Writing a Good Cover Sheet for a Fax
Cover letters on international faxes serve multiple purposes, and writing a solid cover sheet gives your international fax many advantages. First of all, faxes with cover sheets are generally treated as more important by companies or people that receive them. It’s probably just a psychological factor, but it works. Second of all, a cover sheet is a cheap way to buff up the security of your faxes. Since most fax machines are kept in the middle of offices, it is important that your international faxes reach the intended recipient. Right near the top of your cover letter you should place “TO:[recipient]”( see example below) to ensure that the international fax gets to the right person. If you sent the fax to the incorrect number, then the accidental recipient can notify you that the message was not meant for them.
In addition to being a good security measure, cover letters can also ensure the integrity of your message. By indicating on your cover letter the number of pages (including the cover sheet) it has, you can notify the recipient of the full length of your fax so he or she knows if a paper jam occurred and they didn’t get the entire fax. Also adding the date of the fax, the recipient’s fax number, and who you are gives anyone who picks up the fax all the necessary information they need to deliver the fax.
Formatting your fax cover sheet is also important. This ensures that your fax looks professional as well being easy to read. You want to make sure that it is only one page and that the fonts you use on the cover sheet match the fonts you use in the body of your international fax. 12 pt Font should be a perfect size, but just make sure that it is not too big or too small. If you are including notes in your cover sheet, perhaps about the nature of the fax or to act as a cover letter, keep it to 3-5 paragraphs.
In Summary:
• Use a cover letter to seem more important
• Use “TO:” to secure your international fax
• Write the number of pages (including the cover sheet)
• The date
• Your contact information
• The recipient’s fax number
• 12 pt font
• No clutter
• And use the same font as the body of your international fax.
Check out http://www.freefaxcoversheets.net/ for templates for cover sheets.