Lesson 10 - Forms of Business Correspondence PDF

Business communication Writing business correspondence: E-mail, memo, letter 9/14/2022 1  Overview The nature and format/structure of business memos, emails, and letters 9/14/2022...

Business communication Writing business correspondence: E-mail, memo, letter 9/14/2022 1  Overview The nature and format/structure of business memos, emails, and letters 9/14/2022 2  Memorandum Memorandums, commonly referred to as memos, represent a large percentage of written business communications. You send memos to people within your organisation. Letters, on the other hand, are usually written to people outside your organisation. Memos may be sent within a department, among departments, and among company branches at different geographic locations. 9/14/2022 3  Memo contd. Advantages of memos: memos fill the needs for effective internal communication and written documentation of messages. Organisations are often large and diversified. Branches or divisions of a company are often located in different provinces or even in different countries. Many people’s efforts must be coordinated. Memos are the logical way to coordinate the efforts of many people within an organisation. 9/14/2022 4  Memo contd. Memos are quick: using technology can reduce the time needed to write and send memos. Many software programs include memo templates that make it easy to compose a memo. By using e-mail and fax machines, a writer can quickly transmit memos to recipients. Memos are inexpensive: compared with telephone calls and meetings, memos are a cost-effective way to transmit messages within an organisation because all recipients receive the same information. 9/14/2022 5  Memo contd. Memos are convenient: memos offer access to people who are not seen on a regular basis. Memos also minimise interruptions for the receiver. In addition, reading a memo requires less time than a phone call or personal visit. Memos are a written record: memos serve as a written record for both the reader and the writer. Memos can, for example, clarify instructions or information given orally. In many situations, a well written memo can help prevent misunderstandings. 9/14/2022 6  Memo contd. Purposes of memos: memos are used for a variety of purposes. To request: use memos to request information, action, or reactions. Memos written for this purpose take the direct approach. To inform: use memos to communicate procedures, company policies, and instructions. To report: use memos to convey organised data such as schedules, sales figures, and names of clients, etc. 9/14/2022 7  Memo contd. To remind: use memos as reminders about deadlines, important meetings and so on. Such reminders should be brief and should use the direct approach. To transmit: use memos to tell readers about an accompanying message. The memo could describe, explain, or simply identify the attachment or enclosure. To promote goodwill: use memos to establish, improve, and maintain goodwill. These memos could congratulate, welcome, or convey appreciation. 9/14/2022 8  Memo contd. General format of memos: even though memos are internal documents, they are a vital link in achieving an organisation’s objectives. Successful internal communication can also be important in achieving your career objectives Selecting the appropriate type of memo for a particular purpose and being familiar with the parts of a memo will help you communicate successfully with other members of the organisation. 9/14/2022 9  Memo contd. A memo has these traits: – Single-topic focus – Brevity – Two-part structure: header/heading (to, from, subject, date line) and message (divided into opening, body, and conclusion) – Memos may be printed on plain paper using a standard format or template, or they may be written on preprinted forms/letter headed paper (with the organisation’s logo) 9/14/2022 10  Memo contd. – When using plain paper or letter head, include a title such as ‘Memorandum’ at the top of the page – The standard memo format contains a heading with the guide words TO, FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT, which identify the recipient, the writer, the date the memo was written, and the subject of the memo. – The guide words may be typed in all-capital letters or with initial-capital letters (Do not, however, mix the all-capital letter format and the initial-capital format within the same memo) 9/14/2022 11  Memo contd. MEMO PARTS: a memo has two parts – the heading and the body The heading: the heading of the memo contains the guide words TO, FROM, DATE, and SUBJECT The TO line: identifies the destination or the person to whom the message is addressed. 9/14/2022 12  Memo contd. The job title of the addressee is optional, except when: – the writer wishes to show deference (respect) – the addressee has more than one job title and the writer’s message concerns the duties that relate to only one of the titles – the addressee has the same name as another employee, or a very similar name, so that the writer must make clear which person should receive the memo (i.e. when the name alone isn’t enough to ensure that the message reaches its destination) 9/14/2022 13  Memo contd. Courtesy titles (Ms, Mr.) and professional titles (Dr., Rev.) may also be used. If your memo is directed to several people, list their names alphabetically or in descending order of importance in the company hierarchy A crowded address line can be avoided by simply using a group designation (e.g. Faculty members, Marketing group, All students) Alternatively, a group designation can be used and the list of names is included at the end of the memo under the heading Distribution 9/14/2022 14  Memo contd. Memos may be copied to others ‘for information’ – which means they are not expected to act of the subject matter, but should just note