Business Writing

Firefly Electric and Lighting Corp. Training and Organizational Development

Human Resources Department

Module 7

Writing Business Letters: Format and Content

Module 7 : Writing Business Letters: Format

and Content

Lesson 1a

Kinds of Business Letters

Writing Business Letters

Module Seven: Writing Business Letters

Corresponding via letters is a large part of doing business. More than sending a message, business letters are a way to establish rapport, clarify work expectations, and even affirm and encourage co-workers. In this module, we will discuss the kinds of business letters, their basic structure and how to choose the most appropriate format for your business letters.

• What a lot

we lost

when we

stopped

writing

letters. You

can’t reread

a phone call.

• William

Zinsser

Writing Business Letters

Definition: A business letter is any formal written communication sent by one company to another or sent by one company to individuals (internal or external stakeholders) who can affect or be affected by the activities of a business. An individual or group of individuals may also write to a company or organization for the same purpose.

Writing Business Letters The kinds of business letters vary as there are many

kinds of stakeholders. These include owners or shareholders, financiers, investors, managers, government, employees, customers, suppliers, creditors, trade unions and the community.

This module will discuss the most common types of business letters which are: sales letter, letter of inquiry, response to inquiry, letter of complaint, letter of apology with adjustment, letter of acknowledgement, letter of billing, letter of credit refusal, and follow –up letters.

Writing Business Letters

The sales letter has for its purpose to persuade the consumer to buy a product, try a service or a procedure, support a cause or an idea or participate in an activity. It makes use of the AIDA principle.

Writing Business Letters The AIDA principle of Sales letter

(Grab the buyer’s attention)

(Arouse the buyer’s interest)

(Create in the buyer a strong desire)

(Transform the desire into Action )

Writing Business Letters The Sales Letter Construction Pattern: • First paragraph grabs the reader’s attention (A). • Second paragraph arouses the interest of the reader, (I) using concrete words and colorful verbs, highlighting the product’s appeal and showing the product’s use. • Third paragraph appeals to the reader and converts interest to desire (D), using reader-centered benefits such as savings, health, convenience, youthful appearance, services, etc. • Fourth paragraph urges the reader to take action (A) to buy the product, services, procedure, or idea.

Writing Business Letters Guidelines in writing a sales letter:

1) Identify and limit your audience.

2) Use reader psychology. Appeal to the reader’s intellect and/or emotions, emphasizing your offering’s benefits in terms of savings, health, convenience, comfort, service, youthful appearance, etc.

3) Use words that appeal to the reader’s senses.

Writing Business Letters

4) Be ethical and truthful.

5) Don’t boast or brag about your company or exaggerate description of your product.

6) Focus only on what you are selling, don’t undermine other companies and products.

Writing Business Letters The letter of inquiry has for its purpose to solicit information. The letter of inquiry construction pattern: • First paragraph: The writer o introduces himself, indicating status /position. o briefly explains the purpose for writing, what he hopes to accomplish. • Second paragraph o lists specific items of information needed. o states the action expected of the recipient. o states the date by which the action needs to be completed or the date by which the information is needed for product, service or procedure.

Writing Business Letters The letter of inquiry…

• Third paragraph

ooffers an incentive for the recipient to respond immediately.

o indicates that the writer expects a response and appreciates a prompt reply.

o thanks the recipient for his time.

In closing, the writer includes his contact information.

R

Response to

Letter of Inquiry

Writing Business Letters Response to the Letter of Inquiry is the reply

that is sent to an individual, a group or a company who wants to find out more about your company’s products, services or procedure.

Its purpose is to answer a potential customer’s desire for more information before he/ she makes a final decision regarding the product, service or procedure.

Writing Business Letters Response to letter of inquiry construction pattern:

• First paragraph

o expresses appreciation for, and acknowledgment of the inquiry.

o thanks the sender for the inquiry.

• Second paragraph

o sells the company, using various descriptions.

o sells the product, describing its advanced features, stating its advantages over similar products.

o answers the inquiries of the sender.

