Q 1. What are the essential points to be considered in a formal written communication?

Ans.
1. Complex Longer sentences are likely to be more prevalent in formal writing. You need to be as
thorough as possible with your approach to each topic when you are using a formal style. Each main
point needs to be introduced, elaborated and concluded.

2. Objective State main points confidently and offer full support arguments. A formal writing style
shows a limited range of emotions and avoids emotive punctuation such as exclamation points,
ellipsis, etc., unless they are being cited from another source.

3. Full Words No contractions should be used to simplify words (in other words use "It is" rather
than "It's"). Abbreviations must be spelt out in full when first used, the only exceptions being when
the acronym is better known than the full name (BBC, ITV or NATO for example).

4.Third Person Formal writing is not a personal writing style. The formal writer is disconnected
from the topic and does not use the first person point of view (I or we) or second person (you).

5. Sort it out
Make sure you have a game plan in place. What is the main message you want to get across? What do
people need to know to support your goal? Its helpful to write down all your key points in advance,
so you dont forget any. Also create a brief outline of what youd like to cover in a logical order. This
step can be particularly useful for larger documents that need to address many issues.

6. Dont keep readers in suspense

Professionals with strong written communication skills know that its critical to get to the point with
any message, or readers may just stop reading. Between emails, texts, the Internet, memos and
reports, people are on information overload today, and they wont wade through long-winded
materials.
The KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy is a good one to follow. Include summaries at the
beginning of big reports, and use bullets or numbers to separate points (just look at what Ive done
with this blog). Also avoid using acronyms or industry jargon. You may know that the IAAP is a big
association for administrative professionals, but your audience may look at IAAP, think huh? and
get confused or annoyed. Worse yet, they may stop reading.

7. Stay professional
As you try to improve your written communication skills, take everything you write seriously,
steering clear of any controversial or sensitive subjects. This can be easier said than done, I know.
Seriously, who doesnt want to joke around with coworkers in emails about a ridiculous new company
policy? You never know when your email or other message could be forwarded, though. When in
doubt, think about whether youre comfortable with your boss reading what youve said.

8. Check it again
Maybe you feel like your written communication skills are on track as you make a compelling case
for updating your offices phone system. However, as you put together your masterpiece, youre
moving along so quickly that the document is filled with typos and spelling mistakes. No worries, you
tell yourself, youll just run a spellcheck, and all will be fine, right?
Not necessarily. A spellcheck can miss some errors. So its worth spending a few extra minutes to
reread messages yourself. And ask coworkers to take a look at crucial documents before sending
them. That way, you can make sure youre getting your point across clearly and wowing people for
the right reasons.

Q2. Imagine you can write well in English out cannot communicate well. What are the various
strategies you will adopt to improve your command over spoken English.
Ans.

1. Record yourself speaking English. Listening to yourself can be strange at first but you get used to
it. Listen to a recording of a fluent English speaker (a short audio file) and then record yourself
repeating what they said. Compare the difference and try again. Humans are natural mimics so you
will find yourself getting better and better.

2. Read aloud, especially dialogue. Reading aloud is not the same as speaking naturally. However, it
is very useful for exercising the vocal muscles. Practise for 5 or 10 minutes a day and you will begin
to notice which sounds are difficult for you to produce. Find transcripts of natural dialogues, such as
these here, and practise acting them with a friend, you will also learn common phrases which we use
when speaking.

3. Learn vowel and consonant sounds in English. The Phonemic chart is a list of the different vowel
and consonant sounds in English. Learning how to make these sounds and then using them to
pronounce words correctly will really help you speak English clearly.

4. Learn about weak and strong forms of common words. When you know about the schwa sound,
you will listen to native speakers in a different way. English is a stress-timed language which means
that we use a combination of strong and weak forms of some words. For example, which words do we
stress in the following sentence?

I want to go for a drink tonight.

5. Learn how and when to use weak forms and your speaking will improve overnight. You will also
learn to focus on stressed words when listening to fast, native-speaker English and you will finally be
able to understand us!

6. Learn about word stress. When words have more than one syllable, we stress one or more of them.

7. Learn about sentence stress. Sentence stress refers to the word or words we stress in a phrase of a
sentence. When we stress a word, we help the listener understand what is important. If we stress the
wrong word or dont stress the key word, the listener may get confused or not realise what is
important in the sentence. A few years ago, I enrolled in a gym. I was asked to attend an introductory
class at five to six. The Hungarian receptionist stressed the word six so I arrived at 5.55. She
looked at me and told me that I was late and the class had nearly finished. She should have stressed
five and six so would have understood that the class lasted for one hour and began at 5pm!

