WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
BUSINESS LETTER
BUSINESS LETTER
“A business letter is a piece of conversation by post”
Purpose of written communication:
• To maintain contact with the outside world.
• May be less important for small enterprises but is actually indispensible.
Functions of business letter:
• Record for future letters
• More durable impression on the receiver
• Wide reach- hence widen area of operation
• Legal document
• Build goodwill
KINDS OF BUSINESS LETTERS
Type 1 Type 2
• Enquiries and replies • Circulars
• Orders and their execution • Sales letters
• Credit and status enquiries
• Complaints and adjustments
• Collection letters
Type 3 Type 4
• Bank correspondence • Applications
• Insurance correspondence • Interview letters, references,
• Import/ export correspondence testimonials, appointment letters,
• Agency correspondence confirmation, promotion,
retrenchment, resignation
Type 5 Type 6
• Correspondence to coy secretary • Letters to the media
• Correspondence with state/
central government
CLASSIFICATION
Can be classified into:
Official letters
Demi-official letters
Internal letters or memos
Form letters
ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS LETTER
“True ease in writing comes from art, not chance. As
those more easiest who learned to dance”
- Alexander Pope
Litmus test:
Put self in position of recipient and think about reactions
The essential check list:
Knowledge of
Appropriate Completeness Courtesy and
Promptness subject and
language and clarity tact
references
Language of
Only relevant The YOU
Persuasion business
details attitude
letter
THE LAYOUT
Physical Appearance:
“What a good approach is to personal salesmanship, a good
appearance is to written salesmanship”
Paper and size: standard 11’’x 8’’
Matching envelopes
Colour:
Prefer light colours
Colour tones that reproduce as white on copiers
THE LAYOUT CONTD..
Letter Heads Typing Margins and Continuation Folding
• Full name of • error free blank spaces sheets • No fold on the
firm/ individual • copies to be as • No rigid rules • Same quality as name of the
• Address with bright and clear • Thumb rule- letter head addressee and
Pin code as original balance • Name of signature block
• Telephone/ Fax between the addressee, • Size of
number typed and page number envelope
• Email blank parts. and date determines the
• Type spacing essential fold
• www url
• Window
• Monogram or
envelopes
logo
• Name of
directors
PARTS OF A LETTER
“Set all things in their own peculiar place and
know that order is the greatest grace”
- John Dryden
Body of the
Heading Inside address Salutation
letter
Complimentary Reference
Signature block Enclosures
close initials
HEADING
Firms name with Nature of firms Firms address
symbols and business • no commas- centre/
trademarks • only when not left aligned
• usually top or centre included in the name
Telephone number/ Fax
Email id Url
number
Data- References
• Important- below • close to the left
address/ heading margin
• Normally as per
standardized practice
INSIDE ADDRESS
To whom the letter is written
Normally below the reference line
Inside address maybe brief- outside full
Addressing individuals:
Ms (individuals with titles/ rank
Messers (Messieurs)
Mmes (Mesdarnes)
SALUTATION
Commonly used: Sir/ madam- formal usage in official
correspondence, not appropriate in business
communication (govt and media correspondence)
Dear Sir,
Dear Sirs
Dear Madam
Dear Mesdames/ Ladies/ Gentleman (Mesdames only for
ventures consisting entirely of women companies,
cooperatives, corporations, assemblies, clubs,
committees, boards, commissions- Dear sirs.
Dear Mr/ My Dear Mr/ Dear/ My Dear- Close affinity-
Primarily DO letters
BODY OF THE LETTER
Subject and reference
Opening paragraph (background)
Main paragraph
Closing
BODY OF THE LETTER CONTD..
Subject and Opening paragraph Main Paragraph Closing paragraph Complimentary
reference • Brief background of • Treatment of the • Expected action close
• One line mention the subject or actual subject • Natural, logical, • A polite way to
of theme previous letter matter final and end the letter
• Starts below the • Open with • Brief to the point complete • Formal salutation
salutation expression of • Include all • Logically linked • Yours faithfully-
• May use pleasure, gratitude relevant details to the main Standard
“regarding” in or acknowledgement • Divide into sub paragraph closure
place of “Subject” • Don’t forget the YOU paragraphs if • Stress the YOU • Yours briefly-
approach need be approach less formal
• Unambiguous, • Suitably close • Yours
sincere, correct with important respectfully-
and simple statement, a superiors
language. question, an offer • DO Letters
or a request. • Yours sincerely-
informal
relations
SIGNATURE BLOCK
Assent of the writer to the subject matter
Usually hand written
Contains writer’s name, status, department, firm,
etc.
Just below the complimentary close
Name below the signature
Only status/ appointment for company
responsibility.
Name and status of individual responsible for the
company
REFERENCES INITIALS
Initials of person responsible for the letter
Initials of person typing it
Placement on left margin below signature block
ENCLOSURES
May be price list, catalogue, prospectus, order, in-voice,
transport receipts, bills, cash memos, or cheques, drafts,
etc
Place at left margin
Encls- Four
Or
Encls- 1.....
2…..
Financial Document numbers to be written.
