5 simple steps to write a persuasive letter -

The ability to write a professional letter is an indispensable skill in whatever field you work in. A good letter can be an effective tool to convince and motivate the recipient, as well as easily achieve your goals behind writing it. What is the importance of letter writing? How do you write a formal letter?

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What is meant by letter writing?

Letter writing refers to the process of writing written messages exchanged by individuals or organizations to communicate information, ideas, or requests; Either formally or informally. Writing a letter requires a lot of planning, preparation, and training, as the format and tone of the letter varies depending on its purpose and the relationship between the sender and the recipient. The speech should also be written in an elaborate, logical and persuasive manner, so that it includes a clear, specific, and easy-to-understand message, presented in an effective and attractive manner to the recipient.

What are the types of letters?

There are many different types of letters, each with its own format, tone, and purpose. Here are some of the most common types of letters:

1. Personal letters

Personal letters are usually used for informal communication, so they are written in a friendly, informal tone. They can be used to share news, express gratitude, or maintain contact with someone far away. They include:

Friendly letters: addressed to friends or people with whom you have a close relationship, and include personal anecdotes, updates, and shared experiences in a warm, friendly tone, they are a way to strengthen and maintain personal relationships.
Condolence letters : They are used to express sympathy and offer condolences to those who have suffered loss or grief. These letters convey support and understanding during difficult times.
Letters of thanks: These letters are written to express gratitude and appreciation for a person who has done something good or useful, and can be sent after receiving a gift, assistance, or any work that requires thanks, as it shows true appreciation and strengthens personal relationships.
Apology letters: They are written to apologize for mistakes, misunderstandings, or harm caused to someone. These letters show remorse, responsibility, and a sincere desire for compensation. They are often used to repair personal relationships.
Invitation letters: Invite people to events, parties, celebrations, or gatherings, and provide details such as the date, time, location, and purpose of the event.
Congratulatory messages: They are presented to congratulate someone on an achievement or a special occasion, and express joy, pride and admiration for the person’s achievement, as they can be sent to congratulate graduation, promotions, birthdays or other important events.

2. Business letters

Business letters are used for professional communication between companies, organizations, or individuals, and are used for various purposes such as: requesting inquiries, products, or services, responding to complaints, or sending important information. Business letters should be professional and to the point, with a clear objective and professional tone, and include the following:

Inquiry letter: used to obtain information or make an inquiry about a product, service, or business opportunity, usually sent to a company or organization to request specific details, pricing, or other relevant information.
Cover letter: Usually submitted along with a resume or job application, the applicant explains the purpose of the job application , and highlights relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.
Letter of thanks: sent to express gratitude and appreciation to clients, partners or colleagues.
Complaint letter: used to raise a concern or express dissatisfaction with a product, service or experience. It identifies the problem and its supporting details with a request for resolution or correction.
Resignation letters: Written by employees to formally notify employers of their decision to leave a job, they explain the details and reasons for leaving, and express gratitude for the opportunities offered.

3. Letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation are written by someone who can attest to the qualifications, skills, and character of the person being recommended, and are typically used for job applications, admission to an academic program or professional organization, support for academic promotions at universities, or nominations for various awards. It aims to give a positive assessment to the person concerned, clarifying his abilities, qualifications, and personal characteristics. The letter of recommendation is considered a reliable certificate; It enhances the chances of the recommended person getting the desired opportunity.

4. Official speeches

Formal letters are a type of written communication that is used for formal correspondence or business communication, or when writing to a person of higher authority or formality. Formal letters follow a structure, often including a formal salutation, introduction, body paragraphs, and a polite closing.

What is the importance of letter writing?

Speech writing is one of the basic tools that are used in many fields, and its importance varies according to its purpose, and that importance is represented in:

Communication and building relationships

Letter writing helps you to communicate effectively in the work environment, and to establish and maintain strong personal and professional relationships. By expressing your thoughts and feelings in speech in a clear, structured way that is clearly understood by the other party, you can build trust and understanding with your co-workers and managers.

convince the recipient

Writing a professional letter is crucial to persuading the recipient. It helps you achieve your goals or requests by presenting your case logically and persuasively in the letter, which increases the chances of the recipient agreeing to your proposal or taking the required action. Your admission to a scholarship or scientific conference may depend on a letter The intention you wrote, a well-written letter is an effective way to influence others.

Save transactions

Letters serve as a written record of communication between the parties, and this may be useful for future reference, especially in legal or commercial matters, where it is necessary to obtain documentation of agreements, requests, decisions or correspondence for use in times of need and in dispute.

Support talents and distinguished for grants

You may be an expert and need to write letters of recommendation to attest to the qualifications and skills of an outstanding person recommended, in order to be accepted into a job, an academic program or a professional organization, and without knowing how to write a letter of recommendation well, the outstanding person may lose his chance of admission.

Professional speech writer skills

Several skills are required to make a professional speechwriter able to perform the job successfully, such as:

Exceptional writing skills

A professional speechwriter must have exceptional writing skills, including the ability to write clearly and concisely, use language effectively to convey complex ideas and feelings, adapt writing style to the needs of the speechwriter, and be proficient in the use of writing rules, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure. He should also be familiar with rhetorical techniques such as: metaphors, similes, and persuasive language, as these techniques help to enhance the persuasive power of speech and produce the expected effect.

