JOHN HARRISON +
J H +
copywriting
WRITE TO DORIS
There is one golden rule to bear in mind always: that we should try to put ourselves in the position of our correspondent, to imagine his feelings as he writes his letters, and to gauge his reaction as he receives ours.
Inland Revenue staff instructions
When Warren Buffet writes letters to his investors, he lovingly addresses them to his sisters, beginning a first draft with, Dear Doris and Bertie.
Once written, he replaces their names with Dear Shareholders leaving his letter jargon-free, familial, empathetic, and ultimately, warm.
Whether you’re writing to your sister or your boss, you’re writing to another human. So, don’t try to be professional or educated or intellectual.
Avoid the complex, cold, insipid, formal stuff that oozes out when you try to sound important, the style of writing that suffocates intellectual essays or professional emails.
By addressing someone you love, you set the tone from the first few words. Those words keep you human. In fact they save you from assuming a character. The one whose costume lots of writers put on when they sit down to type that professional email.
If you start with Dear, you'll surely work your way to It has recently come to our attention that and perhaps on to Additionally, it was interesting to note that, finally winding up at Yours Sincerely, and no reply.
But if you begin with Hi Mum or Hi mate, you'll naturally use language, ideas, and a tone that suits someone you care to make things honest and simple for.
Address someone you love to force:
- simple concepts
- a friendly tone
- familiar words
- integrity
- honesty
You'll replace are you experiencing pain? with does it hurt?
You'll replace due to the fact that with because.
You'll replace £20,000 per annum with £20,000 a year.
You'll reach for the shorter word, and not for brevity's sake, but because the short word is usually the familiar word. The one that’s easiest to process. You'll spend time checking it over because you care that this reader understands your meaning.
You want this reader to succeed because you love this reader.