BUSINESS ENGLISH

COMMUNICATION

Basic Pattern of Business Messages

BUSINESS MESSAGES : 5 PLANNING STEPS Know your purpose Analyse your audience Choose the ideas Collect all the facts Outline – Organize – Compose your

message

BASIC ORGANIZATION PLAN Your organizational plan depends on

how you expect your reader (or listener) to react to your message. And that reaction, of course, depends to some extent on what is already in the mental filter of that person, as well as on the content of the message.

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4 BASIC ORGANIZATIONAL PLANS 1. Direct Request (Deductive Approach,

begins with main idea) 2. Good News (Deductive Approach,

begins with main idea)3. Bad News (Inductive Approach,

indirect which states main idea later ) 4. Persuasive Request Plan (Inductive

Approach, indirect which states main idea later)

REQUEST LETTER When you ask your reader to do something, you

write a request letter or memo. You organize your message according to the

nature of the request either in direct or persuasive form. Below given are types of Direct Request Plan:

I. Inquiries II. Claims or Complaints and request for

adjustmentIII. Invitations, orders and reservationsIV. Requests pertaining to civic causes or public

officialsV. Early stage collection message

DIRECT REQUEST PLAN Main Ideaa. Introduce your request, major statement, questionb. State reason(s), if desirable, justifying the request Explanation a. Include details necessary to help the reader respond to

your request correctlyb. Consider numbering your questions for easy reading and

answering Courteous close with motivation to actiona. State clearly what action you want the reader to take and

whenb. Make action easy, if appropriate, by including a reply

envelope, your telephone number, office hours and other helpful info.

c. Express appreciation and, if appropriate, include a statement of goodwill and reader benefit

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INQUIRY LETTER You require information about any

matter of interest to you It must

Contain an effective technical writing style Involve audience through pronoun usageAvoid grammatical errorsMust contain the essential letter

components

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COMPONENTS OF INQUIRY LETTER BODY Discussion

Specify your needsAsk precise questionsList specific topic of inquiryQuantify your questions

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COMPONENTS OF INQUIRY LETTER BODY Discussion

Specify your needsAsk precise questionsList specific topic of inquiryQuantify your questions

CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITTEN CLAIMS Buyer is at advantage to claim for a

faulty product or insurance for some kind of adjustment against the fault.

To be fair to the seller or service provider – write promptly. Make sure that your letter has C qualities . Show by your attitude and wording that you have confidence in the readers’ fairness. Confidence that the adjustment will be made once they get the facts.

SIMPLE DIRECT CLAIMS Depending on the circumstance, you usually claims

the following:a. Refundb. A new shipmentc. Free replacement of defective partsd. Free repairse. Reduction of price of the faulty service/productf. Free inspection leading to complete overhaul. g. Explanation in the change of the policy/ procedureh. Credit to your accounti. Cancellation to the order or the part of the orderj. Correction of the billing error

REQUEST REGARDING ROUTINE BUSINESS1. Request to persons outside the

organization This includes acknowledging or asking

for an acknowledgement of vendors, customers, clients, suppliers, transporters or developing relations for give and take of the business.

REQUEST REGARDING ROUTINE BUSINESS2. Request to persons within your

organization The memos included here are

straightforward requests exchanged between employees, colleagues, supervisors and subordinates who are the part of the organization.

Most memos of authorization for special studies and reports also fall in this direct – request group.

INVITATION, ORDERS AND RESERVATIONS Invitation:I. RequestII. WhoIII. WhatIV. Where V. WhenVI. Why : Details about programVII. Easy action ; datedVIII. Reader benefit

ORDERS AND RESERVATIONS Order letters include 3 kinds of facts:

details of what you are ordering, direction for shipment and mode/ manner of payment.

To reserve hotel accommodation and other premises the content of your paragraph will depend on somewhat on events and number of persons needing rooms.

MEMORANDUM/

(also more commonly memo) is a brief written record or communication, commonly used in business,

government, and educational organizations.This communication is goes within the organization

MEMORANDUM The basic function of a memo is to make

the reader aware of specific information as efficiently as possible.

A memo can be written to inform, to persuade, or to give specific feedback on a particular topic.

When written properly, memos can be very effective in connecting the writer’s best interests with the best interests of the reader.

FORMAT A memorandum is written using a

specific format which is accepted by the organization in which the memorandum is used.

The usual structure for a memorandum includes some or all of the following:

FORMAT MEMORANDUM (Heading Segment)

TO: The person receiving the memorandumFROM: The person writing the memorandumDATE: Usually a formal manner of writing the date, for example 19 September, 2011SUBJECT: A short title descriptive of the topic in discussion in the memorandum

Introduction (Opening Segment): explaining why the memorandum has been written and what topic the memorandum will discuss.Body (Summary/Analysis Segment): discussing the topic in detail--explaining what exactly and itemizing when possible any parts of the topic.Conclusion (Closing segment): explaining the implications of the memo and what the audience should think or do about the memo’s topic as a result of your analysis.

TIPS Identify your audience--identify the person

or persons to whom you are writing.  Think about what they know, who they are, what they want to see or hear.  Clarify I your own mind your audience's ethos (their values and beliefs).   Never, never, never write without identifying your audience first.

Remember the memo’s purpose and be kind to the audience. Use headings and bullets as necessary to make the key parts or points of the memo stand out.

Be concise in your language--long sentences with complex construction do not belong in memos.  Keep memos short and to-the-point.

Come to the point first--always use a bottom-line statement at the very beginning of a non-sensitive memo.  

TIPS Proofread your work--always read your

work (or have someone else read it) before you sent it out.

TIPS The segments of the memo should be

allocated in the following manner: Header: 1/8 of the memo Opening, Context and Task: 1/4 of the

memo Summary, Discussion Segment: 1/2 of

the memo Closing Segment, Necessary

Attachments: 1/8 of the memo

BUSINESS WRITING ETIQUETTE

Etiquette is good manners or appropriate or accepted social practices that reflect and promote civility.

When should you write a letter?To thank someone who has been gracious, kind or helpful to you.

When you need assistance or answers to help you make intelligent decisions.

To respond to a letter or letter request that you have recently received. (do not wait too long)

To create legal documents that record information and support claims.

To show that you are a courteous, professional, detail- oriented person who is aware of etiquette.