Business Letters

Introduction
A letter written for the purpose of business
STANDARD PARTS / STRUCTURE OF A BUSINESS LETTER

Signature & Reference

Letter Head
Designation Initials

Complimentary Enclosure &

Date
Closure Copy Line

Inside Name
Message
and Address

Courtesy Title Salutation

Characteristics of a Good Business
Letter
Keep Readers
Tone should
Interest In Be Sincere
be correct
Mind

To the Point Active Voice Persuasion

Conciseness Salesmanship
 Styles of Business Letters

Full Block Indented

Form Form

Modified
Semi Block
Block Form
Types of Business Letters
ON THE BASIS OF PURPOSE

PROBLEM GOODWILL
INFORMATION SALES LETTER
LETTER LETTER
LETTER

Routine Enquiries Greetings

Voluntary Offers Complaints
Quotations
Orders Thanks
Payments

Travellers Concessions Congratulations

Special Purpose
Circulars Condolence
Personnel
Agencies Employment Overdue Accounts
Travel Sympathy
Types of Business Letters
ON THE BASIS OF APPROACH

DIRECT INDIRECT
PERSUASIVE
(GOOD NEWS) (BAD NEWS)
Appointments
Rejecting Loan
Application Offer of Sales
Orders Service
Enquiries
Rejecting candidate
Promotion of the Interview

Intimation Job Application

Refusing to approve
Routine Letters Leaves
Types of Business Letters
OFFICIAL LETTERS

Demi- Form Internal

Official Letter Letter
Correspondence
Government Government
Acknowledgement Office
Reminders
Semi Government
Interviews

Notices Business
Office Bodies Organization
Appointments
Types of Business Letters
On the basis of Subject

Inquiries

Orders

Credit Information

Complaint

Sales Promotion

Appointment
Types of Business Letters
On the basis of Correspondence

Personnel Sales Purchase

Department Department Department

Application Quotation
Advertisement
Invites

Complaints

Interview Sales Circulars

Schedule Orders
Persuasive Letter
• Letters that sell ideas to others
• Creates interest on the subject
Opening Sentence:
Catches readers attention
“At last you can build your own house”
“Get 10% off on every purchase”
Middle Section:
Details of the product/Scheme/Job Description
Why reader should accept the proposal
Action to be taken – ‘Yes’ reply
Last Paragraph:
Reminder to the reader of special benefits
Deadline
Persuasive Letter
AIDA MODEL
in
Persuasive Message/Persuasive Letter
A ATTENTION Audience Attention – Encourage – Want to hear about your
Idea. Don’t be pushy. Aggressive Opening

I INTEREST Raises Audience Interest. Paint a picture of a problem that

you will solve

D DESIRE Change attitude – Offering Ideas – How change will benefit

personally and professionally. Answer expected questions in
the mind of the reader.

A ACTION Motivate to take action – Toll Free #, Website, Deadline

Positive Letter/Good News Letter
Opening Paragraph:
State the good news
Don’t wait till the end

Middle Paragraph:
State conditions if any
If both Negative /Positive, then Positive first
Reason – Negative

Closing Paragraph:
Call for Action
Negative Letter/Bad News Letter
 Very Challenging
 Loss of friendship/Goodwill
 No direct statement – “NO”
 Hint of Apology
 Negative information first
 Don’t glow over bad news
 Gently
 Give reasons
 Don’t say “Sorry” directly
 Include positive message at the end of the letter
 Be sincere
CIRCULAR
Reports
Letter format
Schematic Report
• Findings
• Data
• Conclusion
• Recommendation
 PROCESS OF REPORT WRITING

Investigating
Analyze the Making Writing
source of Taking Notes
Data Outline Report
Information
 Kinds of Reports

On the basis of On the basis of On the basis of On the basis of On the basis of On the basis of
Legal Requirement Formality Function Frequency Subject Matter Length
•Informational
•Formal Report Report •Routine Report •Marketing Report •Short Report
•Statutory Report
•Informal Report •Interpretative •Special Report •Accounting Report •Long Report
•Non Statutory
Report •Production Report
Report
Objectives of Reports

Measure Help in
Provide
Executive combating
information
performance changes

Helps in
Coordination Contact
controlling

Record Recommend
Keeping Action
PROPOSALS
An offer by one party to provide a
product/service to another party in exchange
for money
 Structure of Proposal
• Cover Letter
• Title Page
• Reference to Authorization
• Table of Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Proposal Summary
• Purpose
• Problem/Need
• Background
• Benefits of the Proposal
• Description of the Solution
• Evaluation Plan
• Qualification of Personnel
• Time Schedule
• Cost
• Glossary
• Appendix
• Reference List
MEMO
Self Study
PRESS RELEASE
Self Study
PRESS CONFERENCE
Self Study
MEDIA INTERVIEWS
Self Study
MEETINGS
Meaning
When two or more than two persons meet
Coming together as an assembly for a
common purpose
STAGES OF MEETING

Planning the Meeting

Procedure during the

Meeting

Procedure after the

Meeting
PLANNING THE MEETING
Objectives of the Meeting
• What is the end goal?

Participants of the Meeting

• Chairperson
• Facilitator
• Participants
• Recorder

Timing & Venue of the Meeting

Materials, Equipments, Refreshments, Room Layout

Leading the Meeting

Procedure during the meeting
Procedure after the meeting
MEETING DOCUMENTATION
NOTICES
• Given to the attendees before the meeting
• Ideally one week in advance
• Date, Time and place of the meeting
• Includes AGENDA
• Date of the Notice

Letter Head – Center

Date – Left Hand Corner - Top
NOTICE – Heading Center
Name of the Organizer - Left Hand Corner - Bottom
AGENDA
• Roadmap for the meeting
• List of items to be discussed
• Before the meeting

Start Time End Time Location/Venue

Duration of
Topic Headings Topic Detail
each topic

Discussion
Objective for
Leader for each
each Agenda
topic
RESOLUTION
• Decisions taken at a meeting
• Proposals are presented and voting is done
TYPES OF RESOLUTION

Ordinary Special
Resolution [Sec Resolution [Sec
189 (1)] 189 (2)]

Resolution
requiring special
notice [Sec 190]
MINUTES (MOM)
• Records the essence of the meeting
• Absentees can be on par with the discussion
• Discussion/Conclusions/Recommended/Task
assigned
Types of MOM

Minutes of Minutes of
Resolutions Narration

Verbatim
Minutes
Writing MINUTES (MOM)
Members
Purpose Title
Present

Chair’s Minutes Action

Comments Numbering Points

Language
Layout
Used