Business letters

Business letters
• Business letter has to ask for or communicate
some information on the basis of which some
business transaction takes place
• Written messages are used for requesting and
giving information, contacting potential
customers, making relations with customers,
making and answering complaints,
• The writer will get the desired response if the
message is conveyed in a manner which will gain
the reader’s attention
 Business letters

Planning the message involves

1. Why you want to communicate-
the purpose
2. To whom the message is to be sent
3. What is to be achieved- the desired
response of the receiver
So decide on the content and make a
note, make sure that all details are
included and put them in a logical order
 Business letters
• The qualities essential for a good letter are called the Cs of
communication.
• These qualities are correctness, clarity, conciseness and
courtesy.
1. Correctness
• Correct spelling, grammar, language
• Avoid mis spelt names, check with extra care
• Use consistency of numbers, units of measures,
punctuations, hyphens, capital letters, spelling, etc.
• Place different parts correctly on the letterhead, evenly
spaced, proper margins and neatness needs to be
maintained
• Include correct information i.e. content should be relevant
• Correct day, date time numbers should be checked
• Letter should be complete. Not to miss any detail.
 Business letters
Clarity
• People generally appreciate a letter which takes less time
to read and understand
• Language should be simple, use of simple words
• E.g.
Incombustible or fireproof
Optimum or best
Terminate or end
• Write simple sentences, long sentences confuse, avoid
ambiguous writing, ‘write to express, not to impress’
• E.g. ‘Certain remedies are available’
• Give concrete details, figures and names
• Logical sequence of ideas: logical connection of ideas
makes any easything to understand
 Business letters
• Conciseness means to express in few words
without sacrificing on clarity
• Leave out unnecessary words like, actual
experience, round in shape, new innovation, etc
• Use fewer words for many e.g. ‘we would
appreciate the goods being delivered at the
earliest…’or
‘I am in receipt of your communication and express
my sincere thanks for…’
• Readers are thankful to precise and clear messages
 Business letters
• Courtesy or being thoughtful to others feelings - qualities
of a well mannered person
• Use courtesy words, please, thank you and sorry wherever
necessary and also express proper feelings like sympathy,
good wishes, congratulations, etc.
• Requests must be made courteously e.g. please look in to
the matter
kindly send us the
payment
• Courtesy also means being prompt in responding, be
prompt in replying to a complain or a problem
• The choice of words will reflect your tone
• A courteous letter has the best chance to get a favourable
response.
 Business letters
Style of business letters
• Avoid business jargon. Letters written these days are
simple in style
• Dealing with technical terms like ‘fixed assets, yield,
liabilities, etc. should not be used just to sound impressive
• Meanings and association of certain words profit,
investigation, computerization, failure, etc suggest typical
ideas and must be used skillfully so that the letter is not
offensive to the reader
• Many situations need tactful ways to convey the message
like insisting, refusing, pointing mistake, etc.
• Use positive words even to convey a negative message
• Important details may be highlighted by underlining or
using italics.
 Business letters

Parts of a Business Letter

For convenient handling and processing
correspondence in an organization is structured.
1.Since letters serve as records, some routine details
are necessary to make up a letter.
2.Different parts have their fixed locations on the
sheet.
3.Their order of placing from top to bottom is same
for all styles
4.Slight variation in placement from left to right
according to different styles
Parts of a Business Letter
The main parts of a letter are
• Date
• Inside address
• Salutation
• Complimentary close
• Signature
Other inclusions according to requirement are
• Reference number
• Subject line
• Attention line
• Enclosures
• Courtesy copies
• Sender’s and Typist’s initial
• Date
• Date is written in full, Name of the month to be
spelled in full and year to be written in four
figures,
• in British practice, the order is day, month year,
with no commas. E.g.16 June 2009
• In American practice, the order is month, day,
year with a comma after the date only,
June 16, 2009
• Writing 1st, 2nd, etc. is outdated
Purpose: The date provides for reference in further
correspondence and in following up the issues.
• Reference number
• Typically it includes letter number, file
number or some other filing details
• Earlier the words Ref. no. were printed on
the letter head, but it is outdated
• Purpose: It makes it easy to locate a file
related to an issue
• Inside Address
• Name and address of the receiver
• Receiver’s name should be in the same way as
they sign. E.g. Pramod K. Gupta, should be
addressed as Mr. Pramod K. Gupta
• In case the letter has to be sent abroad write the
name of the country in the last line of the address
• Special marking
• When the letter is confidential, it is mentioned
above the inside address, either at the left margin
or in the centre.
CONFIDENTIAL or Confidential
Attention line is put only when the name of
the person concerned with the matter is
known
1. It is put after the inside address and
before the salutation
2. At the left margin or in the centre
Purpose: The letter is directed to the
individual by name so that it reaches the
person without delay.
Attention: Ms. A.K. Patel
 Subject Line
• Introduced by the word Subject or Re [ in the matter of, in case of
and not reference] but this is outdated, now in modern style it is
written without any introduction
• It is placed above or below the salutation When attention line is
written, subject line will be written after the salutation.
• It is placed at the centre or at the left margin [in Full Block form].

Dear Mr. Lall

ORDER CONFIRMATION
or Order Confirmation

Purpose :
1. Gives brief indication of the matter
2. Adds to the clarity
3. Focus reader’s attention
4. Useful for classifying and filing
 Salutation
• Below the inside address, at the margin.
• Usually followed by a comma[,] in American style
followed by a colon[:], Full Block style has no
punctuation
• Salutation matches the first line of the inside
address. Addressed to organization- Gentlemen or
Dear Sirs. Addressed to the designation, The Sales
Manager- Dear Sir or Dear Madam
• These days, to personalize we mention name with
the designation e.g. Mr. G. M. Shah, Production
Manager- in that case Dear Mr. Shah [ last name ]
 Complimentary close
• Written two line spaces below the close of
the letter
• Usually placed at the right followed by a
comma, but in full block and NOMA
STYLE- at the left margin with no comma.
• First word begins with capital Yours
faithfully, Faithfully yours, Yours truly,
Truly yours, Sincerely yours when
salutation has the name of the addressee
• Respectfully yours- very formal, used for
high public official
• Signature
• Placed below the complimentary close
• After 3to 4 line spaces, the name of signatory is
typed
• Designation/ title is typed below the name
Yours sincerely Sincerely yours,

Purushottam Rana Abhilasha Roy

Marketing Head Chief Consultant

When signed by other person for is shown before

the printed name.
 Reference section
• It has enclosures, names of persons to
receive copies, type of delivery service,
initials of the persons who dictated and
typed the letter
• Purpose: for the dispatch department and
initials for future reference and
accountability.
• Encl: 1 or Encls: 3 or Encl: Quotation
• copy: Mr. S. Kumar
• PS/rt
• Postscript
• A wee bit of writing not more than 1 or 2
lines
• Often written in hand after the signature and
signed again
• It is something not related to the main
message, not to write a point forgotten.
• It is usually written to add a friendly
personal note
• P.S. Wish you good luck in your new
venture
P.S. Good Luck always!