These letters are designed to build the relationship with your contacts.

Your Circle Member will fill-in the name and address at the head of the letter and will print and sign their name at the end of the letter. This will provide a "personal" touch without going to the extreme of "mail merging" personalized letters.

(If you are a computer whizz, I guess you could add complexity by getting everybody’s list in electronic format and "mail merge" all the letters to create personalization. But I really discourage this. Your life is complex enough. Don’t make this letter campaign harder than it needs to be.)

In the second letter, YOU will be the author, but the first paragraph will reference your Introduction Letter previously sent. Your Circle Member’s name will be added on the "signature" line at the end of the letter to add endorsement. Of course, your signature will be first and theirs will be second since this letter is really coming from you.

In Letter #3, your signature will be the only one at the end of the letter. By the third letter, you will have established the relationship and your audience will recognize your name and why you are writing.

As you write these letters, don’t be too shy about writing long letters. Atwo-, three- or even four-page letter will get read if it is interesting and upbeat.

If you choose to write a longer letter, make sure you use a "news article" format. A news article format puts all the important details right up front, in the first three to four paragraphs. Then the remainder of the letter fills in the details of the information you shared in the first several paragraphs.

The following are important points you must include in your letters that will act as instructions to the reader for handling adoption opportunities.

In your letters, you will remind the reader that time is of the essence when they witness an adoption opportunity. If a Birthmom is considering an adoption plan, chances are good she has told others. You will be asking your reader to make contact with the Birthmom as quickly as possible, offering your Recorded Message phone number, your website, and/or one of the flyers to her or a member of her support network.

You will be asking your reader to share ONLY limited information about you with the Birthmom. In the excitement of the moment, there may be the temptation to mention where you live, work or other identifying information.

For now anyway, you want to keep detailed information about you confidential. Later, and according to your "open adoption" tolerance, you may be willing to reveal more details. For now, you will want to restrict the information offered the Birthmom to be only your flyer, website address and/or your recorded message phone number.

The people you contact will be more comfortable with assisting you when they understand the preparations you have made for this Birthmom search and for your adoption plans.

You may wish to tell them about your state-licensed adoption agency and/or your adoption attorney (if you’re using one). Assure your reader of the expertise these support people have regarding the adoption process.

You should mention that you have completed (or will complete) a state-approved home study.