BUSINESS WRITING

Grammar

LETTER WRITING

Punctuation

Spelling

Planning

General Principies

TYPES OF LETTERS

Memorandum

Public Relations

Sales

Administratives or Miscelaneous

Report

Inquiry Letter

Order Letter

Remittance Letter

Credit Letter

Claim Letter

Collection Letter

Aplication Letter

Answer

Answer

Answer

Cicle

Adjustment Letter

Follow Up

Data Sheet

BUSINESS CYCLE OF CORRESPONDENCE

SALE LETTERS

Customer asks for information (INQUIRY LETTER) Seller supplies information (ANSWER TO INQUIRY)

Customer enters order (ORDER LETTER) Seller thanks for order (ANSWER TO ORDER)

Customer remits a check (REMITTANCE LETTER)

Seller thanks for remittance
(ANSWER REMITTANCE)

Seller Collects (a) (COLLECT LETTER) ? (b) FOLLOW UP

Customer files claim (CLAIM LETTER) Seller adjust

(ADJUSTMENT LETTER)

Customer request credit (CREDIT LETTER) Seller grants or refuses the credit (CYCLE OF CREDIT)

1. DEFINITION

Art of transmitting a business idea

2. OBJECTIVES

To inform To influence

Grammar 3. COMPLEMENTARY SUBJECTS Punctuation Spelling

4. BUSINESS LETTER 1. business communication unit Sales 2. TYPES

Public Relations

Miscellaneous 3. GOODWILL

5. GOODWILL TOWARD THE FIRM

Confidence Friendly Preference Patronage Good Name

As the most frequently used form of written business message, the letter has become an important business communication unit. A letter is a private, written communication with a specific business objective: to get information, enter an order, request credit, collect a past-due account, file a claim, etc. this definition will help us classify business letters as follows

a) SALES LETTERS: These letters are written at any stage of the purchase-sale process: inquiry, order, remittance, credit, collection, application, etc. b) PP.RR. LETTERS: Letters that are written in order to make new connections for a business firm, to keep or regain business patronage. Among them we find: circulars, letters of invitation, congratulation, and condolence. c) MISCELLANEOUS: A group of communications that may or may not have a direct business objective: reference letters, memoranda, reports, etc.

Although we have already ascribed specific functions to various kinds of business letters (inquiry, order, remit, collect complaint, etc) all of their have two main objective in common; a) Convey a message b) Create, maintain, or regain goodwill

What is GOODWILL? To understand this essential factor in modern business relations, we should be aware of the three factors conducive to business success: high-quality product, good service, and positive public relations (effective communications) If a business organization has managed to gain these three precious assets, it can easily build GOODWILL among its customer. GOODWILL is therefore the confidence, preference, friendship, good name, and favourable opinion which a company or institution enjoys because of the product it sells, the service it renders, and the public relations is promotes.

A business letter is made up of the following parts:

Essential parts
The heading (Letterhead and date line) The inside address The salutation The body of the letter The complimentary closing The signature (Firms name and writers identifications) The reference initials

Optional parts:
Reference line Subject matter Attention line Enclosure notation Carbon copy notation Blind copy notation

The letterhead - Consists of the company's name, telephone number, and other pertinent information, most companies have their letterhead stationery, professionally designed and printed,

Date line: Should always contain the month, day and year without abbreviations. Do not use ordinal number. If not using printed stationery, use only two arrangements for headings. Flush to the right or in the center. The inside address - Usually begins on the fifth line space below the date, and contains the name of the company or individual addressed, the address and the place. The Salutation - Written two lines spaces below the inside address, when n o attention line is used, The most common salutations are: Gentlemen, when writing to a firm: Dear Sir, when writing to an individual, Dear Madam, when addressing a Lady; Ladies, when writing to ladies. Salutations such as: Dear Miss Anderson or Dear Mr. Allen, are also used. Formal salutations: My dear sir; Dear sir, Dear Mr. president; Your Excellency (to someone in the Diplomatic Corps); Reverend Mother (to a Mother superior); Reverend sister (to a nun); My Lord Duke (to a Duke); Your Grace (to a Duchess); My dear Mr. prime minister (to a prime Minister), etc.

