Chapter 6
Types of Business Letters
Session Two (p. 141 – 146)
Homework (HW): NONE for this week
OPTIONAL: Independent Practice: (revising a bad news letter) -- The following bad newss letter
does not abide by bad news letter writing guidelines. Rewrite it fully, applying proper format and
content requirements:
To whom it may concern at our technology institution,
Note that your petition for travel funds to travel to the Nano Technology Conference in China
has been denied. The institution has limited funds available for travel this year and although
I know you really want to go, I can't afford to give you the $1500 you requested (which by the
way is a lot to request at this late date at the current time of this request; haven’t you noticed
that???).
You have to understand our position.
Thank you anyways for writing to us.
Good luck in your future trials.
CHAPTER REVIEW NOTES
 Customer Relations Letters
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Deal explicitly with establishing and maintaining friendly work relations
Send readers good news or bad news, acceptances or refusals
Good news tells the customers that
– You have what they want at a reasonable price
– You agree with them about a problem they brought to your attention
– You are approving their loan
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Bad news tells the customers that
– You are rejecting a proposal they offered
– You are denying someone further use of a facility
– You cannot refund their purchase price or perform a service again as they requested
– You are raising their rent or not renewing their lease
– You want them to pay what they owe you now
– You are downsizing, moving, etc. and cannot continue to provide a service
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Types of customer relations letters include follow-up letters, adjustment letters, complaint
letters, refusal-of-credit letters, and collection letters.
 Being Direct or Indirect
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In a customer relations letter, the news may be good or bad, which requires different writing
tactics. (Compare fig. 6.5 and 6.6 on p. 144, 145)
Good news message
– Use the direct approach
– Start your letter with the good news the reader wants to hear
 Don’t postpone the opportunity to put your reader in the right frame of mind
– Then provide any relevant supporting details, explanations, or commentary
Bad news message
– Use the indirect approach
– Do not open the letter with the bad news, in order to keep the tension level down
– Start your letter with pleasant, positive words designed to put your reader in a good frame
of mind
– Explain the situation
– End on a positive, upbeat note
 Follow-Up Letters (fig. 6.7, 6.8; p. 147, 148)
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Follow-up letters are sent by companies after a sale to thank the customer for buying a product
or using a service and to encourage the customer to buy more products and services.
A follow-up letter is a combination thank you note and sales letter
– Begin with a brief and sincere expression of gratitude
– Discuss the benefits (advantages) already known to the customer and then transfer the
company’s dedication to the customer from the product or service to a new or continuing
sales area
– End with a specific request for future business