MODULE 2 - WRITING AND FORMATTING BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

Learning Outcomes:

When you have completed the module, you should be able to:

1. Acquire mastery in incorporating the general parts of a business letter and when to use
the
special parts.
2. Write commonly-used business correspondence in the workplace
3. Develop skill in preparing minutes of the meeting.

Business correspondence is a mean for exchanging information in a written format for the
process of business activities. Business correspondence can take place between organizations,
within organizations or between the customers and the organization.

Business letters are more formal than business emails. They communicate something more
official in a business situation. It is important to write business letters correctly, because the
impression you create depends on how you write them.

Reasons for maintaining written communication:

 Maintains proper relationship.
 Serves as evidence or as historical record of business activities.
 Create and maintain goodwill.
 Inexpensive and convenient.
 Formal communication.
 Independent of interpersonal skills

1. Parts of a business letter

1.1.General parts
 Letterhead – contains the name of the company, address, phone number, fax
and/or e-mail address.
 Date – should be current
 Inside address – name of the recipient, address of the recipient
 Salutation – greeting
 Body of the letter
 Complimentary close
 Signature over printed name
 Reference initials – initials of the employer and the office professional
The Heading. The heading contains the return address with the date on the last line.
Date
 Date line
consists of the month, day, and year.
month is spelled in full
day is written in figures and followed by a comma.
December 18, 20--
Inside / Recipient's Address. This is the address you are sending your letter to. ...
 The Inside address is the name, title, and address of the recipient.

Ms. Denise Rodriquez

President & CEO
Urban Development Council
150 Grosvenor Avenue
Washington, DC 30005

The Salutation. ...

 greeting in a letter
 begins with Dear followed by the recipient’s first name or title and last name
Mixed punctuation
colon is placed after the salutation
comma is placed after the
complimentary close
Open punctuation
no punctuation after the salutation
no punctuation after complimentary close

The Body. ... Body of the letter is the message

The Complimentary Close is the sign-off for the letter

 mixed punctuation
‘
Sincerely,

 open punctuation
‘
Sincerely

The Signature Line. Writer’s name and title are called the signature or signature block

The Reference initials … indicate who keyed the letter

1.2. Special parts

  Special notation - When necessary, letters may include notation of the means of
delivery ("Certified Mail" or "Registered Mail") or on-arrival instructions, such as
"Personal" (to be opened and read by the addressee only) or "Confidential" (for the
addressee or other authorized personnel).
 Subject line - is the portion of the letter where you tell the reader about your
subject. It immediately conveys to the reader the subject of the letter.
 Attention line - t indicates the intended recipient within the organization when the
letter is addressed to the organization or to the intended recipient's superior.
 Company name – It indicates that the letter is made by the company and is
represented by the signatory of the letter
 Enclosure notation - Actually plays an important role. It reminds the recipients that
additional items were included with the letter (and what those items were, if you
include that level of detail).
 Copy notation - is a list of people that ought to receive a copy of the letter. It is a
reminder that other people, besides the addressed recipient, have an interest in the
letter.

Blind copy - it is used to indicate people who will receive copies of the message in
secret, or without the knowledge of the other recipients.
 Postscript notation - A postscript is useful if the writer wishes to emphasize some
point in the letter or if a point worthy of mention arises after the letter has been
written

2. Format of business letter

2.1. Block/Full block - The entire text is left aligned and single spaced. The exception to the
single
spacing is a double space between paragraphs (instead of indents for paragraphs).
2.2. Semi-block - all text is aligned to the left margin. As in other business letter templates,
each
paragraph is separated by double or triple spacing. The main difference between this
type of
correspondence and others is that the first line of each paragraph is indented.
2.3. Modified block - the heading, complimentary close, the signature, and identification are
aligned
to the right. Address, salutation, the body, and enclosures are aligned to the left. First
sentences
of paragraphs are indented.

3. Guidelines in writing business letters

The Seven Principles of Business Correspondence (The 7Cs of Business Communication)

1. Consideration / Conversational (You attitude)

Try to visualize your reader’s circumstances, problems, emotions, their desires etc. and indicate
that you understand these by using your words with care. If you are writing a sales letter, show
the recipient how the product would be beneficial for them. When you write with
consideration, you generate goodwill.

2. Courtesy (Be courteous)

Be courteous and polite. Avoid making negative statements and an accusatory tone accusing
the recipient. e.g., Instead of writing, “You did not send the cheque”, use “The cheque wasn’t
enclosed.” Even if you are writing a complaint letter, your tone must be polite and courteous at
all times.

