Writing Business Letters

Formats, Styles, Types,

Purposes:
(a) Of Initiating a Letter: - Request - Invitation - Order - Seeking replacement

(b) Of a Reply :

- Refute Allegations - Defend Action

- Apologise

Aesthetic Page Placement of Letter Standard Grammar 2 Good Sentence Transition 3 Sound presentation of ideas in logically & coherently ordered Paragraphs

Attractive, Durable Stationery

r o F nael C et ar ucc A

Acceptable Print Format 1. Physical Appearance creates first-glance impression 2. Grammatical elements are noticed as the material is being read 3. Validity of ideas & logical organisation of content are noticed

t ner e ho C, dec nal a B

Correct Spelling

Organising
Full name of Sender, Organisation, Complete address

(Letterhead) Date Reference Number Name, address of recipient Subject Matter Salutation Reference No. & date of letter received (If reply) Body Complimentary close Signature, Name & Designation Encl: / acc: cc:

Formats of Business Letter

Full Block Layout : All parts of the letter begin at Left,

paragraphs not indented, not justified Modified Block Layout: date, complimentary close, signature block align with the closing lines, paragraphs not indented, not justified Semi-Block: similar to modified but paragraphs are indented, unjustified Simplified: resembles block style except that salutation & complimentary close are omitted; subject line in CAPITAL LETTERS

Types of Business Letter

Direct Request Letter Inquiry Letter Letters placing Orders Letter of Instruction Letter urging Action Complaint letters Adjustment Letters Sales Letters Letters of Reference Letters of Transmittal Good News & Bad News Acknowledgement

Direct Request Letter

Dear Mr X, We saw your advertisement in The Times of India about one of your important products. The advertisement caught our attention as we are interested in this product.In fact, we want to equip our corporate office with modern facilities and we would like to buy this product. However, we cannot send the purchase order unless we know about this product. Send us more information about the product as soon as possible. We want to know many things, which include product specialisation and special features of this model of the product, details of discount for bulk purchase, an estimate for the cost of the product, and details regarding terms of business and delivery dates. Respond to this letter as early as possible. Yours sincerely,

Direct Request Letter

Dear Mr X, Please refer to your advertisement in the April 22 issue of The Times of India (New Delhi edition) about the HP ScanJet 3200C scanner. Our company is interested in buying sixty scanners for our corporate office. We would be glad if you could send us more information about the product. Specifically, we need the following information: product specification and special features of HP ScanJet 3200C model details of discount for bulk purchase an estimate for the cost of sixty units terms of business and delivery dates We look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely,

Inquiry Letter
Dear Mr X, Please provide information regarding training courses for field staff involved in aggressive selling of tour packages. We presently have 24 sales trainees who need training in sales and marketing skills. Kindly send us the following information to enable us to choose the right course for them: List of courses best suitable for our Sales staff Duration of each course Course content Fee structure We would be glad if you could send us the information before May 25. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely,

Positive Reply to Inquiry Letter

Dear Mr Y, As requested, we are sending you detailed information about the training courses for field staff involved in aggressive selling of tour packages, and our business terms, in the enclosed booklet. We are the leaders in imparting such training programmes and would be privileged to do business with a reputed company like yours. You could also visit our website www.sfc_training.com to receive more information about our company including a list of our participant organisations. We hope that the enclosed information will help you make your decision. Just send us an e-mail if you need any other information. We look forward to receiving the work order from you. Sincerely,

Negative Reply to Inquiry Letter

Dear Mr Y, We appreciate your efforts to improve the professional knowledge and skills of your sales staff, and would be privileged to arrange training courses for reputed companies like yours. We receive a large number of requests from big companies to organise training programmes for their sales staff. However, we conduct only ten such courses in a year. We have already finalised the list of the companies for whom we are going to conduct the courses during 200506. Therefore, we are not in a position to give you the course details, and other related information for this year. We thank you for your interest in our organisation and its training packages. If you wish, we would be glad to include your name in the list of companies for 2006-07 training year. With best wishes, Yours sincerely,

