10writing Business Letters

8/6/2019 10writing Business Letters

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Business letters


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Business letters

Business letter has to ask for or communicate

some information on the basis of which some

business transaction takes place

Written messages are used for requesting and

giving information, contacting potentialcustomers, making relations with customers,

making and answering complaints,

The writer will get the desired response if the

message is conveyed in a manner which will gainthe readers attention


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Business letters

Planning the message involves

1. Why you want to communicate-

the purpose

2. To whom the message is to be sent3. What is to be achieved- the desired

response of the receiver

So decide on the content and make a note,make sure that all details are included and

put them in a logical order


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Business letters

The qualities essential for a good letter are called the Cs of

communication. These qualities are correctness, clarity, conciseness and

courtesy.

1. Correctness

Correct spelling, grammar, language

Avoid mis spelt names, check with extra care Use consistency of numbers, units of measures,

punctuations, hyphens, capital letters, spelling, etc.

Place different parts correctly on the letterhead, evenlyspaced, proper margins and neatness needs to be

maintained Include correct information i.e. content should be relevant

Correct day, date time numbers should be checked

Letter should be complete. Not to miss any detail.


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Business letters

Clarity

People generally appreciate a letter which takes less timeto read and understand

Language should be simple, use of simple words

E.g.

Incombustible or fireproof

Optimum or bestTerminate or end

Write simple sentences, long sentences confuse, avoidambiguous writing, write to express, not to impress

E.g. Certain remedies are available

Give concrete details, figures and names

Logical sequence of ideas: logical connection of ideasmakes any easything to understand


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Business letters

Conciseness means to express in few words

without sacrificing on clarity

Leave out unnecessary words like, actual

experience, round in shape, new innovation, etc

Use fewer words for many e.g. we wouldappreciate the goods being delivered at the

earliestor

I am in receipt of your communication and express

my sincere thanks for Readers are thankful to precise and clear messages


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Business letters

Courtesy or being thoughtful to others feelings - qualities

of a well mannered person Use courtesy words, please, thank you and sorry wherever

necessary and also express proper feelings like sympathy,good wishes, congratulations, etc.

Requests must be made courteously e.g. please look in to

the matterkindly send us the payment

Courtesy also means being prompt in responding, beprompt in replying to a complain or a problem

The choice of words will reflect your tone A courteous letter has the best chance to get a favourableresponse.


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Business letters

Style of business letters

Avoid business jargon. Letters written these days aresimple in style

Dealing with technical terms like fixed assets, yield,liabilities, etc. should not be used just to sound impressive

Meanings and association of certain words profit,investigation, computerization, failure, etc suggest typicalideas and must be used skillfully so that the letter is notoffensive to the reader

Many situations need tactful ways to convey the message

like insisting, refusing, pointing mistake, etc. Use positive words even to convey a negative message

Important details may be highlighted by underlining orusing italics.


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Business letters

Parts of a Business Letter

For convenient handling and processing

correspondence in an organization is structured.

1.Since letters serve as records, some routine details

are necessary to make up a letter.2.Different parts have their fixed locations on the

sheet.

3.Their order of placing from top to bottom is same

for all styles

4.Slight variation in placement from left to right

according to different styles


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Parts of a Business Letter

The main parts of a letter are

Date Inside address

Salutation

Complimentary close

SignatureOther inclusions according to requirement are

Reference number

Subject line

Attention line Enclosures

Courtesy copies

Senders and Typists initial


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Date

Date is written in full, Name of the month to be

spelled in full and year to be written in fourfigures,

in British practice, the order is day, month year,

with no commas. E.g.16 June 2009

In American practice, the order is month, day,

year with a comma after the date only,

June 16, 2009

Writing 1st, 2nd, etc. is outdatedPurpose: The date provides for reference in further

correspondence and in following up the issues.


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Reference number

Typically it includes letter number, file

number or some other filing details

Earlier the words Ref. no. were printed on

the letter head, but it is outdated

Purpose: It makes it easy to locate a filerelated to an issue


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Inside Address

Name and address of the receiver

Receivers name should be in the same way asthey sign. E.g. Pramod K. Gupta, should be

addressed as Mr. Pramod K. Gupta

In case the letter has to be sent abroad write the

name of the country in the last line of the address

Special marking

When the letter is confidential, it is mentioned

above the inside address, either at the left marginor in the centre.

CONFIDENTIAL or Confidential


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Attention line is put only when the name ofthe person concerned with the matter is

known1. It is put after the inside address andbefore the salutation

2. At the left margin or in the centre

Purpose: The letter is directed to theindividual by name so that it reaches theperson without delay.

Attention: Ms. A.K. Patel


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Subject Line

Introduced by the word SubjectorRe [ in the matter of, in case ofand not reference] but this is outdated, now in modern style it is

written without any introduction It is placed above or below the salutation When attention line is

written, subject line will be written after the salutation.

It is placed at the centre or at the left margin [in Full Block form].

Dear Mr. Lall

ORDER CONFIRMATIONor Order Confirmation

Purpose :

1. Gives brief indication of the matter

2. Adds to the clarity3. Focus readers attention

4. Useful for classifying and filing


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Salutation

Below the inside address, at the margin.

Usually followed by a comma[,] in American stylefollowed by a colon[:], Full Block style has no

punctuation

Salutation matches the first line of the inside

address. Addressed to organization- Gentlemen or

Dear Sirs. Addressed to the designation, The Sales

Manager- Dear Sir or Dear Madam

These days, to personalize we mention name withthe designation e.g. Mr. G. M. Shah, Production

Manager- in that case Dear Mr. Shah [ last name ]


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Complimentary close

Written two line spaces below the close of

the letter Usually placed at the right followed by a

comma, but in full block and NOMASTYLE- at the left margin with no comma.

First word begins with capital Yoursfaithfully, Faithfully yours,Yours truly,Truly yours,Sincerely yours when

salutation has the name of the addressee Respectfully yours- very formal, used for

high public official


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Signature

Placed below the complimentary close

After 3to 4 line spaces, the name of signatory istyped

Designation/ title is typed below the name

Yours sincerely Sincerely yours,

Purushottam Rana Abhilasha Roy

Marketing Head Chief Consultant

When signed by other personforis shown beforethe printed name.


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Reference section

It has enclosures, names of persons to

receive copies, type of delivery service,initials of the persons who dictated andtyped the letter

Purpose: for the dispatch department andinitials for future reference andaccountability.

Encl: 1 or Encls: 3 or Encl: Quotation

copy: Mr. S. Kumar PS/rt


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Postscript

A wee bit of writing not more than 1 or 2

lines Often written in hand after the signature and

signed again

It is something not related to the mainmessage, not to write a point forgotten.

It is usually written to add a friendlypersonal note

P.S. Wish you good luck in yournewventure


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P.S. Good Luck always!

10writing Business Letters

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