Business Communication
Business Writing
• Pay particular attention to audience.
1. To whom should I write?
2. Why that person?
3. His/Her position?
Language in
Writing Business
Letters
Conciseness
Informality
Courtesy
Conciseness
• Direct to the point
• Avoid wordiness
1. Deadwood
2. Gobbledygook
Conciseness
• Deadwood
- Repeats the same thing
- Uses excess words
Deadwood Correction
In view of the fact that,
Because
due to the fact that
Had the effect of causing Caused
Would you be kind enough to Would you please
I want to take this opportunity to
Thank you
thank you
In the event that If
Personally, I believe I believe
I want to make it clear that (Simply state what you want)
Conciseness
• Gobbledygook
- Inflated
- Elaborately polite expressions
Gobbledygook Correction
Enclosed please find I am enclosing
Subsequent to the purchase of
After buying your
your
In accordance with the terms of
Your warranty provides
your warranty
Reference is made herewith I am referring to
The said lawnmower This lawnmower
Informality
Informality
Informal language is everyday language.
Friendly and relaxed
Use simple words and sentence structures; personal
pronoun like I, me, and your
Don't go overboard and resort to slang or overly
casual expressions
Courtesy
• Politeness
Courtesy
Sarcasm and anger aren't the only form of discourtesy.
Curt demands and writing with negative implications
can also be offensive to readers.
I want you to send me... I need a copy of...
Courteous:
Would you please send me…
What is a business letter?
• is usually a letter from one company to
another, or between such organizations
and their customers, clients and other
external parties.
Purpose
• to request direct
information or action from
another party
• to order supplies from a
supplier
• to point out a mistake by
the letter's recipient
• to reply directly to a
request
• to apologize for a wrong
service
• to convey goodwill
Qualities of a Good
Business letter
• Creates favorable impression
• Appeals to the reader’s point
of view
• Correct in every detail
• Courteous, friendly and
sincere
• Promotes goodwill
• Clear and complete
• Coherent
• Does not employ jargon
Three Key Elements
1. Creating a good opener
- Introductory paragraph should catch both
reader’s attention and interest
2. Sending the Right
Message
• Use simple, direct and
tactful language to
facilitate understanding
• Organize your language
correctly and concisely
• Construct sentences
correctly
• Give accurate and
precise information
• Write clearly and
logically
3. Giving a Friendly Closing
• Give the reader a pleasant thought in the
last paragraph of your letter
Parts of a Business Letter
1. Heading
2. Inside Address
3. Salutation
4. Body/ Text
5. Complimentary Closing
6. Signature Line
7. Enclosure
Heading
• Date of writing
• Address of the writer
Inside Address
• To whom the letter is written
1. addressee’s courtesy title and full
name
2. addressee’s business title if required
3. full name of addressee’s business
affiliation
• Two spaces below the heading for long letters
• Three to eight spaces in shorter letters
Salutation
• Greets and expresses courtesy to the
recipient
• Followed by a colon
Madam:
Dear Madam:
Sir:
Dear Sir:
• Two spaces below the inside address
Body/ Text
• The message of the letter
• BODY and SOUL
• Two spaces below the salutation
• Double-space the typing for one brief
paragraph otherwise single space
Complimentary Closing
• Courtesy at the end of the letter
• Pleasant, courteous but BUSINESSLIKE
Respectfully yours,
Sincerely yours,
Truly yours,
• Two spaces below the last line of the body
Signature
• Name with signature
• Four spaces between the complimentary
close and the signature
Enclosure Notation
2. Enclosure Notation
is indicated something is with it.
two lines beneath the identification initials
Enclosure- preference
Enclosure: Contract
3. PostScript
is employed when the writer has
neglected something to mention in the
message
P.S.
is positioned in the closing section
Types of
Letters
Letter of Inquiry
Written to request information about a vacation spot,
a hobby, or a project that you are working on.
Letter of Inquiry
Identify yourself, indicate the kind of information you are
after, explain why you need it
Keep your questions to a minimum and make them clear
If you have three or more questions, set them up in a
numbered list or bullet form
If it is for research purposes, offer to supply a copy of your
paper. Acknowledge the source of information
Close by expressing appreciation for any help the reader can
give.
Order Letters
Written to purchase sports equipment, hobby
supplies, appliances, furniture, clothing and the like.
Must be brief and to the point
Order Letters
Identify the merchandise by name, model or catalog
number, size, weight, color, finish or whatever is needed.
For one item, write it in a paragraph form. Otherwise, set
up a numbered list.
Specify the number of items, the cost of a single item, and
the total cost of the order.
Indicate when and the means of payment
Claim Letters
Complaint letter
Points out the problem and asks that it be corrected
or settle
Don’t let anger make you discourteous
Claim Letters
Large company- Address to Customer Adjustments
Department/ Claims Department
Small company- Address to Sales Department
Identify the problem- when and what happened,
If there is serious inconvenience, mention it for speedy settlement.
Clearly state the adjustment
Provide supporting evidence
End courteously
Memorandum
• Used to present data, announcement of
meetings or their results, suggest policy
changes, request action or
recommendation, explain procedures,
and perform many other functions.
Memorandum
• Announcement of a Meeting
• Announcement of an Appointment
• Report of Safety Violations
• Report of Minor Mishap
Questions?