8. Identify fixed and semi-fixed phrases and practise them. Fixed phrases usually contain between 3
and 7 words and include items like:

to be honest

in a moment

on the other hand.

9.. Replace regular verbs with phrasal verbs. Many learners of English dont understand why native
speakers use so many phrasal verbs where there are normal verbs (usually with Latin roots) which
have the same meaning. English was originally a Germanic language which imported lots of Latin
vocabulary after the Norman conquest in the 11th century.

10. Learn short automatic responses. Many of our responses are automatic (Right, OK, no problem,
alright, fine thanks, just a minute, youre welcome, fine by me, lets do it!, yup, no way! youre
joking, right?, Do I have to? etc.) Collect these short automatic responses and start using them.

12. Practise telling stories and using narrative tenses. Humans are designed to tell stories. We use the
past simple, past continuous and past perfect for telling stories but when the listener is hooked (very
interested), they feel like they are actually experiencing the story right now. So, we often use present
tenses to make our stories more dramatic!

13. Learn when to pause for effect. Speaking quickly in English does not make you an effective
English speaker. Knowing when to pause to give the listener time to think about what you have said,
respond appropriately, and predict what you are going to say does. Imagine youre an actor on a stage,
pausing keeps people interested.

14. Learn about typical pronunciation problems in your first language. Japanese learners find it
difficult to identify and produce r and l sounds; Spanish dont distinguish between b and v;
Germans often use a v sound when they should use a w. Find out about the problems people who
speak your first language have when speaking English and you will know what you need to focus on.
15. Choose an accent you like and imitate it. We often have an emotional connection with certain
nationalities. Do you have more of an interest in British culture or American culture? Do you support
Manchester United or Arsenal?

16. Practise spelling names, numbers and dates aloud. This may seem very basic to some of you but if
you dont practise, you forget how to say them.

17. Learn about common intonation patterns. Intonation (when the pitch of the voice goes up and
down) is complex in English but it is very important as it expresses the feeling or emotion of the
speaker

18. Learn how to interrupt and interject politely and successfully

19. Speak lower not higher. Studies show that you command attention and demonstrate authority with
a deeper vocal tone, especially men. This is particularly important if you have to speak in public.

20. Learn exclamation words and fillers.

21. Learn how to paraphrase. Paraphrasing is when we repeat what we have just said to make it clear
to the listener or when we repeat what the other person has said by using different words.

Q3. How should .Office Memorandums be framed, How are they different from letters? Explain with
examples.
Ans. The standard office memorandum usually contains the following sections:

1. HEADING or CAPTION
2. QUESTION PRESENTED
3. BRIEF ANSWER
4. FACTS
5. DISCUSSION
6. CONCLUSION

HEADING OR CAPTION

Begin the first page as follows:

MEMORANDUM

TO: Name of person who assigned the research project

FROM: Your name
DATE: Date memo is turned in
RE: Name of client, and a short description of the subject matter of the memorandum

Put the title of each subsequent section of your memo at the beginning of that section, in all caps, and
centered.

QUESTION PRESENTED

The subject of the memo is a question: How does the relevant law apply to the key facts of the
research problem? Thus, the question presented is analogous to the issue or question presented in a
case brief. The question presented should be sufficiently narrow and should be objective. It is usually
one sentence, and often begins: "Whether...." or "Does...." The question incorporates legally relevant
facts as well as the rule involved. Although questions are usually framed so that they can be answered
yes or no (or probably yes or probably no), sometimes they cannot (such as "Under New York law,
has a retailer made a binding offer when...?"). Always include the name of the jurisdiction involved,
e.g., New York, the Second Circuit.

BRIEF ANSWER

The brief answer should clearly and fully respond to the question presented. Begin with your
conclusion: yes, no, probably yes, etc., if the question can be answered that way. Then give a brief
(usually no more than four or five sentences long) self-contained explanation of the reasons for your
conclusion. Summarize for your reader how the relevant law applies to your significant facts. As a
general rule, include no citations.

FACTS

Provide a formal and objective description of the legally significant facts in your research problem.
The legally significant facts are the facts that are relevant to answering the legal question presented.
For example, in an issue involving whether a minor can disaffirm a contract, a legally significant fact
would include the nature of the item or service contracted for (was it clothing, food, shelter, related to
health care, etc.) and whether the minor had access to the item in any case, without having to become
contractually obligated to pay for it. The description should be accurate and complete. Present the
facts in a logically coherent fashion, which may entail a chronological order. Include legally
significant facts - facts upon which the resolution of the legal question presented will turn, whether
they are favorable or unfavorable to the client for whom you are writing - and include background
facts that will make the context of the problem clear. In this section, do not comment upon the facts or
discuss how the law will apply to the facts. All factual information that later appears in the discussion
section of the memorandum should be described in the facts section.

