The look and feel of a hand written letter conveys our most personal intent and is reserved for those communications that are indeed personal. Sometimes we want the feeling to be conveyed when we do not personally know someone, such as a letter to an official regarding something personally important. The hand written letter is the most effective one-on-one communication, but it just to time consuming for many purposes.

However, for better or worse, writing on the computer is the standard for writers and the convenience of communicating directly from there via email, blog or fax is hard to beat. What we lose in personal appeal we make up for in volume and the ablity to find that one in a thousand who will help. We can make the percentages work for us.

Communcating our thoughts is usually purposeful and especially so when we are reaching out to those in a position to make a difference. Getting the attention of those individuals is often as much about how we say it as what we say.

Choosing a communications method depends on its goal. Linked to the topics below are information sources that can be helpful in reaching those goals

Hand written or computer generated snail mail is best for those situations where the letter will actually be read by the peson to whom it is addressed and get an individual response. It is the most personal form of writing.

Fax is a good way to get your letter to a person in power to let them know how you feel about an issue. Although the letters are seldom read by the target individual, it is agood way to let them know that you are postive or negative towards an upcoming decision. They often count the fax letters as yea or nay votes.

Email is the most commom form of communication today. When the receiver knows the sender it can be an excellent way to contact them. If they don't on the other hand...it can be a disaster. Spam has made annonymous email an instant trash dispatch for most people. So use email only for those communications with people who are expecting you to appear in the in box.

Blogging or posting your letter on the Internet has become both popular and powerful. Like email it is deeply discounted by those who do not know the writer. For that reason it requires an excellent writer to be effective with a blog, but almost everyone who writes can be great if the issue is something they are passionate about.

Letters are a powerful form of communication.that have changed governments and using them effectively will help you and your organization achieve your goals.as well.

Dane Arr
May 2006