Writing Business Letters Letter of response to inquiry: • Third paragraph o gives additional information about the product. o anticipates unasked inquiries and gives reply to these. Ends the letter with a positive closure. The letter may include end notations such as

Reference initials Enclosure CC BCC - in business letter this appears in office

copy and in third party copy but not in the original copy.

Writing Business Letters

Let’s Review

Writing Business Letters 1. The last A in AIDA stands for: a) attention c) appreciation b) appeal d) action 2. Which of these is NOT a reader-centered benefit? a) profit c) convenience b) services d) savings 3. Which of the following is TRUE? A business letter: a) clarifies work expectations. b) sends out a message. c) encourages co-workers by affirming them. d) all of the above

Writing Business Letters 4. Which of these is an internal stakeholder?

a) customer c) trade union

b) creditors d) employee

5. Which of these arouses the interest of the reader?

a) highlighting the product’s appeal

b) urging the customer to buy the product

c) detailing the company’s achievements

d) none of the above

Writing Business Letters 6. Which of the following is NOT true? a) The writer introduces himself in the first paragraph of the business letter. b) The letter of inquiry offers an incentive for the recipient to reply immediately. c) The writer uses reader psychology in the sales letter. d) The writer includes his contact number in the letter of inquiry. 7. Which of these will not appear in the original copy of the business letter? a) enclosure c) CC b) Reference initials d) BCC

Writing Business Letters 8. In which letter can end notation be found? a) sales letter d) letter of inquiry b) letter of response to inquiry c) letter of billing 9. A potential customer will: a) write a letter of response to inquiry. b) want to find out details about a product or service. c) have already bought the product. d) have a complaint about a product.

Writing Business Letters

10.What is the purpose of letter of inquiry?

a) to give out information to potential customers

b) to entice customers to buy

c) to offer new products to potential customers

d) to request for information

Writing Business Letters If you got a score of 6 or less in the practice

exercise, please review the notes on Writing Business Letters before taking the quiz.

Please look over the uploaded Powerpoint notes in Quia and check whether there are other facts you need to include in your Cheat Sheet.

Writing Business Letters 1. The last A in AIDA stands for: a) attention c) appreciation b) appeal d) action 2. Which of these is NOT a reader-centered benefit? a) profit c) convenience b) services d) savings 3. Which of the following is TRUE? A business letter: a) clarifies work expectations. b) sends out a message. c) encourages co-workers by affirming them. d) all of the above

Writing Business Letters 4. Which of these is an internal stakeholder?

a) customer c) trade union

b) creditors d) employee

5. Which of these arouses the interest of the reader?

a) highlighting the product’s appeal

b) urging the customer to buy the product

c) detailing the company’s achievements

d) none of the above

Writing Business Letters 6. Which of the following is NOT true?

a) The writer introduces himself in the first paragraph of the business letter. b) The letter of inquiry offers an incentive for the recipient to reply immediately. c) The writer uses reader psychology in the sales letter. d) The writer includes his contact number in the letter of inquiry. 7. Which of these would not appear in the original copy of the business letter? a) enclosure c) CC b) Reference initials d) BCC

Writing Business Letters 8. In which letter can end notation be found? a) sales letter d) letter of inquiry b) letter of response to inquiry c) letter of billing 9. A potential customer will: a) write a letter of response to inquiry. b) want to find out details about a product or service. c) have already bought the product. d) have a complaint about a product.

Writing Business Letters

10.What is the purpose of letter of inquiry?

a) to give out information to potential customers

b) to entice customers to buy

c) to offer new products to potential customers

d) to request for information

Module7, Lesson 1a: Writing Business Letters Quiz

1. Please proceed to www. Quia.com/web.

2. On the space provided, enter your log in name and your password.

3. Under “Quiz”, please select Module 7, Lesson 1a, Quiz 1.

4. Follow the instructions in the quiz.

5. Follow these same steps when you go to succeeding quizzes after every lesson.

Writing Business Letters

End of Module 7, Lesson 1a : Kinds of Business Letters