[BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION: MODULE 2] 1
Chapter 2

LANGUAGE SKILL 4 - WRITING
Topics to be covered
The writing Process – Guidelines for composing effective business messages – Structure
of Routine and Persuasive business messages, good-will, good-news, and bad-news
messages.
Features of an effective business E-mail. Rules of Netiquette.
Preparing a Résumé -Parts of a Résumé – Résumé Styles: Chronological, Functional, and
Chrono-functional - Résumé design


MANAGERIAL WRITING

Business correspondence is an important instrument for making decisions in the business
world. It helps in reinforcing professional and business relations and is an instrument of
professional exchange of ideas, opinions and information.
In today's competitive environment effective letter writing skill is a must. A good letter is not
only lucid in style but also makes an impression regarding the sender as well as the company
in the mind of the reader. As an executive it is necessary to hone the skill of preparing and
presenting ideas as precisely as possible to reinforce business relations, maintain good public
relations and motivate or persuade people.

THE PROCESS OF WRITING

The modern business world is driven by fast-paced communication, so accurate and precise
writing has never been more important. When composing any form of business writing, it is
crucial to understand the basic three-step writing process. Taking the time to learn how to
properly (1) plan, (2) write, and (3) complete each piece of business writing you compose can
drastically improve your writing skill and accurately prepare you for future business writing

1. Planning ( Pre-writing): A writer must analyze the writing situation , clarify the
purpose (Inform/ persuade/ collaborate), analyse the audience so that you can
tailor your message to their needs and expectations, collect relevant information to
include, determining the appropriate target audience, and finally organize and lay out
all the collected information. Gather the information that will inform, persuade, or
motivate your audience.
2. Writing: Once you have planned, organize your ideas and begin composing your first
draft. This is the stage when you will commit your thoughts to words, create sentences
and paragraphs, and select illustrations and details to support your main idea.
3. Completing (Post-writing): After you have composed your writing, revise its content
by checking its readability. Then focus on using design elements like bullet points or
bold/italicized words to make it look professional.
Once you have finished editing its layout, check for any spelling or grammatical errors.
It is always a good idea to have someone else proofread your work as well. Finally,
when you are ready to distribute your message, deliver it through the appropriate
medium, and make sure any necessary attachments are grouped with your message.

Analyzing your purpose and audience
• For a business message to be effective, its purpose and its audience must complement
one another.
• You must know enough about your purpose and audience to shape your message in a
way that serves both.
• So you begin planning your message by being as specific as you can about the purpose
of the message.
• Then you analyze your audience as thoroughly as possible
• All business messages have a general purpose:
o To inform: To inform your audience, you need little interaction.Audience
members absorb the information and accept or reject it, but they don’t
contribute to message content. You control the message
o to persuade: To persuade your audience, you require a moderate amount of
participation. You need to retain a moderate amount of message control
o To collaborate with your audience: You need maximum participation. Your
control of the message is minimal because you must adjust to new input and
unexpected reactions
The overall purpose determines both the amount of audience participation you need and the
amount of control you have over your message.
• Business messages also have a specific purpose.
o That purpose may be clear and straightforward, such as placing an order
o Or it may be more complex, such as convincing management to hire more
part time workers during the holiday season.

Direct Approach

When you use the direct approach, the main idea (such as a recommendation, conclusion, or
request) comes in the "top" of the document, followed by the evidence. This is
a deductive argument. This approach is used when your audience will be neutral or positive
about your message. In the formal report, the direct approach usually mandates that you lead
off with a summary of your key findings, conclusions, and recommendations. This "up-front"
arrangement is by far the most popular and convenient for business reports. It saves time and
makes the rest of the report easier to follow. For those who have questions or want more
information, later parts of the report provide complete findings and supporting details. The
direct approach also produces a more forceful report. You sound sure of yourself when you
state your conclusions confidently at the outset.

2
Indirect Approach

In the indirect approach, the evidence is presented first, leading therefore to the main idea.
This is an inductive argument. This approach is best if your audience may be displeased about
or may resist what you have to say.

