as to why good old-fashioned pen and paper letter writing is something that maybe only your grandmother still does—and then only on special occasions.

We could sit at our desks and bemoan the loss of beautifully designed paper stationary, which has largely been replaced by programmed templates. But while the appearance of a handwritten letter in our US mail boxes may present as a quaint relic of simpler times, their scarcity has made them treasured objects to be savored and saved. Today, handwritten letters have qualities and evoke emotions shared by most rare objects.

And that makes them marketing gold.

But, I get it. The world moves at a record pace, and it’s difficult to fit in everything we have to do. Good luck trying to fit in things you simply want to do—even if they improve your bottom line.

For a busy business person, the next best thing to a handwritten letter is a personal letter crafted to a singular person or couple. Typed or printed, the words on a page are what demonstrate you’ve given the same consideration and devoted the same care to your thoughts. Electronic messages don’t carry the same degree of gravitas; they just don’t. That’s why we allow our clients to customize the inside front cover of their personally branded magazine with a letter they can personalize down to the individual client level.

And they do it at No. Extra. Cost.

What to include in a letter to clients

Whether you’re handwriting a client letter or crafting your personalized letter in one of our magazine (you can get a FREE sample here), it’s what you say that will set you apart from the competition. These are your words, and they can be what helps you stay top of mind when someone is going to buy or sell their home, look for a mortgage, buy insurance, or put on a new roof.

While we can’t come up with the words you would write (although we can print a template letter you can customize or keep as is), we can provide you with a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind when crafting your letter.

DO: Start with a formal salutation

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This is a letter, not a text message to a close friend. Start out with a formal salutation, like “Dear Margaret,” instead of a simple “Hi” or “Hey.” Show clients that you take your message to them seriously and that you genuinely appreciate their business. Your salutation sets the tone for your letter and can make-or-break how it is received.

DO: Craft a strong CTA

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Once your recipients have received and read your letter, it’s important to tell them what to do next. Calls to action don’t need to be cumbersome; in fact, they should be singular and easy to complete. Any of these calls to action are appropriate in a personalized letter to a client:

  • Call me
  • Visit my website
  • Post a comment to my social media
  • Use this coupon
  • Tell a friend
  • Scan the QR code (we can include those in your magazine’s letter)

DON’T: Forget to proofread

You proofread emails, social media copy, and even texts—so don’t neglect to double-check your letter for grammar and context issues. Correct spelling isn’t going to enhance your credibility (since it’s expected) but, spell something wrong, and it sure can tarnish it.

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DON’T: Neglect to know your audience

As mentioned, one of the truly unique touches we add to your magazine is the ability to personalize the letter that appears in inside front cover to the individual recipient. If one of your clients is celebrating an anniversary, why not wish them well in the magazine you send? Did someone in your database have a new baby? Print a congratulatory note they can keep. Birthdays, graduations, holidays—all are opportunities to send a unique message to your clients.

If you segment your exclusive list of recipients, you can print personalized letters that appeal to those segments. Do you have prospects or clients who want to buy a vacation home, who may be looking to downsize, who are looking to buy their first home, or enjoy the DIY nature of fixer-uppers? Know what appeals to your audience, and craft your letter accordingly.

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These dos and don’ts are important to keep in mind when writing any letter to a client, including the one that can appear on the inside front cover of your own personally branded magazine. Being able to distinguish yourself in such a unique way is one of the best parts of including one of our magazines in your marketing plan, so make it the best it can be with these tips.

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