To: Nancy Myers

From: Blaine Bowman

Date: May 12, 2022
Subject: APLED 121-chapter 9 summary

Chapter 9
Routine Correspondence
The importance of routine correspondence

 Need to expect to write emails

 Importance of communication
 Direct and instant text messages
Which communication channel should you use?

 Memos
 Letters
 E-mail messages
 Knowing when to use each type of messaging
The differences among routine correspondence

 Email is used more at 98 percent

 Memos and letters at 70 percent
 Reports at 60 percent
Reasons for writing memos, letters, and emails

 Widespread audiences
 Many different purposes like documentation
 Confirmation
 Procedures
 Recommendations
 Status
Using an all-purpose template for memos, letters, and E-mail

 Introduction
 Discussion
 Conclusion
Introduction

 Get to the point in the introductory sentences

 Write a couple clear introductory sentences
 Use what and why
Discussion

 Develop your content specifically

 A longer paragraph will make readers avoid it
 Make sure its reader friendly
Conclusion

 Conclude your correspondence

 A better conclusion will motivate your readers
 A directive close provides dated action
Essential components of memos

 Memos must have identification lines

 Date, name of writer, subject line, name of readers
Essential components of letters

 Choose font appropriately

 Better fonts will be more interesting and better to read
 Should contain the essential components
 Writer's address-Make sure to conclude date, time, company name, city, state, etc.
 Date-Document the date and time
 Reader’s address- Put two lines below the date
 Salutation- Placed two spaces beneath the inside address
 Letter body- Includes your introductory paragraph, discussion paragraphs, and
concluding paragraph’s
 Complimentary close- The typical close is sincerely
 Signed name- Sign legibly
 Typed name- Put title one space beneath your typed name
 Optional components of letter- It’s in addition to letter essentials
 New page notations- If your letter is bigger than a page put date, time, and page
number on every page after that
 Writers and typist's initials- Include both writers name if written by someone else
 Enclosure notation- Type two spaces below the writer and typist's initials
 Copy notation- List the other readers’ names following copy notation
Letter Formats- Three common letter formats including full block, full block with subject line,
and simplified
Essential components of E-mail- Reflect professionalism

 Identify yourself- By name, affiliation, or title

 Provide an effective subject line- Avoid uninformative subject lines
 Keep your E-mail message brief- Readers skim and scan so limit your message
 Organize your E-mail message- Use introductory sentences
 Use highlighting techniques sparingly- To avoid your message being distorted limit
you’re highlighting to bullets
 Be careful when sending attachments- When you send pictures make sure to tell the
reader the body of the e-mail message
 Practice netiquette- Be courteous, be professional, avoid abusive, angry e-mail
messages
Criteria for different types of routine correspondence- Audience determines if you write a
memo, letter, or e-mail

 Inquiry
 Response
 Cover
 Complaint
 Inquiry- IN order to receive certain documents from companies you need to decide
whether to send a memo, letter, or e-mail
 Introduction- Clarify your intent in the introduction
 Discussion- Specify your needs in the discussion
 Conclusion- Conclude precisely
Response- Provide information, details, or answers to an inquiry

 Introduction- Begin with a pleasant reminder of when you spoke with a person or
heard from the audience
 Discussion- Organize your discussion section into as many paragraphs as you need
 Conclusion- Should tell readers what you want to happen next
Complaint messages- Include introduction, discussion, and conclusion
Adjustment messages- 100 percent yes, 100 percent no, and partial adjustment

 Buffers to cushion the blow- Establish rapport with the audience, sway your reader to
accept bad news with facts, provide information, compliment your reader, make your
buffer concise, be sure your buffer lead logically to the explanation that follows, and
avoid placing blame or offending the reader
Order- Be concise and clear to assure correctness
  Introduction- Reason for placing the order, Authorization for placing the order, Method
of delivery, source of item information
 Discussion- A sentence lead in, an itemized list of the order, and precise details
 Conclusion- Date needed by, Method of payment, Contact information, and positive
close
Confirmation- when vendors make orders a memo or e-mail is needed to verify the details

 Introduction- Remind the reader why correspondence is being written

 Discussion- The body clarifies the details of the agreement
 Conclusion- The conclusion tells the reader what to do next
Recommendation letter- Many reasons to write a letter of recommendation for many reasons
including an employee deserves a promotion, a colleague is nominated for an award, a
governmental agency is checking references

 Introduction- May include your position, the length of your relationship, and the
applicant’s name
 Discussion- You include specific details of the applicants’ skills
 Conclusion- Sum up why this person is deserving of consideration of the job
Thank-you letter- Always write a thank you letter you show your appreciation and build
continued rapport
Instant messages- Provide many benefits for businesses

 Benefits of instant messages- Faster communication, Improved efficiency, and less

intrusive than telephone calls
 Challenges of instant messages- Security issues, lost productivity, distraction
 Techniques for successful instant messages- Choose correct communication channel,
summarize decisions, tune in or off, limit personal use, and never use IM for confidential
communication
 I’m/Tm corporate usage policy- Train employees to use effectively, explain which
services are allowable in the workplace, and install appropriate security measures
Text messages- Have a growing presence in workplace communication

 Reasons for using TM- Cost, technological access, speed, multitasking, decrease the
intimidation factor, and documentation
The writing process at work- Clarify the importance of the communication process with the
three steps frequently overlapping

 Prewriting- No single method of prewriting is more effective thana another

 Writing- Draft your document after determining your objectives
 Organize your ideas- Develop your content logically
 Rewriting- Jim rewrote the memo