3. Clarity (Be clear)

One has to be clear and specific in their letter. The words used should be unambiguous and not
vague. Avoid giving abstract information.
E.g., Instead of ‘visualize’, use ‘see’. Instead of ‘at the present time’, write ‘now’. Instead of
using ‘the website is now fully operational with the e-commerce functionality setup’, write ‘the
company has launched its website’.

4. Concreteness (Be convincing)

A good business letter always provides concrete information (specific information).
E.g., Instead of saying,” I expect the consignment/order to reach me at the earliest”, use “I
expect the order to be delivered to me by the 21st of March 2013.

5. Correctness
While writing a business letter, the principle of correctness should be followed. The writer must
ensure correctness in his tone, format and information that he provides in the letter. The facts
mentioned must be true and correct. Grammatical structures and spellings should be correct.

6. Conciseness
Use only necessary details and short sentences. Be direct and avoid long redundant
expressions.
Use the “Keep it short and simple” formula.

7. Completeness
Provide complete information in the letter and try to keep it as brief as possible.

4. Types of business letters

4.1. Application letters

The objective of an application letter is to attract the attention of an employer. It acts as
a cover letter for your resume and should provide enough personal information to
convince the reader to grant you an interview. The qualifications you provide a potential
employer should be included on your resume.
 Guidelines in writing application letter
 In the first sentence, state what you are applying for.
 Explain the reasons why you are applying and be specific. Give the reasons why
you are qualified including your experience, qualifications, accomplishments and
goals.
 Identify the responses you would like to your letter.
 Reference any other materials included in the letter, such as resume, diploma,
transcript of records, letter of recommendation or work samples.
 Include your contact information and when you are available.
 Close the letter with a thank you.

4.2. Reference letter

A reference letter, also called a recommendation letter, is usually written to testify to a
person's skills, character, experience, and/or achievements. When a candidate applies
for a job, he or she will submit reference letters to support his or her application.

A reference letter should include:

 How and for how long you know the person
 Your qualifications for writing the reference letter.
 A list of the person’s qualities and skills.
 Key points about the person that the reader should note.
 Examples that back up your opinions about the person.
 Your contact person.

4.3. Adjustment letter

An adjustment letter is a response to a written complaint. The objective is to inform the
reader that their complaint has been received. It is also a legal document recording
what decisions were made and what actions have or will be taken. Keep in mind that
your reader has been inconvenienced.

Guidelines in writing an adjustment letter:

 Reference the date of original letter.
 The letter should review the facts of the case and offer an apology for any
inconvenience.
 When there is no truth to the complaint, courteously explain the reasons as
clearly as possible.
 When the customer’s request is denied, offer some compensation or advice.
 Take a positive approach to the letter to counter any negative feelings of the
reader.
 The solution is more important than the reasons why something occurred.
 Cordially conclude the letter and express confidence that you and the reader can
continue doing business.
4.4. Inquiry letter
Inquiry Letter is a letter written to request information and/or ascertain its authenticity.
A letter of inquiry deals with various matters like job vacancies, funding, grants,
scholarships, projects, sales, pre-proposals and others.

Guidelines in writing an inquiry letter:

 Use a courteous tone because you are requesting the reader’s time to fulfill your
request.
 Begin the letter by stating who you are and how you found out about the
reader’s organization.
 State what you are requesting as clearly as possible.
 The letter should be short but you should adequately explain what you are
requesting and what action you want the reader to take.
 Offer to pay for any copies or supplies that might be needed to fulfill your
request.
 Provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you have requested documents.
 Include the date when you need the information.
 When the person responds to your inquiry, send a thank-you-note.
4.5. 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 is typically
used for products or services which, due to their price, are a considered purchase at
medium or high value.

Guidelines in writing a sales letter:

 Focuses on what interests the reader.
 If the letter is not personally addressed to the reader, start the letter with a
headline that:
--describes the key benefit to the readers.
--use power words such as free, proven, imagine, how to, fast, cheap, save, enjoy
and Introducing.
 Gets the reader’s attention, targets the audience, lists a benefit and make a
promise.
Example: Own this kitchen furniture and get additional kitchen device
for free!
 If the letter is personally addressed, the opening sentence becomes the
headlines.
Example: Dear Mrs. Almonte: How would you like to have a practical,
beautiful kitchen furniture that comes with free kitchen device in your
lovely home?
 Keep the letter brief but interesting.
 Start the letter by identifying the unique selling point of the product or service.
 Addresses the readers directly.
 Let the reader know how much the product or service costs.
  The closing of the letter should include a all to action that asks for an order and
explains how to order. The closing may include the deadline and always include
a thank-you-note.

