SELECTED TYPES

OF BUSINESS
LETTERS AND
THEIR
FEATURES
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 -ROSE BHAN MAE A. SANCHEZ BSN IIB

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MEMORANDUM LETTER
 A memo, or memorandum, is a written document that businesses use to
communicate an announcement or notification. While memos were once
the primary form of written internal communication in a business, they
are now commonly sent in the form of an email.

 Parts of memorandum
TYPES OF MEMORANDUM
1. Request Memo
The objective of these types of memos is to gain a favorable response to a
request. A request memo should use persuasive language because the end
goal is to convince others. For example, let’s say you have come across a
business conference that’s relevant to your position. You’ll send a request
memo to convince your manager to allow you to attend this conference. A
few key pointers you may want to keep in mind while writing a request
memo are:

 State The Request Clearly

 Justify Your Request With Proper Reasons

 Explain Or Justify Any Financial Costs That The Organization

Will Have To Bear

 Present Your Recommendations For Action

 Keep Your Language And Tone Formal And Neutral

2. Confirmation Memo
These memos are used to confirm in writing something that has been agreed
to verbally. Examples of these types of memos can be observed in situations
that need agreement between two or more parties. For instance, you agree to
finish your project on time if your manager agrees to let you hire three
interns. A few things to remember when confirming agreements in writing
are:

 Highlight The Significant And Important Details That Were

Agreed To Verbally
 Be Specific In Your Demands And Targets
 Ask For Feedback On Any Unclear Or Misunderstood Points

3. Suggestive Memo
These types of memos are usually circulated to find efficient solutions to
problems. One of the building blocks of success in any organization is
the creative thinking of its employees. Managers or team leaders often
encourage group discussions and brainstorming sessions through suggestive
memos. The purpose could be gathering innovative new ideas or generating
 out-of-the-box solutions to problems. Here are a few things to be conscious
of while writing a suggestive memo:
 Write In An Encouraging And Positive Way And Tactfully
Present Suggestions For Change
 Use Headings Or Titles To Differentiate Between Multiple
Groups Of Ideas
 Be Specific In Stating Your Expectations

Conclusion

Over time, the medium of internal communications, and especially memo

writing, has changed. Most memos are communicated in electronic formats in
current times. No matter which medium you choose to deliver your memos in,
keep reaching out to your employees and connecting with them. It’s a good idea
to remind yourself and your coworkers about the perks of open communication
from time to time!

MINUTES OF THE MEETING

Meeting minutes are an official written record of a meeting,
encapsulating discussions, decisions, task assignments, and deadlines. These
notes are not only a tool for accountability, indicating task assignments, but also
serve as a reliable reference for decisions, preventing future misunderstandings.
In certain organizational contexts, they can also act as legal documents.

Examining minutes over time reveals progress on tasks and assesses

meeting efficiency. For non-attendees, these records offer an overview of the
proceedings, keeping them informed. While preparing minutes, it's vital to
 maintain clarity and conciseness, capturing essential details like date, time,
participant names, agenda items, and respective discussions and decisions.

PARTS OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING

What Should You Include When Writing Meeting Minutes?

Remember, meeting minutes need not capture every single detail. Rather, they
should provide a concise and clear summary that reflects the discussion and
decisions made, tasks assigned, and the timeline for those actions.

1. Title and Type of Meeting: Whether it's a board meeting, a team meeting, or any
other type, note it down along with a clear title.
2. Date and Time: The exact date and time when the meeting was held.
3. Meeting Location: Where the meeting was held. In case of a virtual meeting,
mention the platform used.
4. Attendees: A list of the participants present and their roles. Include a note of
those who were expected but could not attend.
5. Agenda Items: Each topic or issue that was meant to be discussed during the
meeting.
6. Summary of Discussion: A brief account of the conversation for each agenda
item, capturing key points, ideas, and debates.
7. Action Items: Who has been assigned what tasks, including a brief description
of the task, and deadlines for each.
8. Decisions Made: What was decided or agreed upon during the meeting for each
agenda item.
9. Vote Counts: If votes were taken, include the results, noting how many were in
favor, against, or abstained.
10.Next Meeting: Details of the next scheduled meeting, if applicable.
11.Attachments or Supporting Documents: Any reports, charts, or other documents
discussed during the meeting can be attached or referred to in the minutes.
 LETTER OF INQUIRY

What is a letter of inquiry?

