Most companies have an array of form letters for various situations. Some even have form emails. Topics often include–

1. This is who we are.
2. Here is our proposal.
3. What do you think of our proposal?
4. Thank you for your business.
5. What happened to your business?
6. We’d like to do business with you again.
7. Your payment is overdue.
8. Thank you for the referral.
9. We apologize for the error.

Some executives dislike form letters because it feels like a canned, cookie-cutter approach. However, form letters have a few advantages.

1. Properly written, they ensure the proper message is sent every time.
2. They result in a more uniform, higher impact marketing message.
3. They save time–sometimes an enormous amount of time.

The proper message. Writing a letter (or email) from scratch can be a daunting task, especially if the subject matter is delicate–an apology letter or special provisions on a quotation, for instance. And in such cases, if the letter is miswritten, it could lead to misunderstanding, lost profits–or worse.

High impact. If every letter introducing your company stresses different points, in the long run customers won’t understand who you are. For a message to be understood, it must repeated over and over. For a great, readable elaboration on this point, read The Little Blue Book of Advertising by Steve Lance and Jeff Woll.

Time. Does it make sense to have your heaviest-hitting sales rep agonize over an intro letter for two hours? For most people in your organization, time is better spent on activities that directly impact sales and profit.

Let me know if you’d like help drafting a few letters or editing what you already have. It could be an easy way to save time and money.