Seminar-Workshop on Business Correspondence

October 10-11, 2012Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- IV-A

Venue: National Irrigation Agency

WRITING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS

CORRESPONDENCE

Business correspondence is an instrument of decision making in the professional world.

Business correspondence is a link between people.

It helps to reinforce professional exchange of ideas, opinion, and information.

Office communication includes face-to-face, telephonic, letters, emails, and faxes from-

1. One agency to another

2. One department/division to another

3. Employees to the supervisor and vice versa

Type of medium used would depend on the situation, importance, and urgency.

Written communication, however, has certain distinct advantages.

1. It gives information, clarification, directive, explanation, etc.2. It creates a record of the message.3. It facilitates subsequent reference. 4. The reader gets an opportunity to read at a convenient time.5. It offers greater clarity to the messages.

Fitting the message to the specific reader or organization

Communicating the purpose of the correspondence clearlyExhibiting professionalism in business communications

Representing your agency in the most positive way

Adaptation to your

environment and recipient

•••••The Seven C’s of Effective Communication•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Your Name Here

CONCISE

COMPLETE

CONCRETE

CORRECT

COHERENT

CLEAR

COURTEOUS

SEVEN C’s of Effective Communication

Business Letters

Memoranda E-mails

•••••The Business Letter•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Your Name Here

What is a Business Letter?

• Why write one?• To whom is one written?• What should be in one?• What is proper format?

THE IMPORTANCE OF LETTERS

• Letters represent your company’s public image and your competence.

• Letters are more personal than a report, yet more formal than memos or e-mail.

• Letters are more permanent than e-mail. • Letters constitute an official legal record of an

agreement .• Letters provide a wide range of corporate

information .• Letters sell.• Letters are efficient for targeted mass mailings.

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What are the types of business letters?

• Personal Business– Not on Letterhead– Contains your typed return address

• Formal Business– Typed on Letterhead– Letterhead

• Already contains your agency’s return address

• You don’t retype it

PURPOSE

• What do I want the reader to know?• What kind of business letter am I writing?

– Letter of inquiry– Letter of application– Letter of complaint– Letter of regret– Thank you letter

Why write Business Letters?

· To persuade· To inform· To request· To express thanks· To remind· To recommend· To apologize· To congratulate· To reject a proposal or offer· To introduce a person or policy· To invite or welcome· To follow up· To formalize decisions

Green Solutions PhilippinesSuite 25, 32nd Floor, RCBC Building,Ayala Avenue, Makati City

October 10, 2012

Sec. Proceso J. AlcalaSecretaryDepartment of AgricultureElliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City Honorable Sir, Greetings in Peace! Ours is an organization who has the vision and mission of promoting clean, chemical-free, and pollution-free oceans. A group of dynamic and visionary young environmentalists established our organization in hopes of making the Phils. seas healthier and more habitable to aquatic resources.

Pollution is linked to fish diseases, reproductive problems and mutations. The toxins include industrial chemicals and pesticides that enter fisheries through ground and surface water and through the air which make fish become contaminated because they absorb the toxins in the water, and the toxins are passed on to other animals and people through the food chain.

On October 29, 2012, 9 local government units in the Metro will be visited to do a massive campaign for the “Clean the Seas” project which advocates education and training to volunteers to identify and respond to ocean pollution and habitat threats, and work with the local government to advocate for needed changes. Whereas, it is the opinion of our office to seek the partnership of the government in this endeavour. We would like to seek your assistance in providing us with technical support in so far as providing us with the current situation of our oceans and their aquatic resources. The information that you could give us would also help us to come up with new breakthroughs that would further strengthen our pro-environment campaign which is, ultimately, for the good of mankind.  Should you find our campaign of utmost interest, we would be appreciative of your invaluable help to our organization. Thank you for your consideration and God bless!

Very Sincerely Yours, Clarence Gatbonton, M.D, Ph. D.President ,Green Solutions Philippines

       

What are the required parts of a business letter?

• Heading• Inside Address• Salutation • Body• Complimentary Closing• Signature• Optional:

– Enclosure– Typists Initials

Margins

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What’s in The Heading

(your information)• Always includes the date

– As the last entry• Personal Business Letter (no letterhead)

– Your return address– May include phone number, fax

number, e-mail address – Date

• Formal Business Letter (on letterhead)– Date only

Heading

Date

Skip four lines.

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What is the Inside Address (addressee’s information)

• Person’s Name, Title• Company/Agency Name/Department• Company/Agency Address

(single spaced)

RULES OF THUMB… AVOID ABBREVIATIONS EXCEPT FOR STATES AND

TITLES. (Mr., Mrs., Ms., etc. – Phl, NJ)

PLACE A SINGLE WORD TITLE AFTER THE NAME SEPARATED BY A COMMA.

Mr. Ronald F. Naguit, Director

PLACE A LONGER TITLE ON A SEPARATE LINE.Ms. Camilla D. SanchezExecutive Director of Safety

Inside address

Double-spaced

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What is the Salutation?

(a greeting)• Dear Mr. Peralta:• Dear Dr. Guzman:• Dear Ms. Nacion:• Dear Sir:• Dear Madam:• Gentlemen:

4. Salutation/Greeting

Double space.

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What is the Body? (The actual letter)

• Brief and to the point!– Strictly Business

• Guideline – 3 paragraphs– Brief Introduction– Content - What I want/ message– Conclusion and thank you

Body: State your purpose for writing this letter.

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

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Complimentary Close

• Sincerely,• Yours truly,• Respectfully yours,

Closing: Sincerely yours

Four spaces after the closing

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

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Signature

• Your full name– Mr. Alfred Guiang

• Your title and division(if appropriate)– Information Officer– PIA-NCR

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Optional Parts

• Enclosure– If something else is in the letter or

package• P.S: additional information• Cc: copies sent to other concerned

persons

Business Letter in Block Style

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What are acceptable formats of a business letter?

• Unblocked• Blocked

– All parts are Left Justified to the margin• Modified Block

– All parts Left Justified– Heading, Close, Signature at

tab position 3– Indentation – choose either

• No paragraph indentation• All paragraphs first line indent .5