the correspondence has taken place In such cases, the additional recipients will also be listed against the notion ‘CC’ (an obsolete term for the generic term ‘copy’) usually underneath the “To” heading or if it’s a long list, at the end of the memo 9/14/2022 15  Memo contd. The FROM line: identifies the author or origin of the message. A job title and a department affiliation can be used if a name alone isn’t sufficient to identify the writer The SUBJECT line: identifies the subject of the memo. The old –fashioned “Re” (from the Latin for ‘about’ or ‘concerning’) is sometimes also used to designate the content of the message 9/14/2022 16  Memo contd. Ideally, the subject description shouldn’t exceed a line. It doesn’t have to be a complete sentence (usually omits articles - a, an, the; and doesn’t end with a full stop) Nevertheless, it must be specific enough to give readers a full and accurate idea of what follows Memo organisation: even though memos tend to be short and sometimes fairly informal, they still require forethought or planning: 9/14/2022 17  Memo contd. A memo, unlike a business letter, includes no salutation. Instead, the organisation of the memo can be based on three elements: (1) an opening (statement of purpose), (2) a body (the message), and (3) a conclusion (e.g. statement of future action) Opening - Statement of purpose: the subject line of a memorandum tells the reader what the memo is about but does not usually state the writer’s reason for writing. Often the writer can make the purpose clear simply by referring to an earlier memo or to a previous meeting or telephone conversation. 9/14/2022 18  Memo contd. Body - Message: after making the statement of purpose, the writer should go directly to the main points of the message. The object is to help the reader grasp the main points as easily as possible. – Thus, organise the message logically, keeping similar information grouped together. – For example, if you are asking for detailed information, arrange your questions in logical order. If you are providing information, group similar information together. 9/14/2022 19  Memo contd. – When a considerable amount of information is involved, use a separate paragraph for each topic. Work for effective transitions between paragraphs. – Design your information for easy comprehension by using bulleted or numbered lists. These techniques make readers understand important points quickly. Closing: Generally end a memo with (1) action information, specific time frames for future action (dates or deadlines), (2) a summary of the message, or (3) a closing thought 9/14/2022 20  Memo contd. – The closing is where readers look for deadlines and action language – Note that in more complex messages a summary of main points may be an appropriate closing – If no action request is made and a closing summary is unnecessary, you might end with a simple concluding thought (e.g. I am happy to provide answers to your questions) The SIGNATURE: sometimes writers provide a signature, while others provide their initials (This is usually keyed a double space below the body of the memo) 9/14/2022 21  Memo contd. Signing the full name is unnecessary because the full name appears after FROM Formatting lists for memos: a list is a group of three or more logically related items presented consecutively to form a record or aid to memory Its purpose is to give order or emphasis to important information –breaking up solid blocks of text, sequencing events and actions, and making concepts easier to understand, remember, and reference 9/14/2022 22  Memo contd. Similar phrasing of each item, where every item begins with the same part of speech (parallel construction), reinforces the similarity of the list’s content Any list, to be effective, must have the following: – A lead-in introducing, explaining, and putting in context the items that follow – At least three and, ideally, not more than eight items – Parallel phrasing for every item 9/14/2022 23  Memo contd. – Semantic and grammatical continuity between the lead-in and items (in other words, every item must read grammatically with the lead-in) – Adequate transition to the sentences that follow after the list Lists are formatted in two ways: Horizontally (or in-sentence) and vertically (tabulated) Horizontal lists, like the one below, give minimal emphasis but are also less intrusive: 9/14/2022 24  Memo contd. – E.g. As director of commercial real estate finance, you will monitor market trends, provide information and support on our lending programs, and recommend refinements to existing programs The lead-in for a horizontal list requires a colon only if it’s a complete sentence as in this example: – These are the items we will discuss at next Monday’s meeting: the need for new quality control measures, the performance of our customer service hotline, and the proposed switch to voice-recognition phone technology. 9/14/2022 25  Memo contd. For additional impact, individual items can be introduced with a bracketed letter or number: – Please bring the following items with you on retreat: (1) walking shoes, (2) a raincoat, and (3) sun block. Restrict yourself to a maximum of four or five in-sentence items per list. If items exceed that limit, a vertical list is your best choice 9/14/2022 26  Memo contd. Vertical lists, whether they are bulleted or numbered, are among the best-known and mist frequently used to design elements. With their high visual impact, vertical lists break up imposing blocks of texts into manageable ‘bite-sized’ segments Create a strong explanatory lead-in that reads logically and grammatically with each point that follows. The more complete the information, the less writing and repetition there is for each point: 9/14/2022 27  Memo contd. – E.g. Our company has three key business segments: Investing Mortgage operations Leasing operations Use numbers of letters to indicate chronological sequence or importance, especially if you plan on referring to an item later. Numbers are useful for indicating priority. Bullets, on the other hand, are much more democratic. The suggest that all items are of equal importance. 