4
BUSINESS LETTERS

The term “business letters” refers to any written communication that begins with a
salutation, ends with a signature and whose contents are professional in nature.
Historically, business letters were sent via postal mail or courier, although the
internet is rapidly changing the way businesses communicate.
Difference between Personal and Business Letters:
1. A personal letter is an informal letter while a business letter is formal written
message.
2. A personal letter is in the form of a dialogue and follows norms of private dialogue
while a business letter is written in a conventional form for a specific audience to
meet a specific need.
3. A personal letter normally does not follow any set pattern of writing and the writer
is free to choose any style or pattern that suits his/her mood and content while a
business letter is more structured as it follows a set pattern and style.

There are many standard types of business letters, and each of them has a
specific focus:
• 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 Letters
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. In many cases, these
letters are a combination thank-you note and sales letter.

• Letters of Recommendation

5
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.

• Acknowledgment Letters
Acknowledgment 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 Letters
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

Parts of a Business Letter:
Let us discuss the parts of a business letter.
1. The Heading / Letterhead and Date:It usually contains the name and the
address of the business or an organization. It can also have an email address,
contact number, fax number, trademark or logo of the business.
2. The Inside Address: It includes the name, address, postal code, and job title of
the recipient. It must be mentioned after the reference. One must write inside
address on the left-hand side of the sheet.
3. Subject: It is a brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter. It
should be clear, eye catchy, short, simple, and easily understandable.
4. The Salutation/ Greeting: It contains the words to greet the recipient. It is
also known as the salutation. The type of salutation depends upon the
relationship with the recipient. It generally includes words like ‘Dear Sir’ or
‘Dear Madam’ or ‘Dear Mr.Roy’. A comma (,) usually follow the salutation.
5. The Body Paragraphs: This is the main part of the letter. It contains the actual
message of the sender. The main body of the mail must be clear and simple to
understand. The body of the letter is basically divided into three main
categories.
• Opening Part: The first paragraph of the mail writing must state the
introduction of the writer. It also contains the previous correspondence if any.
• Main Part: This paragraph states the main idea or the reason for writing. It
must be clear, concise, complete, and to the point.
• Concluding Part: It is the conclusion of the business letter. It shows the
suggestions or the need of the action. The closing of the letter shows the
expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always end your mail by
courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look forward to hearing
from your side etc.
6. The Complimentary Close
It is a humble way of ending a letter. It is written in accordance with the
salutation. The most generally used complimentary close are Sincerely, Yours
sincerely, Regards.

6
 7. Signature and Writer’s Identification
It includes the signature, name, and designation of the sender. It can also
include other details like contact number, address, etc. The signature is
handwritten just above the name of the sender.
8. Enclosures
Enclosures show the documents attached to the letter. The documents can be
anything like cheque, draft, bills, receipts, invoices, etc. It is listed one by one.
9. Copy Circulation
It is needed when the copies of the letter are sent to other persons. It is
denoted as C.C

SAMPLE: Business Letter

7
MEMO

A memo is part of the internal communication process. It is a formal written message

& plays an important role in decision making process. It is written in conventional
form i.e. in form of a dialogue. It flows in all direction and can be used across
hierarchy. Moreover, it is less time taking.
It is used to,
• Describe problems
• Inform employees
• Request information
• Explain policies & actions
• Provide direction
• Give feedback

However, it is certainly not as informal as a personal letter either. The tone of a memo
is generally friendly as it is a communication between colleagues. Like a business
letter, a Memo intends some action/business within a timeframe. There is no
complementary closure. The term "memorandum" can be used instead of "memo".
Types:
There are 3 types of memos, they are,
• Downward Memos: are written to seek explanations or clarifications, send
feedback, give instructions & convey routine information.
• Upward Memos: convey grievances, suggestion, new ideas, findings & etc.
• Horizontal Memos: are written to develop co-operation & co-ordination,
persuade reader to take an action such as attend a meeting, give a presentation
& etc.

Letters v/s Memos

a. Letters are for both internal & external communication while Memos are for
internal communication only.
b. Memos have different format in comparison to the letters,
c. Memos are less formal than letters,
d. Memos are less structured,
e. The tone of memo is more conversational,
f. A memo contains less background explanation & information than a letter.

