BUSINESS LETTER WRITING 1.1

 

BUSINESS LETTER WRITING 1.1 

[Principles of Effective Business Writing]

Business affects everyone. Businesses in almost every field need skilled writers. Advertisements, applications, reports, contracts, manuals, proposals, and memos are composed, revised, published and read in thousands of businesses across the nation. Then there are the countless letters, forms, and documents all of us encounter over the course of our everyday lives. There are numerous situations, however, in which written contact is preferable. Writing allows time to think and present information in the clearest, most concise manner. Writing provides a record that can be filed for future reference. A written message can be sent to a large number of people at once. In many cases, written communication carries more weight and is taken more seriously than a spoken conversation. For these reasons and more it is important to become familiar with basic business writing skills. Business letters are used primarily to communicate with external stakeholders such as consumers, intermediaries, government and bankers. The principles of business letter writing are somewhat different from the principles of writing general letters. Business letters are much more formal than general letters. Before we go into the specifics of business letter writing, let us look briefly at some of these principles;

Awareness of Audience: Know the audience you are writing to. It makes a difference whether you are communicating with a customer service representative, a long-time co-worker, or a potential new client. Beware of phrases and expressions that could be misunderstood or offensive. Know what your reader needs and wants to hear, and allow that knowledge to shape your writing. 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 the awareness of the audience, you generate goodwill.

Clarity and Conciseness: Business letters should be brief and to the point, avoiding unnecessary details, round about expressions and unnecessary words. Business letters should give maximum information to the reader, using minimum words. Business letters should be clearly worded, avoiding the use of jargon or technical terms, and slangs. Concrete words should be used, so that there is no ambiguity. Example: Instead of saying “I received your communication”, it is better to be more precise by saying “I received your letter.” One has to be clear and specific in their letter. The words used should be unambiguous and not vague. Avoid giving abstract information.  Eg. 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’. The well-known saying, “Time is money,” is well-known because it’s true. Nobody (especially a business person) wants his time wasted, so be sure your purpose is clear and that what you write is worth taking the time to read.

Concreteness & Correctness: A good business letter always provides concrete information (specific information). Eg. 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 21^st of Dec. 2013. While writing a business letter, the principle of correctness should also 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. Use only necessary details and short sentences. Be direct and avoid long unneeded expressions. Use the “Keep it short and simple” formula. Provide complete information in the letter.

Consideration and Courtesy: Be courteous and polite. Avoid making negative statements and a harsh tone accusing the recipient. eg. 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. A discourteous, rude letter can make you lose business. Therefore, the business letter should be extremely polite at all times and mindful of the “P”s and “Q”s, i.e., the words “please, thank you and sorry.” Even if you happen to get a rude letter from a customer, you must respond politely, in order to retain the customer. If the company has been at fault, it is important to apologize to the customer for the mistake and for the inconvenience caused. The overall tone should not be negative. For example, avoid saying “We cannot grant your request.” Instead state it in a more tactful way, explaining the reasons for not being able to grant the request. If you are sending a job rejection letter to a candidate, it should be worded politely and in a positive tone. Consideration means that you should appeal to the reader’s interest.

Appearance & Appropriate Tone: Business letters, proposals, memos, and many other types of business writing require particular formats. Adhering to standard format eliminates confusion and helps the reader quickly identify the purpose of the document. Attention to details of the format is more important in business writing than most other kinds of writing. Apart from the content, the format, layout and overall look of the letter should be equally appealing to the reader. Attention should be paid to the quality of paper used. The margins should be appropriate, including one inch on each side and one and a half inches on top and at the bottom. Another tricky aspect of writing is that tone (i.e., the attitude of the writer toward his subject or audience) can easily be misinterpreted. Avoid sarcasm. Be aware that a letter can sound colder and more severe than you may intend. Pay attention not only to what is said, but how your words may be interpreted. Do not be overly informal or familiar.

[to be continued...]