Complaint letters
I would like to point out a billing error in my May and July telephone bills. According to the May bill (see copy attached), I had to pay an arrear of Rs 4500/- for January and March bills. As these bills were already paid in April 2005, I pointed out the error to the Accounts Officer (TR), Dhanbad, and he assured me that the error would be rectified. However, in my July bill (copy attached), the same arrear has appeared again. Moreover my telephone number 23560879 has been disconnected because your computer claims that I have not paid the telephone bills for more than three months. Please correct this error and instruct the concerned department to reconnect my telephone without any reconnection charge. I have enclosed the receipts for all the bills paid by me since April 2005. I would appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Response to Complaint letters

This has reference to your letter dated July 15 pointing out a billing error in your May and July telephone bills. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. I discussed the problem with our Accounts Officer, who informed me that our computer did not show your payment because you made the payment manually. As the list of manual payments reached the Accounts Department after the July bills had been finalised, your telephone was disconnected. The errors have been corrected and you will receive the corrected bills within a week. In the meantime, your telephone line has been reconnected, and you do not have to pay any reconnection charge.

Complaint Letters
Nursery Plants worth $572 Dry and wilted. One came out by the roots when I took it out of the box. Please send me a replacement shipment immediately

Response 5
Youll get a replacement shipment of the perennials you ordered next week. Your plants are watered carefully before shipment and packed in specially designed cardboard containers. But if the weather is unusually warm, or if the truck is delayed, small roots may dry out. Perhaps, this happened with your plants. The violas, diitalis, aquilegias and hostas you ordered are long-blooming perennials that will get even prettier each year. Enjoy your garden.

Letter Placing Orders

Please send the following items on the business terms agreed upon: Catalogue No. 128 235 Item Description HP Pavilion T2501 Desktop HP ScanJet 3200C Quantity 05 05

We would be grateful if you could send the items duly insured. The insurance charges may be included in the bill. We would appreciate receiving the items by December 15, 2005. As desired, we would make the payment by crossed bank draft. Sincerely,

Letter Giving Instructions

I am writing to inform you that I have lost my cheque book number SB234567890. Please issue mea new cheque book. Also, stop any payment against any cheque bearing the numbers 233601 to 233650. I have signed the cheque requisition slip and handed over the same to my office peon for collecting the cheque book on my behalf. I would be obliged if you could give him the cheque book. Thanking you, Sincerely,

Writing Plan for a Letter of Recommendation

Opening: Identify the applicant, the position, and the reason for writing. Establish your relationship with the applicant. Body: Describe applicants job duties; give specific examples of skills and attributes. Compare with others in field. Closing: Summarize applicants significant attributes. Offer an overall rating. Draw a conclusion regarding the recommendation.

Goodwill Messages
1. Letters of appreciation To customers for their business To hosts and hostesses for their hospitality To colleagues for jobs well done To individuals who have performed favors 2. Letters of congratulation For engagements, marriages, anniversaries, births For promotions, appointments For awards For any significant event 3. Letters of sympathy To console

Tips for Writing Goodwill Messages

The Five Ss
Be selfless. Discuss the receiver, not the sender. Be specific. Instead of generic statements (You did a good job), include special details (Your marketing strategy to target key customers proved to be outstanding). Be sincere. Show your honest feelings with conversational, unpretentious language (We're all very proud of your award). Be spontaneous. Strive to make the message natural, fresh, and direct. Avoid canned phrases (If I may be of service, please do not hesitate . . . . ). Keep the message short. Although they may be as long as needed, most goodwill messages are fairly short.

Writing Thank-Yous
Cover three points in gift thank-yous. Identify the gift. Tell why you appreciate it. Explain how you will use it. Be sincere in sending thanks for a favor. Tell what the favor means to you. Avoid superlatives Maintain credibility with sincere, simple statements. Offer praise in expressing thanks for hospitality. As appropriate, compliment the following: - Fine food - Charming surroundings - Warm hospitality - Excellent host and hostess - Good company

Answering Congratulatory Messages

Respond to congratulations. Send a brief note expressing your appreciation. Tell how good the message made you feel. Accept praise gracefully. Don't make belittling comments (I'm not really all that good!) to reduce awkwardness or embarrassment.

Extending Sympathy
Refer to the loss or tragedy directly but sensitively. In the first sentence mention the loss and your personal reaction. For deaths, praise the deceased. Describe positive personal characteristics (X was a forceful but caring leader). Offer assistance. Suggest your availability, especially if you can do something specific. End on a reassuring, positive note. Ex. refer to the strength the receiver finds in friends, family, colleagues, etc.