MANILA, Philippines - Letter writing, as an art, is possibly dying in the age of SMS, hurriedly written e-mails in jeje-speak, social media like Facebook and Twitter, and (possibly frustrating) interactions over the phone with indifferent customer service representatives.
But it does live on, with letter-writing campaigns staged by PETA or Greenpeace or even your child's social science teacher urging you to send your strongly worded concerns to the newspapers or your favorite television network.
Send Your Letter to the Right Person
A mathematician once said he could move the world, given a lever. Your letter is the lever, and the person you send it to will determine the action that you hope will be taken.
"To whom it may concern" or "dear sir/madam" is generic as can be, but knowing the name of the person who should be reading your letter not only ensures that it gets read, but that it may be read again by that person, be it the marketing director of your favorite brand, your bank manager, or the mayor of a picturesque town littered with fast-food banners.
Mail it directly to his/her office if you don't have an e-mail address; don't just post it on a blog and hope it goes viral. Even the retired queen of kvetch, B.L. Ochman, points out that her secret to getting effective results is this:
"I always go right to the top and I always let it filter back down to where it should be handled to begin with."
Arts and education advocate John Silva, who is also an advocacy writer and fundraiser, occasionally teaches workshops on grant or proposal writing. He says in his blog (johnsilva.blogspot.com) that "the best thing that's happened for media activists these days is the appearance of social networks, blogs and websites where we can plug our causes and make our points to the public without relying on traditional media."
In his testimonial, workshopper Olie Lucas says of Silva's method: "After two workshops, I finally figured out how to personalize my e-mails to friends and donors. I did one on what happened to our staff and kids during the typhoon with a specific appeal for them to send money. I'd done such an appeal describing what we want to do before, but for the first time, some people actually sent money. They said they were touched by the story I wrote."
Be Honest But Polite
As much as you feel strongly about an issue, and as valid as your points may be, starting off cursing won't get your reader to stay on to read it through, and the letter could end up tossed in the trash. Ochman advises: "Be calm, cool and collected, and you have to know what you want-and what you're going to do if you don't get what you want. So being loud or abusive doesn't help you."
A public relations executive who started her own Rent-a-Kvetch business in the 1980s, Ochman is known for her sense of humor when writing letters.
Not one to put much weight on conversing with a customer representative, many of whom work minimum wage in call centers with quotas to fulfill, Ochman thinks that customers have a right to complain about shoddy merchandise or service, otherwise mediocrity becomes the norm. Don't wait for someone else to come along and put it in writing, they may be thinking the same thing and waiting for someone else, too.
Silva has written plenty of letters to the heads of companies and organizations for about 30 years, many of which have seen print or ended up in his blog for the whole world to see. They are often sensibly-written, eschew below-the-belt arguments or personal insults, and outline a proposed course of action that is realistic or concrete.
After a week-and-a-half of no electricity after supertyphoon Milenyo, and fruitless calls to customer service reps, this writer decided to e-mail several Meralco centers after neighbors (front, back, sides-and even the squatters nearby) had their electricity restored, but a family of six languished in darkness as apathetic customer reps kept claiming they would "send someone" but never did.
Suffice it to say that after the letter was sent, electricity was restored within the day by a crew that was dispatched to the house at once, and not one cuss word was in that letter. (As for sarcasm, there was plenty of it.)
Get to the Point
Why do good people or organizations rarely get the funding they need for projects? Why are some executives rarely aware of issues festering in their organization? Write something short and sweet, readable and "winning" (using Silva's time-tested methods)-and you may actually get what you need, says Silva, in opposition to the novella some people think they must send to win a grant.
Have someone take a look at that letter to toss out wordiness, refine vague or unclear sentences, and a logical progression of what the problem is, the possible consequences if it isn't dealt with, and how you want the problem solved.
Suggesting to your favorite baker that covering his cakes in the chiller may save them from drying out may help him re-assess how his wares are displayed and stored, and save other customers from the unpleasant experience of eating a dry sponge cake with the density of a cement block.
Asking for your bank to reverse the annual charge on your credit card (if you pay on time and with the full amount) isn't asking for the moon, it's requesting a courtesy often accorded to others, so don't litter your letter with details on how you've been a loyal customer since your mom opened a junior savings account for you.
Like parenting experts say, be prepared to follow through: if you don't get what you ask for, if you say that you're going to close that account, boycott that product-then do it.
Get Better Results
In a world where the squeaky wheel gets the oil, being a more effective "squeaky wheel" ensures that you keep business relations (after all, bridge-burning is for terrorists and hermits), deliver constructive criticism, and get the results everyone can be happy with. Don't just be satisfied mouthing off to your friends and family. Get that issue off your chest, get it down in writing, do it right and get results.
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