5.business writing

8/22/2019 5.Business Writing

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Business Writing

An Introduction


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What is business writing?

A wide range of different writing jobs and

formats including both:

internal communication within the company

or organization and

external communication interfacing with the

public or other organizations on behalf of the

company or organization


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What does it include?

Letters & Memos

Proposals & Reports

Power Point Presentations

Newsletters

Press releases Marketing brochures ,Copywriting ,web copy

Blogging

Resumes and job applications

Emails Faxes

Minutes of a Meeting


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Letters and Memos

The primary difference between Business Letters and

Business Memos is the intended reader.

Letters are usually between two businesses or the business

and the client. They are more detailed and formal Memos are usually internal i.e. within the organization.

They are shorter and more informal

Both letters and memos require a professional tonewith clear, precise and unambiguous language


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Proposals

Proposal A Proposal can be of one page or manybut the basic structure comprises of

Introduction: explaining the background to the problem and why itneeds to be solved.

The Proposed Solution: explaining how the problem can be solved.

Costs: explaining what is required financially or in terms of manpoweror facilities, to see the solution though successfully

Statement of Request: the specifics that the person making theproposal is requesting.


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Reports

A report can cover many different areas withdifferent purposes. These can be

Progress Reports

Report of the work accomplished within a specific time

period

Feasibility Reports

Evaluation report of a proposal designed to determine

the difficulty of carrying out a designated task Research Reports

It is the compilation of findings from a piece of research


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All reports will basically comprise of

Introduction: outlining the purpose of the report and theareas to be covered.

Body: including all the facts and figures with details of how

the information was gathered.

Conclusion: an evaluation of the information collated andpresented.

Recommendation: a statement of what has to be done inthe future on the basis of what has been inferred from thematerial gathered and the conclusion.


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Power Point Presentations

Power point presentations are often based on

proposals and reports, employing a visual

presentation of the most striking points of the

information to be imparted, combined with a

speech delivered by the presenter.


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Newsletters

Newsletters are generally written for the

company employees, clients or customers.

They are written in a journalistic style. While

being interesting and informative they also

convey the managements message or

promotions in entertaining and readable

articles.


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Press Releases

Press releases generally adhere to a strict format:

Headline: an attention grabbing statement of the main point of thestory.

5 Ws and an H: The first paragraph condense the whole story by tellingWho What When Where Why and How

Body: Expand on the story, but keep everything on one page.

Contact details: They give full details about the organisation putting

the story out, and the full contact details of the person who can givejournalists more information (names, addresses, website, telephone,e-mail etc)

End: The press release is generally concluded with ###


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Marketing Brochure, Copywriting and

Web Copy

These are written from the point of view of

highlighting the products or services of the

organizations. Marketing brochures,copywriting, and web copy all require skills in

sales or promotional writing.


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Blogging

A new development in Business Writing the

emergence of Blogs or Web Logs. Many

companies are realising the potential of blogs

for promoting their company or their products

and therefore professional writers are being

hired for writing the blogs of the company


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Resumes & Job Applications

These are used by professionals for the

purpose of soliciting jobs and new

opportunities by communicating their

competencies and experiences to companiesin an clear and concise manner.


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Emails

It has become an important part of business

communication in recent times. Messages as email

can be sent over great distances in minimal time.

As a general rule the content should not be morethan a couple of paragraphs. Anything longer should

be sent as attachment.

Grammar and spelling ARE important in business

email

Appropriate use of cc and bcc where required


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Faxes

It is the short form of Facsimile (exact copy).

Fax is a document sent over the telephone

line. In spite of the emergence of emails, Fax is

still an important form of businesscommunication because

It is easier to handwrite than to type

Since emails are not signed at times sometimesthey are unacceptable in business communication


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Minutes of Meeting

The written minutes of a meeting are a meeting report that is sent afterthe meeting, it states what was said and decided during the meeting. The

minutes contain the date of the meeting, as well as the initials and names

of the people who attended

Minutes of meetings usually include:

Minutes of the last meeting

Matters arising from the last minutes

The agenda of the meeting itself

Any other business (AOB)

Meeting minutes also show who is responsible for carrying out action. In a

column on the right-hand side, we put the person's initials in bold to show

that he or she will perform the action.


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EXERCISE I :

Email, Fax or Letter


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Answer Key

Sl No Description Type of Correspondence1 Applying for a job Letter / email with Resume

attachment

2 Booking a conference room at a hotel Fax

3 Telling colleagues to attend a meeting Email

4 Ordering stationery Fax / email

5 Telling colleagues about a new

member of staff

Email

6 Complaining about a delivery service Email / fax

7 Thanking a customer Email / letter8 Sending out a meeting agenda Email

9 Resigning Letter

10 Apologizing to an important business

contact

Letter


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Writing Business Letters

Business letters are written with the intention

of getting the reader to respond. They should

have a Clear purpose, should be Concise and

unambiguous

All business correspondence should preferably

be on the business letter head.

