Business Letters Introduction Every business, whether big or small, has to maintain contacts with its suppliers, customers, prospects, government departments etc. Regularly businessmen have to exchange information, make enquiries, place orders for goods, acknowledge and execute orders, etc. The best mode is written communication. Letter writing in a business is indispensable.

Function of Business Letters Record or Reference Written communication can be recorded as they can be preserved for future reference Widening approach A letter reaches any place at whatever distance as businessman cannot send his representatives every time everywhere Building Good will The letter will build good relationship and friendliness between customers.

Principles of Good Business Letter Writing 1) Knowing the Addressee Good Business Letter should contain relevant information. It creates maximum influence on the reader and will benefit in the best possible way. 2) Writing Naturally Good Business Letter should have genuineness in expression of thoughts or ideas. It should be written in polite language and the reader should believe that we are in conversation with him.

Principles of Good Business Letter Writing 3) Writing Clearly and Without Ambiguity Good Business Letter should be free from any confusion or ambiguity. It should emphasise clarity of thoughts with no omission of words, no faulty punctuation and no disorderly arrangement of facts.

Principles of Good Business Letter Writing 4) Writing Completely Good Business Letter should have all the relevant facts and complete information so that there are no unnecessary queries.

5)Courtesy and Consideration The courtesy in business correspondence is simply not restricted to obligatory words like “Thank you” or “Please” but implies to promptness in attending to the letters. It is important to acknowledge letters when it is not possible to give immediate replies. There has to be politeness in declining business proposals or saying “no” and it has to be done in decent manner. In business, courtesy begets courtesy, so there has to be congenial and friendly association with business associates and parties

6) Avoiding Jugglery or Jumbling of Words It is important that the language of the letters should be simple and should not be like essay or article from literary point of view. It has to be written in short sentences with simple words. The letter should not have typical or difficult words and it should be refrained from verbose or prosaic style of writing

Principles of Good Business Letter Writing Checking or Revising the Letter The business letter should be revised and checked thoroughly before signature and dispatch. It is done to assure accuracy, clarity and effectiveness of a business letter. It should be free from faulty words, faulty punctuation, and incomplete information etc for congenial and prosperous business relations to satisfy readers.

Basics of Business Letter Think of a basic business letter in three steps: Introduction - The reason for writing The introduction helps the reader understand in which context the letter should be considered. Possibilities include job interview inquires, business opportunity requests, complaints, and more. Of course, Each type of business letter has its own standard phrases. Details - What you would like to accomplish The detail section of a business letter is extremely important. This is where you achieve your goals in writing a business letter. Conclusion - What you would like to happen in the future Provide a call for future action. This can be a chance to talk in person, a follow-up letter or more. It's important and expected to make it clear what you would like for the next step from the person reading your business letter.

The Start The start of any business letter begins by addressing the recipient of the letter. Dear Personnel Director, Dear Sir or Madam: (use if you don't know who you are writing to) Dear Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms Smith: (use if you know who you are writing to, and have a formal relationship with - VERY IMPORTANT use Ms for women unless asked to use Mrs or Miss) Dear Frank: (use if the person is a close business contact or friend) Note: If you are unsure how formal you should be, always choose a more formal form. Writing to a specific person is always preferred if at all possible.

The Reference Begin by referring a specific conversation or other contact means. If this is the first letter in a conversation, you can also provide the reason for writing. With reference to your advertisement in the Times, your letter of 23 rd March, your phone call today, Thank you for your letter of March 5 th.

The Reason for Writing I am writing to inquire about... apologize for... confirm... comment on... apply for Examples: I am writing to inquire about the position posted in The Daily Mail. I am writing to confirm the shipment details on order # I am writing to apologize for the difficulties you experienced last week at our branch. Once you have introduced the reason for writing your business letter, move on to stating more specifically the purpose of your letter. Here are a number of possibilities:

The Reason for Writing Requesting Could you possibly? I would be grateful if you could Agreeing to Requests I would be delighted to Giving Bad News Unfortunately I am afraid that Examples: Could you possible forward your job requirements? I am afraid that I will be able to attend the conference next week. I would be delighted to give you a tour of our facility this coming month.

The Reason for Writing Enclosing Documents I am enclosing Please find enclosed Enclosed you will find Closing Remarks Thank you for your help Please contact us again if we can help in any way. there are any problems. you have any questions. Reference to Future Contact I look forward to... hearing from you soon. meeting you next Tuesday. seeing you next Thursday.

The Finish Yours faithfully, (If you don't know the name of the person you're writing to) Yours sincerely, (If you know the name of the person you're writing to) Best wishes, Best regards, (If the person is a close business contact or friend)

Sample Letter Ken's Cheese House 34 Chatley Avenue Seattle, WA Tel: Fax: October 23, 2006 Fred Flintstone Sales Manager Cheese Specialists Inc. 456 Rubble Road Rockville, IL Dear Mr Flintstone: With reference to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to confirm your order for: 120 x Cheddar Deluxe Ref. No. 856 The order will be shipped within three days via UPS and should arrive at your store in about 10 days. Please contact us again if we can help in any way. Yours sincerely, Kenneth Beare Director of Ken's Cheese House

Conclusion Business writing should be very well planned and written it represents the person concerned is very important for building good reputation and customer contacts – an essential part of business.