DISCUSSION
This is the heart of the memo. Here, you need to educate the reader about the applicable legal
principles, illustrate how those principles apply to the relevant facts, and explore any likely
counterarguments to the primary line of analysis you present.

Many law offices will expect you to begin with a short thesis paragraph that briefly identifies the issue
and the applicable rule (without elaboration), and restates the short answer. Follow with an
introductory section, which provides a map or framework for the discussion as a whole. The
introductory section should summarize and synthesize the rule, setting out all subparts of the rule and
clarifying how they relate to one another. When the synthesized rule is derived from case law, the
discussion of the cases should focus on general principles, on the criteria that courts use to describe
the rule, rather than on the specific facts and reasoning of the cases. The introductory section is also
where you would mention, if applicable, information about the procedural posture of a case, about
burdens and standards of proof, and about rules of interpretation pertinent to the law you are applying.
You should identify any undisputed issues, and explain why they are not in dispute.

CONCLUSION

Summarize your analysis and conclusion to the question presented. Identify the level of certainty with
which you render a conclusion for each issue or sub-issue, but be sure to draw a conclusion even for
closer questions. Do not provide citations. The conclusion should be limited to one paragraph, and in
some cases involving just one short issue, the conclusion might not be necessary at all.

Memos

Memo is short for memorandum, which refers to a reminder or a notification of an important item.
Memos are often sent to notify staff members about a meeting or new policy the company feels is
important enough to warrant more than word-of-mouth dissemination. Memos are often informal,
with less attention to structure, formatting, grammar and quality of paper.

Letters

Letters are more formal documents sent to people outside your company. They can include requests
for information or clarification from a government agency; responses to customer complaints or
queries; or pitches or proposals to vendors, customers or the media. Letters are usually put on high-
quality paper, rather than copy paper, and are carefully proofread to avoid even the smallest mistake.

Heading

A memo doesnt need to be on company stationary or include your company name, logo, address or
other items usually found on letterhead. A memo often includes a heading at the top, left-hand side of
the paper that includes four lines designating who is sending the memo, whos receiving it, the topic
the memo covers and the date. A letter is usually written on business stationary with the date
appearing under the letterhead on the left-hand side of the page. A blank line separates the date and
the address of the recipient, which includes the recipients name, title and address. After another blank
line, a salutation appears, such as Dear Mr. Smith.

Content
A memo states the purpose for the communiqu in the first sentence, followed by information briefly
addressing the who, what, where, why, when and how of the contents. Little support or detail is found
in a memo, which often precedes a meeting or announces simple information. If a company has
detailed or complicated news to announce, it will hold a meeting or provide a longer report.
Recipients of a memo can contact the memo sender or a supervisor if they need more information. A
letter starts with the reason for writing and then addresses the reason. A letter usually provides more
detail, support and justification than a memo, since the letter often has to make a sale or answer a
question.

Closing

A memo doesnt summarize or recap the contents, often ending with a call to action, such as asking
the reader to put the date of the coming meeting on her calendar or to pursue the action recommended
in the memo. A letter often finishes with a conclusion, asks the reader to contact the writer, thanks the
reader and includes the senders name and title. Many letters contain a P.S., or postscript, note that
helps one fact or piece of information stand out.

Summary:

1.A letter is a short or long message that is sent by one person to another while a memo is a short
message that is sent by a person to another.
2.A letter is more formal and contains more information while a memo is informal and is very short.

3.A memo is more concise and to the point as compared to a letter.

4.A letter is exchanged between businesses and their clients while a memo is exchanged between
individuals within an organization.
5.A memo usually has a header that states where it is from and who it is intended for while a letter
may or may not have this feature

Q4. What is the process of communication? What are the different communication barrier and how
will you overcome them.

Ans. Seven major elements of communication process are: (1) sender (2) ideas (3) encoding (4)
communication channel (5) receiver (6) decoding and (7) feedback.

Communication may be defined as a process concerning exchange of facts or ideas between persons
holding different positions in an organisation to achieve mutual harmony. The communication process
is dynamic in nature rather than a static phenomenon.

(1) Sender:
The person who intends to convey the message with the intention of passing information and ideas to
others is known as sender or communicator.