The format of letters is either block, semi

block or modified block style


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The Structure of the letter

The Start

Dear Personnel Director,

Dear Sir or Madam: (use if you don't know who you

are writing to)

Dear Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms Smith: (use if you know

who you are writing to, and have a formal relationship

with - VERY IMPORTANT use Ms for women unless

asked to use Mrs or Miss)

Dear Frank: (use if the person is a close business

contact or friend)


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The Reference

With reference to your advertisement in the Times of

India,

With reference to your letter of 23 rd March

With reference to your phone call today

Thank you for your letter of March 5 th

The Reason for Writing

I am writing to inquire about apologize for

confirm


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Requesting / Agreeing to request / Giving bad

news

Could you possibly? I would be grateful if you could

I would be delighted to

Unfortunately I am afraid that

Enclosing documents

I am enclosing Please find enclosed

Enclosed you will find


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Closing Remarks

Thank you for your help

Please contact us again

if we can help in any way

If there are any problems

If you have any questions

Reference to future contact

I look forward to ...

hearing from you soon

meeting you next Tuesday

seeing you next Thursday


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The Finish

Yours faithfully, (If you don't know the name ofthe person you're writing to)

Yours sincerely, (If you know the name of the

person you're writing to)

Best wishes,

Best regards, (If the person is a close business

contact or friend)


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Example of a Business LetterInstitute of International Trade and Marketing

Shri Rajesh Verma Date: 16/08/2010

ABC Exports

DLF Estate

Gurgaon

Haryana

Sub: Conference on international marketing

Dear Shri Verma,

As a valued member of the Board of Governors of the Institute, I have great pleasure in inviting you

to a conference on the future of International Marketing to be held at Claridges Hotel on Thursday

August 26th

.

Highlights of the conference include

1) Indian exports situation

2) New emerging markets

3) Proposed policy changes regarding the same

The seminar is presented by a distinguished panel of professional speakers who will provide expert

advice on the topic of International exports. I have enclosed a detailed outline of the topics that will

be covered, which I am sure that you will not want to miss.

If you would like to join us please confirm the same by August 24th

.

I look forward to seeing you in this event.

Yours sincerely

(A K Singh)

Director

IITM

Enc: Detailed Program


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EXERCISE II :

The Structure of letters


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Answer Key Exercise II

e) Receivers name

and address

g) Company logo

c) Date

j) Subject heading

b) Greeting

a) Opening sentence

i) Main body of text

l) Closing sentence

h) I look forward to

k) Yours...

d) Signature

f) Senders name

j) Senders title

i) Indication of

attachment


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Tips for writing Business Letters

This is with reference to the earlier example It is normal to write Shri Rajesh Verma in the first

line of the receiver's address and underneath to

write Dear Shri Verma without the initials

The subject heading in India comes before Dear Shri

Verma but in some international conventions it

comes after Dear Shri Verma

In modern business letters Dear Shri Verma andYours Sincerely are not followed by a comma


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If you know the name of the person you must

use it rather than use Dear Sir/madam

You can use abbreviations in letters if they are

well known or expanded elsewhere in the

letter

Short, simple sentences are better than long,

complex ones

Bullets and numbers can be used in letters if

required

Enc. Is used if you are sending something in

addition to the letter e.g. a cheque


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EXERCISE III :

The Structure of letters :Addressing


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Answer Key : Exercise III

Addressee Correct Answer

Company Dear Sir or Madam

Man (name unknown) Dear Sir

Woman (name unknown) Dear Madam

Name and Sex unknown Dear Sir / Madam

Man Dear Mr. Verma

Married woman or widow Dear Mrs. Verma

Unmarried woman Dear Miss Verma

Woman (the modern way) Dear Ms Verma

Woman (marital status unknown) Dear Ms Verma

Married couple Dear Mr. and Mrs. Verma

Unmarried couple Dear Mr. Verma and Ms. Sinha

Friend / acquaintance Dear Rajesh


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Addressee Correct Answer

Dear Sir or Madam Yours faithfully

Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. Sharma Yours sincerely

Dear Anand (With) Best wishes / regards

Family and close friends (With) love


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The Structure of Fax

Generally, FAX is sent with a cover sheet FAX cover sheets are essential when sending Faxes so that

they reach the correct person and give information about the

sender

The letterhead should be added on top of the FAX cover sheet List the date couple of lines below the letterhead

The rest of the cover sheet should have the following fields

Company Name :

To:

From:

Recipient's Fax No:

No of pages of Fax including the cover sheet:

Notes:


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Institute of International Trade and Marketing

2, Park Road

New Delhi 110118

FAX

Date: 18/08/2010

Company Name: ABC Exports

To: Shri Rajesh Verma

From: A.K. Singh, Director IITM

Recipients Fax No: (011) 24564320

No of pages including cover sheet: 2

Dear Shri Verma,

Enclosed is the invitation for the CONFERENCE on International Marketing

organised by IITM

Date: 26th

August 2010

Time: 9 A.M.

Venue: Hotel Claridges, New Delhi

If you have any query regarding the same, please feel free to contact me.

Best Regards

A.K. Singh


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The Structure of Email

Email is much less formal than a written letter. It is usually short and concise. If you are writing to someone you don't know, a simple "Hello" is adequate. Using

a salutation such as "Dear Mr Smith," is too formal.

When writing to someone you know well, feel free to write as if you are speaking

to the person.

You can use abbreviated verb forms (He's, We're, He'd, etc.)

Include a telephone number to the signature of the email. This will give the

recipient the chance to telephone if necessary.

It is not necessary to include your email address as the recipient can just reply to

the email.

When replying eliminate all the information that is not necessary. Only leave the

sections of text that are related to your reply. This will save your reader time when

reading your email.

Use cc: and bcc: as per requirement

Have a formal / respectable email ID for official purposes


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MEMORANDUMS

Memorandums are a form of letter written inside thebusiness.

Some memos may be classified as reports.

Heading : Memorandum/Interoffice Memorandum

Followed by : Date, To, From, Subject

May add : Department, Plant, Location, Copies to


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ABC STORES, INC.

MEMORANDUMTo:From:

Date:

Store:

Copies to:

Subject : Form for in-house letters

This is an illustration of our memorandum stationery. It should be usedfor written communication within the organization.

Notice that the stationery uses no form of salutation. The writer does

not need to sign the message. He or she needs only to initial after the

typed name in the heading.


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EXERCISE IV :

Writing Letters, Fax and Email

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