Research skills

The ability to thoroughly research the topic of the speech, including gathering information from a variety of sources such as books and articles, is one of the skills a speechwriter should have, and he or she must be able to synthesize this information into a coherent, persuasive narrative that supports the speech.

Identify and understand the purpose of the speech

A professional speechwriter should have a deep understanding of the target audience of the letter, as he must anticipate the needs and interests of the recipient and tailor the letter accordingly without tedious verbosity or obscene brevity.

Message development

The ability to distill complex ideas or concepts and state them in clear and concise messages is a skill that a professional speechwriter should not miss, including the ability to organize ideas and content, and identify key points to ensure a coherent and impactful speech.

Storytelling

Letters often benefit from incorporating storytelling elements , so a letterwriter should be skilled at crafting stories, anecdotes, and examples that resonate with the recipient. Storytelling helps grab the recipient’s attention, stir their feelings, and make the speech memorable.

How to write a professional letter?

In order for the letter not to produce undesirable results, there are a number of steps that should be followed when writing a professional letter, which are:

1. State the purpose of the letter

The first step in the process of writing a professional letter is to determine the purpose of your letter, is it to apply for a job? Or to file a complaint, or to request information and inquiries, or to present facts and information? This will help you determine the structure of your message and choose the appropriate tone and format for writing and presentation.

For example; In business and business letters, your style and tone will be formal, starting with a formal salutation, keeping titles and saying what you want succinctly, while in letters that relate to social and personal events, you can use a more personal and upbeat style.

2. Set the recipient and contact information

After determining the purpose of the speech and choosing the appropriate style of writing, in order to start your speech in a correct order that helps the flow of ideas; Begin by writing the letter recipient’s full name, title, and professional salutation, such as “Dear Mr./Mrs.” Then write your name, address, phone number, and email address in the upper-right corner of the letter, aligning with the right-hand margin and writing the full date below the contact information.

3. Write the introduction

After you’ve written the recipient’s name and salutation, you can start writing a short opening introduction introducing yourself and stating the purpose of your letter. A professional introduction helps grab the audience’s attention, and can do so by providing the necessary context to clarify your letter’s writing intentions in the form of a question or a short story.

4. Write the body of the speech and the conclusion

This step is the most important step in writing a letter. It forms the core of the speech and during it you can expand on the main points of the speech, using clear and concise language, while providing relevant details, supporting information and arguments that serve your goal, and care must be taken to organize and list the ideas logically.

As for the last paragraph of the speech; You can summarize the main points while restating the request or indicating the goal to reinforce the idea for the recipient, followed by expressing appreciation for the recipient’s interest in the letter and taking part of his time for it, and then referring to the attachments attached to the letter; If applicable, and finally end the letter with an appropriate professional sentence, leaving space for a digital or handwritten signature.

Writing a professional letter can be a daunting task that requires a lot of experience and practice, but if you entrust it to a dedicated professional, he can accomplish it easily and successfully. So if you want to write a professional official letter, do not take any chances, and use one of the letter writing services provided by professional speech writers on the Khamsat platform, the largest Arab market for buying and selling microservices.

5. Review the letter and check its format

The last step before sending a letter is to make sure it looks professional, by reading the letter out loud and reviewing it carefully for spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors. In addition to reviewing the format of the letter, and making sure to use a professional, easy-to-read font with a size of 11 or 12 points such as: Times New Roman, Arial, while making sure that the margins and alignment of the text are consistent.

8 common mistakes to avoid when writing a formal letter

When writing a formal letter, it is important to maintain a professional tone, adhere to certain guidelines, and avoid some common mistakes, such as:

Spelling and grammatical errors: Review your letter carefully to make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors, as these make your letter appear unprofessional and detract from it.
Use informal language: Avoid using colloquial expressions when writing a formal letter. Stick to formal language and correct grammar to maintain a professional tone.
Unclarity and brevity: Make sure your message is clear and concise, avoid long or complex sentences that might confuse the reader, and get straight to the point to get your message across effectively.
Neglecting proper formatting: Pay attention to the formatting of your letter, use an appropriate font and size, maintain consistent margins, and correct text alignment, so that your letter does not look unprofessional.
Not Addressing the Recipient Precisely: Address the recipient by the appropriate name and address, and if you are unsure of the recipient’s gender or name, use a neutral salutation such as “Dear Sir/Madam.”
Non-specificity: Be specific and provide relevant details in your message. Vague phrases may confuse the reader or impair the impact of your message. Provide clear and precise information to express your intentions clearly.
Inappropriate Tone: Maintain a polite tone throughout your letter, regardless of the content, and avoid using confrontational or aggressive language, even if you are expressing a complaint or disagreement. Strive for a professional and diplomatic tone.
Do not attach evidence or support: If you are making claims or information, provide supporting evidence or examples to reinforce your points. This helps establish credibility and adds weight to your arguments.

In conclusion, it can be said that the skill of writing speeches is a vital skill for anyone who wants to communicate effectively and convince others of his vision and ideas, and although this skill requires a lot of effort and training, it can be learned and improved through training and perseverance.

5 simple steps to write a persuasive letter