(2) Ideas:

This is the subject matter of the communication. This may be an opinion, attitude, feelings, views,
orders, or suggestions.

(3) Encoding:

Since the subject matter of communication is theoretical and intangible, its further passing requires
use of certain symbols such as words, actions or pictures etc. Conversion of subject matter into these
symbols is the process of encoding.

(4) Communication Channel:

The person who is interested in communicating has to choose the channel for sending the required
information, ideas etc. This information is transmitted to the receiver through certain channels which
may be either formal or informal.

(5) Receiver:

Receiver is the person who receives the message or for whom the message is meant for. It is the
receiver who tries to understand the message in the best possible manner in achieving the desired
objectives.

(6) Decoding:

The person who receives the message or symbol from the communicator tries to convert the same in
such a way so that he may extract its meaning to his complete understanding.

(7) Feedback:

Feedback is the process of ensuring that the receiver has received the message and understood in the
same sense as sender meant it.

(1) Semantic Barriers

There is always a possibility of misunderstanding the feelings of the sender of the message or getting
a wrong meaning of it. The words, signs, and figures used in the communication are explained by the
receiver in the light of his experience which creates doubtful situations. This happens because the
information is not sent in simple language.
The chief language-related barriers are as under:
(i) Badly Expressed Message:
Because of the obscurity of language there is always a possibility of wrong interpretation of the
messages. This barrier is created because of the wrong choice of words, in civil words, the wrong
sequence of sentences and frequent repetitions. This may be called linguistic chaos.

(ii) Symbols or Words with Different Meanings:

A symbol or a word can have different meanings. If the receiver misunderstands the communication,
it becomes meaningless. For example, the word value can have different meanings in the following
sentences:

(a) What is the value of computer education these days?

(b) What is the value of this mobile set?

(c) Value our friendship.

(iii) Faulty Translation:

A manager receives much information from his superiors and subordinates and he translates it for all
the employees according to their level of understanding. Hence, the information has to be moulded
according to the understanding or environment of the receiver. If there is a little carelessness in this
process, the faulty translation can be a barrier in the communication.

(iv) Unclarified Assumptions:

It has been observed that sometimes a sender takes it for granted that the receiver knows some basic
things and, therefore, it is enough to tell him about the major subject matter. This point of view of the
sender is correct to some extent with reference to the daily communication, but it is absolutely wrong
in case of some special message,

(v) Technical Jargon:

Generally, it has been seen that the people working in an enterprise are connected with some special
technical group who have their separate technical language.

Their communication is not so simple as to be understood by everybody. Hence, technical language

can be a barrier in communication. This technical group includes industrial engineers, production
development manager, quality controller, etc.

(vi) Body Language and Gesture Decoding:

When the communication is passed on with the help of body language and gestures, its
misunderstanding hinders the proper understanding of the message. For example, moving ones neck
to reply to a question does not indicate properly whether the meaning is Yes or No.
(2) Psychological or Emotional Barriers
The importance of communication depends on the mental condition of both the parties. A mentally
disturbed party can be a hindrance in communication. Following are the emotional barriers in the way
of communication:

(i) Premature Evaluation:

Sometimes the receiver of information tries to dig out meaning without much thinking at the time of
receiving or even before receiving information, which can be wrong. This type of evaluation is a
hindrance in the exchange of information and the enthusiasm of the sender gets dampened.

(ii) Lack of Attention:

When the receiver is preoccupied with some important work he/she does not listen to the message
attentively. For example, an employee is talking to his boss when the latter is busy in some important
conversation. In such a situation the boss may not pay any attention to what subordinate is saying.
Thus, there arises psychological hurdle in the communication.

(iii) Loss by Transmission and Poor Retention:

When a message is received by a person after it has passed through many people, generally it loses
some of its truth. This is called loss by transmission. This happens normally in case of oral
communication. Poor retention of information means that with every next transfer of information the
actual form or truth of the information changes.

According to one estimate, with each transfer of oral communication the loss of the information
amounts to nearly 30%. This happens because of the carelessness of people. Therefore, lack of
transmission of information in its true or exact form becomes a hindrance in communication.

(iv) Distrust:
For successful communication the transmitter and the receiver must trust each other. If there is a lack
of trust between them, the receiver will always derive an opposite meaning from the message.
Because of this, communication will become meaningless.

