Business writing

E-mail

Objectives of the Program

Identify rising needs of business correspondence skills Understand the various elements of an email Identify various types of email Learn characteristics of high-impact emails Learn ways to improve email writing skills

What is Communication?
The Transfer of Ideas, Emotions, Thoughts and Opinions from the Sender to the Receiver in such a way, that the receiver understands them in the same meaning that the sender wishes to communicate

Communication Media
There are 2 broad media of communication: Verbal Written

What is Business Writing

Business writing is persuasive writing At the most basic level, business writing seeks to convince the reader that what is being said is true Some business writing will try to persuade the reader to take an action or think about something a certain way

Types of Business Mails

Acceptance Letter Acknowledgement Letter Adjustment Letter Application Letter Complaint Letter Inquiry Letter Reference Letter Refusal Letter Resignation Letter

Standard Structure
There are 8 important parts in a standard business mail: Address Fields to / cc / bcc Subject Greeting Opening Lead-ins Body / Content Closing Statement Signature

Your Mail Recipients to, cc

First Party (Direct Recipient)

Does the person need to have a copy?

Second Party (Courtesy Copy)

NOTE: The recipients in the cc field are usually not expected to undertake any action as a result of the email?

Your Mail Recipients bcc

A bcc is a copy sent to another party without the knowledge of the person receiving the original email

Third Party (Blind Courtesy Copy)

Is bcc appropriate?

Subject Grab Their Attention!

Tips for writing great subject lines:

Use clear, concise, descriptive wording Choose words that are meaningful Word the subject line to evoke interest Avoid trying to trick readers into opening the email Restrict yourself to one subject per message

The Power of Greeting

Why?
Sets The Stage Politeness is Your Weapon !

Acceptable Greetings in Business Email

Dear.. Hi

Opening
Opening statements may be used to establish rapport:

Hope you are having a nice day. Thank you for your response. "I am writing in response to the case opened in relation to (person)."

Rapport-building statements may be inappropriate in some situations

Lead-ins
The first line or paragraph of the body of an email
Importance of Writing Terrific Lead-ins: Structures the message so the reader knows whats it about Captures readers attention and motivates them to read on

Body-Building
Characteristics of High-impact Emails:

Simple and Concise Organised Content Appropriate Words and Sentence Construction Effective Language

Complimentary closing
1. Formal Dear Sir or Madam Dear Mr./Ms/Mrs./Miss Smith Truly yours Yours faithfully

2. Less formal Dear John Best wishes Yours sincerely

Sample of a Standard Email

Email etiquettes

E-Mail Etiquette
Etiquette is defined as: the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life In English Its set of rules to communicate in a civilized way.

Etiquette The Basics

Get to the point Plain text still rules Abbreviations

General Format: Lists and Bullets

When you are writing directions or want to emphasize important points, number your directions or bullet your main points.

General Format: Tone

Write in a positive tone When you complete the report. instead of If you complete the report. Avoid negative words that begin with un, non, ex or that end with less (useless, nonexistent, ex-employee, undecided).

Use smiles , winks ;), and other graphical symbols only when appropriate.

General Format: Addresses

Avoid sending emails to more than four addresses at once. Instead, create a mailing list so.

Attachments

When you are sending an attachment tell your respondent what the name of the file is, what program it is saved in, and the version of the program. This file is in MSWord 2000 under the name LabFile.

General Tips for Electronic Mailing Lists

Avoid discussing private concerns and issues. It is okay to address someone directly on the list. Ex, Hi Leslie, regarding your question Change the subject heading to match the content of your message. When conflict arises on the list speak in person with the one with whom you are in conflict.

Delivering Bad News

Deliver the news up front:

We are unable to order Possibly, most likely new computers this quarter due to budget Perhaps, maybe cuts.
Avoid blaming:

More examples of hedging are:`

I think it will be hard to recover from this, but what can I do to help?

Brevity and Concision

Preview your main idea so that readers will know what to expect

Reader Expectation:

Dear Personnel Director: On April 12, I received a phone call from Ms. Sara Jacob from Mumbai, who was once a data entry clerk in your Bangalore office. She was under the direct supervision of.....

Get to the Point!

Dear Personnel Director: Would you verify the employment of Ms. Sara Jacob? She was a data entry clerk in your Mumbai office. (fill in the details)

Simplicity and Clarity

Do not feel compelled to use bigger words or more complex sentences

Subsequent to the passage of the subject legislation, it is incumbent upon you to advise your organization to comply with it.

Reader Expectation:

Keep it simple!

After the law passes, you must tell your people to comply with it.

Organisation of Content
The order in which information is presented

Group similar information together Keep paragraphs short One paragraph for one central idea Things to Remember

Develop the central idea with concrete facts and evidence Evaluate. Reorganize, if necessary

Sentencessize matters!

Long sentences: Hard to read Cant be visually scanned Lose their meaning Short sentences: Add impact Easily understood Can be speed-read

Top 1o mistakes to avoid when writing a E-mail

Mistake 1: Thinking e-mail is good for everything Mistake 2: Not writing e-mail from the reader's perspective Mistake 3: Forgetting about the importance of etiquette Mistake 4: BCC-ing the world Mistake 5: Believing that an erased e-mail is gone forever Mistake 6: Viewing instant messages as less 'formal' than e-mail Mistake 7: Assuming people have time to read your entire message Mistake 8: Mismatching the sender's tone Mistake 9: Lack of a clear request Mistake 10: Not re-reading before you hit 'send'

Major No-Nos

Typing in UPPER CASE Use a meaningful subject Sending Spam via email or in chat room Forwarding jokes with 200 email addresses at the top of the page Large File Attachments Forgetting to re-read the email before sending

Jeff write an E-mail

Video Time

32

Thank you
Prepared by: Asmaa Moussa