Written Communication

Writing Business Letters

Features of a Letter
Return address of the letter writer. 1600 Main Street Springfield, Kansas 12345 The date of the letter. This is usually typed in one of two ways: (Begin with the day, no comma) 15 January 2008 or (Begin with the month; use a comma) December 1, 2008 The personal notation
If the letter is a confidential, and it is wanted to be read only by a particular person, the word personal .or confidential is used . such notation should appear four spaces above the inside address as well as in the envelop.

Date Personal

INSIDE ADDRESS

Complete name, title, and address of the recipient. Use "Mr." for a male recipient. If you do not know how a female recipient prefers to be addressed, it is best to use "Ms." Ms. Anna Brown, Chair Department of Linguistics Right State University 1415 University Drive Felicity, OH 45434

Features of a Letter
Salutation with a colon. Dear Ms. Brown:
Date Personal The personal notation If the letter is a confidential, and it is wanted to be read only by a particular person, the word personal or confidential is INSIDE ADDRESS used . such notation should appear four spaces above the inside address as well as in Date the envelop.

The reference line It can refer to a bill, an order, a code or a letter. It is typed four spaces below the date line.

Refer to File No. 550

INSIDE ADDRESS

Features of a Letter
The attention line
if you want your letter is directed to the attention of a particular person, use the attention line. It is placed two spaces below the inside address and two spaces above the salutation. It may be flush with the left-hand margin indented five spaces, or centred. Because the letter directed to the firm, a plural salutation is required.

INSIDE ADDRESS
Attention Mr. AL ahemd Gentlemen:

The subject line

It indicates the subject matter of the letter and makes it unnecessary to devote the first paragraph to giving this information. this line is generally centred on the same with the salutation or two spaces below. If the full block style is used, type the subject line flush with the left hand margin two spaces below the salutation. Place a colon after the word Subject and use initial capital letters for all important words. If the simplified style is used, the subject line is typed in all capital letters, but Subject: is omitted.

SALUTATION ---------Subject: or Subject: Shipping Policy

Features of a Letter
The identification line.
It made up of the initials of the name of the person who dictated the letter and those of the secretary or typist. The initials may be in capital letters, in all small letters, or in capitalized letters for dictator and small letters for the secretary or typist. It is usually typed two spaces below the signature, flush with the left-hand margin. // signature // SJW: am Enclosure or 2 Encls.

The enclosure notation.

when the letter has enclosure, the notation is typed directly below the identification line, flush with the left-hand margin. Either the entire word enclosure, or its abbreviation, Enc. Or Encl. be used. If there is more than one enclosure, the number should be indicated.

Features of a Letter
The mailing notation.
This notation states the method of mailing: whether the letter is sent registered, airmail, special deliveryetc,. it is typed directly below the identification line or enclosure notation. It serves as a record to indicate that the letter was sent by other than regular mail.

// signature // SJW: am Enclosure or 2 Encls. Special Delivery cc: Mr. Saad

The carbon copy distribution notation.

this notation states that a carbon copy of the letter is being sent to another person. It is typed two spaces below all other notation, flush with the left hand margin. Either the word Copy to or the abbreviation cc: may be used. The blind carbon copy notation (bcc:) is used when the addressor does not wish to indicate the distribution of the carbon copies to the addressee. It appears on all internal copies, but not on the letter sent to the addressee.

Features of a Letter
Body of the letter. It is best to keep an initial business letter short. Business people are busy and do not have time to read long letters! In a one-page letter, you will usually only need three or four paragraphs, single spaced. Use a double space in between paragraphs. See examples that follow. The easiest way to write the body of the business letter is to use a prewritten business letter. Closing. The most common closing is "Sincerely." Follow this with a comma. Skip four single lines after the closing and type your name. Sign your name in the space above your name. Sincerely, Jonathan Wilson Enclosure. If you are enclosing additional information with your letter such as a resume or a curriculum vitae, skip two single lines after your typed name and type "Enclosure" or "Enclosures." If you use the plural, you have the option of stating the number of enclosures in parentheses. Enclosures (2)

Business Letter Formal - Block Style

(1. notice that you dont indent at all in a block style business letter)

2. You need your own address. This part goes in the heading section. Underneath your address, put the date. Skip four lines.

3. Put your organizations address in the inside address section.

Double space.

4. Salutation/Greeting Dear Ms. Smith (or whoever is the head of your organization) Use Ladies and Gentlemen when name is unknown Double space.

5. Body: State your purpose for writing this letter. Be formal and polite; the organization is doing YOU a favor by sending you the information.

You may or may not have more than one paragraph. If you do, between each paragraph, be sure to double space.

6. Closing: Yours Sincerely Four spaces after the closing

Then your name. In between the closing and your name, that is where you would sign your name.

Types of Letters
Acknowledgement Letter : is written when you want to acknowledge some one for his help or support when you were in trouble.
The letter can be used to just say thanks for something you have received from some one, which is of great help to you.

Apology Letter : is written for a failure in delivering the desired results.

If the person has taken up a task and he fails to meet the target then he apologizes and asks for an opportunity to improve in this type of letter.

Appreciation Letter : is written to appreciate some one's work in the organization.

Written by a superior to his junior. An organization can also write an appreciation letter to other organization, thanking the client for doing business with them.

Types of Letters
Complaint Letter : is written to show one that an error has occurred and that needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
The letter can be used as a document that was used for warning the reader.

Inquiry Letter : is written to inquire about a product or service.

If you have ordered a product and yet not received it then you can write a letter to inquire when you will be receiving it.

Order Letter : is as the name suggests is used for ordering products.

can be used as a legal document to show the transaction between the customer and vendor.