(3) Organisational Barriers

Organisational structure greatly affects the capability of the employees as far as the communication is
concerned. Some major organisational hindrances in the way of communication are the following:

(i) Organisational Policies:

Organisational policies determine the relationship among all the persons working in the enterprise.
For example, it can be the policy of the organisation that communication will be in the written form.
In such a situation anything that could be conveyed in a few words shall have to be communicated in
the written form. Consequently, work gets delayed.
(ii) Rules and Regulations:
Organisational rules become barriers in communication by determining the subject-matter, medium,
etc. of communication. Troubled by the definite rules, the senders do not send some of the messages.

(iii) Status:
Under organising all the employees are divided into many categories on the basis of their level. This
formal division acts as a barrier in communication especially when the communication moves from
the bottom to the top.

For example, when a lower-level employee has to send his message to a superior at the top level there
is a lurking fear in his mind that the communication may be faulty, and because of this fear, he cannot
convey himself clearly and in time. It delays the decision making.

(iv) Complexity in Organisational Structure:

The greater number of managerial levels in an organisation makes it more complex. It results in delay
in communication and information gets changed before it reaches the receiver. In other words,
negative things or criticism are concealed. Thus, the more the number of managerial levels in the
organisation, the more ineffective the communication becomes.

(v) Organisational Facilities:

Organisational facilities mean making available sufficient stationery, telephone, translator, etc. When
these facilities are sufficient in an organisation, the communication will be timely, clear and in
accordance with necessity. In the absence of these facilities communication becomes meaningless.

(4) Personal Barriers

The above-mentioned organisational barriers are important in themselves but there are some barriers
which are directly connected with the sender and the receiver. They are called personal barriers. From
the point of view of convenience, they have been divided into two parts:

(a) Barriers Related to Superiors: These barriers are as follows:

(i) Fear of Challenge of Authority:
Everybody desires to occupy a high office in the organisation. In this hope the officers try to conceal
their weaknesses by not communicating their ideas. There is a fear in their mind that in case the
reality comes to light they may have to move to the lower level,

(ii) Lack of Confidence in Subordinates:

Top-level superiors think that the lower- level employees are less capable and, therefore, they ignore
the information or suggestions sent by them. They deliberately ignore the communication from their
subordinates in order to increase their own importance. Consequently, the self-confidence of the
employees is lowered.
(b) Barriers Related to Subordinates: Subordinates-related barriers are the following:
(i) Unwillingness to Communicate:
Sometimes the subordinates do not want to send any information to their superiors. When the
subordinates feel that the information is of negative nature and will adversely affect them, an effort is
made to conceal that information.

If it becomes imperative to send this information, it is sent in a modified or amended form. Thus, the
subordinates, by not clarifying the facts, become a hindrance in communication,

(ii) Lack of Proper Incentive:

Lack of incentive to the subordinates creates a hindrance in communication. The lack of incentive to
the subordinates is because of the fact that their suggestions or ideas are not given any importance. If
the superiors ignore the subordinates, they become indifferent towards any exchange of ideas in
future.

Q5. Imagine you are working as PR in a company, your company recently organized a charity
function for Kashmir flood relief. Make a press release for the same to be sent to various newspapers.

Ans.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Competition is Healthy Says Lemonade Stand Queen

12-year-old Shelly Smith has been selling her home-made brand of lemonade from the footpath in
front of her parents' North Street home for 18 months and has seen the highs and lows of the trade.

"Stands come and go," says Ms Smith, "but when there are more stands around the vendors are more
serious. They try harder and make a better product. That gives our customers confidence and sales go
up."

In recent months the number of lemonade stands in North Street has risen from three to five. Experts
believe this trend will continue, with the possibility of two or even three new stands before the end of
summer.

Ms Smith feels that a stable supply of lemonade will also benefit the streets' economy.

"People know that if they are thirsty, North Street is the place to come. With plenty of lemonade
stands on this street it doesn't matter if some of the vendors take a day off. The customer is never
disappointed so they always come back."

Shelly Smith is a sole trader of lemonade and occasional cookies. Her stand at 223 North Street is
usually open weekdays after school and weekends, except when she is playing with her friends or
watching a movie.
Contact:
Shelly Smith
email@example.com
233 North Street,
Hamilton,
New Zealand
Ph: +64-877-9233

Q6. You want to resign from the organization you were working for, write a resignation letter to the
head of your department.
Ans.
Mr Jones
Managing Director
Some Made Up Company Ltd
Hill Street
London
SE1 1RJ

22 September 2010

Dear Mr Jones

It is with regret that I tender my resignation as Office Junior with SMUC Ltd. This follows my
appointment as Office Manager with Harrows Supplies Ltd. As I am required under my contract to
give you one months notice, I understand that my last day of employment will be on the 22 October
2010.