The body of the letter - The message begins two spaces below the salutation or attention line. When possible arrange the message in at least two paragraphs. If the letter is very short, double spacing for all parts should be used. If a letter is too long to fit in one page, continue the message on a second sheet of plain paper of same quality. Six line spaces from the top, type the name of the addressee, the page number and the date in this style:
Mr. H.A.Evans June 10, 2007 Pag. 2

The complimentary closing - This should agree in tone with the salutation; that if one is formal the other should be formal. It is typed two line spaces below the last line of the message and only the first letter is capitalized.

Common complimentary closings: Your truly, sincerely yours, Sincerely, Cordially, Cordially yours. More formal closes: Yours very truly, yours very sincerely, yours very cordially, Very formal complimentary closings for persons of high rank: yours, yours respectfully. Other closings now almost out of use: Faithfully yours, expectantly yours, Regretfully yours, Gratefully yours, Earnestly yours, Cooperatively yours. Respectfully

The signature - Since the name of the company already appears in the letterhead, this information is frequently omitted; however, some companies require that the name of he company is typed, all capitals, two line spaces bellow the complimentary closing. The writer's typed name, his title or his department is written under the firm's name after allowing three to four blank line spaces for the writer 's signature.

The reference initials - These are written at the bottom left of the letter and correspond to the writer and the typist. The initials or the writer should appear with capital letters. They are usually divided by a dash, a diagonal or a colon. Ex: JB/mtb for Julio Basulto and Mara Teresa Bonilla respectively.

Reference line.- Usually written two spaces below the date line on the right hand, or bellow the salutation, when not using an attention line. It gives reference to filing or other identification. Subject matter - If you wish to give the reader advance notice of what the letter is about, type a subject line, two spaces below the salutation.

Attention line.- Directed to a person or department within the company. Two line spaces below the inside address.

Enclosures notation.- If a check, contract or other items are enclosed in the letter. this fact should be noted by an enclosure notation.
Styles: Enc. : a Check or Enclosures: two Contracts.

Carbon copy .- If you wish the addressee to know that you are sending a copy of the letter to someone else, use a c.c. notation. Ex. : CC.: Credit Department.

Blind copy notation.- When you do not wish the addressee to know that you are sending a copy of the letter to someone else, use a b.c. notation. Obviousaly, this notation is never used on the ribbon copy of the letter. If appears in the upper left hand corner of the carbon copies only. Ex. : BC. Mr. Davidson.

Side margins.- The right and the left margin should be as nearly equal as possible. Top margins.- The letterhead 's depth determines the top margin of the first page. For each of the continuation pages leave a top margin of six spaces. Bottom margin.- The bottom margin of every page should be at lest one inch, preferably two inches. This, of course, does not apply to the last page.

There are five principal arrangement styles of business letters: 1. Full-blocked 2. Blocked 3. Semi blocked 4. Indented, and 5. Hanging Full-blocked and blocked styles are used most often, semi-blocked is second in popularity

1. FULL-BLOCKED STYLE: All parts of the letter start flush to the left hand margin. There are no indentions.

Helen H Hayes

1272 Seventh Avenue Los Angeles, California April 23, 2007 Miss Jean Adams 1867 Broadway Avenue Los Angeles, California Dear Miss Adams: In this letter I am using the full- blocked style. This style is very popular in modern business concerns because it can be typed faster than other styles. As you see, in this style all parts of the letter start flush to the left hand margin, leaving no indentions whatsoever. I hope you approve of this modern style, and use it in your business letters from now on. Sincerely,
2. BLOCKED STYLE: This style has been in use for a long time. In this style the
inside address and the paragraphs are blocked flush to the left hand margin, as is the salutation. The date line is flush with the right hand margin, and so is the complimentary closing and signature.