9/14/2022 28  Memo contd. Capitalise each item as you would a sentence and, if you are giving instructions or issuing directives or polite commands, begin each item with an action verb E.g. To ensure fairness in the evaluation process, please follow these instructions: – Distribute evaluation forms to seminar participants. – Remind participants that their responses will remain confidential. – Ask for a volunteer to collect and mail completed forms. 9/14/2022 29 – Leave the form.  Memo contd. Among listed items, try not to mix clauses and sentences that require different terminal punctuation. Any item expressed as a complete or as a phrase that completes the lead-in requires terminal punctuation, as does any item consisting of two or more sentences. 9/14/2022 30  E-mail Electronic mail (E-mail) is now an unavoidable fact of business life; it is the most common means of transmitting workplace documents and files Its advantage is that messages can be produced easily and quickly and transmitted instantaneously. Some organisations have instituted e-mail guidelines – rules about what their employees can say and how to format that information – to ensure smart e-mail practices 9/14/2022 31  E-mail contd. Knowing the netiquette (the informal code of conduct governing polite, efficient, and effective use of the internet) and being proactive in managing your messaging makes e-mail a channel that is fast, functional, and efficient. General e-mail guidelines: for successful electronic communication: Keep it brief: a short message stands a better chance of being read fully. Long messages may end up being skimmed in recipients’ inboxes, marked to be read later or simply forgotten. 9/14/2022 32  E-mail contd. – Consider using attachments for long messages – Include only as much information as is needed for recipients to take action and make decisions Remember that e-mail is not your only option: strive for a balance the convenience of technology and the rapport of human contact. – Don’t use e-mail simply to avoid face-to-face contact, especially if you only wish to distance yourself from conflicts, arguments or bad news – Match the situation to the correct communication channel Compose crucial messages offline: this allows you to review them 9/14/2022 33  E-mail contd. Aim for a balance of speed and accuracy: speedy e-mail writing and the errors it can cause make for slower e-mail reading. – Careless messages can result in lost credibility and clients – Glance over your messages to catch errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation before you hit ‘send’ Understand that e-mail is not guaranteed to be private: e-mail is easily deleted, but even deleted e-mail can be retrieved, providing permanent record of actions and decisions 9/14/2022 34  E-mail contd. – It can be saved, archived, forwarded, and even used as legal evidence – Thus, refrain from writing anything in an e-mail message that you wouldn’t be comfortable to be seen by public members Don’t write while angry: avoid flaming – the act of firing back and venting emotion via e- mail. No matter how good letting off steam feels at the time, it can have serious repercussions. Quick, angry responses flare tempers and usually resolve nothing. 9/14/2022 35  E-mail contd. – Instead, communicate contentious matters and sensitive issues through other channels, preferably ones with visual or tonal cues (tone refers to the mood of the message – the implied attitude of the writer to the subject and his/her reader, as reflected by word choice) – If you have to deal with an angry e-mail, give yourself enough time to cool down and consider your response before you respond and hit ‘send’ Don’t send unnecessary messages: the more you bombard readers with unnecessary e- mails, the less attention they will pay to the ones that really count 9/14/2022 36  E-mail contd. Protect yourself and your company: be aware of copyright issues and safeguard your organisation’s intellectual property Formatting and writing e-mail Follow these tips to ensure your message stays on target and gets the inbox attention it deserves: Type the electronic address correctly: rely on your electronic address book if you routinely leave out or mistype characters – Add CC (copy feature) and BC (blind copy feature) 9/14/2022 addresses accordingly 37  E-mail contd. – Send copies only to people who have a legitimate need for your information Compose an action-specific subject line: subject lines help readers decide how relevant, important, and urgent a message is. Together the sender’s name and the subject line help recipients prioritise their reading – The best way to command attention for your message is to create a descriptive subject line that tells readers what the message is about in as few words as possible – E-mails without subject lines stand the greatest 9/14/2022 chance of being deleted without being read 38  E-mail contd. Use appropriate greetings to soften messages: common informal salutations to use when you know the recipient well include hello, hi and greetings used on their own or followed by a first name – For external e-mail, salutations are recommended, but make sure that the greeting you choose fits the context – Use Dear Ms or Mr. (followed by a last name or first and last names) when you aren’t on a first name basis with the recipient and Dear (followed by a first name) when you know the person well 9/14/2022 39  E-mail contd. Get to the point immediately: begin by asking for action, information, or