Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Business Letter
It is a communication of information on matters of trade and commerce. Modern improvement in communication and growth of commerce and industries has enhanced their usefulness. A business letter is usually used when writing from one company 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. There are many reasons to write a business letter. It could be to request direct information or action from another party, to order supplies from a supplier, to identify a mistake that was committed, to reply directly to a request, to apologize for a wrong or simply to convey goodwill. Even today, the business letter is still very useful because it produces a permanent record, is confidential, formal and delivers persuasive, well-considered messages. Objective of business letter is not just to inform the reader but to influence his attitude and action and to achieve desired goal. any letter dealing with business is called as a business letter.

Characteristics of Business letters Correctness

Completeness offers numerous benefits. First, complete messages are more likely to bring the desired results without the expense of additional messages. Second, they can do a better job of building goodwill. Messages that contain information the receiver needs show concern for others. Third, complete messages can help avert costly lawsuits that may result if important information is missing. Last, communications that seem inconsequential can be surprisingly important if the information they contain is complete and effective, As yon strive for completeness, keep the following guideliness in mind: Provide all necessary information. Answer all questions asked. Give something extra, when desirable. Clarity Getting the meaning from your head into the head of your reader-accurately- is the purpose of clarity. Of course, you know this is not simple. We all cam around our own unique interpretations, ideas, experiences associated with words. Choose precise, concrete and familiar words. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Conciseness Conciseness is saying what you have to say in the fewest possible words without sacrificing the other qualities. A concise message is complete without being wordy. Conciseness is a prerequisite to effective business communication. A concise message saves time and expense for both sender and receiver. Conciseness contributes to emphasis; by eliminating unnecessary words, you let important ideas stand out. When combined with a "you-view," concise messages are inherently more interesting to recipients. Finally, concise messages show respect for recipients by not cluttering their professional lives with unnecessary information. To achieve conciseness, observe the following suggestions: Eliminate wordy expressions. Include only relevant material. Avoid unnecessary repetition.

Courtesy True courtesy involves being aware not only of the perspective of others, but also their feelings. Courtesy stems from a sincere you-attitude. It is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of "please" and "thank you," although applying socially accepted manners is a form of courtesy. Rather, it is politeness that grows out of respect and concern for others. In addition to following the guidelines discussed under "Consideration," courteous communicators generate a special tone in their writing and speaking. The following are suggestions for generating a courteous tone: Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative. Use expressions that show respect. Choose nondiscriminatory expressions.

Length Generally, short sentences are preferred. The suggested average sentence length should he about 17 to 20 words. Because variety in sentence length adds interest to writing, adopt a range of from 3 to 30 or more words. But when a sentence exceeds 40 words, try to rewrite it into more than one sentence. Also, if all sentences are short (under 10 words), the result is primer like language-choppy and overly simple.

Beginning and End A common mistake in ending an email is to write "Bye" or "Bye Bye". As this is not a standard way of ending business emails, it makes your writing look unprofessional. Here are some widely used phrases for starting and ending correspondence in British English.

1. Formal letter of application (for a job) Dear Sir / Madam I am writing to apply for

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

End: I look forward to hearing from you Yours faithfully 2. Formal business correspondence (for example: letter of enquiry) Dear Mr Smith (Dear Ms Smith) I am writing to enquire about your prices End: An early reply would be appreciated / I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Yours sincerely 3. Formal letter of reference To whom it may concern I write with reference to Ms Smith End Yours faithfully

Paragraphing

First paragraph In most types of business letter it is common to use a friendly greeting in the first sentence of the letter. Here are some examples:

I hope you are enjoying a fine summer. Thank you for your kind letter of January 5th. I came across an ad for your company in The Star today. It was a pleasure meeting you at the conference this month. I appreciate your patience in waiting for a response.

After your short opening, state the main point of your letter in one or two sentences:

I'm writing to enquire about... I'm interested in the job opening posted on your company website. We'd like to invite you to a members only luncheon on April 5th.

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Second and third paragraphs Use a few short paragraphs to go into greater detail about your main point. If one paragraph is all you need, don't write an extra paragraph just to make your letter look longer. If you are including sensitive material, such as rejecting an offer or informing an employee of a layoff period, embed this sentence in the second paragraph rather than opening with it. Here are some common ways to express unpleasant facts:

We regret to inform you... It is with great sadness that we... After careful consideration we have decided...

Final paragraph Your last paragraph should include requests, reminders, and notes on enclosures. If necessary, your contact information should also be in this paragraph. Here are some common phrases used when closing a business letter:

I look forward to... Please respond at your earliest convenience. I should also remind you that the next board meeting is on February 5th. For futher details... If you require more information... Thank you for taking this into consideration. I appreciate any feedback you may have. Enclosed you will find... Feel free to contact me by phone or email.