A letter of inquiry is a short letter you can write to a foundation to request a

grant for your organization. Letters of inquiry are typically only a few pages
long and discuss the main points of a full grant proposal. Though a letter of
inquiry is shorter than a full proposal, it can take just as long to write because it
requires you to condense important information into a few concise pages. Often,
if the recipient becomes interested in your organization after reading your letter
of inquiry, they may request a full proposal.

How to write a letter of inquiry

An effective letter of inquiry includes a few key components. Here are six steps
to write a great letter of inquiry:

1. Start with an introduction

The introduction of your letter of inquiry serves as an executive summary of

your letter. Your introduction can include your name, position and organization,
as well as a brief description of your organization's project and the amount of
funding you are requesting. Additionally, you can mention how your project is
relevant to the funder's interests, which can make them more receptive to
granting your request.

2. Describe your organization

Following the introduction, the next paragraph of a letter of inquiry often

includes a concise description of your organization. You can include some
background information and an overview of your staff and their qualifications.
Be sure to convey a clear plan your organization has and how it would benefit
from the funding you're requesting. You can do this by listing a few projects
your organization has already completed successfully.

3. Include a need statement

Write a need statement that explains the reason your organization has requested
funding by including statistics such as demographic studies. It can be helpful to
include concrete examples of the problem you want to solve. For example, your
organization may have identified a need in your community to offer better
transportation options for children to get to and from school. You could provide
evidence to show that this is a problem by listing statistics such as how many
school buses are currently operating or how many buses are out of service.

4. Provide a need solution

After the need statement, write a paragraph that includes your need solution—a
clear description of how your organization plans to respond to the need you've
identified. Describe your project, including the progress you've already made
and your project's major objectives. Additionally, you can describe the
outcomes you expect your project to achieve.

For example, if you want to improve children's school transportation options,

the main outcome of your project might be to ensure that every child gets to
school in a timely fashion. One of your specific objectives for the first six
months could be attaining funding to buy a new school bus.

5. List other funders you're approaching

It can also be useful to include a brief list of other entities your organization has
contacted for funding, such as government entities or other donors.
Additionally, you can include information about any funding you've already
received and how much more money you require to reach your funding goal.

6. Conclude with a summary

Finally, close your letter of inquiry with a brief summary, in which you can
restate the main points of your letter. Additionally, be sure to thank the recipient
for their consideration and include your contact information. If a funder has
requested any additional attachments, you can include them at the end of your
letter.
 LETTER OF REPLY
Reply letters are letters that provide the information asked for or give the
answer to certain questions. Whether the reply letters grant or deny the
information or favor requested, the characteristics of reply letters need to be
observed.

LETTER OF REPLY GUIDELINES

Determine what the original letter was asking. A response letter should
address what the original letter wanted to know. Read the original letter
carefully. Find out what the writer needs and begin figuring out how you can
provide the information that’s needed.[1]
 Sometimes determining what a letter is asking isn’t very easy, especially
if the letter wasn’t written clearly. Review the letter to figure out what
the original writer needs from you.
 If you have to, take some notes on the letter to determine the point. Jot
down what the letter is asking and how you might answer it.
Find out the information the letter asks for if you don’t know it already. If
the letter you received is requesting information, you may not know it offhand.
Take whatever steps you can to figure out how to answer the writer’s question
before responding to the letter.

Forward the letter to someone else if you aren’t qualified to answer

it. Sometimes, especially in business, people send letters to the general address
or contact person. If you receive a letter that you know someone else could
answer much better, then send it along to them to reply. This ensures the
recipient will get the most accurate response possible.
 If the person you gave the letter to may take some time to answer, it’s
good practice to respond to the original writer saying that you’ve passed
the letter to someone more qualified to answer it. This shows the writer
that their message was received and someone is working on it

