Business Correspondence PDF

# BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE - means the exchange of information in a written format for the process of business activities. - Can take place between organizations, within organizations or between the customers and the organization. - The correspondence is generally of widely-accepted formats that a...

# BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE - means the exchange of information in a written format for the process of business activities. - Can take place between organizations, within organizations or between the customers and the organization. - The correspondence is generally of widely-accepted formats that are followed universally. ## MAJOR TYPES OF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE - Business Letters: Business letters are the most formal method of communication following specific formats. They are addressed to a particular person or organization. - Business Memo/Memorandum: Memorandum is a document used for internal communication within an organization. Memos may be drafted by management and addressed to other employees. - Business faxes: Business faxes have been around even longer than memos, but for a long time, very few people had access to fax machines. - Business Email: Business email is considered as the reigning queen of business correspondence. It is probably even more important than business letters nowadays though it does not substitute to them. ## TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTERS - **Sales Letters:** Typical sales letters start off with a very strong statement to capture the interest of the reader. Since the purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters include strong calls to action, detail the benefit to the reader of taking the action and include information to help the reader to act, such as including a telephone number or website link. - **Order Letters:** Order letters are sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to order goods or services. These letters must contain specific information such as model number, name of the product, the quantity desired and expected price. Payment is sometimes included with the letter. - **Complaint Letters**: The words and tone you choose to use in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding factor on whether your complaint is satisfied. Be direct but tactful and always use a professional tone if you want the company to listen to you. - **Adjustment Letters**: An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in the customer's favor, begin the letter with that news. If not, keep your tone factual and let the customer know that you understand the complaint. - **Inquiry Letters:** Inquiry letters ask a question or elicit information from the recipient. When composing this type of letter, keep it clear and succinct and list exactly what information you need. Be sure to include your contact information so that it is easy for the reader to respond. - **Follow-Up Letter:** Follow-up letters are usually sent after some type of initial communication. This could be a sales department thanking a customer for an order, a businessman reviewing the outcome of a meeting or a job seeker inquiring about the status of his application. - **Letters of Recommendation:** Prospective employers often ask job applicants for letters of recommendation before they hire them. This type of letter is usually from a previous employer or professor, and it describes the sender's relationship with and opinion of the job seeker. - **Acknowledgement Letters:** Acknowledgement letters act as simple receipts. Businesses send them to let others know that they have received a prior communication, but action may or may not have taken place. - **Cover Letter:** Cover letters usually accompany a package, report or other merchandise. They are used to describe what is enclosed, why it is being sent and what the recipient should do with it, if there is any action that needs to be taken. These types of letters are generally very short and succinct. - **Letters of Resignation:** When an employee plans to leave his job, a letter of resignation is usually sent to his immediate manager giving him notice and letting him know when the last day of employment will be. In many cases, the employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company. ## The 7 C's of Communication - **Clear:** When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your goal or message. What is your purpose in communicating with this person? If you're not sure, then your audience won't be sure either. **Bad Example:** Hi John, I wanted to write you a quick note about Daniel, who's working in your department. He's a great asset, and I'd like to talk to you more about him when you have time. Best, Skip **Good Example:** Hi John, I wanted to write you a quick note about Daniel Kedar, who's working in your department. In recent weeks, he's helped the IT department through several pressing deadlines on his own time. We've got a tough upgrade project due to run over the next three months, and his knowledge and skills would prove invaluable. Could we please have his help with this work? I'd appreciate speaking with you about this. When is it best to call you to discuss this further? Best wishes, Skip - **Concise:** When you're concise in your communication, you stick to the point and keep it brief. **Are there any adjectives or "filler words" that you can delete? You can often eliminate words like "for instance," "you see," "definitely," "kind of," "literally," "basically," or "I mean."