The Seven Cs of Business Letter Writing 1. Clear 2. Concise 3. Correct 4. Courteous 5. Conversational 6. Convincing 7. Complete

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Tips for good letter writing Provide all information clearly while keeping in mind to whom you are writing, so that there is no guessing on his part. Reply according to the attitude of the incoming letter. Be clear, courteous and precise. Avoid ambiguity. Be as polite and polished as possible. Avoid monotony and dryness, introduce variety. Revise the letter before closing it.

Layout of business letters The appearance of letter reveals the character of writer and organization to which he belongs. Letterhead, preferably printed or engraved, should contain the name, nature and address of the company. Attention to be paid to structure, layout and form.

Parts of business letters Heading The heading of a business letter should contain the return address (usually two or three lines) followed by a line with the date.The heading is indented to the middle of the page in the modified block and semiblock styles. It begins at the left margin in the block style.If the stationery is imprinted with the return address, then the return address may be omitted. Sometimes a line after the address and before the date may include a phone number, a fax number, an E-mail address, or the like. Particularly if the address uses three or more lines, it is good to skip a line before the date. When using the block style, always skip a line before the date. Example: Acme consultants, Inc. 100-B Dry Gulch Alley Lonesome Coyote AZ 85789 (602) 555-5555 July 14, 2013

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Date The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. (The United States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day. For example: June 11, 2001. ) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justify the date or tab to the center point and type the date.

Inside address The inside address is the recipient's address. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do not have the person's name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman's preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman's preference in being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender's address or one inch below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using.

Salutation Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and last/family name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation. If you don't know a reader's gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver's name. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's gender.

Subject A subject line is not really necessary. You may want to use one, however, so that the reader immediately knows what your letter is about. There are three common methods to distinguish the subject line from the body of the letter:

Use "Subject:" or "Re:" Type the subject in bold letters Type the subject in capital letters

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Body of letter For block and semi block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.

Complimentary close The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender's name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.

Signature On a typed business letter, following the closing, you should leave a space to sign your name with a pen. This will allow for a more personal touch on an otherwise bland letter. This is the only handwriting on the paper so make sure the signature is clear. Below this personal signature should be your typed first and last name to allow for easy reading. After this you can include anything else that the reader may need to know. This could include anything from job title, identification, a notation that there are copies attached at the bottom of the document, or other contact information, such as e-mail address or business phone number.

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

TYPES OF LETTERS

Enquiry Letter
An enquiry letter is written by a potential customer, on the look out for a product or with a desire to avail the service offered by a seller or an organization. An enquiry letter is neither a contract nor does it entail any contractual obligation between the two. It is actually a preliminary exercise that may lead to a contract. How to Write The letter should clearly and precisely states his needs One should be courteous, compact and definite One should give the rough estimate of the goods required Ask the supplier to send the goods Indicate the period of time by which goods are to be supplied Request the literature of the goods In case of machine, request for demonstration Ask for guarantee and normal span of life Ask the supplier to state the credit and discount offered Ask the supplier to state terms and condition Ask the supplier to quote the lowest price

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Sample of Enquiry letter

An enquiry for the supply of power generating set

Order letter

Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Also known as a letter of order, an order letter is a document that confirms the details of a purchase of goods or services from one party to another. It usually includes more information about what you are ordering, like quantity, model number, or color, the payment terms, and the matter in which the products are to be shipped. When the recipient receives this letter, they will process the order and send the merchandise. The Order letter should have legal significance. It can be produced at court The letter writer must thank the supplier for quotation He must give all the essential details of the goods to be supplied Description of goods (with reference to catalogue no) Prices (with reference to catalogue no) Discounts (with reference to catalogue no) Mention the quantity desired Special instructions about the packaging Specify the mode of transport Specify the time and place of delivery Instructions if insurance needed Specifically ask for after sales services needed He should affirm upon the terms and conditions related to payment

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Sample copy of order letter

Complaint Letter

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

A letter of complaint, or complaint letter, is normally written to deal with a problem situation when other attempts (i.e. phone contacts, e-mails, etc.) have failed to rectify the situation. The complaint letter formalizes a problem situation by putting it into writing and is usually the last resort to try to get a situation resolved.There are many occasions for writing claim or complaint letter. The goods supply are not satisfactory The wrong goods are supplied The goods are in defective packaging The goods are delivered in damaged condition Delay in execution of the order Variance in ordered quantity The excessive prices of the goods are charged Variance in agreed terms and conditions

Guidelines for making a complaint Addressed to a person who is directly responsible Make it immediately as it is discovered Begin with the expression of regret It should be fair, courteous, temperate and polite. It should be apologetic Mistake should be clear Explain extent of inconvenience, and damaged caused by mistake Make a polite inquiry what supplier proposes to do. Give concrete suggestions to supplier how to put the matter right

Sample copy of complaint letter

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Circular letter
When a businessman has to communicate a formal message to a number of customers, shareholders, suppliers, business friends, employees etc, he sends it through circular letters.