May I take this opportunity to thank you for all of the invaluable help, advice and encouragement that
you have given me during my one year with SMUC Ltd. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here but
I feel the moment is now right for me to take up new responsibilities and challenges.

Yours sincerely

Richard Brookes
41 Howard Road
Surrey
SW1 8GG

Q7. Explain with reasons the Dos and Donts to be kept in mind while conducting a business meeting.
Ans Make sure you know what type of meeting you are having so that you can confirm proper notice
was provided and that only appropriate issues are handled.
DO have a CCIOA-compliant Conduct of Meetings Policy and follow it. Your association should
have a Conduct of Meetings Policy that addresses many items, including how long homeowners can
speak about a particular issue and what is inappropriate behavior at a meeting. Refer to the Conduct
of Meetings Policy at the beginning of the meeting, when informing homeowners about the
appropriate conduct of the meeting. Having copies of the Policy at the meeting can also be very
helpful for homeowners to refer to. If the rules of the meeting are presented at the beginning,
everyone in attendance can be aware of the rules of conduct. However, if you wait to address conduct
issues when they arise, homeowners can feel singled out and treated unfairly, even if they are not.

DONT make it personal or take it personally. A little healthy debate is to be expected when complex
or emotionally-charged issues are discussed. In many cases, reasonable people can disagree about the
best solution to a problem. Respectful disagreement between homeowners and/or board members is
completely acceptable at a meeting. Just because someone disagrees with you on one particular issue
does not mean that its a reflection of how they feel about you personally. However, there is a clear
line between respectful disagreement and counterproductive personal attacks. No one (board
members or homeowners) should be permitted to make personal attacks or have a shouting match at a
meeting. Either would likely be in violation of the Associations Conduct of Meetings Policy and
should not be tolerated.

DO have an agenda and follow it. Agendas should be distributed at the beginning of the meeting so
that everyone knows how the meeting will proceed. If homeowners do not have an agenda and do not
know that a homeowner forum will take place later in the meeting, more homeowners may be inclined
to bring up unrelated issues earlier in the meeting, throwing the meeting off track.

DONT take volunteers for granted. Being a board member, committee member, or contributing to
your association in some other way can be a thankless job. Publicly acknowledging and thanking
their hard work makes those volunteers feel appreciated and encourages others to volunteer as well.

DO give a Presidents Report or a State of the Association Address at your annual meeting. This
is a great time to thank all the volunteers and to give a summary of the Associations successes. It is
also a good opportunity to educate homeowners about the past year and how the board is handling any
challenges facing the Association. Finally, this is a great opportunity to share the boards visions for
the future and get the homeowners united and energized about the prospects for their community.

DO have a copy of the associations governing documents. If questions arise, many can be answered
with a quick review of the governing documents. Information about quorum requirements, proxies,
covenants, and many other topics can be found in the associations governing documents. However,
many topics can be confusing and complex, which brings us to the final tip for running a successful
meeting:

DONT be afraid to ask for help. If you anticipate questions about a matter that the board has
consulted a professional about, take advantage of that resource! If there have been homeowner
complaints about a vendor, asks the vendors representative to come to the meeting to address
concerns. If the board has debated about legal questions, ask the associations attorney to come to the
meeting. Having a third party resource at the meeting for specialized questions takes the pressure off
of you.

Q8. Write short notes on

a) Email and net etiquettes
b) Sales letter
Ans.
In the age of the Internet, you might find yourself clicking "reply," typing up a quick response, and
hitting "send" without giving so much as a thought about what you've just written. But experts agree
that your e-mail behavior has the potential to sabotage your reputation both personally and
professionally. Inc.com got in touch with some of the industry's most seasoned e-mail experts and had
them weigh in on how to perfect your e-mail etiquette.

1. Only discuss public matters. We've all heard the stories about a "private" e-mail that ended up
being passed around to the entire company, and in some cases, all over the Internet. One of the most
important things to consider when it comes to e-mail etiquette is whether the matter you're discussing
is a public one, or something that should be talked about behind closed doors

2. Briefly introduce yourself. Do not assume the person receiving your e-mail knows who you are,
or remembers meeting you. If you are uncertain whether the recipient recognizes your e-mail address
or name, include a simple reminder of who you are in relation to the person you are reaching out to; a
formal and extensive biography of yourself is not necessary

3. Don't "e-mail angry." E-mailing with bad news, firing a client or vendor, expressing anger,
reprimanding someone, disparaging other people in e-mails (particularly if you're saying something
less than kind about your boss) are all major no-no's. Because e-mail can seem so informal, many
people fall into this trap.

