The Summary Conclusion.

Business Letters

Principles to keep in mind

Business writing is different. Writing for a business audience is usually quite different than writing in the humanities, social sciences, or other academic disciplines. Business writing strives to be crisp and succinct rather than evocative or creative; it stresses specificity and accuracy. This distinction does not make business writing superior or inferior to other styles. Rather, it reflects the unique purpose and considerations involved when writing in a business context.

When you write a business document, you must assume that your audience has limited time in which to read it and is likely to skim. Your readers have an interest in what you say insofar as it affects their working world. They want to know the "bottom line": the point you are making about a situation or problem and how they should respond.

Business writing varies from the conversational style often found in email messages to the more formal, legalistic style found in contracts. A style between these two extremes is appropriate for the majority of memos, emails, and letters. Writing that is too formal can alienate readers, and an attempt to be overly casual may come across as insincere or unprofessional. In business writing, as in all writing, you must know your audience.

In most cases, the business letter will be the first impression that you make on someone. Though business writing has become less formal over time, you should still take great care that your letter's content is clear and that you have proofread it carefully.

A business letter is not an ordinary communication. A business letter is one in which some information is passed that should be important enough to put into writing, and more, should evoke some kind of a response. Write your business letter right and you will succeed.

Writing a business letter

Remember the business letter is NOT a report. It is a letter. In today’ world you will be lucky to hold attention to three paragraphs, let alone a whole page.

Decide what it is you wish to say, and be prepared to say it in three short paragraphs.

If you have a long letter to write, do not write it as a letter, but as a report.

A letter is a letter. Be brief, succinct, avoid value judgments, make every word count, write nothing banal, and most of all, keep in mind what kind of a response you wish to invoke.

The Business Letter Format

The Subject.

Always begin your business letter with a subject reference. Do not mix subjects, or include more than one.

The Introduction.

Here in one paragraph you introduce your subject, as well as any crucial information about it.

Imply in the introduction what response you wish to evoke.

The Body.

The body of the business letter is the longest paragraph.

In this paragraph get down to details, but keep them brief and to the point.

Do not give value judgments and do not introduce new material.

The Summary Conclusion.

Here you sell your point and summarize all the points you have made before.

The Salutation.

Develop your own signature salutation.

You can use standard ones like Best Regards or Kind Regards, or find something new that suits you.

Let this be your signature salutation, and stick to it in all your business letters and communications.

The Business Letter vs. Email Letter.

In today’s world the formal business letter is fast becoming a rarity, and is taking the new form of the email letter. However, remember its only a different form or delivery. Follow the same rules as above.

Some businesspeople like to write the business letter now on company stationary in electronic form and include them as attachments to an email. This is not a bad idea, and still retains some form of privacy.

Business Letter Language Guide

Here are a few tips from communication experts that may help you frame your use of language in your business letter or email.

· Speak in the present tense. Avoid a lot of “I will; it should be, and …”

· Use simple words. Do not show off your superior vocabulary.

· There are very effective words that are commonplace. There are power words, and all of them are simple and impossible to misinterpret

· Be direct.

· Go to your point, and do not speak in ambiguous terms.

· Avoid homilies

· Remember who it is you are talking to.

· If you are speaking to a superior, maintain your distance of respect, while still selling your points across.

· Avoid value judgments. Leave these for the letter recipient to decide for themselves.

Pronouns and active versus passive voice

Personal pronouns (like I, we, and you) are important in letters and memos. In such documents, it is perfectly appropriate to refer to yourself as I and to the reader as you. Be careful, however, when you use the pronoun we in a business letter that is written on company stationery, since it commits your company to what you have written. When stating your opinion, use I; when presenting company policy, use we.

The best writers strive to achieve a style that is so clear that their messages cannot be misunderstood. One way to achieve a clear style is to minimize your use of the passive voice. Although the passive voice is sometimes necessary, often it not only makes your writing dull but also can be ambiguous or overly impersonal. Here's an example of the same point stated in passive voice and in the active voice:

PASSIVE: The net benefits of subsidiary divestiture were grossly overestimated.

[Who did the overestimating?]

ACTIVE: The Global Finance Team grossly overestimated the net benefits of subsidiary divestiture.

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 957