Business Letter Writing

0

RALPH L. WOOD, B.A., PD.B. PRINCIPAL, SCHOOL OF SALESMANSHIP

INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS

PLANNING AND THE MECHAN

LETTER TTER

ROUTINE AND ADJUSTMENT LETTERS

INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS SCIENCE SCRANTON, PA.

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Planning and Writing the Letter: Copyright, 1927, by rNTRNATroNAL TEXTBOOK

COMPANY.

The Mechanics of the Letter: Copyright, 1927, by I NTERNATTONAL TEXTB001 COMPANY,

Routine and Adjustment Letters: Copyright, 12.7, by INTERNATIONAL TEXTBOOK

C OM.PAN

Copyright in Great Britain

All rights reserved

Printed in U S. A1

INTERNATIONAL TEXTBOOK PRESS

Scranton, Pa. 92936

NOTE.—This book is made up of separate parts, or sections, as indicated by thcfr tit'es, and the page numbers of each usually begin with L In this list of contents the titles of the parts are given in the order in which they appear in the book, and under each title is a full synoiis of the subjects treated.

PLANNING AND WRITING THE LETTER Pages Planning the Letter. - . .0 &. 4.. W W• - . . . . a • • 1- 5

Requisites of a good letter; Outline; Franklin's method; Degree of detail in outlines; Specimen outline; General principles of composition.

Writing the Letter. . . 6 4 . a a - 0 . - 9 V 6 P V V P

Spelling. --- --- . . . 4 0 9• . , . . . . a • • a - How to spell correctly; Words commonly misspelled.

Diction . . . . . . - . . - - a . . . 0 - , 4 . . . . , . . . . . . . - . . + .

Use of the right word; Study of synonyms; The habit of observation; Use of national words; Use of reputable words; Use of present words

6-45

6-9

10-16

Sentence Construction. Essential qualities of a

rectness; Clearness; Emphasis; Euphony; tences; Loose and pen: construction

• • - . ., - a 4 • • • -

3rammatieal cor nity; coherence; es; Kinds of sen-

ariety in sentence

17-26

27-35

36-41

36

37-41

42-45

Construction of Paragraph'! Definition; Unity; Coherence; Coherence by arrangement;

Coherence by connectives; Importance of coherence; Emphasis; Length of paragraphs.

Beginning the Letter. • + a • • . . . , a a • -

Importance of Effective Openings. * -. . .. . . . .

Principles Involved in Effective Openings. Two general principles; Naturalness of style; Gaining the

reader's attention..

Ending the Letter.- a a - + P • • s a . - - -

Purpose; Qiialities-

THE MECHANICS OF THE LETTER

Make-Up of a Letter. . +

Materials..... • - - - • • . . . . . - . . + . - - - - - - Paper; Envelopes; Ink.

Arrangement of the Letter. . a . . . , • U U I a • a

1-29

1-2

1-29

35-36 37-49 37-38

39 40-41 42-49

iv

CONTENTS

THE MECHANICS OF THE LETTER—(Cojitinued) Pages

The Letter as a Whole .... 3-6 Importance of arrangement; Parts of a letter.

Head*111 Cr tn .1. . . . • V p 9 p p F W + . I P + 1 4 + 4 I I I A A 4

Form and location; Date; Punctuation; Specimens of headings.

Address.. . . • • • • • • , .. - . . . . uk. WWW

Form, location, and punctuation; Titles and names. Salutation - . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . -----------

Bodvof the Letten...Ow.r. .1 • •

Do

. 0

Complimentary Close, Signature, Postscript, Superscrip- tion, Stamp.

Peturn Address,. 144 I

Fo1dingtheLettcr... ------------- Abbreviations. . . 4 4 . . - •

7-10

11-15

16-17 16-18

19-27 2.8-29 30-34

ROUTINE AND

ENT LETTERS

Routine. Letters. Letters ordering goods 4 ii delayed orders;

Explaining delayed o; Paym by mail; Letters acknowledging orders - t.erining enclosures; Letters of Replies to inquiries; Letters of recommendion; Letters of resigna- tion; Letters accepting invitations; Letters declining invitations; Congratulations on business success; Letters of sympathy; Internal Letters; Stock phrases.

Adjustment Letters..... . r1-.1EVW Pf . 4 • j WV. rr-1-1 §.*** Letters of Complaint..... I P I • P I I P P

Measures to Prevent Complaints. 4 4 1 4 • I 4 1 4 4 4

Essentials of a Complaint Letter. ! p p Clearness; Courtesy; Conciseness; How to close.

Series of Complaints. ---------------- I I P + P 1 U I

Replies to Complaints. . - . . ............. + V • • • • 0 • General Suggestions. Three Things the Letter Should Accomplish. P 5 I Drawing Out Complaints... How, to Handle Complaints.. . . . - ...+..

Prompt attention; Sympathetic attitude; Grant concessions cheerfully; Never blame the customer; Special offers; Diplomacy in making refusal; Acknowledging mistakes; Refuse to give special privileges; Offer service,

1-3D

31-62 31-36 31-32 33-35

Examples of Adjustment Letters. . . . . . . . . . 61 4. V . W 50-62