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Benefits of business writing training seminars:
- learn how to write a business letter
- discover the skills of writing a business letter
- learn to create clear business correspondence
- understand the difference of writing for business
- improve overall business communication
Business Writing Training: The Smarmy "Valued Customer" Line in Business Writing
This week I taught two workshops of sophisticated business letter writing writers who communicate with clients. One of the business writing course topics we agreed to disagree about was the language we use in business writing training to show customers we care.
In writing for business seminars I like statements like "You have been a valued customer for many years" and "Thank you for being a valued customer." But some of the class and seminar participants found those smarmy--that is, excessively flattering--and insincere.
The words "valued customer" do come across as empty when we use them in place of the customer's name when we write a business letter. And they sound phony when we use them in what is clearly a mass business communications mailing that goes to every customer, valued or not.
With business plan writing classes, I myself dislike the words "valued customer" when they appear in an email from a company I have done business with for a short time, such as one hour or one day. Then how do we show clients and customers in business communication we care in our business writing?
When I teach how to write a business letter, I like to use lots of positive language: appreciate, thank you, happy to, I can, delighted, pleased, look forward to, terrific, and other words that communicate a smile. Are those terms smarmy in business communication courses ? I don't think so.
But we are not all the same. Some of us thrive on personalized greetings and closings, positive language, and even smiley faces. Others want business letter writers to get to the point and cut the cute stuff. (Read my article "Adapting to Your Readers' Style Differences" for more on style preferences.)
In the business writing course, however we felt about "valued customer" language, we agreed on the value of focusing on positives rather than negatives, responding promptly, saying yes to customer requests, doing our best when we have to say no, and keeping the customer informed.
Valued reader, do you have phrases in your business communications you like to use to show clients and customers you care?
Source: Lynn Gaetner Johnson Link
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