** **Bad Example:** Hi Matt, I wanted to touch base with you about the email marketing campaign we kind of sketched out last Thursday. I really think that our target market is definitely going to want to see the company's philanthropic efforts. I think that could make a big impact, and it would stay in their minds longer than a sales pitch. For instance, if we talk about the company's efforts to become sustainable, as well as the charity work we're doing in local schools, then the people that we want to attract are going to remember our message longer. The impact will just be greater. What do you think? Jessica **Good Example:** Hi Matt, I wanted to quickly discuss the email marketing campaign that we analyzed last Thursday. Our target market will want to know about the company's philanthropic efforts, especially our goals to become sustainable and help local schools. This would make a far greater impact, and it would stay in their minds longer than a traditional sales pitch. What do you think? Jessica - **Concrete:** When your message is concrete, then your audience has a clear picture of what you're telling them. There are details (but not too many!) and vivid facts, and there's laser-like focus. Your message is solid. **Bad Example:** The Lunchbox Wizard will save you time every day. **Good Example:** How much time do you spend every day packing your kids' lunches? No more! Just take a complete Lunchbox Wizard from your refrigerator each day to give your kids a healthy lunch and have more time to play or read with them! - **Correct:** When your communication is correct, it fits your audience. And correct communication is also error-free communication. **Bad Example:** Hi Daniel, Thanks so much for meeting me at lunch today! I enjoyed our conservation, and I'm looking forward to moving ahead on our project. I'm sure that the two-weak deadline won't be an issue. Thanks again, and I'll speak to you soon! Best, Jack Miller - **Coherent:** When your communication is coherent, it's logical. All points are connected and relevant to the main topic, and the tone and flow of the text is consistent. **Bad Example:** Traci, I wanted to write you a quick note about the report you finished last week. I gave it to Michelle to proof, and she wanted to make sure you knew about the department meeting we're having this Friday. We'll be creating an outline for the new employee handbook. Thanks, Michelle **Good Example:** Hi Traci, I wanted to write you a quick note about the report you finished last week. I gave it to Michelle to proof, and she let me know that there are a few changes that you'll need to make. She'll email you her detailed comments later this afternoon. Thanks, Michelle - **Complete:** In a complete message, the audience has everything they need to be informed and, if applicable, take action. Does your message include a "call to action," so that your audience clearly knows what you want them to do? **Have you included all relevant information - contact names, dates, times, locations, and so on?** **Bad Example:** Hi everyone, I just wanted to send you all a reminder about the meeting we're having tomorrow! See you then, Chris **Good Example:** Hi everyone, I just wanted to remind you about tomorrow's meeting on the new telecommuting policies. The meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. in the second-level conference room. Please let me know if you can't attend. See you then, Chris - **Courteous:** Courteous communication is friendly, open, and honest. There are no hidden insults or passive-aggressive tones. You keep your reader's viewpoint in mind, and you're empathetic to their needs. **Bad Example:** Jeff, - I wanted to let you know that I don't appreciate how your team always monopolizes the discussion at our weekly meetings. I have a lot of projects, and I really need time to get my team's progress discussed as well. So far, thanks to your department, I haven't been able to do that. Can you make sure they make time for me and my team next week? Thanks, Phil **Good Example:** Hi Jeff, I wanted to write you a quick note to ask a favor. During our weekly meetings, your team does an excellent job of highlighting their progress. But this uses some of the time available for my team to highlight theirs. I'd really appreciate it if you could give my team a little extra time each week to fully cover their progress reports. Thanks so much, and please let me know if there's anything I can do for you! Best, Phil - # EVALUATION ## ANSWER 1. Business Correspondence 2. Business Memos/Memorandum 3. Business Email 4. Order Letter 5. Complaint letter 6. Inquiry Letter 7. Letters of Recommendation/Recommendation Letter 8. Letter of Resignation/Resignation Letter 9. Adjustment Letter 10. Acknowledgement Letter ## ANSWER 11-15 - Clear - Concise - Concrete - Correct - Coherent - Complete - Courteous # Parts of a Business Letter - **The Heading (The Return Address) or Letterhead:** Companies usually use printed paper where heading or letterhead is specially designed at the top of the sheet. It bears all the necessary information about the organization's identity. - **Date:** Date of writing. The month should be fully spelled