a reply. A strong opening that identifies issues is vital to a messages’ success Sign off with a complimentary close or your name: your closing should maintain the tone of your greeting and of your message as a whole. – If nothing too formal is required, a simple regards or thanks will do. – Reserve sincerely for messages where you need to show deference. – Use cheers only if your message is cheerful 9/14/2022 40  E-mail contd. Tell people who you are: for external e-mails in particular, set up an automatic signature through an e-mail program. Recipients will then know your professional title, telephone number, regular address, and full name Edit your text: readers wont expect absolute perfection, but the more correct your email is, the more professional and credible you will seem Follow common sense rules for attachments: attachments are independent computer files sent with a regular email message. 9/14/2022 41  E-mail contd. – Before you create an attachment, consider if its contents could be put in the text of the message. – Label attachment documents so they can be easily recognised and summarise their contents in your email E-mail style and tone: E-mail is not just a technology, but also a matter of style E-mail is so flexible and adaptable that it accommodates a range of styles 9/14/2022 42  E-mail contd. – Semi-formal or conversational style: applies to most e-mail messages, especially routine communication – Personal pronouns, contractions, and active-voice constructions are what make this style accessible – E-mail tends to be somewhat more informal when it replaces a phone call, face to face conversation, or a casual note – Formal style: is reserved for documents that are e-mail by virtue of their transmission – reports, policy statements, and proposals 9/14/2022 43  E-mail contd. Tone: is hard to control in e-mail because of the rapid and informal way most messages are written – For many e-mail users, the prime concern is simply getting their point across and not how a message sounds – Users who are not by nature cold, impersonal, or rude may sound that way to fellow users who know them only through their e-mail. Anger, resentment, or impatience may be inferred where none was intended – Therefore, you need to read your message to 9/14/2022 detect tonal miscues 44  Business letters Parts and format: two style factors – appearance and content – can be used to describe a business letter. How does the letter look, and what does the letter say? The appearance and the content of a business letter make up that letter’s style. The style of a business letter contributes as much to that letter’s success. If your business letters are to achieve their goals, you must first learn how to control the appearance of a letter. 9/14/2022 45  Letter contd. A writer conveys a professional appearance by using standard letter parts and arranging these parts according to accepted letter formats. Using standard letter parts and an accepted letter format ensures that the letter is arranged attractively on the page. Business letter elements: each part, if properly used, has a specific function. 9/14/2022 46  Letter elements contd. Usually there is double space between elements and single space within elements. Standard elements Optional elements – Return address - reference line – Date line - delivery or confidential notation – Inside address - attention line – Salutation - identification initials – Message - subject line – Complimentary - postscript close - enclosure notation – Signature block - copy notation 9/14/2022 47 - continuation page heading  Letter elements contd. Standard elements: Letterhead/return address: most businesses usually use stationery with printed letterhead that features the following: company name, full address, telephone and fax numbers, e- mail address, a website address, and company logo This printed information usually appears at the top of the page, but may be in the left margin area, or at the bottom of the page 9/14/2022 48  Letter elements contd. When a letter extends beyond one page, use a plain sheet, not letterhead, for the subsequent pages For personal letters – when it isn’t possible to use printed letterhead – type return address immediately above the date In full-block style letters, the return address is aligned at the left margin. In modified block letters, the return address block starts to the right of the centre of the page and aligns with the complimentary close. 9/14/2022 49  Letter elements contd. Never include your name as part of the return address – it is typed at the end of the letter Date line: identifies the date on which the message was written. On company letterhead, it appears at the left margin below the printed line of the letterhead – In modified block letters, the date appears on the next line after the return address, aligned with it at the centre of the page – The most common date style is as follows: February 11, 2015 (month day, year) or 22 February 2015 (day month year). 