Professional Services Advisers are constantly writing to their clients, often via email but often with a letter.  Letters to prospective new clients, cross-sell letters, cover letters for proposals, letters introducing new staff etc...  Here we outline five quick tips to give any letter – and many emails – a little more punch, make the letter easier to read and help clearly communicate your key messages.

Use sub-headings which summarise

First, ensure you use sub-headings.  Even a single page letter can usually benefit from, say, two sub-headings to help give structure to the page and break the information into chunks.  Second, try and make your sub-headings summarise the content in the section.  Make it easy to skim the letter and still get the key messages (or decide to dive in and read more).  So instead of “Our recommendations”, try “Our recommendations:  A SMSF and International Equities”.  Instead of “Our business”, try “By working with us, our clients save four hours per year”.  Ideally, I should be able to just read the sub-headings and still get the gist of the letter.

Consider using a PS

Interestingly, numerous studies suggest that a PS is one of the first things any reads on a letter.  Whether that’s true or not, a PS gives you a final chance to deliver a key message and to do so in an eye catching way.  Your PS shouldn’t be more than 1-2 sentences – just enough to reiterate a key point.   Handwritten PS’s to form/template letters work well too.

Keep it <2 pages or use a summary

Ideally, keep any letter to two pages or less.  Move things to an appendix or attachment to help keep the body of the letter smaller.  If any letter goes over two pages, your first section on the first page should be a bullet summary of the sub headings using the same words as the sub-headings themselves.  Either keep it short or entice your reader to read it all or find the key sections of interest to them.

Use the recipient’s name in the letter

When scanning a letter, nothing catches the eye of the reader like their own name.  Careful use of the readers own name in the body of a letter can grab their attention, speak directly to them and seem more personable.  Try using their name when making recommendations or near any “call to action” messages in particular.  If you are mail/email merging, this is very easy to do with a merge field.

Be specific with next steps

It’s interesting just how many advisers give clients specific next steps in a meeting, but write letters with the vaguest endings.  How many letters have you received which end with a promise to “call you in the next week” or “looking forward to talking with you soon”.  Vague intentions = vague results (I say that a lot actually).  Instead end any letter with a clear next step.  “I will call you next Monday morning” or “If you would like to proceed either (a) send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Sep 30 or (b) phone 555-1234 and ask to speak to Joe”.  Like with any “call to action” use active words (limited time, act now, closing soon, RSVP essential) to encourage action.