This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read. -- Sir Winston Churchill
There is more to business writing than we give it credit for; it is not just about memorandums and proposals but also about human emotions and relationships. If we break away from the black and white of business writing, we can find that the range and form of business writing is exciting and varied, as opposed to the clinical feeling that it often is associated with. Business letters are those that are produced by someone at a business and usually go to another business or a customer, as opposed to personal letters, which are more informal and tend to go from person to person. Business letters: If we were to define business letters, we could say that business letters are simply letters dealing with business. They can be external mail sent by one company to another or internal correspondence to the employees of the company. Business letters need to follow a certain format, no matter which type they are. Often business letters are the first contact one makes with a prospective client or an employer; hence, it becomes critical that you get the tone and message of the letter right to make a good impression. Though a simple enough document to produce, writing effective business letters can be quite a challenge. Here is a short review list to know when writing business letters.
As far as formatting of a letter goes, given below is the standard format of any business letter:
Each of these areas has a proper place, depending on which type of letter you are creating. What goes in each area also may vary, depending on whom the letter is being sent to and who is writing it. There are three main styles of business letter: block, modified block, and semi-block styles. Each is written in much the same way, including the same information, but the layout varies slightly for each one.
You should pay special attention to the font when typing a business letter. Even if you do the entire form exactly right and choose the wrong font, it can still make the document look very unprofessional and even hard to read. Some companies have a preference they would like you to use. Most of the time, using Times New Roman or Ariel is recommended, with a font size of 12. It is important to keep in mind that if you are working for someone and writing letters on the company letterhead, you are representing that company. Therefore, it is best to keep personal innuendos, fluff, and cutesy stuff out of it.
If we were to dissect the types of business letters further, there are mainly six types. Acknowledgment letters are a professional courtesy, meant to acknowledge the receipt of something, or to acknowledge a fact or an error. It usually entails a short detail of the day something arrived and a note of thanks. Complaint letters are meant to bring to notice an error or a defect. They could be applicable to a company or an individual, and they typically seek a redress or adjustment. They are generally descriptive with a formal tone that should express displeasure, but the tone should not be overtly angry. You should address the problem, and try to offer a solution to rectify the situation. See the example complaint letter below.
Adjustment letters: These follow a complaint letter and encompass the company or individual response to a complaint. The tone has to be humble, as it is a goodwill-building exercise. The complainant has been inconvenienced; this letter should acknowledge the mistake and list out concrete solutions for resolving the issues. Inquiry letters: These are letters of request for something or a response to a request sent by someone. The purpose of the letter is to obtain the information or object requested. Order letters: Also known as purchase orders, these letters are used to order or buy material. Essentially documenting a transaction between buyer and seller, this is a legal document. Response letters: These are in response to a received letter. They generally list the fulfilling of a request or detail steps taken to fulfill a request made by someone. Congratulatory letters: These are "good news" letters and are fairly easy to write. Such letters are used to encourage or reward an employee, business associate, or a consumer. Such letters are a goodwill-building exercise and are written to build or strengthen any business relationship. When you write a congratulatory letter, do it as soon as possible after a good event has taken place. At the outset, mention what the event is that has motivated you to write the letter; follow it up with approval or praise for the accomplishment; and, finally, keep it concise and honest. A congratulatory letter should be a one-page document, and it should not sound fake or mocking. Bad news letters: As opposed to the good news letter, a bad news letter, such as dismissal and rejection letters, need to be handled carefully. While you need to maintain the concise and professional tone of a business letter, you also need to be sensitive to the reader's feelings. In a bad news letter, instead of conveying the bad news to the reader outright, you need to place it in the middle of the text. Here are a few guidelines that you can keep in mind while writing a bad news letter:
A bad news letter should present the bad news in a positive light. It needs to reassure the reader that all necessary aspects of a particular issue were taken into account before making a decision. A bad news letter should not leave the reader with a bad taste in his or her mouth; instead it should leave the person with the feeling that the decision was fair and just. Letters of request: As the name suggests, these are letters sent to a company or professional seeking help. One could be asking for time, money, services, or products; the fact is that, when you ask for someone's help, you are subliminally potentially putting yourself lower than the other person. Whether you feel it personally, this feeling needs to come out through your words, without sounding needy. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Memos: The other most common form of business communication is memorandums, or memos. Though they provide information similar to a letter, they are very different in their format. Here are the key differences:
When formatting a memo, one should be aware of the strict format that memos stick to. Memos always begin with a bottom-line statement, or the statement of the exact purpose. Memos are extremely crisp, to the point, and use a businesslike tone. Memos usually are short bits of information that get to the point quickly and inform, announce, or request something. The terms "memo" and "memorandum" can be used interchangeably. There is no need for a signature line or any of the other formal endings or closings that letters require. Sometimes the person whom the memo is from will initial next to the name on the memo to indicate she or he has read and approved it before it has been distributed or posted. Think of a memo as being similar to making a company announcement on a loudspeaker to those in your office. You would be direct and to the point and let people know the information you need to share.
Executive summary: As the name suggests, an executive summary is a shorter and concise version of a longer document. Executive summaries are meant to be read quickly. The reader of an executive summary need not be an expert on a particular topic; but on reading the summary, she or he should be able to gain enough information to have a basic understanding of the larger document. Listed below are the salient features of an executive summary:
Having described the features of an executive summary, let us look at how to go about writing one.
An executive summary's soul lies in its brevity and clarity. Avoid unnecessary information and cut down on technical terms. Simple and straightforward works best when writing an executive summary. Writing for an international audience: In today's changing business environment, any professional is writing for an international or global audience at any given point of time. A business writer should be aware of the reader and the reader's specific needs. In some cases, a reader unfamiliar with English might need to get a document translated. All these factors need to be taken into account when writing for an international audience. Listed below are a few handy hints for writing well for a global audience:
The key to writing for an international audience is to keep it simple, yet effective. When writing for an international audience, a writer needs to be aware of the cultural factors in order to avoid offending readers sentiments. Here are a few tips for the writer:
There are other types of letters that you may need to write, including those regarding terminations and recommendations. They are very similar to the examples you have already seen. For these types of letter you would choose the style of letter you would like to follow and then address the subject matter. Recommendation letters are sometimes requested from former co-workers that are seeking a letter to go to a new or potentially new employer. They also can be sent to schools or other such entities. They usually are employment references, character references, or academic references. For business writing purposes, they generally fall into the employment reference category. An employment recommendation letter should tell why the person the letter is about is a good person to hire. Describing their strengths and abilities is the primary purpose .
When it comes to writing business letters, they are mostly written in the same manner. The subject or angle may change, but the fact that you are writing in a professional manner, keeping it clean and precise, remains the same. Whether it's a recommendation, a sympathy letter, or a resignation letter, the formulas used above can be applied to nearly any circumstance. |