4. Use exclamation points sparingly. The maximum number of exclamation points in a business e-
mail? One. Otherwise, you risk looking childish and unprofessional.

5. Be careful with confidential information. Refrain from discussing confidential information in e-

mails such as someone's tax information or the particulars of a highly-sensitive business deal. Should
the e-mail get into the wrong person's hands, you could face serious - even legal - repercussions.
--Peter Post, director of the Burlington, Vermont-based Emily Post Institute, which offers etiquette
advice and answers to manners questions such as wedding etiquette, parenting issues and table
manners.

6. Respond in a timely fashion. Unless you work in some type of emergency capacity, it's not
necessary to be available the instant an e-mail arrives. Depending on the nature of the e-mail and the
sender, responding within 24 to 48 hours is acceptable.

7. Refrain from sending one-liners. "Thanks," and "Oh, OK" do not advance the conversation in any
way. Feel free to put "No Reply Necessary" at the top of the e-mail when you don't anticipate a
response.

8. Avoid using shortcuts to real words, emoticons, jargon, or slang. Words from grown, business
people using shortcuts such as "4 u" (instead of "for you"), "Gr8" (for great) in business-related e-mail
is not acceptable. If you wouldn't put a smiley face or emoticon on your business correspondence, you
shouldn't put it in an e-mail message. Any of the above has the potential to make you look less than
professional.

9. Keep it clean. Nothing annoys recipients more than when people reply and leave the messages
messy, for example, an e-mail chain that includes excessive carets (>>>), or pages and pages of e-mail
addresses that weren't protected using Bcc. You can get rid of carets by selecting the text, Ctrl+F to
use the Find and Replace command to find a caret and replace all of them with nothing. You can get
rid of all the e-mail addresses just by deleting. Clean it up, then send it.

10. Be clear in your subject line. With inboxes being clogged by hundreds of e-mails a day, it's
crucial that your subject line gets to the point. It should be reasonably simple and descriptive of what
you have written about. Expect that any e-mail with a cute, vague, or obscure subject will get trashed.
Also, proof your subject line as carefully as you would proof the rest of the e-mail. --Post

11. Don't get mistaken for Spam. Avoid subject lines that are in all caps, all lower case, and those
that include URLs and exclamation points - which tend to look like Spam to the recipient

12. Your subject line must match the message. Never open an old e-mail, hit Reply, and send a
message that has nothing to do with the previous one. Do not hesitate to change the subject as soon as
the thread or content of the e-mail chain changes.

13. Provide a warning when sending large attachments. Sending unannounced large attachments can
clog the receiver's inbox and cause other important e-mails to bounce. If you are sending something
that is over 500KB, senders should ask, 'Would you mind if I sent you an attachment? When would be
the best time for you?'

14. No more than two attachments, and provide a logical name. Unless it's been specifically
requested, refrain from sending a message with more than two attachments. Also, give the attached
file(s) a logical name so the recipient knows at a glance the subject and the sender.

15. Send or copy others only on a need to know basis. Before you click Reply All or put names on
the Cc or Bcc lines, ask yourself if all the recipients need the information in your message. If they
don't, why send it? Take time to send your messages to the right people.

16. Beware of the "reply all." Do not hit "reply all" unless every member on the e-mail chain needs
to know. You want to make sure that you are not sending everyone on a list your answer-;whether they
needed to know or not.

17. Pick up the phone. When a topic has lots of parameters that need to be explained or negotiated
and will generate too many questions and confusion, don't handle it via e-mail. Also, e-mail should
not be used for last minute cancellations of meetings, lunches, interviews, and never for devastating
news. If you have an employee or a friend you need to deliver bad news to, a phone call is preferable.
If it's news you have to deliver to a large group, e-mail is more practical.

18. Evaluate the importance of your e-mail. Don't overuse the high priority option. If you overuse
this feature, few people will take it seriously. A better solution is to use descriptive subject lines that
explain exactly what a message is about.

19. Maintain privacy. If you're sending a message to a group of people and you need to protect the
privacy of your list, you should always use "Bcc." Additionally, avoid giving out e-mail addresses to a
third party (such as an Evite, newsletter, etc). Make sure that addresses you willingly hand over to
third parties stay with them, especially when the service they're offering is free.

