BUSINESS LETTERS A GUIDE TO WRITING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS

LETTERS

AN EARLY BUSINESS LETTER

Appollonius to Zeno, "Greetings. You did right to send the chick-peas to

Memphis. Farewell."

• From ancient Egypt

• I s this a good letter?
• What note does it strike?

VICTORIAN TIMES

• I, your most humble servant do most humbly beseech you, my most esteemed
client, to return the aforementioned document at your earliest convenience and
with all possible speed, so I may receive it and act upon it in order to carry out
those wishes that you did earlier express to me…..
• What impact does this make on you?

LETTERS - NECESSARY TODAY?

• Flourocarbon Inc - a sign of the future?

• $100 million turnover but all correspondence in 1 filing cabinet!
• If you write to them, their reply is written in the margin of your original letter and
photocopied
• How would you feel getting a reply like that?

ADVANTAGES OF USING LETTERS - THE SENDER

• More economical than going in person

• Sender in control, timing, clarity + accuracy
• Can be prepared, planned and drafted
• Can create a positive impact
• Acts as ambassador for an organisation and can promote a positive image
• Copy of the message can be kept and saved
• Time to reflect and/or consult

ADVANTAGES OF USING LETTERS - THE RECEIVER

• Can be read and interpreted at a chosen time

• "Get it in writing" - written records are still very important, eg in legal matters as
opposed to a fax or email
• The receiver can also respond in his own time
• Avoids a hasty response
DISADVANTAGES OF USING LETTERS

• Expensive to produce in man hours £10 - £15

• Slow over short distances
• Less personal
• No instant feedback or dialogue
• Reliable?

CATEGORIES OF LETTER

• Standard - kept on file, needing specific details inserting

• Enquiry - information, acknowledgement, confirmation
• Complaint, adjustment, apology
• Finance - collection, credit,
• Application
• Introduction, recommendation, reference
• Sales, estimate, order
• Circular letters to personnel, customers, members - news/information
• new appointments, procedure, policy
• reorganisation
• special offers, promotion
• Personnel - recruitment, disciplinary
• Personal - congratulation, best wishes, regret, condolences
• Difficult/tactful - to individual or group, conveying bad news or unpopular
message

4 KEY ASPECTS OF LETTER WRITING

• FORMAT AND LAYOUT

• PREPARATION
• PLANNING
• LANGUAGE, STYLE AND TONE

FORMAT AND LAYOUT

• Blocked format - no indentations, punctuation

• Logo and addresses
• references + date
• name and address of recipient
• salutation
• subject heading
• paragraphs
• signing off

PREPARATION
 • Is this letter necessary?
• Why this letter?
• What message?
• What response do I want?
• What type of letter?

DIFFERENT PURPOSES

• Seek or give information

• persuade or sell
• make or answer a complaint/claim
• make a case or argument
• seek credit or payment
• to pass on news, good or bad

PLANNING

• List of points/information to include

• order these points into paragraphs
• check structure - each paragraph should have a clear function

LANGUAGE, STYLE AND TONE

• Who am I writing to? How formal or informal?

• What effect do I want to achieve?
• Clarity - short simple sentences
• Vocabulary - avoid jargon and slang
• Accuracy - grammar, spelling, punctuation
• Develop your own style - a letter should sound like it is from you

GETTING THE RIGHT TONE

• Neutral
• Positive
• Negative
• Persuasive
• Tactful

many messages involve a "tone cocktail"

CONTENT

• Opening Paragraph
• acknowledges previous communication
• sets the scene, puts the message in context
• who, why, when, what, where, how
 • explains why letter is being written
• Middle - might be just one or several paragraphs
• the body of the letter
• main message followed by reasons, explanations
• list of information
• development of argument
• Closing Paragraph
• expected outcome
• Request for action
• details of deadlines
• polite, reassuring close

LETTER OF COMPLAINT

• 1 - opening paragraph
• 2 - explain what is wrong, giving dates, places etc
• 3 - describe extent of damage, inconvenience
• 4 - what action/compensation expected
• 5 - close

LETTER OF ADJUSTMENT

• 1 - acknowledgement + expression of regret

• 2 - offer remedy or compensation
• 3 - give reasons for problem/delay
• 4 - explain what is being done
• 5 - close, assurances + good wishes

YOUR CHECKLIST

• Is the layout correct?

• Does it look professional?
• Are all main points covered?
• Is the information correct?
• Does it have a logical structure?
• Is the language clear, simple and accurate?
• Does it sound natural and sincere?
• Will the tone and style convey the right impression?