Chapter 14
Business
Correspondence:
Letters, Memos, and
E-mails
Understanding the Process for
Writing Letters, Memos, and E-mails
1.
2.
3.
4.
Analyze your audience.
Analyze your purpose.
Gather information about your subject.
Choose a type of document.
Letters
 Memos
 Emails
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Chapter 14. Writing Letters, Memos, and E-mails
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Understanding the Process for
Writing Letters, Memos, and E-mails
5.
Draft the document.
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6.
7.
8.
State your purpose.
Use headings to help summarize the message.
Provide adequate background.
Organize the discussion.
Highlight action items.
Format the document.
Revise, edit, and proofread the document.
Send the document.
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Types of Business Correspondence
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Letter
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Memo
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Most formal, used for communication with
people either within or outside your organization
Moderately formal, used within your organization
Email
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Quick, relatively informal with one or many
recipients
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Presenting Yourself Effectively in
Correspondence
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Use the appropriate level of formality.
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Communicate correctly.
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Convey a courteous, positive tone
Take on the reader’s point of view & meet his/her needs
Avoid correspondence clichés., see p. 341-342
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Free of errors in grammar, punctuation, style, usage &
spelling
Project the “you attitude.” , see p. 341
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Usually avoid informal writing, even in emails
If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it in your
correspondence
Communicate honestly.
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Formality
TOO INFORMAL
I doubt if Bob gives a flying squirrel how you handle
it. Do whatever you want.
MODERATELY FORMAL
I don’t think Bob prefers any particular method. Please
use your judgment.
TOO FORMAL
It was indubitably the case that our team was
successful in presenting a proposal that was
characterized by quality of the highest order. My
appreciation for your industriousness is herewith
extended.
MODERATELY FORMAL
I think we put together an excellent proposal. Thank
you very much for your hard work.
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Elements of Most Letters
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See example p. 344-345
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Heading = return address + date
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Inside address
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If not preprinted, use your address (not name) and date
If letterhead used, then blank paper for 2nd & subsequent
pages
Use professional title if available,
Reader’s position on the line with name if there is room
Spell organization name as they do, e.g. IBM
Salutation
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2 lines below the inside address
Dear XXXXXX:
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Elements of Most Letters (cont.)
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Body
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Complimentary close
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Sincerely, Very truly yours, etc.
Signature
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At least 3 paragraphs: introductory ¶, concluding ¶,
one or more body ¶s.
Type your full name on the 4th line below the
complimentary close & include your position.
Sign, in ink, above typed name
Reference initials
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See p. 346
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Other Elements of Letters
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Attention line
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Subject line
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Recipient
Page number
Date
Enclosure line
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Project number or brief phrase
Header for second page
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When you don’t have someone’s name
If envelope contains more than just the letter
Copy line
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Who else has received a copy
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Common Formats for Letters
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Full block, p. 346
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Everything aligned to left margin
Modified block, p. 346
Date, complimentary close, signature: use center
as margin
 All else aligned to left margin
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Common Types of Letters
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Inquiry
Response to inquiry
Claim
Adjustment
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Writing an Inquiry Letter
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See example, p. 347
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State who you are and why you are writing.
Ask specific questions.
Indicate your schedule.
Politely request a response.
Offer something in return.
Always write a thank-you note to the person
who has responded to your inquiry letter.
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Responding to an Inquiry Letter
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See example, p. 348
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Answer the questions if you can.
If you cannot answer the questions, explain
the reasons and offer to assist with other
requests.
Include additional information, if
appropriate.
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Writing a Claim Letter
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See example, p. 349
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Use a professional tone.
Clearly identify the product or service you are
writing about.
Explain the problem and include persuasive
details.
Propose a solution.
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Writing a Bad-News Adjustment
Letter
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See example, p. 351
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Meet the customer on neutral ground.
Summarize the facts as you see them.
Explain why you are unable to fulfill the
request.
Create goodwill.
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Typical Elements of Memos
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See example, p. 353
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Subject line
Statement of purpose
Summary
Headings
Background and discussion
Conclusion
Recommendations or action items
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Guidelines for Following Netiquette
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Stick to business.
Don’t waste bandwidth.
Use appropriate formality.
Write correctly.
Don’t flame.
Use the subject line.
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Guidelines for Following Netiquette
(cont.)
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Make your message easy on the eyes.
Don’t forward a message to another person or
to an online discussion forum without the
writer’s permission.
Don’t send a message unless you have
something to say.
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Writing Culture-Specific
Correspondence
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The role, format, and tone of letters in the
target culture might be different.
Letters might be preferred to memos.
Memos might be more formal than in the
U.S.
E-mails are not as popular in some cultures
that prefer face-to-face meetings.
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