out and the year written with all four digits October 12, 2005 - **The Inside Address:** In a business or formal letter you should give the address of the recipient after your own address. Include the recipient's name, company, address and postal code. Add job title if appropriate. Separate the recipient's name and title with a comma. Double check if you have the correct spelling of the recipient's name. - **The Greeting:** Also called the salutation. The type of salutation depends on your relationship with the recipient. It normally begins with the word "Dear" and always includes the person's last name. Use every resource possible to address your letter to an actual person. If you do not know the name or the sexes of your receiver address it to Dear Madam/Sir (or Dear Sales Manager or Dear Human Resources Director). - **The Body Paragraphs:** The body is where you explain why you're writing. It's the main part of the business letter. Make sure the receiver knows who you are and why you are writing. - **The Complimentary Close:** This short, polite closing ends always with a comma. It is either at the left margin or its left edge is in the center, depending on the Business Letter Style that you use. It begins at the same column the heading does. - **Signature and Writer's identification:** The signature is the last part of the letter. You should sign your first and last names. The signature line may include a second line for a title, if appropriate. The signature should start directly above the first letter of the signature line in the space between the close and the signature line. Use blue or black ink. # LETTER STYLES - **Full-Block Style:** All the elements are aligned to the left margin and there are no indented lines. This is a standard block-style format that is accepted by most businesses. **Dixie Cleverelle** SavbizCor Ltd 28 Green St., Suite 14 Upstate, NY 10947 October 27, 2006 **Ms. Margaret Edwards** Barnelli Ltd 48 Stanstead Road London SE27 1HF **For the Attention of Financial Manager** **Dear Ms. Edwards:** I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the excellent job you did in arranging financing for our project. We appreciate the fact that you made yourself available for discussion seven days a week. We were impressed by your thorough knowledge of financing and investment banking. We have been dealing with our new financial institution for about a week now. The advantages of association with this institution are already apparent. I feel as though we have taken a quantum leap forward in progress. I would not hesitate to retain your services again and to recommend your firm to any company seeking the best representation. **Sincerely yours,** **D. Cleverelle** Dixie Cleverelle, President - **Modified Block Style:** The return address, date, closing and signature start just to the right of the center of the page or may be flush with the right margin. All body paragraphs begin at the left margin. **Gregory Donaldson** Minoan Inc 247 Madison Ave., Suite 2103 New York, NY 10015 December 3, 2006 **Dixie Cleverelle** Savbizoor Lid 28 Green St., Suite 14 Upstate, NY 10947 **Dear Ms. Cleverelle:** The first shipment of equipment from Savbizcor Ltd has arrived. We are delighted with every piece. Therefore, we decided to make our initial purchase larger than anticipated. I am attaching our purchase order No. 8930 for additional goods totaling list price $700,000. Since you already have a copy of our Procurement Guidelines, I shall not attach them to this order. As before, we will establish a letter of credit. Please inform me of shipping dates. **Sincerely,** **G. Donaldson** Gregory Donaldson, Chiel Procurement Officer - **Indented or Semi-Block Style:** Similar to the modified block business letter style except that the first line of each paragraph is indented. **3519 Front Street** Mount Celebres, CA 65286 October 5, 2004 **Ms. Betty Johnson** Accounts Payable The Cooking Store 765 Berliner Plaza Industrial Point, CA 68534 **Dear Ms. Johnson:** It has come to my attention that your company, The Cooking Store has been late with paying their invoices for the past three months. In order to encourage our customers to pay for their invoices before the due date, we have implemented a discount model where we'll give you 2% off your invoice if you pay us within 10 days of receiving the invoice. I hope that everything is going well for you and your company. You are one of our biggest customers, and we appreciate your business. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at (555) 555-5555- **Sincerely,** Signature **Bob Powers** Accounts Receivable # APPLICATION LETTER Job seekers frequently send a cover letter along with their curriculum vitae or applications for employment as a way of introducing themselves to potential employers and explaining their suitability for the desired positions. # PARTS OF APPLICATION LETTER - **The Heading (The Return Address) or Letterhead:** - **Date:** - **Inside/Letter Address:** If there is a contact name on the ad, address your letter to that person. (Mr. John Smith) - **Salutation:** The person's name should be followed by a colon (:) or left blank. Do not use a comma. (Commas are permissible for use in personal letters; not business letters.) **Dear Mr. Smith:** If you know the name of the person to whom you are writing. **Dear Ms. Chambers:** If you are not sure of