4.6. Request letter

Request Letter is a letter which is written when you need certain information,
permission, favor, service or any other matter which requires a polite and humble
request

Guidelines in writing a request letter:

 Be courteous, tactful, brief, confident and persuasive.
 Be straightforward and include as much detail as possible about the request.
 Do not be overbearing or manipulative in trying to obtain the request.
 Make the reader feel complemented to be asked for a favor.
 Express your willingness to reciprocate.
 Invite the person to contact you with any questions or concerns.

4.7. Complaint letter
A Complaint Letter is a type of letter written to address any type wrong doing, offence,
grievance, resentment arising out of a product, service etc. Complaint Letters are used
to raise your concerns about unfair things and seek a productive outcome. ... Anyone
can complaint through letter if there is a legitimate reason.

Guidelines in writing a complaint letter:

 Write your complaint letter to a specific person at the organization, such as
manager, owner, president, CEO.
 Write the letter with a positive tone without emotional language or obscenities.
 Keep the letter short, honest, and straightforward without omitting any relevant
details.
 Send copies of any accompanying documentations and retain all originals.
 Do not threaten or make generalization about the organization.
 If other people you know were also affected by the problem, get multiple
signatures on the complaint letter.
 Suggest a solution for the problem without destroying the relationship.
 Include your contact information including your name, address, phone number,
and email address.

4.8. Refusal letter

A refusal letter is a negative response to either an invitation or a job offer. Its objective
is to notify the reader of a decision to decline. The letter should be kept fairly short. Its
scopeonly include information that relates to the reasons for not accepting the offer.

Guidelines in writing a refusal letter:

 Be as diplomatic as possible to avoid hurt feelings.
  Open the letter with a sincere statement that explains that you are refusing the
request.
 Explain your reasons for the refusal, and include any evidence to back-up your
decision.
 Offer alternatives to the reader that might have a better chance of being
accepted.
 Be courteous and wish the reader success elsewhere.

4.9. Acceptance letter

Acceptance Letter or Accepting Letter is a type of letter written to communicate a
positive response towards job offer, invitation, gift, offer, contract, scholarship and
other matters which require the intended. Acceptance Letters are most widely used by
prospective employers who have received a job offer.

Guidelines in writing an acceptance letter:

 Begin the letter by thanking the person, business, or organization.
 Identify what you are accepting and explain what it means to you.
 Thank anyone who assisted you.
 State the terms as you understand them.
 If accepting an employment offer, summarize the start date, job title and
description, compensation, benefits, and vacation days offered.
 Use positive tone.
 Be gracious by showing your courtesy, tact, and charm in your writing style.
 Use the spelling checker in your word process to check for spelling errors.
 Read the letter for clarity and to check for grammatical mistakes.

4.10. Acknowledgment letter

An acknowledgement letter is a document used by businesses to formally acknowledge
the receipt of something, for example, an invoice, that can be used as a courtesy, for
record keeping, or to raise an issue with whatever service was received.

Guidelines in writing an acknowledgment letter:

 Include a short apology if the acknowledgment is delayed.
 If you are responding to a complaint, be courteous and apologize for any
inconvenience or problem.
 Be sincere.
 The letter should be addressed to a specific person, of possible.

4.11. Collection letter

A collection letter is a notification sent in writing, informing a consumer of his past due
payments.

Guidelines in writing a collection letter:

  Gather all the facts about the customer’s account.
 Be specific about the amount owed and the date the funds were due.
 Let the customer know what the penalty would be if he or she failed to pay by a
specific deadline.
 Offer assistance for customers having difficulty paying. Discuss new terms or a
payment plan.
 If you must cancel a customer’s credit, explain your reason for doing so.
 Be courteous, but firm.

4.12. Resignation letter

A resignation letter is a document that notifies your employer that you are leaving your
job. It formalizes your departure from your current employment, and can be written as a
printed letter or an email message.

Guidelines in writing a resignation letter:

 Highlight your accomplishment at the organization.
 Avoid emotion and maintain your dignity.
 Highlight your skills using action verbs.
 Emphasize the contribution you have made to the organization—be positive.
 Show enthusiasm and appreciation for what you have accomplished at the
organization.
 The terms of your resignation should attempt to maintain a good relationship
with your employer.

4.13. Announcement letter

An announcement letter is a type of letter used for a number of business and personal
situations. Also, personal announcement letters are common - for instance, to
announce a wedding or a birth.

Guidelines in writing an announcement letter:

 For positive announcement, make the letter straight and to the point.
 Build morale, confidence, and goodwill.
 Use the announcement to promote your business.
 Include enough information so that you do not have to answer questions about
the announcement later.
 When announcing bad news, be considerate and respectful.