20. Keep it short and get to the point. The long e-mail is a thing of the past. Write concisely, with
lots of white space, so as to not overwhelm the recipient. Make sure when you look at what you're
sending it doesn't look like a burden to read - feel free to use bullet points. The person reading your e-
mail should not have to dig through several paragraphs in order to figure out what you're asking. You
should state the purpose of the e-mail within the first two sentences. Be clear, and be up front

21. Know your audience. Your e-mail greeting and sign-off should be consistent with the level of
respect and formality of the person you're communicating with. Also, write for the person who will be
reading it - if they tend to be very polite and formal, write in that language. The same goes for a
receiver who tends to be more informal and relaxed.
22. Always include a signature. You never want someone to have to look up how to get in touch
with you. If you're social media savvy, include all of your social media information in your signature
as well. Your e-mail signature is a great way to let people know more about you, especially when your
e-mail address is does not include your full name or company.

23. Only use an auto-responder when necessary. An automatic response that says, "Thank you for
your e-mail message. I will respond to you as soon as I can" is useless. However, one thing these
messages do great is alert spammers that your e-mail is real and that they can add you to their spam
list.

24. Train your staff. Business owners should make sure their staff is trained in e-mail
communications - don't assume they know what they're doing, and what is considered professional.
Set up e-mail standards that everyone at the company should abide by.

25. Your e-mail is a reflection of you. Every e-mail you send adds to, or detracts from your
reputation. If your e-mail is scattered, disorganized, and filled with mistakes, the recipient will be
inclined to think of you as a scattered, careless, and disorganized businessperson. Other people's
opinions matter and in the professional world, their perception of you will be critical to your success.

Sales letter

1. The Opening. You need to start off with something that will immediately capture and hold your
readers attention. When your readers first view your ad or website, theyre probably thinking about
something in particular. Theyre looking for information on a specific topic because they have a
problem they need to solve. Or they want to find the perfect gift for someone. Or theyre just
aimlessly surfing the web, while their background thoughts are about how depressed they are or what
that cute guy at work thinks about them. Theyre in an internal conversation. Somehow you have to
jump into your readers existing train of thought so theyre immediately interested in and curious
about what you have to tell them. A good opening will get through and motivate people to read the
rest of what you have to say. Without that, readers may cast the letter aside or click to the next website
before you get the chance to present your case.

2. The Description or Explanation. Now you have to introduce readers to what youre all about
-- what product or idea youre trying to sell them. This is where you lay out your basic prop osition,
presenting the important features and some of the necessary details. You prepare your readers to see
things your way by giving them the groundwork of information upon which your arguments will rest.

3. The Motive or Reason Why. Here you move past the intellectual and into the emotional. Readers
should long for your product, or feel motivated to give to your cause, or desire to do whatever youre
trying to influence them to do. You must impel them to take the action youre going to propose.

This requires that you go beyond merely describing your proposition. You have to get your readers to
understand what your product will do for them, or how good theyll feel if they do what you suggest.
This is where you lay out all the benefits theyll experience if they take the action you want them to.

4. The Proof or Guarantee. Even when you make great arguments for your case, people may still be a
bit sceptical. They may be concerned that they may do something they might later regret. Now you
have to make your readers feel comfortable about their decision to respond to your offer.
You do that by giving them proof that what youre telling them is true (for example, by backing up
your arguments with scientific data or presenting testimonials from other satisfied buyers). You
provide some kind of guarantee that they wont lose anything if they take you up on your offer and
then arent happy with the product. They can return it for a full refund.

5. The Snapper or Penalty. Even if people are completely convinced that what youre telling them is
right and that theyd benefit from following your suggestions, you still have to get over their basic
inertia. Getting people to take action requires an extra boost of energy. If they dont act right away,
they could soon forget all about you.

An old saying tells us to strike while the iron is hot. You want to get your readers to feel thats what
they have to do. This is where you induce a sense of urgency that will encourage readers to respond
immediately. Make it clear that if they dont respond right away, theyll suffer some kind of loss,
whether it be monetary or some kind of prestige or opportunity.

6. The Close. By this time, hopefully, youve got your readers eager and ready to take action. In the
close, you tell them exactly what they need to do, with complete instructions for how to do it. First,
you want a very clear call to action: Call Now, Click This Link, Come to Our Store before the
End of the Month.

Second, you want to make it easy for them to take the final steps to order, request a call by a
salesperson or whatever the goal of the letter is. Make the phone number, website address, email,
link or whatever it is very obvious.

These six essentials should be familiar to you if youve ever read any kind of ad or sales piece, and
they certainly make logical sense. It takes more than this, though, to produce something that really
works.