To the Letter

Dianna Booher is an American author, and communication expert. She is also the chief executive of Booher Research Institute, a Colleyville, Texas-based company that offers communication consulting, executive coaching, and publishing strategies for Fortune 500 organizations and nonprofit organizations.

• A NOTE TO THE BUSY EXECUTIVE ix INTRODUCTION xACCOMPLISHMENTS 2To Document to Colleagues and Superiors 2ADJUSTMENTS 4Positive Response 4Negative Response 6ANNIVERSARY DATES 10Of Your Own Firm 10Of Individual's Service to Your Firm 12Of Client's or Customer's Business 14ANNOUNCEMENTS 16Of Mergers, Acquisitions, Restructuring 16ANNUAL MEETINGS 204) Notice of Meeting Time and Place 20Shareholder's Proxy 23ANNUAL REPORTS 24Letter from the CEO 24Congratulatory Responses 30APOLOGIES 36Admitting Error 36Avoiding Responsibility for Error 40APPOINTMENTS 44Requesting 44Declining 48Postponing or Cancelling 52APPRECIATION 56Absence from Office Because of Illness or Travel 56On Presentation of Awards, Bonuses 60BIDS 62Soliciting 62Accepting 66Rejecting 68BILLING ERRORS 72Pointing Out 72Correcting: 76Buyer's Error 76Seller's Error 80COMMENDATIONS 86To Program Chairperson or Meeting Planner 86To a Speaker 88For Excellent Service from Outside Staff 90For Excellent Service, Work, Results from Your Own Staff 94COMPLAINTS 981 To Subordinates 98To Peers 102To Superiors 106About Poor Service, Defective or Inferior Product 110CONDOLENCES 116Death 116Response to Condolences 122CONFIRMATIONS 124Of Phone Conversations or Meetings 124To Speakers 128Of Attendance at Event 130CONGRATULATIONS 132Expression on: 133Receipt of an Award 133Birth of Baby 136Birthday 138Civic Achievement 140New Job 143Promotion 146Publication 149Retirement 156Wedding 158Response to Congratulations 160CREDIT AND COLLECTION 164To Creditors Promising Payment 164Investigations 168Offering Credit 172Refusing Credit 174Cancelling Credit 178Collection Letters 182Casual Reminder 183Stronger Reminder 185Appeal for Discussion 190Urgent Demand 193DISMISSALS 196Layoffs 196Unsuitable Employee 200EMPLOYMENT OFFERS 202Accepting Job 202Declining Job 204EXPENSES 206To Encourage Employees to Watch or Eliminate 206FAREWELLS 208To the Person Leaving 208From the Person Leaving 212HIRING 216Acknowledging Receipt of Resume 216Offering a Job 220Refusing an Applicant 224HOLIDAY GREETINGS 228HONORARY USE OF NAME, TESTIMONIAL, OR CHAIR POSITION 236Requesting 236Accepting 240Declining 242INFORMATION 244Requesting: 244From Client, Customer 245From Vendor 249From Others 251Providing: 254To Client, Customer 255To Vendor 256To Others 257Refusing 258INTRODUCTION 262Of a New Employee 262Of an Outside Person 264Of an Outside Service or Company 268INVITATIONS 270To Speak: 270Extending 270Accepting 274Declining 276To Event: 278Extending 278Accepting 282Declining 286ISSUES 2921 To Manage Crisis 292To Express an Opinion to a Public Official 294To Urge Employee, Colleague Participation 298MEDIA NOTICES 302Press Releases 302Support for a Position 306Demand for a Retraction, Clarification to Editor 308MEETINGS 312Announcing 312Confirming Attendance 316Declining Attendance 318ORDERS 320Placing and Filling 320Delaying Because of Misfortune 324Delaying Because of Missing Information, Errors 326PERMISSIONS 330Requesting: 330To Use an Oral Comment, Story, Anecdote 331To Use Copyrighted Materials 332Granting 334Refusing 336POLICY STATEMENTS 340Company Standard 341New Policy 342Changes 343Employee Benefit Programs 346PROMOTIONS/TRANSFERS 348Your Own: 348Requesting 348Accepting 350Your Staff: 352Announcing 352Approving 354Disapproving 356PUBLISHING 360Query for Professional Journal Article 360REFERENCES 362Requesting 362Supplying a Favorable Recommendation 366Supplying a Neutral Recommendation 372Declining to Give 374Thank You for Reference 378REFERRALS 382Requesting 382Offering 384REMINDERS AND FOLLOW-UPS 386REPRIMANDS 390RESIGNATIONS 394On a Positive Departure 394On a Negative Departure 398Acceptance of 402RESUME TRANSMITTALS 406Introducing Yourself 406Introducing Another Person 412SALES AND MARKETING 416Lead-in to a Phone Call, Appointment 416Follow-up to a Phone Call, Appointment 422Introduction of New Sales Representative 426Introduction of a Product or Service 428Submission of Bid or Proposal 432Goodwill Building 434Inactive Accounts 440Rate Increase or Policy Change 442Thank You for Buying 446Declining to Do Business 450Encouragement to Sales Staff 452SOLICITATIONS 456Requesting 456Responding Positively 460Responding Negatively 462SUGGESTIONS 464Inviting Them from Your Employees and Customers 464Offering Them to Your Superiors 466Replying Positively 468Replying Negatively 472THANK YOU 476For Award, Bonus, or Benefit 476For Gift or Donation 480For Service to Community 484For Hospitality 486For Referral or Reference 490Response to a Thank You 494TRANSMITTALS 496WELCOME 500To Potential Customer, Client New to the Area 502To New Shareholder 506APPENDIX A: TO THE LETTER CHECKLIST FOR FORM 509Attention Lines 511Addresses-Inside and Outside 511"Boilerplate" Paragraphs 512Complimentary Closings 512Copy Notations 513Date Lines 513Enclosure Notations 513Envelopes 513Formats for Typing 513Block Style 514Indented Style 515Identification Initials 516Mailing Methods 516Personal Pronouns 516Postscripts 516Reference Lines 516Salutations 517Second-Page Headings 517Signatures 517Stationery 518Subject Lines 518Visual Placement and Design 519APPENDIX B: FORM FOR CUSTOMIZING AND DICTATING LETTERS 521ABOUT THE AUTHOR 524