4.14. Commendation letter

Letters of commendation or commendation letters are messages written to express
gratitude and general recognition for a special deed. They are usually unsolicited. In
some cases, they offer rewards for the action being recognized, such as a promotion or
pay bonus.

Guidelines in writing a commendation letter:

  Describe the work or accomplishment that deserves the commendation.
 Describe the person’s qualities that make him or her successful.
 Thank the person for his or her contribution to the organization.

4.15. Seasonal letter

Seasonal correspondence is a way of greeting customers and employees by writing
holiday letters. Holiday letters to customers can include special offers and incentives
with deadlines related to the holiday.

4.16. Transmittal letter

A transmittal or cover letter accompanies a larger item, usually a document. The
transmittal letter provides the recipient with a specific context in which to place the
larger document and simultaneously gives the sender a permanent record of having
sent the material.

Guidelines in writing a transmittal letter:

 Start with a reference why a report is submitted.
 Give the purpose of the report
 Mention reference to a contract or authorization of the report being submitted
(if any).
 Give the title of the report.
 Give the acknowledgment if the report has received any assistance from a
person or organization.

5. Memorandums
A memorandum (abbrev.: memo; from Latin memorandum est, "It must be
remembered") is a written message that may be used in a business office. The plural
form of the Latin noun memorandum so derived is properly memoranda, but if the word
is deemed to have become a
word of the English language, the plural memorandums, abbreviated to memos, may be
used.

6.1. Basic parts of a Memorandum

TO
FROM
DATE
SUBJECT

6.2. Guidelines in writing memorandums

Here’s how to write an effective business memo:

 Keep your subject line concise but also precise. Avoid general or vague subject
lines like “Upcoming Meeting” in favor of something more specific, such as
“Notice of Date Change for Upcoming Marketing Department Meeting.” This
 way, even busy readers who are only skimming the document will understand
what issue is being addressed.

 Lead with the main topic of your memo. It should be clear from the very first
sentence what this memo is about. If your memo is on the long side, your first
paragraph should briefly summarize the following content.

 Keep your audience top of mind. Tailor the content of your message to your
primary audience’s priorities. Consider what matters most to them and
emphasize that element early in your message to grab your readers’ attention.
For memos distributed across multiple teams, be sure to use language familiar to
all, avoiding jargon that only certain team members may understand.

 Include only relevant information. Some supporting information may be helpful,

even necessary, to illustrate specific points. However, if you can remove a
sentence or paragraph without losing the meaning of your message, it is usually
better left out.

 Choose the right tone. All memos should be confident and direct, but be sure to
consider your content and audience as well. Sensitive HR issues, for example,
require a more empathetic tone than minor scheduling updates. When in doubt,
use Grammarly’s tone detector. It evaluates the tone of your memo and its
appropriateness for your message, ensuring it’s delivered effectively and sounds
exactly as intended.

 Choose the right communication channel. There are subtle but important
differences in sharing a memo via email versus posting it in a chat channel or on
a private messaging platform, so be sure to choose your channel carefully when
sending your message. An urgent update, for example, may be better suited to
something like Slack than to an email that may not be opened right away.

 Avoid potentially confusing or misleading mistakes. No matter how simple the

message, it’s always important to reread what you’ve written to eliminate typos
and other issues that could lead to a misunderstanding. Not only does
Grammarly catch typos and grammar mistakes, but it can also detect your tone
and make word choice suggestions for clearer writing.

An effective memo improves productivity by getting the right information to the right
people as quickly and efficiently as possible. Good memo writing can also improve
employee engagement, as team members typically feel more connected to a company
when they are kept “in the loop.”
 References:

Book
Sebastian, Evelyn L., Business Communication with Fundamentals of Research, Writing of
Business Letters. 2015. pp.67-117.

On-line sources:
What is business correspondence?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_correspondence

The 7 principles of business correspondence

https://fe13cs.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-seven-principles-of-business.html

Guidelines in writing business letter

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/business-english/writing-a-business-letter-in-english/

What is a memorandum?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorandum

Parts of a memorandum
https://thebusinesscommunication.com/different-parts-of-a-memo/

Guidelines in writing a memorandum

https://www.grammarly.com/business/learn/how-to-write-business-memo/?
utm_source=google&utm_

8 Essential Steps to Writing a Business Letter in English

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/business-english/writing-a-business-letter-in-english/

Memorandums and Letters

https://open.lib.umn.edu/businesscommunication/chapter/9-2-memorandums-and-letters/

JDC
08/21