THE IMPORTANCE OF LETTERS
Sometimes the best way to communicate an idea or emotion to someone is to sit down and write a letter. It can be difficult for some to put words to print, but if you are determined to convey your thoughts and feelings, you should be able to compose a letter over time. Even by trial and error, it doesn’t matter if the content is personal or business, make all your letters sound sincere. Sincerity rarely goes unnoticed. People will likely take the time to sit down and read a letter directed toward them.
We are in the dawn of the computer age. Life has become all about computers and smartphones. Many of us work remotely, and the need for human contact is less than in the early part of the millennium. We use electronic devices to text and send email messages. Those on busy schedules or just lazy, texting and emailing are the choices for communicating, and their voices are heard no further than bits and pieces of information.
In the business world, it gets worse. Some businesses have eliminated live contact. They instruct you to follow the prompts on their website or landing pages to find solutions to all sorts of problems. Some are kind enough to add chatlines. These chatlines are becoming bots that answer a few questions and then tell you to go back to the link for further information. It is all a vast loop that is very frustrating and time-consuming. Some businesses may benefit from this new procedure. Others will not.
A.I. and other technologies will remain essential to businesses and people, but technology has limitations.
Writing a direct letter to an individual or group of individuals trumps social media. Social media is important for marketing and branding, but it does not replace the human touch of ideas that spring from the mind. Social media is a patchwork of bits and pieces of information that I often find irritating.
Just say what you want to say. Pick up the phone and talk. You can probably find a solution over the phone ten times faster than going back and forth on emails and texts. These tools have their place, and when they fall out of scope they become time wasters. A letter isn’t a snippet. It takes time to think about and compose a letter. It takes time to read the letter.
Searching your brain for the right content that fits the time, place, and circumstance, when done well, becomes an art form. Using your undivided attention in composing a letter tells the reader you have gone out of your way to win their attention. When the letter is coming from the mind and the heart it will win the reader over by letting them know they are important to you.
If you want to win people over pour your heart out in a letter or document. Show what you are feeling and thinking. Wear your heart on your sleeve because sincerity in its natural form will beget true feelings from the recipient.
There will come a time when you will have to put something in writing. It could be a resume and a cover letter. You might have to write a demand letter to someone who owes your money or fill out a form to take someone into small claims court. When you fill in the section of the small claims document that says ‘Give Further Details,’ or something of that nature, make sure to make it clear and concise by capturing the essence and argument of the case. Depending on your profession, you may have to write hundreds of letters during a lifetime.
Practice on your family. Write letters to your mother, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, and cousin. The more you practice the more proficient you will become at it.
Your personal life and business are interdependent on building relationships. The best way to achieve that end is to build a community. Building the basic structure of a community will entail the use of the Internet and social media. You must use technology to create a fan or customer base, there’s no way around that. But technology is a double-edged sword that creates distance between ourselves and shuts us off from the real world. Take time to break free of tech. Do you want to keep your mind sharp and build meaningful relationships with others, then start writing letters to all the favorite people on your contact list?
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