10
Dos & Don'ts of an Introduction Letter
Dear
Associate,
My
insurance agent Sue has recently retired. Another agent has
taken over. He sent out a one-page letter to introduce himself.
The
letter itself has to be one of the driest, unemotional and
most boring pieces of consumer correspondence written since
the typewriter was invented. It was a typical form letter
that really said nothing. Reading it could have put you in
a coma.
It
was a short five paragraphs. The new agent inserted his name
in the proper places. He pressed "print" and voilà,
instant rapport. So he thinks.
Why
am I so adamant about this?
For
this new agent, I don't believe it cost his office much to
send out this mailing to all the accounts. I suspect an in-house
department handles the insurance company's mass mailings.
Possibly from out-of-state.
You
and I don't have that luxury. We're on our own. We have to
get enough new or additional business out of our mailings
to at least break even for the mailing and printing costs.
If
you'e struggling to write a letter of introduction to send
out on a mailing—there are a few steps you should consider.
And a few steps to avoid. Knowing what to do will help you
save money and get more business.
The
10 Dos and Don'ts of an Introduction Letter:
1)
Use a postage stamp. My letter arrived in a postage-printed
envelope (not metered) and looked so much like junk mail I
almost tossed it. Using a stamp or multiple stamps will reduce
that cheap, junk mail look.
2)
Include a return address. My letter's envelope came with
the insurance company's name on the upper left corner and
nothing else. With so little effort put forth it conveys that
this mailing is really not important after all.
3)
Pen a personal salutation. If you have access to a database,
merge the recipient's first name in the salutation. People
love to be addressed by their name. "Dear Friend,"
"Dear Sir," or "Dear Neighbor" is less
inviting.
4)
Write in conversational style. Just as if you were talking
to a friend over coffee at Denny's. You'll write more from
your heart and less from your head.
5)
Keep it short, sweet and specific. Don't make promises
you can't keep. Telling me you'll help me with my dreams and
aspirations as stated in my letter is too broad and vague.
I just want to know if you'll fight for me when I have a claim.
6)
Get to the point. An introduction letter should make me
feel good about me... working with you. It should give me
confidence in you. It should not totally be about you. Or
how wonderful you are. Or how many services you can offer
me.
7)
Who are you? Tell me a little about you, your family,
and your association with your company. Don't try to impress
me with your knowledge. I'm not interested.
8)
Add highlights. Your office team's names, hours of operation
and contact information should stand out. Use underline,
italics, CAPS, and bold to add emphasis or to
contrast with the rest of the body.
9)
Where's the call to action? "Contact us anytime,"
is a waste of real estate. You've already given them permission
to relax. Anytime you allow your audience to idle—they
will. Instead give them a reason to contact you right away.
10)
The power of your signature. My letter ended with the
agent's name, titles, state license number, address and phone
number typed beneath the close. How cold and distant. Where's
the connection? Your signature could possibly be the most
personal connection you will have with your reader. Don't
forget to sign at the bottom.
If
you're a business owner interested in sending out any type
of letter, please understand that your targeted audience will
judge you by your content. If you write a sanitized letter,
people will toss it in the pile with their junk mail. But
if you write an engaging letter — one that leads them
to make a decision — they may end up taking you up on
your offer.
Warm
regards,
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