TOPIC 5: BUSINESS LETTER

Dr. Richard Jaffu

Department of Business
Administration
 Concept: Business Letter
A formal written document through which
organizations to communicate with their
stakeholders. A good letter should:
• Clear
• Concise
• Correct
• Courteous
• Conversational
• Convincing
• Complete
 Effective Business
Correspondence: Basic Principles
1. Place the Reader First
•It helps to use the right tone, language and
amount of detail.
2. Keep to the Point
•Know the exact aim of the letter
•It helps to produce a clear letter
 Basic Principles…
3. Set the Right tone
•Be friendly, yet efficient.
•It helps readers to know that there is someone at
the other end who notices and takes an interest in
their concerns.
4.Write a Strong Opening
•It helps to gain the readers’ attention.
•E.g. I write with reference to our last telephone
conversation regarding……
 Basic Principles…
5. Write a Strong Close
•End the letter on a polite and business like tone.
•Typical final paragraphs opens room for further
conversations and dealings
E.g. I look forward to hear from you and in the
meantime, should you have any queries, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
 Importance of Business Letters
• Help to strengthening relationships with
stakeholders
• They help in conveying information that is
confidential or complex.
• They can be filed for future reference
 Components of Business Letters
Heading
•It contains the writer’s address and the date of the
letter.
Inside address
•The inside addresses shows the name/title and
address of the recipient
Salutation
•It is a formal greeting in business letters
•Usually, Dear Sir/Madam followed by a comma
 Components of Business Letters
Subject Line
•It announces the main business of the letter.
Eg. Re: Application for the Post of Procurement
Officer II
Body of the Letter
•It contains the actual message
Complementary Clause
•Short and polite ending of the letter.
E.g. Sincerely yours’
 Components of Business Letters
Signature he signature of the writer.
Name and/Title
 Job Application Letter
• It is used to signal that a person is interested in a
certain job (advertised or not advertised)

• It is where the applicant markets himself in brief

• It is normally accompanied by a detailed resume.

 Job Application Letters
Important Parts of Job Application Letter
1. Introduction
•It should be as appealing as possible.
•Should mention the position in question
2. The Body
•Importantly, highlights the applicants work
experience alongside the skills that are essential
for the job position.
 Job Application Letter
3. Concluding Part
•Attracts the prospective employer to contact
you.
•Mention about the enclosed resume
•Show interest to appear for an interview
 Resignation Letter
•When an individual resigns, it is imperative that he
does not burn any bridges.
•Never speak/state negatively about any
person/leader/colleague.
•State the reason in general terms
•Show that you are ready to come back if
circumstances (be general) change
 Inquiry letter
• It is useful when you need information,
advice, names or directions.
• Letters of inquiry are written also to inquire
about a product or service.
 Complaint Letter
It tells someone that an error has occurred
E.g. when wrong goods are dispatched
Its important that you:
• Inform about the problem
• Use a good tone
• Suggest a solution to rectify the problem.
• Refer to the order number to avoid ambiguity in
communication.
 Adjustment Letter
It deals with complaints and claims
Keep in mind the following:
• Acknowledge the complaints
• Thank the customer for bringing the matter to
your knowledge.
• Express regret and promise to rectify the error.
• Even if the complaint is baseless, avoid being
rude.
• Avoid self saving
 Letter of Recommendation
•It is usually for recommending a person for a job
position or admission or promotion
•Unless it is unavoidable, normally, it states positive
aspects of the applicant
 Appreciation Letter
•This is a letter written to appreciate someone’s
work in the organization.
•It is normally written by a superior to a junior.
 Sales Letter
•This is written to advertise and promote a
product.
•It aims at the following:
 Catching the reader’s attention.
 Creating a desire
 Pointing out the benefits, features and
advantages of the product
 Inducing action (pursued the reader to take
action
 Letters Addressed to More than
One Person
•The addresses of the concerned must be written at
the left hand side.
•The addresses should follow the hierarchy.
•The one who is in the higher rank should appear at
the top followed by those with lower ranks.
•All the subordinates are introduced by an
abbreviation “u.f.s” (under further signature)
E.g. Principal,
u.f.s Dean,
 Memorandums(Memo)
•It is a document written to pass information
between people and departments within an
organization.
•It is the primary means of internal
communication in business.
 Memorandum v.s Letter
Memo Letter
Internal internal and external
Used to convey Goes to a specific person
Information to a large
group at once.
Memos do not have Letters do have addresses
addresses .
 Parts of a Memo
1.To line
•This indicates the receiver of the memo.
•It is signified by the word ‘To’.
•After the ‘To line’ The notation CC may be used to
indicate that copies of the memorandum are to be
sent to someone else.
2.From line
•This indicates the sender of the memo.
•It is signified by the word ‘From’.
 Parts of a Memo
3.Date line
•The date the memo is written.
4.Subject line
•This is the heading of the memo.
5.The body
•This carriers the information you want to
communicate.
6.Signature
•Validation of the memo
 Parts of a Memo
E.g.
To: All Staff
From: Head(Department of Business Adm.)
Date:29th November,2017
Subject: Invigilation of LG112 test
I am writing to inform you that you are required to
invigilate LG 112 test on…………
Signature
 Why Memos?
•To Inform details of a meeting, conversation etc
•To Suggest solutions for various problems.
•To Request 
•To explain on something not understood
initially.
•To announce about something like changes
•To report
•To caution or warn
Thanks for Listening
 Footnotes
• These are notes at the bottom of the page
 They provide additional information
 They are used as citations
• They are common in Chicago Manual Style
(CMS)
• They are discouraged in American Psychological
Association (APA)
• Thus, they are used only when necessary,
especially to provide additional information