Address the letter to the person who requested the information. Always
open with a polite salutation like “Dear,” followed by the person’s name. Greet
the person directly, rather than using a generic opening like, “To Whom It May
Concern.” This is impersonal and seems like the request was handled by a
computer. Instead, greeting the person by name is more personal and shows that
care went into writing this response.[3]
 If you don’t know the person personally, use the titles Mr., Mrs., or Ms.,
followed by the person’s last name. If the person has a known title, like
Dr., use this instead.
 If you know the person or are unaware of their gender, use their first
name.
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State that you’re responding to the original letter. Within your first sentence,
let the reader know that you’re responding to their letter. This tells the reader
that their letter was received and processed, and also lets them know the
purpose of your letter.[4]
 Very simply sating, “I am writing in response to your letter from June
13th” is a perfect opening for a response letter.
 If you aren’t the original person that the recipient wrote the letter to, state
where you got the letter from.
Answer the person’s inquiry as directly as you can. After the opening, get to
the main point of the letter. Address each question or concern from the person’s
original letter as completely as you can. Make sure you’ve hit every point so the
person is satisfied with your response.[6]X
Acknowledge clearly if you can’t fulfill the person’s request. Sometimes you
can’t fulfill a person’s request. Be direct about this. Don’t use a long-winded
response trying to soften the blow. Your recipient will appreciate a clear, direct
response to their question. Remember to always be polite and apologize while
you’re doing this so your recipient doesn’t get offended.

Thank the person for writing. Whether you were able to answer the person’s
request or not, always be courteous and thank the person for their letter. This
shows you appreciate their attention and maintains a positive relationship with
the letter writer.[9]

Sign the letter with your name and title. Wrap the letter up with a formal
closing like, “Sincerely,” followed by your name. If you’re working for a
business, write your professional title underneath your name.
 SALES LETTER
A sales letter is a written pitch to attract potential customers to a product or service. The goal
of a sales letter is to show a customer how your business will benefit them. When a consumer
thinks about meeting their needs, they are less focused on the idea of a business transaction,
which can lead to a sale.

1. Write a catchy headline that grabs your customer's attention.

Tell potential customers what they need in one sentence. Make it memorable-this may be the
only thing they see.

How can you make a sales letter more effective?

As you compose your sales letter, consider these ideas to improve your content.

 Use informal language. Brief, clear sentences and short paragraphs make
you sound more human. A natural tone will help customers connect to your
message and take the focus off of selling.
 Keep the customer in mind. Write with the mindset of what you as a
customer would like to hear. Make sure your words answer the question:
"What's in it for me?"
 Organize your content. Make sure your ideas flow from beginning to end.
The format of your letter should include an introduction, a body and a
conclusion.
 Include exciting visuals. Graphic design is an important feature of your
letter aside from the written content. One should complement the other.
Keep designs simple and relevant to current trends.
 ORDER LETTER
To assign orders for commodities or items, order letters are written. It is fairly
common and is written virtually every day. For example, business owners who
require equipment or other products in quantity must write an order letter or send
an email to place bulk orders.

Guidelines to write an Order Letter

 The letter should be precise; no pep talk or informal conversation is

required. Your objectives must be properly understood and articulated.
 The language should be simple and formal.
 Make no errors in the specs or numbers.
 Inform the seller when you expect delivery and how you intend to pay the
fee.
 Jargon should be avoided.
 Don’t be afraid to place your order, but remember to plan ahead of time.
 If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the receiver.
 Instead of a simple A4 page, order letters are frequently written on the
company’s letterhead.
 Acknowledgement Letter
Acknowledgement letter is a letter of receipt which confirms the
reception of certain documents. For example, if an employee sends a
resume or CV to apply for a job to an employer, then the employer
has to acknowledge the employee by sending a letter. This letter could
be sent via mail or by post. It is a necessary document which has to be
kept saved for future purposes.

Acknowledgement Letter Format

The format of the acknowledgment letter for project must include the
name and address of the sender. Also, the present date has to be
mentioned. The subject of the letter should be declared at the
beginning of the letter. It should state the acknowledgment letter for
receiving documents or product received.

The body of the letter should consist of details of the product received
along with exact dates. It should confirm that the product/document
has been received in a good condition without any damage. And if
any damage is caused during the transportation, it has to be mentioned
in the letter itself.

The later part should declare the required steps to be taken in the
future. While closing the letter we should thank the concerned person.
 LETTER OF CLAIM

The letters which make claims due to a faulty product or disservice from
a company the sender had made a contract with, is called a claim letter. If a
garments company outsources threads from a thread manufacturing company
for sewing of its garments, and after the product was sent, it is seen that the
parts cannot be sewn together by that thread and it wears off as soon as sewing
is started, the garments company can make a claim against the thread
company.

