Chapter 1 Business Letters1.1 Introduction

1.2.4 The Format of EnvelopesThe envelope should match the stationery incolor and style. Most companies have the return address in the upper-leftcorner of the envelope, giving the same information as the letterhead. Otherwiseyou must type or write your return address the same way as you do for theinside address, usually in smaller typeface than the name and address of thereceiver. Name and address of the receiver is always single-spaced with alllines aligned on the left, and they should be in all capital letter, with nopunctuation at the end of each line. The order in writing the address is fromthe smallest division to the largest, just opposite to the Chinese custom inwriting addresses.

The in-house notation is placed three linesdown the return address and is in all capital letters. The stamp is put at theupper right corner of the envelope with mailing notation, if there are any,given in all capital letters below the stamp.

The format of the address on the envelope canbe in blocked or indented style, but it is better to keep the same format withthe inside address of the letter.

Stamp

Skyline Farm Machinery Manufacturing Company

56 Fuan Street, Tianjin, China

Tel.: 0086-22-2236 5566

PERSONALChapter 1 Business Letters 1.1 Introduction Business letter is the most frequently used form of communication. It is very important in the business world. Business executives are supposed to write good business letters as to carry out business routine efficiently. If a businessman is unable to write an effective business letter, it is very difficult to represent himself positively, which may cause some problems in doing business.

All business letters have two main functions. One is to ask for and give a reply to an enquiry, an offer, an order or a complaint. The other one is to keep a record of all the important facts for ready reference. An effective business letter will say what the writer wants clearly and simply. It should be precise, straightforward, relevant and action-centered. It should also be written in a friendly and formal style using plain language. Thus, in order to communicate effectively, you should ensure that the letters portray you as approachable, caring, effective and professional. In addition, you should be very familiar with the established layout and practice of business letters. There are three styles of business communication: the full blocked style, the indented style and the semi-blocked style. The fully-blocked style with open punctuation is the most popular method of display for business letters, because it is considered to be businesslike, simple and professional.

The business letter can tell readers a lot about the writer and the writer’s company. A business letter that is neat, easy to read, and presents a professional image will leave a good impression on the reader. Such a letter helps the writer as much as the reader, and will probably mean an earlier reply. In today’s global market place, the reader’s first impression often comes from the appearance of the documents and the quality of the paper. So you should pay some attention to the paper quality, the paper color, the paper size and margins. Firstly, never use paper that is too flimsy. Secondly, white is the standard color for business purposes, although light colors such as gray and ivory are sometimes used. Thirdly, the size of papers varies slightly from country to country. In the United States, the standard paper size for business documents is 8.5 by 11 inches. The last but not the least, the document is to be centered in the page, leaving at least one-inch margins all around. We can use word-processing software to achieve the balance by defining the format.

This chapter is intended to develop skills in writing good business letters. It contains guidelines on developing personal writing style, using appropriate tone and composing effective communications in modern business language.

1.2 Writing Guide 1.2.1 The Essentials of Business Letter Writing Since the main purpose of business correspondence is to convey a message, the letter should be written in language that is easily understood. The writer must make sure that it should be free from grammatical blemishes, and also free from the slightest possibility of being misunderstood. There are certain essential qualities of business letters, which can be summed up in the following 7 “Cs” principles.

1. Clarity You must try to express yourself clearly, so that the reader will understand. To achieve this, you should keep in mind the purpose of the letter and use appropriate words in correct sentence structures to convey your meaning. We should also avoid ambiguous sentences. Otherwise, the business letter will cause trouble to both sides. All in all, good, straightforward and simple language are what are needed for business letters.

2. Conciseness Conciseness means saying things in the fewest possible words. The elimination of wordy business jargon can help to make a letter clearer and at the same time more concise. If conciseness conflicts with courtesy, then make a little sacrifice of conciseness. Generally speaking, to achieve conciseness, one should try to avoid wordiness or redundancy.

3. Courtesy Courtesy is not mere politeness. It should hardly be necessary to stress the importance of courtesy in your letters. One of the most important things is promptness. Punctuality will please your customer who dislikes waiting for days before he gets a reply to his letter. Differences are bound to occur in business, but with diplomacy and tact they can be overcome and settled without offence on either side. Remember that it’s nearly always wrong to doubt a statement made in good faith by the other side and even worse to contradict it. In letters we should always keep in mind the person we are writing to, see things from his point of view, visualize him in his surroundings, see his problems and difficulties and express our ideas in terms of his experience.

4. Consideration Consideration emphasizes You-attitude rather than We-attitude. When writing a letter, keep the reader’s request, needs, desires, as well as his feelings in mind. Plan the best way to present the message for the reader to receive.

5. Correctness Correctness here refers to appropriate and grammatically correct language, factual information and accurate reliable figures, as well as the right forms and conventions. All facts should be checked and double checked. Special attention should also be paid to names of goods, specification, quantity, figures, units, etc.

6. Concreteness To make the message specific, definite and vivid is the key point of concreteness. The writer must ensure that the letter contains all the information the recipient needs to act upon. Put yourself in reader’s place. It is necessary to check the message carefully before it is sent out.

7. Completeness Like any other letter, a good business letter should be complete, providing all the information and data necessary for a specific issue. If any necessary piece of information is lacking, the reader will have to ask for clarification, which means that you will have to write another letter. It will not only waste time, energy and money, but also damage the image of your company.

1.2.2 The Structure of Business Letters Business letter has its special formats. In the formal business letters，we usually use 12 factors. They are letterhead, reference number, date, inside address, attention line, salutation, subject line, body, complimentary close, signature, IEC block and postscript. Among them，the return address, date, inside address, salutation, body, complimentary close and signature belong to the standard factors and must be contained in the formal business letters. Whether to use other factors depends on the specific situation. The approximate locations of these factors in a business letter are as follows.

Letterhead

Reference number

Date

Inside address

_________________

_________________

Attention line

Salutation

Subject line

Body

__________________________________________________________________________

_________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

___________________________

Complimentary close

Signature

IEC block

Postscript

While the horizontal placement of letter parts may vary, the vertical order of these parts is standard. The followings are the most common components and formats.

1.The Basic Components of Business Letters (1) Letterhead

For letters to outsiders, many companies use letterhead stationery which is professionally printed at the top of the page, though some are printed at the bottom or even at the upper-left corner of the page. The letterhead indicates the name, address, telephone, fax number and E-mail address of the company sending the letter. It helps the recipient identify the company from which the sender comes just at a glance. If letterhead stationery is not available, you can type the heading, which includes a return address, and leaves about a two-inch top margin.

(2) Date

Writing date in English goes in two styles: one is American style, and the other is British style. The standard order of typing the date in the U.S. is month, day, year. For example: September 12, 2013. While in Britain, the standard order is day, month, year. For example: 12 September,