2. • Business letters are formal paper
communications between, to or from
businesses and usually sent through the Post
Office or sometimes by courier. Business
letters are sometimes called "snail-mail" (in
contrast to email which is faster).
3. • This lesson concentrates on business letters
but also looks at other business
correspondence. It includes:
• letter
• memo
• fax
• email
4. Letter
• A commercial business letter is a letter
written in formal language, usually used when
writing from one business organization to
another, or for correspondence between such
organizations and their customers, clients and
other external parties. The overall style of
letter will depend on the relationship between
the parties concerned.
5. There are two main styles of
business letters:
• Full block style: Align all elements on the left
margin.
• Modified block style: Down the middle of the
page, align the return
address, date, closing, signature, and typed
name; align other elements on the left page
margin.
6. Example Template
of a Business Letter
• [SENDER'S NAME]
[SENDER'S ADDRESS]
(optional[SENDER'S PHONE]
(optional[SENDER'S E-MAIL]
[DATE]
[RECIPIENT W/O PREFIX]
[RECIPIENT'S TITLE]
[RECIPIENT'S COMPANY]
[RECIPIENT'S ADDRESS]
(Optional) Attention [DEPARTMENT/PERSON],
Dear [RECIPIENT W/ PREFIX]:
Re: [SUBJECT] [First Salutation then Subject in Business letters]
[CONTENT.]
[CONTENT.]
[VALEDICTION (Sincerely, Respectfully, Regards, etc.)],
[SENDER]
[SENDER'S TITLE]
Enclosures ([NUMBER OF ENCLOSURES])
cc: [CC RECIPIENT], [CC RECIPIENT TITLE]
[CC RECIPIENT], [CC RECIPIENT TITLE]
7. Memo
• A memorandum or memo is a document or other communication that helps the
memory by recording events or observations on a topic, such as may be used in a
business office. The plural form is either memoranda or memorandums, or memos
for the short form.
• A memorandum may have any format, or it may have a format specific to an office
or institution. In law specifically, a memorandum is a record of the terms of a
transaction or contract, such as a policy memo, memorandum of
understanding, memorandum of agreement, or memorandum of association.
Alternative formats include memos, briefing notes, reports, letters or binders.
They could be one page long or many. If the user is a cabinet minister or a senior
executive, the format might be rigidly defined and limited to one or two pages. If
the user is a colleague, the format is usually much more flexible. At its most basic
level, a memorandum can be a handwritten note to one's supervisor.
• Dean Acheson famously quipped that "A memorandum is not written to inform
the reader but to protect the writer". Charles Peters wrote that "bureaucrats write
memoranda both because they appear to be busy when they are writing and
because the memos, once written, immediately become proof that they were
busy."
8. To: Andy Andler, Benita Buchanan, Charles Chavez
CC: Darcy Danko
From: Heady the Head Honcho
Date: June 1, 2006
Re: Need for New Memo Format
I've noticed we don't seem to be able to communicate important
changes, requirements and progress reports throughout the company as
effectively as we should. I propose developing one consistent memo
format, recognizable by all staff as the official means of communicating company
directives.
While I know this seems like a simple solution, I believe it will cut down on
needless e-mail, improve universal communication and allow the staff to save
necessary information for later referral. Please talk among yourselves to determine
the proper points of memo writing and return the input to me by 12 noon. I will
then send out a notice to the entire staff regarding the new memo format.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this.
9. Fax
• A fax (short for facsimile sometimes called
telecopying) is the telephonic transmission of scanned
printed material(both text and images),most usually
transmitted to a telephone number connected to a
printer or other output device. The original document
is scanned with a fax machine, which processes the
contents (text or images) as a single fixed graphic
image, converting it into a bitmap, the information is
then transmitted as electrical signals through the
telephone system. The receiving fax machine
reconverts the coded image, printing a paper copy.
11. Email
• Electronic mail, commonly called email or e-mail, is a
method of exchanging digital messages from an author
to one or more recipients. Modern email operates
across the Internet or other computer networks. Some
early email systems required that the author and the
recipient both be online at the same time, in common
with instant messaging. Today's email systems are
based on a store-and-forward model. Email servers
accept, forward, deliver and store messages. Neither
the users nor their computers are required to be online
simultaneously; they need connect only
briefly, typically to an email server, for as long as it
takes to send or receive messages.
12. • An email message consists of three
components, the message envelope, the
message header, and the message body. The
message header contains control
information, including, minimally, an
originator's email address and one or more
recipient addresses. Usually descriptive
information is also added, such as a subject
header field and a message submission
date/time stamp.
13. Cc and Bcc
• cc on the email means 'Carbon Copy' which means you want to
send it to other people besides the primary email address to which
you have sent the original message.
When you use the 'cc' feature, EVERYONE to whom you send the
message can see ALL of the addresses to which you have sent it.
Bcc means BLIND CARBON COPY. It has the same benefit of being
able to send a message to lots of people but the added bonus of
keeping all of the email addresses hidden from everyone else.
14. Who writes Business Letters?
• Most people who have an occupation have to
write business letters. Some write many
letters each day and others only write a few
letters over the course of a career. Business
people also read letters on a daily basis.
Letters are written from a
person/group, known as the sender to a
person/group, known in business as the
recipient.
15. Here are some examples of senders
and recipients:
• business «» business
• business «» consumer
• job applicant «» company
• citizen «» government official
• employer «» employee
• staff member «» staff member
16. Why write Business Letters?
• There are many reasons why you may need to
write business letters or other
correspondence:
17. • to persuade • to reject a proposal or
• to inform offer
• to request • to introduce a person or
• to express thanks policy
• to remind • to invite or welcome
• to recommend • to follow up
• to apologize • to formalize decisions
• to congratulate