Chapter 7

The Appearance and Design of Business Messages

Effective Business Communication
Herta A Murphy Herbert W Hildebrandt Jane P Thomas ed. (SIE) Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi

7th

Chapter Objectives
To learn and understand the standard and optional parts of various format of communication To know about the layouts of various written forms of communication

Business letters
Business letter is the most often used format for sending written messages to persons outside the organizations. The letters appearance conveys nonverbal impressions that affect a readers attitude even before the person reads the letter.

Business letters

Elements of appearance that help produce favorable reactions are:

Stationery and Envelopes Standard Parts of the Letter Optional Parts of the Letter Letter Layout

Business letters

Stationery and Envelopes

Quality, size and color of the stationery used for letter and envelop helps build image of the organization. Modern letterhead should not occupy more than 2 inches space at the top of the page. Letterhead should include name and address of the firm and other relevant contact details.

Business letters

Stationery and Envelopes

Envelop should be of an appropriate size. Envelopes should accommodate important documents without folds. Envelops should contain name and address of the firm to facilitate return, if undelivered.

Business letters

Standard Parts of the Letter

Heading Letterhead and Date Inside Address Salutation Body Complimentary Close Signature Area Reference Section

Business letters

Heading Letterhead and Date

A heading shows where the letter comes from. One should use either a printed letter head or type senders address at the top of the page (2 inches) without the name of the sender.
Always blocked at the left-hand margin, the inside address includes name and address of the individual, group, or organization of the receiver of the letter.

Inside Address

Business letters

Salutation

The salutation is typed on the second line below the inside address, two lines above the body, and even with the left margin.
Generally, the body of all letters should be typed single-spaced, with double spacing between paragraphs, before and after the salutations, and before the complimentary close.

Body

Business letters

Complimentary Close

Standard complimentary close are: Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, etc. If the letter is informal, additional complimentary closes such as, Warm regards, Best regards, Best wishes, etc. are used.

Signature Area Reference Section

Business letters

Signature Area

Signature are may include the signature, name of the sender, the title/designation of the sender, etc. Usually, the signature is the same as typed name.
The reference section may include the information about the message composer, file/folder name, etc.

Reference Section

Business letters

Optional Parts of the Letter

Attention Line Subject Line Enclosure Notation Copy Notation File or Account number and Mailing Notation Postscript

Business letters

Attention Line

An attention line is useful when the sender wants to direct the message to a particular department or a receiver in the receivers organization. The Placement of Attention Line is between inside address and salutation. The subject line helps the reader make out what the letter is about. It also helps them filing properly.

Subject Line

Business letters

Enclosure Notation

An enclosure or attachment notation is included to remind the receiver to check for additional pages attached with the main letter. It is placed below the reference initials.
When the sender wants to send the copy of the letter to others in addition to the receiver, their names are typed below reference initials after copy:, or cc:

Copy Notation

Business letters

File or Account number and Mailing Notation

To aid filing and retrieval for both the senders and receivers firms, file reference are typed above the body of the letter. It is used to emphasize a point already included in the letter. Is it placed below the reference initial and indicated as P.S., or Ps or PS:

Postscript

Business letters

Letter Layout
Most word processing software provide several classic and contemporary layouts of the letter. There are two punctuation styles: Open and Mixed.. In open punctuation, no line of any letter part (except the body) has any punctuation at the end unless an abbreviation requires.

Business letters

Letter Layout
In mixed punctuation, a colon follows salutation, a comma follows the complimentary close. In Britain and Asia (in India specifically), writers use comma after the salutation.

Business letters

Letter Layout

Business letters are arranged in one of the styles described below:

Full-block every line begins at the left margin. This is most commonly used format. Modified-block where the date, complimentary close and signature sections are placed so that they end at the right margin. Modified-block with paragraphs indented same as above, except each paragraphs are indented.

Memorandums
In contrast to the letter (which is directed to the receivers outside the organization), the memorandum is sent within the organization. It is the most common form of written communication between people or departments.

Memorandums

The components of a memorandum are given below:

Stationery Parts of the Memorandum Layout of the Memorandum Body Envelopes and Electronic Mail

Memorandums

Stationery

In todays context, managers use e-mail for sending internal memos eliminate need for a stationery. Printed memo stationery may include MEMORANDUM and the companys name, but not address.

Memorandums

Parts of the Memorandum

Standard memos consist of a heading with TO, FROM, SUBJECT and DATE. Some printed forms may also include the word MESSAGE. Optional parts are such items as reference initials, enclosures, file number, routing information, and the senders department and telephone number.

Memorandums

Parts of the Memorandum

Unlike the letter, the memo requires no inside address, salutation, complimentary close, telephone or signature. In British-influenced writing (including India), it is not unusual to see a signed memo. It even includes complimentary close.

Memorandums

Layout of the Memorandum Body

In general, the memo writer can use the same guidelines, principles, and organizational plans as for the letter.
Firms generally use messengers, preprinted envelops for sending memos. E-mails have become extremely popular method of sending interoffice memos.

Envelopes and Electronic Mail

Special timesaving message media Technological advancement has made several timesaving electronic media handy. some very frequently used media are:

Electronic Mail Facsimiles (Faxes) Telegrams, Mailgrams, Telexes Teleconferencing