Business Letters

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Business Letters
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Business Letters

• Formats
• Full Block

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Full Block--------Business
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Full Block--------Personal
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Business Letters

• Format
• Full Block
• Modified Block

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Modified Block--------Business
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Modified Block--------Personal
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Business Letters

• Formats
• Full Block
• Modified Block
• Simplified

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Simplified
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Additional Letter Sections

• Second-page heading
• Mr. Howard Jones
• September 21, 2005
• Page 2
• Enclosure Notation flush left
• Optional Notations text pages 82-83
• Attention or Subject Line, Copy Acknowledgement,
  Reference Initials

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Business Letters

• As you begin, ask yourself
• 1. What is my purpose?
• Who am I writing to?
• Other professionals, coworkers, professors,
  classmates, etc.

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Audience Analysis

• As a professional in a field, develop a sense of
  what other professionals expect.
• What do they already know?
• What do I need to tell them?

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Business Letters

• Two Organizational Patterns
• 1. Deductive
• Good news/neutral
• 2. Inductive
• Bad news/persuasive

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Good News /Neutral Deductive

• Opening
• Congratulations! Your loan for 125,000 has been
  approved. This money should provide the
  necessary capital to open your hardware store.
• Stress Benefits

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Good News /Neutral Deductive

• Closing
• Poor
• Dont forget to come to Valley and sign the
  loan papers. We cannot release the money until
  the paperwork is completed and signed. Thanks
  for doing business with us. If there is anything
  else I can do, please call.

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Good News /Neutral Deductive

• Closing
• Good
• You may stop in at your convenience and
• complete the necessary paperwork for your
• loan. Your business is certainly
• appreciated, Mr. Herrera our staff is
• available to help meet your financial needs.

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Neutral Inquiry Deductive

• Come right to the point what do you want? A
  goodwill statement might save the letter from
  sounding demanding.
• Use an itemized list to help clarify the
  information you need. Keep items parallel.
• 3. As you close, give a response date and a
  reason.

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Persuasive - Inductive

• Attention Have you ever played golf on a hot,
  humid day and realized that the only place to get
  a drink was still six holes ahead?
• Interest
• Desire
• Action - Just complete and mail the postage-paid
  order card indicating how many bottles you would
  like at 4 each. Your order will be shipped to
  you the day we receive it.

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Refusal Letter-Inductive

• Main goal - maintain a positive relationship with
  the reader even though youre refusing the
  request.

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Refusal Letter-1st paragraph

• Begin with a buffer that is a couple of sentences
  long. The buffer should introduce the subject
  and say neither yes nor no.
• Thank you for requesting a charge account at
  Taltons.
• Your request for a charge account at Taltons
  tells us
• something important You enjoy the rewards of
  owning a
• smart, up-to-the-minute wardrobe.

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Refusal Letter-middle paragraph(s)

• Provide a factual explanation for the refusal.
• State refusal in positive terms. Tell what you
  can do, not what you cant. Bury the refusal but
  state it clearly. Avoid negative words, such as
  regretfully and unfortunately.
• Offer an alternative proposal. Focus on what you
  CAN do for the reader.

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Refusal Letter-closing paragraph

• Offer a goodwill statement.
• Dont repeat the refusal close in a friendly,
  positive manner.
• Include Resale, which stresses the alternative
  proposal again.

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Good News Letter

• Congratulations! Kevin has been accepted in
• our current student enrollment. The policy you
• applied for is enclosed and is now in force. I
• would like to commend you for the concern you
• have shown for Kevins future.
• (last paragraph) We welcome this opportunity to
• serve you. If you have any questions, simply
  call toll-
• free to 1-800-222-2062. We will be happy to help
  
• you in any way we can.

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Bad News Letter

• Dear Applicant
• Thank you for submitting an application to
  National
• Benefit Life Insurance Company for your child
  Scott.
• Based on responses to the medical questions in
  the
• application, we must decline this policy.
  However,
• this does not mean that your child would not be
• eligible for other insurance which is evaluated
  with
• complete medical underwriting.

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Bad News Letter

• Enclosed is your refund check to cover your
  initial
• deposit. We thank you for your inquiry.

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Bad News Letter

• Dear Lane Anderson
• Thank you for applying to our company for your
• insurance needs.
• We would like to insure everyone under a life
  policy,
• but we are not always able to do so. Our
  decision to
• not provide you with the coverage requested was
  based
• entirely on the yes answer(s) you provided on
  the
• application regarding your health history.

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Bad News Letter

• Attached to this letter is your initial premium
  and
• application.

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Bad News Letter

• Buffer
• Reason before Refusal
• Refusal in positive terms
• Courteous ending off subject of bad news

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Bad News Letter New Subject

• Dear Mr. Anderson
• After carefully reviewing your file, we feel that
  with
• some additional academic preparation, you will be
  
• ready to enroll for Fall Semester.
• The College Skills Seminar (CSS) has been
  developed
• for students like you who need further
  preparation
• before attempting college level work.

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Bad News Letter New Subject

• A CSS brochure has been mailed to you. Admission
  to
• CSS is limited, and those who respond to this
  offer will
• be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.
  If you
• are interested in this offer, please call the CSS
  Office at
• [phone].
• If you have any questions, please feel free to
  contact us
• by e-mail or by telephone at [phone].

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• Presentation developed by Scott Anderson
• Examples adapted from Business and Management
  Communication by Sorenson, DeBord, and Ramirez
  Excellence in Business Communication by Thill and
  Bovee Business Communication by Harcourt,
  Krizan, and Merrier.