3228 South Park Avenue Troy, New York.

March 22, 1998 Mr. Edward Jenkins Smith & Whitman, Inc. 1047 Fifth Avenue. New York, N. Y. Dear Mr. Jenkins: This letter shows how to use the "blocked- style" in one's personal business letters, typed on ordinary plain paper. You should type your address in two lines above the date with the number and street on the first line and the city and state on the second. You must always be sure to type your name below the space where you will sign the letter. Sincerely your, Michael J. Amstrong MJA/knd
3.

SEMI BLOCKED STYLE:

Like the blocked style, except that the first line

of each paragraph is indented, usually five paces. Jane

Wyman Sott

Insurgentes Sur 823 Mxico 18, DF.

June 18, 12007 Miss Eleanor Campbell Park Davis Laboratories Insurgentes Sur 1517 Mxico 20, DF. Dear Miss Campbell: We are now using the semi-blocked style in this business letter. Many companies in Mexico City prefer this style, because they say it looks better than the full-blocked and blocked styles. What do you think? Time is a very important factor in most leading companies that is why the full-blocked style is so popular now that most companies have fewer employees. "Time is money" is an old saying that can certainly be applied to our modern times, when everyone seems to be in a rush to get everything done in time. Let us hear from you soon. Sincerely, (Miss) Jane W. Scott JWS/ysd P.S.: Did you notice that we are using the mixed punctuation style? 4. INDENTED STYLE: This style is not generally used in routine business
correspondence. It is used with informal business letters. In this style the first line of each paragraph is indented, and also the separate lines in the inside address and other sequences of lines in salutation and complimentary closings.

Jeanette Hachmeister 3111 North Lima St.

Burbank, California April 17, 2007 Miss Anne Marie Williams 1234 South Mesa Drive Denver, Colorado Dear Miss Williams: I think you con easily understand why this indented style is almost out of use. It takes too much time to set all your margin indicators. Unless you are going to use the same style for all your mail, this is not practical at all. If you work in a modern company, I can tell you that you are not using this style any more. If you have any questions to ask, I will be happy to answer. Them Hope to hear from you some. Sincerely,

(Miss) Jeanette Hachmeister Secretarial Consultant

JHW-ute
5.

HANGING STYLE: This style has the first line of each paragraph flush to the left
hand margin and the other lines indented five spaces. This style is very rarely used in business letters. When particular attention is needed, this style is used to attract it.

Simon Strong Office Equipament 675 Cedar Avenue Menphis, Arizona

October, 10, 1980 Mr. and Mrs. Tobert R. Oaks 1345 South First Avenue Princeton, Illinois Dear Mr. and Mrs. Oaks: This letter is written in the hanging style, which is used only occasionally and it gives a particular and it gives a particular appearance to our letter.

I now that you both remember the different letter arrangements. They are: Full Blocked, Semi-blocked, Indented and Hanging. Which will you choose as your favourite? I personally like the blocked style in business letters. There is something I do want you to remember before we continue; it this that modern business letters should have a touch of personality and warmness. Yours Cordially, (Mrs) Lorraine Simpson Public Relations Manager LS- paq

A LETTER MAY BE PUNCTUATED IN CLOSED, OPEN OR MIXED PUNCTUATION.

CLOSE PUNCTUATION Requires punctuation marks after the date line, each line of the inside address, the complimentary closing and each line of the signature. OPEN PUNCTUATION It does not require any punctuation marks, unless it is necessary to abbreviate a word at the end of a line. MIXED PUNCTUATION The preferred style today, is a modification of open punctuation. It requires a colon after the salutation and a comma after the complimentary closing.

EXAMPLES:
CLOSED PUNCTUATION: MIXED PUNCTUATION:

June 10, 1979.

Mr. Samuel Ross, 432 Allen Road, Burbank, Ohio.

Mr. Harry M. Stevens 1750 N. Seventh Avenue Dayton, Ohio

Dear Mr. Ross:

Dear Mr. Stevens:

Sincerely yours,

Yours truly,

John F. Carson.

Edward G. Parker

OPEN PUNCTUATION: December 8, 2006

Dr. Henry Jones 353 E. Greenwich Ave. San Antonio, Texas

Dear Dr. Jones

Sincerely yours

Frances E. kent, M.D.

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