Process of Writing a Claim Letter

You might want to follow these steps if you want to write a decent claim
letter:

1. Add your name, name of the organization (if any), and necessary contact
details. Add the date. Next, address the letter to the departmental head,
that ensures a quick and responsive behavior. Include his contact details
too.
2. In the subject line mention the reference number of the order.
3. After a proper salutation, indicate that you are making a claim and the
type of it. If it is an insurance claim, include the policy number.
4. In the next paragraph, include the details of the accident and the specific
circumstances and occurrences that gave rise to the claim.
5. Indicate the amount you are claiming and the date within which you
would require it.
6. You can attach documents to validate your claim. If such materials are not
available, you can ask them if you will need to send them later. Note that,
they should be of context.
7. Asking for a quick help that you anticipate, end the letter.
8. Sign with your typed name.
 ADJUSTMENT LETTER
Adjustment letters are created to satisfy someone who has lodged a
complaint against your company, and they are generated for various types of
audiences: an unsatisfied client, unhappy employee, or a discontented supplier.
Most adjustment letters are written in response to a claim filed against the
company, but some are generated as a result of an internal discovery netting
information about a faulty product or negligent service.
Tips for writing Adjustment Letter

Organise the material – A must essential before one starts to write. Collect all
the relevant documents, previous correspondence, company policy, record of
previous such cases and other required material. Organizing these will establish
a framework and order in which to present information in the most appropriate
manner. The framework of your letter should be in sequential order.

Drafting – Drafting is the rough copy of your letter. It is open to mistakes and
editing. Since you have organised the material, you just need to use them in the
most effective manner making sure that you haven’t left out any important
aspect of the letter. Use the information of the outline and divide into short
paragraphs. Go through the contents again and refer them with the outline and
your objective. The opening and conclusion are of the utmost importance. The
conclusion sums up all in brief with a positive impression. Since you will be
mostly editing these on a PC, it is easy as you don’t need to waste paper.

Admit your Mistake and make Prompt Rectification – Once it has been
established that your client is actually a victim, initiate an instant rectification
process. Apologise and regret in the most responsible way using words which
will soothe the irritation or anger of the reader.

Maintain a Positive Tone – Adjustment letter with an adjusted tone towards

positive attitude works both ways. The client is satisfied and the vendor is also
satisfied. Always begin by sympathising your client, establishing a positive
tone. Make them feel understood. Only then you move to the next step, which is
to break the news, in favour or against.
Use Diplomatic Language – It comes across many times that clients are not
right. Here you have to be diplomatic so that complainer or claimer is satisfied
with your reasoning or logic.
 RESIGNATION LETTER
A resignation letter is a formal document that lets your employer know that you
are resigning from your position. It can be submitted either by email or printed
letter.

It lets you officially announce your departure from the company and offers
essential housekeeping information, like your last day and other details about
your exit. Ideally, you'll submit your resignation letter at least two weeks before
leaving the company.

An effective one helps you ensure a positive conversation with your boss and a
smooth transition to your next journey.

The format of a resignation letter typically goes as follows:

 Date and Salutation

Your letter should start with the date along with a formal salutation to your
manager. Nothing too complicated here — you simply want to provide a filing
date for HR, and to greet your manager courteously.

Although this step is simple, it effectively sets the tone for a professional and
respectful letter, which is what you always want in your resignation.

 A Statement of Resignation

Use the opening paragraph to state what role you're leaving, and when. This is
known as a statement of resignation. Like the greeting, it doesn't have to be
complicated at all. It's simply meant to provide your employer with the
necessary information surrounding your departure.

 Body Paragraph

You should use the body paragraph (singular! Not plural. We want the letter
to stay short) to express gratitude for your time at the company, as well as
share your exit plan.
 I highly recommend lingering on your gratitude. Take the opportunity to
reflect on your time at the company and express your appreciation for the
experiences you've had. Highlight any professional development or growth
you achieved while there.

Closing Paragraph
Although optional, you can use the closing paragraph to list your contact
information. I specially recommend it if you plan to use your former manager as
a reference. Thank them for the opportunity to work at the company and express
your interest in staying in touch. Provide your email address or phone number,
then sign your name.