Letter of Recommendation : is written to recommend a person for a job position.

states the positive aspects of the applicant's personality and how he/she would be an asset for the organization. used for promoting a person in the organization.

Types of Letters
Sales Letters: to persuade the readers to buy a product, service, idea, or point of view
Grab the readers attention, Highlight the products appeal, Show the product's use, Conclude with a request for action (buy it!), Appeal to the reader with reader-centered issues (health, convenience, service, saving money), Use concrete words and colorful verbs Be ethical and truthful, Dont brag or go on

Custom Relation Letter: establish and maintain good relationships with the customers
Be diplomatic Be persuasive Write from and understand the readers perspective There are several types

Your assignment tonight:

1. Type up your business letter. 2. Follow the format in your Writing Handbook on Page 29. 3. Your letter is due tomorrow.

Question #1
The picture on the title slide of this presentation was a model for business letters that I found on the Internet. The fact that you can glance at this letter without reading any of the content and notice a formatting error should show you that you cant trust everything on the Internet! What is wrong with this model letter?

A. The letter improperly double-spaces paragraphs.

B. The letter does not use proper block style. C. The letter includes an unnecessary signature. D. The letter uses a one sentence paragraph.

Question #2
Even without reading the text in the letter on the right, you should be able to identify a fatal flaw in business letter writing. This error could inspire the intended audience to trash the letter before he/she has even read a word. What business letter writing error has the writer committed?
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A. The letter should be double-spaced between blocks. B. The date should always be right-justified. C. The paragraphs arent indented. D. The paragraphs are too long.

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XXXXXXXXXX

Question #3
The excerpt below is from the introductory paragraph of a business letter. What content that should be in every introductory paragraph is missing?

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. The article in the December 17, 2002 edition of The Washington Post inspired me to write you.

A. The paragraph does not attempt to motivate the reader to respond. B. The paragraph does not provide background information to prove he/she did his/her homework. C. The paragraph does not explain why the writer chose the recipient as his/her audience. D. The paragraph does not state the objective or purpose of the letter.

Question #4
The excerpt below is from a real business letter in which the writer does not choose his/her words effectively. What business letter style error has the author committed that could alienate the reader and prevent the company from achieving their desired result of retaining the advertisers business?
If you do not complete and return this advertisement contract by December 21, 2002, you will not receive your advertising space in this year's Capitol Lines. If we have not heard from you by this deadline, we will sell your advertisement space to some other client
A. The writer does not sound committed to his/her position.
B. The writer is unclear about his/her expectations. C. The writer does not present bad news in a positive way.

D. The writer uses sexist language.

Question #5
Many of you will soon be celebrating your high school graduation and your family may hire a company to provide the tables and equipment for the party. If you or your parents received a letter such as the one below from a company bidding for the right to supply your party, why might you and your parents choose to go with another company simply because of the way the excerpt is written?
I am writing you about a change in our pricing policy that will save our company time and money. In an operation like ours, it costs us a great amount of labor time (and thus expense) to scrape and rinse our used tableware when it comes back from large parties. Also, we have incurred great expense on replacement of linens that have been ruined by stains that could have been soaked promptly after the party and saved.

A. The writer uses jargon that the audience cant understand.

B. The writer incorrectly focuses on himself/herself instead of the audience C. The writer uses passive voice that weakens the forcefulness of his/her points.

D. The writer did not use Spellcheck.

Question #6
The excerpt below is the last paragraph of a business letter. What does this paragraph lack as an effective closing to a business letter?

Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you soon.

A. The writer does not show any appreciation towards the reader. B. The writer is insulting and condescending towards his/her audience. C. The writer has not provided an action ending to his/her audience. D. The writer has written a paragraph that is too short for a business letter.

Question #7
If a student were to write the sentence below, he/she would have very few readers (not to mention friends). What basic rule of business letter writing has the author forgotten?
The Student Government Association (hereinafter to be designated as SGA) for the fiscal year 2002-2003 stipulated budget allocations in the amount not to exceed $250 that will be designated for utilization by a program under the nomination of the Coffee Shop A. Choose words that both the writer and the reader will understand and use. B. Be as general as possible to save the reader time. C. Provide your audience with very specific details. D. Impress your audience by using as many big words as possible.

Question #8
The excerpt below contains a stylistic choice that should be avoided in business letter writing. What is it?

The spirits of the graduating seniors were enlivened by the exciting words of the enthusiastic guest speaker

A. The sentence loses some of its action by using passive voice. B. The sentence confuses the audience with jargon. C. The sentence lacks creativity by using clich expressions and phrases. D. The sentence is vague because it lacks any descriptive words.

B. Memoranda (Memos)
Used internally and is less formal than letters Standard format of communication within an organization Parts:
To CC From Date Ref No. Subject: Body

Organisation of Memos: to the point and leave anything out

Types of Memos
Instruction
Information to carry out task

Request
Requests the reader to provide information or carry out task

Announcement
Provides information

Transmittal
Cover note for a lengthy formal message

Authorization
Gives permission or authority

C. Using E-mails
With dev. of electronic office, IT, intranets and by connecting to internet emails has become popular: Reasons:
Quick Low cost Easy to copy Easy to distribute information Available around the clock

Writing E-mail Messages

Similar format to memo Organization and structure depends on the nature of communication No set rule for salutation, closing:
Easy to think as cross between telephone and letter: avoid unstructured written comm. Avoid emails that are one long BLOCK of text Concise subject: give indication of context Avoid messages that fulfill different purposes State attachments in the body: Work offline???

Issues with E-mails

Ease and speed increases the usage of emails but raises a no. of issues:
Overload Treated less formally Few people appreciate emails as ads. Abused as its used to distribute jokes Inappropriate to hide behind email when another mean is necessary Sending excessive files overloads the comm capability and cost time