the marital status of a female recipient. **Ladies and Gentlemen:** If you have no idea as to the name of the recipient. - **Body:** The body of the letter contains four basic parts and should be three or four paragraphs long. These paragraphs should attract the employer's attention; state your interest in the company and position; arouse the employer's desire to interview you; and request that the employer take action in the form of an interview. - **First Paragraph:** Identify the purpose of the letter-why you are writing. Be specific. Tell the reader how you learned about a job opening. Tell the employer what job you want. **Examples:** Mr. Peter Lo, a programmer in the systems programming department, suggested that I contact you regarding an opening you may soon have for a Marketing Trainee. I was referred to you by Mike Thomas, who is a member of my church and a longtime family friend. I am sending you my resume to you because of a referral from Mike Thomas, an associate in your Baltimore store. - **Second Paragraph:** Why should an employer be interested in hiring you? Briefly describe your professional and academic qualifications that are relevant to the position. **Examples:** As my resume indicates, I am active in theater in high school and had important roles in two plays. My school activities include being a member of both forensics and student government. With these experiences, I can offer you excellent communication and interpersonal skills. During the school year, I maintain a 3.0 average and work ten hours per week. My technical skills include familiarity with Windows, Microsoft Office applications and Google Docs. I use the Internet regularly and can keyboard more than 45 words per minute. As a computer science major with a sincere interest in......... (elaborate your educational background) Interacting with people has always been one of my strongest attributes. During my last summer job, I coordinated.....(state your work experience) For my senior graduation project, I built a personal computer ....... (state your ability) - **Third Paragraph:** Emphasize what you can do for the company. Outline a relevant career goal. For example, if you are applying for sales positions, do not say that you are training to be an airline pilot. Expand on the most relevant points of your resume. **Example:** Because I am energetic, reliable, and resourceful, I would be an asset to your organization. I am willing to learn new things and be the best employee that I can be. - **Fourth Paragraph:** Request action. For example, indicate your desire for a personal interview and that you're able to meet with the employer at their convenience. Include your cell phone number and when it would be a good time to call. **Examples:** You can reach me on my cell phone any day after 4 p.m. E-mail is also a great way to contact me as I check it daily. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope that my qualifications are of interest to you and that an interview might be arranged at your convenience. I can be reached at (717) 876-5432 or a message can be left on my cell phone. I look forward to meeting you. - **Closing the letter:** Finish your letter with an appropriate Complimentary Closing (Sincerely, or Sincerely yours,). # Guidelines in writing an Application Letter - **Length:** A letter of application should be no more than one page long. - **Format:** A letter of application should be single-spaced with a space between each paragraph. Use about 1" margins and align your text to the left, which is the standard alignment for most documents. - **Font:** Use a traditional font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. The font size should be between 10 and 12 points. - **Remember to proof and edit your letter before sending it.** It may sound silly, but also be sure to include the correct employer and company names - when you write many letters of application at once, it is easy to make a mistake. # Activity - Write your own application letter, applying correct grammar usage and following the format of an application letter. **Style:** Full Block Style **Address the letter to Ms. Sara J. Brown, Hiring Manager, 224 E. Main Street Ohio 43147, 990-996-3000** # RESUME - A resume is a one to two page formal document that lists a job applicant's work experience, education and skills. A resume is designed to provide a detailed summary of an applicant's qualifications for a particular job - it is not usually meant to provide a complete picture. # THE DO'S AND DONT'S IN WRITING A RESUME **DO** 1. Use 10-12 point font depending on length. 2. Use a simple, standard font. 3. Use proper margins. 1 inch is fine. 4. Use a professional/executive summary to pinpoint skills and objectives. 5. Use resume paper to print copies. This paper is different than the standard printer type and will make your copy stand out over others. **DON'T** 1. Use a lot of colors or overuse italics. 2. Ever use more than 3 pages or fill less than 1. 3. Submit the same resume for every job. Tailor it to the specific requirements needed. 4. Submit a resume without a cover letter. The cover letter is an introduction and a manager will look at candidates who write one with more interest than ones who don't. 5. Lie, embellish, stretch, add, fluff, fudge, or put anything else deceiving in a resume. It will come out during the interview or worse yet on the job.