routine business correspondence letters, memos, and emails

Routine Business Correspondence

Letters, Memos, and Emails

Planning for Routine Correspondence

PPurposeurpose What is my purpose?

What do I need to say? What do I want?

AAudienceudience Who is the primary/secondary audience?

How might they react?

What do they know/need to know?

GGenreenre What genre is best?

What are the conventions of that genre?

OOrganizationrganization How will I organize an outline?

What does the genre mean to organization?

SStyletyle What tone? Mood? Visual characteristics?

PAGOS

PAGOS

PAGOS

OverviewOverview

• Emails – Can be sent internally or externally• DO NOT USE – sensitive, official, highly formal or

serious, paper attachments needed

• Memos – internal only• DO NOT USE – with external audiences

• Letters – External/internal audiences, no prior relationship, official signed record, formality

• DO NOT USE – for routine messages that can be emailed or sent as a memo

Do emails REALLY matter?

• Email contributes to “ethos”

• Is a relationship tool

• Reflects on YOU and your organization

From: babygrl82@xxxx.com

To: juliam@mail.usf.edu

CC:

Subject: [ENC2210.001]

can U plz send me the assinments??????

Emails (2 real examples)

From: xMUsikLvRx@xxxx.com

To: juliam@mail.usf.edu

CC:

Subject: [ENC2210.xxx]

HERES MY PROJECT. CAN YOU TELL ME WHATS WRONG

THX!!!

Characteristics of Successful E-Mails (Guidelines)

• Effective subject line – main idea, important info

• Greeting

• Single topic, concise

• Conversational tone

– Graphic highlighting often appropriate

• Liberal paragraph breaks

• “signature”

Email Characteristics/Guidelines

• Don’t – write in all caps – use backgrounds, weird fonts, or images– ignore your audience

• U, thx, lol, roflmao, haha, sup, IMO, l8r, cya, WTF, j/k, TY, TIA, imho, and/or various colorful obscenities. ???????

– use quotes/verses/sayings in signature – Use an inappropriate email address

• Do– Proofread– Check for tone– Check for a response– Use a good subject line

Characteristics of Successful Memos (Similar to Emails)

• Headings: Date, To, From, Subject• Single topic• Conversational tone• Concise, liberal paragraphs• Graphic highlighting (in certain contexts)

• MEMOS – Internal, established relationship and shared understanding

Types of Memos

Procedure and Information Memos Downward flow – distribution

Request and Reply Memos Direct request

Confirmation Memos “to-file” reports or “incident” reports

Memos: Organization

1) Heading1) Heading

DATE:TO: FROM: Name (and identifying info) Example: Dave Smith, Section 011SUBJECT: Summarize the main idea. Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.

4 Parts: heading, opening, body, closing

Memos: Organization

2) Opening2) Opening

In general, start directly; state the main idea

Indirect (ineffective) opening:

This is to inform you that we must complete the annual operating budgets shortly. Over the past two months many supervisors have met to discuss their departmental needs.

Direct (effective) opening:

All supervisors and coordinators will meet June 3 at 10 a.m. to work out the annual operating budgets for their departments

Memos: Organization

3) Body3) Body

• Explain and discuss the topic.• Use graphic highlighting to facilitate reading,

comprehension, and retention.• Consider columns, headings, enumerations,

bulleted lists, etc.

4) Closing4) Closing• Request action, include end date.• Summarize message or provide a closing

thought.• DO NOT SIGN

Memos: Formatting

DATE: February 31, 2030

TO: Rob Montaine

FROM: Heidi Chan HC

SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY FOR MEMOS

Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.

Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.

Enclosures

DATE: February 31, 2030

TO: Rob Montaine

FROM: Heidi Chan HC

SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY FOR MEMOS

Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.

Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.

Enclosures

1¼ inchmargin

1¼ inchmargin

Single spaced paragraphs, additional

space between paragraphs

align

Do not sign

double spaced

Subject Lines for Informative and Subject Lines for Informative and Positive Messages – Positive Messages – ALL GENRESALL GENRES

• Make subject lines Make subject lines specific.specific.– Subject: Interview Questions for Job Candidate Subject: Interview Questions for Job Candidate

Toni James.Toni James.

