WELCOME TO LETTER WRITING

Effective Letters

Objectives

Essential components

Formats

Different Types

Technical Writing Criteria

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Letters Objectives

Serve as external communication

Reflect on you and your company
Constitute a legally binding contract

No matter what type of letter you

write

Follow accepted letter formats

Maintain the proper tone
Avoid errors

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Letter Essentials

Letterhead (writers) address

Date
Reader inside address
Salutation
Text (Introduction, Body, Conclusion)
Complimentary close
Typed name and signature
Reference Section
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What is the first Question to ask

before you start writing a letter?
What is the purpose of writing this letter?

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What type of a letter is it?

Inquiry?

Cover ?

Good news ?

Bad news ?

Complaint?

Adjustment?

Sales?
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Audience Analysis
Who is my audience?

Customer?

Boss?

A Senior Manager?

Someone Skeptical?
(Unconvinced)
Someone Supportive?
Someone Antagonistic
(Aggressive)

Someone Disappointed?

A Colleague? Management Development Institute

Letters of Inquiry

Introduction
Clarify your intent in the introduction (why?)
Identify the subject matter (what?)

Discussion
Specify your needs
Ask precise questions or list specific topics

Do you need 250 ampoules of Hepatitis

B Vaccine by 20th of May 2004?
Conclusion
Conclude precisely
Provide dated action; explain why
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Cover Letter

Tells your readers up front what

they are receiving
Focuses your readers attention
on key points within the
enclosures
Continued .

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Cover Letters

Introduction

Discussion

Conclusion

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Good News Letters

Introduction

Explain:
Why youre
writing
Tell what youre
writing about
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Good News Letters

Discussion:

Explain
Exactly what has
justified the
grant of
customers wish
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Good News Letters

Conclusion:

what you plan next

When this action

will occur
why the date is
important
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Good News Letters

Do you appreciate
the good work of
your subordinates in
writing?
Please do that, it will
cost nothing and buy
you a lot of support
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Letter of Appreciation
to a subordinate

How should we begin that?

Congratulations, Muhammad Ali, on

your performance during the last
quarter. You have exhibited excellent
performance through dedication and
hard work and have surpassed your
sales quota by 25%. The director of
sales has also extended his
appreciation on your outstanding
performance.

Now announce the reward, if any

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Bad News Letters

1. Buffer (Defense)
2. Explanation
3. Decision
4. Friendly Positive Close

Tact is required

Couch the negatives in positive

terms.

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Bad News Letters

Introduction: begin with a buffer

Discussion: states the bad news;
preface your assertions with
quantifiable proof
Conclusion: give your readers an
opportunity for future success;
provide options to your readers
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Bad News Letters

1.

Buffer:

We appreciate your letter telling us about your

problem with the merchandize we shipped you six
months ago

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider

your credit application for 45 days instead of 30
days.

What Next after the good feelings generator?

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Bad News Letters

Possibilities of Buffer:

Agreement: Agree with your reader on

something, if possible (perhaps business

conditions, costs, or any other pertinent item

Appreciation: Thank the reader (for

information, application, request, inquiry,

cooperation, or whatever applies)

Assurance: Assure the reader of your careful

consideration and honest explanation of all
available facts about the problem
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Bad News Letters

Possibilities of Buffer:

Compliment: Try to compliment the reader

on something good about his past record or
request (sincerity, careful listing of facts or
other)

Cooperation: Show a sincere desire to be as

helpful as possible

Neutral Courtesy: Keep your opening

paragraph noncommittal. For instance, if you

must announce a price increase or service
decrease, use a neutral word such as change
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Bad News Letters

Possibilities of Buffer:

Good news: If you can grant any part of a

request, and you think your reader will be
pleased, begin with that good news.

Understanding: Show you understand or

sympathize with the readers problem

Warning: Buffers should be neutral,

avoid misleading the reader/customer
into thinking the news is good
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Bad News Letters

2.

Explanation after Buffer:

A.

Customer centric:

Convince the customer you are acting in

his or her best interests in the long run or
in accordance to a policy that is enforced
equally for all.

Avoid the insincere: Much as I would like

to however, .

Avoid reasons that suggest benefit to only

your firm.
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Bad News Letters

2.

Explanation after Buffer:

B.

Courteous Explanation:

Explain courteously all relevant facts

behind your decision

Mention first the favorable factors , then

the less favorable

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Bad News Letters

2.

Explanation after Buffer:

C.

Careful Consideration:

Show that the request has been carefully

considered for the readers benefit as well
as your companys

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Bad News Letters

3.

Decision After Explanation:

a.

Implied

b.

Expressed with Resale and/or

Helpful Suggestions

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Bad News Letters

4.
a.

b.

Friendly, Positive Close after Decision:

Offer assurances that you appreciate the
reader as a customer
Invite future patronage, cooperation,
suggestions, or compliance with decision.
Include mild, no-pressure sales promotional
material if you think reader would respond
favorably

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Bad News Letters

4.

Friendly, Positive Close after Decision:

c.

Make clear whatever action is required,

i. When to do it
ii. How to do it

easily if you need the readers

approval or if the reader must take
action
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Bad News Letters

4.

Friendly, Positive Close after Decision:

d.

