Business Communication
Letters, Memos,
and Electronic Communication
Letters
Letter: Correspondence, document that conveys information
between members of different organizations.
Categories of letters according to TYPE:
1- Positive information.
2- Negative information.
3- Neutral information.
4- Sales letters.
1- Positive Letter
giving good news
• Replay to a question about products or
services.
• Acknowledging receiving and order.
• Responding favorably to a routine request.
• Responding favorably to a complaint
• Hiring an employee.
2- Negative Letter
•
•
•
•
•
Explaining delays in projects or delivery of services.
Declining invitations or requests.
Registering complaints about products or services.
Denying credit.
Giving bad news about employment or
performance.
3- Neutral Letter Routine correspondence
Absolutely be clear about your inquiry or response.
• Requesting information about products or services
• Invitation to an event.
• Responding to an invitation.
• Placing an order.
4- Sales Letter Correspondence with customer
• Starting a relationship (I will be calling you …)
• Following a phone call (Good talking to you … )
• Following a meeting (You mentioned that you could
use more information … attached please find
brochures on our products and services)
• Following completion of sale (We enjoyed working
with you ..)
Memos
Be clear, brief and tactful.
Memorandum: document written from a member of an org. to
one or more members of the same org. f
e-mail
Document written in an informal style either to members of
one’s org. Or to external audience. Characterized by the speed
with which it is written and delivered. An email can include
more formal attachments .
• Speed of delivery.
• its arrival can be easily confirmed.
• Readers can reply quickly.
• It’s cheap
Good writing practices
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Clear sense of purpose.
Clear understanding of reader needs.
Correct formatting.
ABC format ( Abstract, Body, Conclusion)
(Keep It Simple) Strategy
6. Edit carefully ( Mechanics, Grammar, Style)
1. Clear sense of purpose
Good writing Practices
This purpose sentence often become one
of the first sentences in the documents.
• As you requested, I am sending samples …
• Referring to the job vacancy of sales manager …
• Concerning your visa application we regret to
inform you …
• Model 7-1 implied purpose.
• Model 7-2 more obvious purpose.
2. Know your reader
Know your Subject
Good writing Practices
Whom are you trying to INFORM or INFLUANCE.
• Proper choice of vocabulary and tone.
• The level of technical language depends on if you
have one or more readers and their technical back
ground (Complexity of the audience).
3. Correct Format
Good writing Practices
Adopt letter and memo format uniformly used by all
employees.
• 3 main letter formats:
1. Block. Model 7-3.
2. Modified block. Model 7-4.
3. Simplified. Model 7-5.
Format conventions
• Reference Initials
( MA/sb )
• Enclosure notation (Encl. C.V.)
• Copy notation ( cc: Sales Director)
• Postscripts ( P.S. or PS )
Figure 7--1 An email message that separates different topics for reply
Figure 7--2 Long email message with use of appropriate headings, separators, and white space
Model 7--1 McDuff sample letter
Model 7--2 McDuff sample letter
Model 7--2 continued
Model 7--3 Block style for letters
Model 7--4 Modified block style (with indented paragraphs) for letters
Model 7--5 Simplified style for letters
Model 7--6 Memo style
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
__________________________________
_______
Model 7--7 Positive letter in block style
Model 7--8 Negative letter in modified block style (with indented paragraphs)
Model 7--9 Neutral letter (invitation) in block style
Model 7--10 Neutral letter (placing order) in simplified style
Model 7--11 Sales letter in simplified style
Model 7--12 Memorandum: changes in procedures
Model 7--13 Memorandum: changes in benefits
Model 7--14 Simple email message