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

It conveys messages about certain fundamental changes in the structure and policy of the business organization. Occasion that needs circular letters. Change in address Opening of new departments, shops, branches and expansion of premises Introducing a new product. Announcing rise or reduction in prices Announcing the agency obtained Announcing retirement or death of partner.

Announcing new branch through circular letter

Agency Letters
A large business houses often has its purchase thorough their sales dept.But small business houses purchases through the system of agency.The letters used to communicate between agency and the firm is an agency letter

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

A person or a firm which acts for another is an agent, and a person or a firm which appoints agents is called as the principal of that agent. The smaller firms buys and sell through commission agents, brokers, commercial travelers and other types of agent. Generally the contract to an agency is given for one year but it can be renewed after one year.

Sample copy of offer of appointment sales agency

Sales Letter
A sales letter is a piece of direct mail which is designed to persuade the reader to purchase a particular product or service in the absence of a salesman. It has been defined as "A form of direct mail in which an advertiser sends a letter to a potential customer." It is distinct from other direct mail techniques, such as the distribution of leaflets and catalogues, as the sales letter typically sells a single product or product line, and further tends to be mainly textual as opposed to graphicsbased. It is typically used for products or services which, due to their price, are a considered purchase at medium or high value (typically tens to thousands of dollars). A sales letter is often, but not exclusively, the last stage of the sales process before the customer places an order, and is designed to ensure that the prospect is committed to becoming a customer.

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

The sales letter are written to selected class of customers to sell particular kinds of goods and services. The selected class may be religious group, age group, financial group, social group and financial group. The sales letter writer always keeps in view the needs and requirements of the receiver. A sales letter is written with the purpose of persuading and convincing the prospective buyer to buy a particular product or service from the manufacturer or the dealer. It aims at promoting the sale. Writer writes a letter giving personal touch.

Example for sales letter

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Memos
The memorandum, usually called a memo, is a common form of internal communication in business and academia. Memos have many purposes, including informing employees, giving directions, outlining procedures, requesting data, supplying responses, and confirming decisions. But essentially there are three basic reasons to write a memo, To persuade to action , To issue a directive , and to provide a report . The primary purpose of the business memorandum (commonly referred to as a memo) is to allow timely communication to a large number of employees or other members of an organization. The business memo is generally used in place of a traditional letter for internal communication, though memos may be used to communicate with individuals from other organizations in some instances. Memos are used for a wide variety of purposes. They may be used to convey information such as policy changes, promotions or other personnel changes, a project status update, or increased offering of products and services. They can also be used to request that employees attend a meeting or make changes to work procedures or practices, or they can address a problem, such as employee tardiness or absence, or provide feedback on a product or program. As you prepare to draft your memo, think about your intended audience, and send the memo only to those who need it. Also, be careful when communicating confidential information; a face-to-face meeting may be more appropriate in such circumstances. The tone of a memo is generally fairly formal, so choose your wording appropriately. It is inappropriate to be too informal (using slang, for example), but don't be verbose or flowery, either. Conciseness and clarity in language are always best. Use active rather than passive voice whenever possible. Semi-block format or style is frequently called modified semi-block because it is a slightly less formal modification of full block format. This letter style places the date line in alignment with, or slightly to the right of dead center. Another option for placing the date line in semi-block is flush right. Similar to full block, semi-block places the inside address, salutation and any end notations flush with the left margin. However, unlike full block, each body paragraph of semi-block is indented five spaces. The complimentary close and signature block are aligned under the date.

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Full block format is considered the most formal of the three styles. In full block format or style, every line is left justified. The dateline is placed two to six line spaces below the last line of the heading or letterhead. The inside address placement varies depending upon the length of the letter. A common spacing is four line spaces below the date line. The salutation is placed two lines below the attention line (if an attention line is provided). The first line of the body is placed two lines below an attention line or two to four lines below the last inside address line. When using full block, paragraphs are single spaced, with a double space between paragraphs. While there are no set rules governing format use, full block is generally used for (1) requests or inquiries, (2) claims, (3) announcements, (4) records of agreement, (5) transmittal of other technical documents, and (6) job applications.

Sample-Memo (full-block format)

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Sample2

Sample-Memo (semi-block format)

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

Difference between full block & semi block memo

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Types Of Letters

Soft Skills Development

REFERENCE
1. 2. 3. 4. Soft Skills Development by Calicut University http://wiz.cath.vt.edu/tw/TechnicalWriting/corresp/letters/formatexamples/ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/01/ http://www.theenglishweb.com/business-writing-skills/how-to-start-and-end-abusiness-english-letter-or-email/ 5. http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/business-letters-write.htm 6. http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/reading-writing/on-line/b-letter.html 7. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Professional_and_Technical_Writing/Business_Commun ications/Letters#.22Signature_Blo 8. ck.22 9. http://www.ego4u.com/en/business-english/communication/business-letter/subject 10. http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000151.htm 11. http://loyno.edu/wac/business-memo 12. http://www.writeexpress.com/sales-letters.html 13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_letter

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