• Make subject lines Make subject lines concise.concise.– Subject: Let’s Hire Toni James.Subject: Let’s Hire Toni James.

• Make subject lines Make subject lines appropriateappropriate for the for the pattern of organization.pattern of organization.– In general, provide the same information that In general, provide the same information that

you would in the first paragraph – main ideayou would in the first paragraph – main idea

Characteristics of Successful Business Letters

• All have an opening (purpose), body (details), and closing (request action or courteous closing)

• Clear, organized content

• “Goodwill” tone

• Correct form

Courtesy TitlesCourtesy Titles

• Use Use Ms.Ms. or or Mr.Mr. unless the reader has a unless the reader has a professional titleprofessional title..– Dr., Rev., Prof.,Dr., Rev., Prof., and and Senator.Senator.

• Use a complete name if you don’t know gender.Use a complete name if you don’t know gender.– Lee SandersLee Sanders instead ofinstead of Mr.Mr. or or Ms. Sanders.Ms. Sanders.

• When you don’t know the reader’s name or When you don’t know the reader’s name or gender, usegender, use– The reader’s position or job title.The reader’s position or job title.

• Dear Dear Human Resources ManagerHuman Resources Manager

– The general group to which the reader belongs.The general group to which the reader belongs.

• DearDear Concerned CitizenConcerned Citizen

Business Letters: Block Formatting

EMAIL: cypress@grid.com5090 Katella Avenue PHONE: (310) 329-4330Anaheim, CA 92642 FAX: (310) 329-4259

May 18, 2001

Ms. LaTonja WilliamsHealth Care Specialists2608 Fairview RoadCosta Mesa, CA 92627

Dear Ms. Williams:

SUBJECT: FORMATTING BUSINESS LETTERS

EMAIL: cypress@grid.com5090 Katella Avenue PHONE: (310) 329-4330Anaheim, CA 92642 FAX: (310) 329-4259

May 18, 2001

Ms. LaTonja WilliamsHealth Care Specialists2608 Fairview RoadCosta Mesa, CA 92627

Dear Ms. Williams:

SUBJECT: FORMATTING BUSINESS LETTERS

Cypress Associates, Inc.Cypress Associates, Inc.Letterhead

Dateline

Inside Address

Salutation

Subject Line

2 inches from top of page, depends on ltrhead

1 blank line

1 blank line

1 blank line

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Fusce a libero. Nullam felis. Suspendisse vitae diam ut eros tristique mattis. Cras sapien. Curabitur mi. In ac leo vitae quam sodales nonummy. Mauris quis odio.

In porta, augue consectetuer dictum volutpat, enim dui auctor ante, nec rhoncus lectus magna ut nunc.

Sincerely,

Sharon Montoya

Sharon Montoya

SM:mef

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Fusce a libero. Nullam felis. Suspendisse vitae diam ut eros tristique mattis. Cras sapien. Curabitur mi. In ac leo vitae quam sodales nonummy. Mauris quis odio.

In porta, augue consectetuer dictum volutpat, enim dui auctor ante, nec rhoncus lectus magna ut nunc.

Sincerely,

Sharon Montoya

Sharon Montoya

SM:mef

ComplimentaryClosing

Printed Name

Reference Initials

3 blank lines

1 blank line

1 blank line

Business Letters: Block Formatting

Courtesy TitlesCourtesy Titles

• Use Use Ms.Ms. or or Mr.Mr. unless the reader unless the reader has a professional titlehas a professional title..

– Dr., Rev., Prof.,Dr., Rev., Prof., and and Senator.Senator.

• Use a complete name if you don’t Use a complete name if you don’t know gender.know gender.

– Lee SandersLee Sanders instead ofinstead of Mr.Mr. or or Ms. Ms. Sanders.Sanders.