9/14/2022 50  Letter elements contd. – Ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd) should not be used, and the months should not be represented as abbreviations Inside address: this identifies the person and/or company to whom the letter is being sent – The inside address is typed below the dateline – No line of the address should end with a comma, or extend beyond the centre of the page – If an item is long, continue it on the next line – The first line begins with the person’s courtesy title – Ms (applies to women unless a preference for Mrs. Or Miss is known), Mr., Dr., the 9/14/2022 Honourable 51  Letter elements contd. – Omit the courtesy title only if the addressee’s gender is unclear or unknown – A business or professional title – chair, treasurer – may follow the surname on the same line or on the next line if the title is longer Salutation: the salutation, or greeting, immediately precedes the body of the letter. – It is typed below the inside address or attention line – It can take the following forms: Dear Ms. Vasari (courtesy title for women regardless of marital status) 9/14/2022 52  Letter elements contd. – Dear Jane (when you are on a first-name basis with the recipient and if the letter is intended to be less formal and more friendly) – Dear T. Phiri (when you are unsure of the recipient’s gender, use an initial and surname or first name and surname) – Dear Sir or Madam (when you don’t know the name of the recipient and have used an attention line) – Ladies and Gentlemen (when you don’t know the names of the recipients and have used an attention line) – Dear Sales Representatives/ Dear IT Professionals 9/14/2022 53 (when addressing a group)  Letter elements contd. – Dear Customer/ Dear Colleague (when addressing a member of a group) – Traditionally, the salutation ends with a colon. However, you may omit the colon after the salutation and the comma after the complimentary closing. This is called an open punctuation style. This depends on the writer’s or organisation’s preferences. Body (message): the body, the main part of the letter begins below the salutation or the subject line. – The message is single spaced within paragraphs and double-spaced between them 9/14/2022 54  Letter elements contd. – the exception of modified block style, which allows you the option of indenting paragraphs, begin each new paragraph at the left margin Complimentary closing/close: the ‘good-bye’ of the letter. – The ending sincerely is standard. Some writers prefer Yours sincerely, Sincerely yours, Yours truly – Less formal expressions, such as Cordially, Best wishes, and Regards, are also common, especially if the recipient is well known – Capitalise only the first word and place a comma at the end if you are using standard punctuation. If you are using open punctuation style, omit the 9/14/2022 55 comma  Letter elements contd. Signature block: after the complimentary close, leave room for your signature and type your name – Your title may appear on the same line, separated from your name by a comma, or be placed on the next line – Add a courtesy title in parentheses before your name (especially, if it is not readily distinguishable as male or female) 9/14/2022 56  Letter elements contd. Optional elements: Delivery/confidential notation: notations identifying the methods of transmission – e.g. BY FAX and MAIL; SPECIAL DELIVERY, FAX TRANSMISSION – and who is authorised to open the letter – PERSONAL, CONFIDENTIAL – typed in capital letters or italics above the inside address Subject line: written in capital letters, regular font or italics, underlined, this element briefly and quickly identifies the topic (the content/focus) of a letter and rarely exceeds one line 9/14/2022 57  Letter elements contd. – A good subject line is specific and concise, like a well written headline Attention line: this is used when you are directing your correspondence to a department within an organisation or to the holder of a particular position, or to a specific individual It usually follows the inside address 9/14/2022 58  Letter elements contd. Identification/Reference initials: capitalised initials indicate who wrote the letter; lower case initials indicate who keyed (typed) – E.g. BM:cd or BM/cd; cd Enclosure notation: an enclosure notification (abbreviated Enc. Or Encs. Or spelled out as Enclosure or Enclosures) indicates enclosed or attached material – a brochure, CV, invoice, etc. – accompanying a letter. – It may tell the reader something about the enclosed item(s) or specify the number of enclosures 9/14/2022 59  Letter elements contd. – E.g. Enclosure: Claim form 345 – Enclosures (2) The word ‘Enclosure (or enclosures)’ is keyed on the line below the reference initials or whichever is last. Copy notation: a copy notation (C or CC) indicates that the copies of the letter have been sent to individuals other than the addressee. – When several individuals receive the letter, their names are stacked one on top of the other 9/14/2022 60  Letter elements contd. – The writer includes a copy notation on the line below the reference initials, the enclosure notation, or whichever appears last. Postscript : the postscript is positioned at the end of a letter – deliberately or as an afterthought. Because it is part of the body of the letter, it is keyed in the same way as the paragraphs in the body of the letter. Key the postscript on the line below the last notation in the letter. – Postscripts may be indicated by keying PS: or PS. before the message: 9/14/2022 61  Letter elements contd. – E.g. PS: Be sure to bring a copy of your report with you. Continuation page heading: at least three lines of the message should be carried over to any continuation sheet Each new sheet should have a header with the recipient’s name, the page number, and the date This information can go in the upper left-hand corner 9/14/2022 62  Letter formats There are various acceptable formats for letters. Note that the sequence of the letter elements (including the optional parts) does not vary from one letter to another. The differences in formats are primarily concerned with whether or not a particular part is aligned left, indented, or centred Block format (also called full block format): in the block letter format, all letter parts begin at the left margin 9/14/2022 63  Format contd. Because there are no indentions, the block style is easy to set up and, therefore, very popular. Modified block format: this differs somewhat from the basic block style – namely, the return address (without letterhead), date line, the complimentary closing, and the signature block start at the centre of the page 9/14/2022 64