Characteristics
• Clarity: clearly written, simple & familiar words should be used, clichés &
proverbs should be avoided, short sentences & paragraphs should be used.
• Conciseness: Should contain only essential information, unnecessary
explanations. And, repetitions must be avoided.
• Unity of Theme: should deal with one single topic & subordinate related ideas.
• Informal Tone: though a formal document the tone of a memo is informal &
conversational.

9
Email

Electronic mail is the medium of communication that sends and receives messages
through specially designed computer networks. Emails are used for quick
transmission of information and ideas. Emails can be used both as a means to reach
out to people outside an organization, and to send information within an organization.
Purpose
• To convey routine information
• To request information
• To invite the reader
• Contains proposals
• Seeks explanation
• Describes problems
• Persuades the take action
• Provides feedback or suggestion

Advantages of Email
Speed-It is faster than letters and memo. A message can be sent quickly to anyone
anywhere in the world.
Low Cost-It is less expensive than any other channel of communication as it doesn’t
involve printing and copying.
Quick distribution – Email makes distribution quick and easy .there is no wasting of
time and no repetition.
Easy attachments–It is easy to attach files, photographs, clippings, video clips, and so
on
Flexibility- The sender may edit, modify, revise and redesign the message easily.
The Email provides easy upward communication and it is less formal & structured.
Characteristics of Email
• It should be concise, should not contain unnecessary information,
repetitions, exaggerations & etc.
• It should be accurate and correct. Correct format and structure should
be used.
• It should be simple and clear. It should use short sentences & simple,
direct words must be given preference.
• The tone of the email is usually formal but conversational. The
challenge is to maintain professionalism without being too formal.
However, one should avoid being too informal & emotional.
• A successful email develops a single theme logically, subordinating
related ideas.

Note - when sending a message to multiple recipients one can use the Cc, or
carbon copy, and Bcc, blind carbon copy fields. When using the Cc feature, all
recipients can see the email addresses of everyone the message was sent to. If
you want your communication to be more private, choose the Bcc so that the

10
 identities of the other recipients will not be shown. Both Cc and Bcc are
optional.
Salutation- It should be used like Dear, Dear Mr. Das.
Body –The body of an email message describes, explains and discusses the
central idea of the email. The content should be organised carefully. The
first paragraph may begin with a friendly opening followed by a statement
of the main point. In the next paragraphs, justification should continued
along with background information and supporting detail. The closing
paragraph should request some type of action.
Closing- An email must be concluded such as Regards, Sincerely, Thank
you, Allthe Best, etc
Signature –The signature line in an email message generally contain only
the writer’s name .However it may sometime include the designation and
organization of the sender.

SAMPLE: Email Format (Cover letter)

11


NETIQUETTES
"Netiquette" refers to Internet etiquette. This simply means the use of good manners
in online communication such as e-mail, forums, blogs, and social networking sites to
name a few.
Just like etiquette is a code of polite behavior in society, netiquette is a code of good
behavior on the Internet. This includes several aspects of the Internet, such as email,
social media, online chat, web forums, website comments, multiplayer gaming, and
other types of online communication.

While there is no official list of netiquette rules or guidelines, the general idea is to
respect others online. Below are ten examples of rules to follow for good netiquette:

1. Avoid posting inflammatory or offensive comments online (a.k.a flaming).
2. Respect others' privacy by not sharing personal information, photos, or videos
that another person may not want published online.
3. Never spam others by sending large amounts of unsolicited email.
4. Show good sportsmanship when playing online games, whether you win or
lose.
5. Don't troll people in web forums or website comments by repeatedly nagging
or annoying them.
6. Stick to the topic when posting in online forums or when commenting on
photos or videos, such as YouTube or Facebook comments.
7. Don't swear or use offensive language.
8. Avoid replying to negative comments with more negative comments. Instead,
break the cycle with a positive post.
9. If someone asks a question and you know the answer, offer to help.
10. Thank others who help you online.

12