Express continued
i.

interest

ii. Service
iii. Reader benefit
iv. Readers success with alternatives
v. Do not repeat the bad new
vi. Avoid statements such as I trust our
decision is satisfactory
vii. Or Let us know if you any further
problems
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Complaint Letters

Introduction: politely state the

problem; include supporting documents

Discussion: explain in detail the problems

experienced; be specific; document your
claims; state what you want done and why

Conclusion: end your letter positively;

reflect your companys professionalism;

include phone number and when you may be
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reached

Adjustment Letters

Also known as response to letter of complaint

100 Percent Yes Letter (good-news letter)

You agree 100 percent with the writer of the complaint letter

100 Percent No Letter (bad-news letter)

You disagree 100 percent with the writer of the complaint
letter

Partial Adjustment Letter

May agree with some of the writers complaints
May disagree with other aspects of the complaint

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Adjustment Letters
Err on the Side of Customer

Give him/her benefit of the doubt

Tone A considerate and courteous tone is important

Customer may have been irritated or inconvenienced

Do not show as if it is for own motives

Nevertheless, so that we can keep

you as satisfied customer, we are
willing to allow you to exchange these
items

Are there any objectionable words or phrases in the

above statement?
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Adjustment Letters

Err on the Side of the Side of Customer

There are objectionable words and

phrases in the statement below

Nevertheless, so that we can keep

you as a satisfied customer, we are
willing to allow you to exchange
these items

we can keep you is selfish

willing and allow you sound

condescending (Arrogant)
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Adjustment Letters
Err on the Side of the Side of Customer
But customer is important

What is a better and more courteous way

to convey the same message

Because we want you to be

completely pleased, we will gladly
exchange the consignment for you

Should you say sorry in this situation?

No, there is no need to

But definitely if you are at fault

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Adjustment Letters
Seller at Fault say late deliveries

In the first paragraph create

rapport (Relationship)
with the customer think what will please the customer
Scenario: Customer has threatened: either eliminate the delays in
your shipments or risk losing the business

What should be the opening?

You shall be glad to hear that we have found a

new way to speed deliveries of our medicines to

you. From now on your orders shall be delivered
within 48 hours from the date of receipt in our
order process department
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Adjustment Letters
Seller at Fault say late deliveries

You should generally include an

explanation of the problem or mistake

The late deliveries were being caused

due to overload on our staff during

the beginning of summer. We have
increased the number of order
processing personnel to serve our
customers better
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Adjustment Letters
When fault is not yet determined

You should generally include an

explanation of the problem or mistake
The late deliveries are a matter of

concern to us. We are investigating

the causes and shall endeavour to
process your orders most efficiently
and shall advise of you of future
procedure
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Sales Letters

Arouse reader interest

An anecdote, a question, a quotation, data

Develop your assertions

Specify exactly what you offer to benefit your
readers or how youll solve your readers
problems
Provide data to document your assertions
Give testimony from satisfied customers
Document your credentials

Make your readers act

Present an appealing style
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Letterhead/Date

It shows where the letter is

coming from and when it was
written.
Date is written two to six lines
below the last line of the
letterhead
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Readers Inside Address

Always blocked at the left hand margin

It includes name and address of the
receiver
Persons name is preceded by a courtesy
title followed by a business or executive
title

Dr. Uzair-ul-Ghani, Consultant

Amson Vaccine and Pharma (Pvt) Limited
Civil Lines
Rawalpindi

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Salutation

Friendly greeting that precedes

the body of the letter.
It is typed on the second line
below the inside address and two
lines above the body, left
aligned.
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Body

Organize according to an appropriate plan

Keep first and last paragraph short

Average sentence length 17 to 20 words

Achieve C qualities

Clarity
Conciseness
Completeness
Concreteness

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Complimentary Close

Most businesses use one of the

following:
Sincerely
Cordially
Truly
Only the first letter in the first word is
capitalized
Sincerely yours
or
Yours sincerely
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Signature Area

Signature area can have three or

four identifications
Name of your company
Your signature
Your typewritten name, and
Your business title

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Signature Area
Company name
If the letter is being written on the
company letterhead, it is not
necessary. The company is considered
responsible for the contents of the
letter.

If you wish to include companys

name then type it in all capital letters
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Signature Area
Signature, Typewritten Name, and
Business Title

The signature is pen written above the

typed name, which appears three to five
lines under either the company name or
the complimentary close

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Reference Section

Initials of the dictator of the

message and those of typist
usually appear at the left margin
on the same line with the last
line of the signature area or one
or two lines below it.
AH:ra, ah:ra
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Introduction

Why are you writing?

What are you writing about?

For example -- As one of the leading

pharmaceutical companies of Pakistan, we have
pleasure in inviting you to our seminar on drug
abuse through self medication taking place on
26th and 27th April 2004..
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Optional Letter Components

Writers and typists initials

Enclosure notation
Two spaces below the typed
signature or two spaces below the
writer and typist initials
Enc: or Enclosure:
Show the number of enclosures -Enclosures (2)
Or specify what has been enclosed
Enclosures: January Invoice
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Optional Letter Components

Copy notation
A complimentary copy is
designated by a lowercase cc:
A photocopy is designated by a
lowercase pc:
Type notation two spaces below
the typed signature or two
spaces below either the writers
or typists initials or enclosure
notation.
List the readers names
following the copy notation.

Management Development Institute

Sincerely,
Muhammad Ali
Enclosure: August Report
pc: Uzma Maqsood

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Letter Formats

Full Block

Modified Block

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Full Block

Every line begins at the left

margin
Typed single spaced with a blank
line between paragraphs
It saves time
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Modified Block

Its paragraphs are indented five or

more spaces
Date may be centered or placed at the
horizontal center of the page
Attention line could begin at the left
margin or can be centered
Continued
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Modified Block
Continued from previous slide .
Complimentary close begins at the
center of the page

Reference initials could begin at the left

margin aligned with the last last line of
the complimentary close.
Enclosure notation starts at the left
margin on the second line after the
reference section
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Technical Writing Criteria

Summary

Clarity
Conciseness
Accessibility/Design
Audience recognition
Audience involvement
Accuracy
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ank You for Being a Wonder

Audience

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