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Writing Successful Complaint Letters

One skill which every successful fat activist needs is the ability to write a successful complaint letter. Writing a letter that politely lets an advertiser, publisher, editor or television network know that they have offended you without offending them takes skill. Below are a few tips that will help ensure that your voice gets heard.

Take the time to find the appropriate contact address. If you know the company's stock symbol, you can look up its mailing address and the names of its key executives by using The Motley Fool's Stock Research company search feature. Another place you can find addresses is The Yellow Pages Business Center.

Be polite. Your letter is less likely to be taken seriously if you come across as extremely angry or attacking in your letter. A polite letter expressing your concern will be more likely to get the results you're seeking.

Keep it short and specific. Mention the particular item you're upset about, when it aired/which issue it appeared in, and why you're upset about it. Explain briefly how the item in question perpetuates sizism.

Include your recommended solution. If you want the company to stop running an ad, let them know that. If your suggested solution is the representation of more diverse body types, say so.

Give them a business reason to follow up on your complaint. Illustrate how the item you're complaining about negatively impacts their business, and how being more size-positive will yield better financial results for them.

Make it easy to read. Make sure your letter is legible, grammatically correct and spell-checked. The time you've taken to write a complaint letter will be wasted if the recipient can't read or understand what you've written.