1. Chapter 6 Message Formats
2013 Business Communication II

2. Letters Standard Parts of a Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation
Body
Complimentary Close
Signature Block
Reference Initials

3. Letters Heading Has two parts: Letterhead and Dateline
Letterhead contains organization name and complete mailing address
Letterhead may include additional info (i.e., phone/fax numbers; ; web URL; slogan, emblem, or logo)
Dateline contains month, day , year the letter is written
Dateline can be written in either of two styles:
Month, Day, Year is common in United States
Day, Month, year is common internationally and in the military
Dateline placed horizontally to match letter format
Dateline placed vertically two lines beneath letterhead or two inches from top of paper

4. Letters Heading Inside Address
Is different on pages other than the first
Letterhead stationery is not used, but paper is same size and quality
Top margin is 1 inch
Continuation heading includes receiver name, page number, and letter date
Continuation heading may have vertical or horizontal display
Continuation heading followed by a double space and at least one complete text paragraph
Inside Address
May include: receiver’s courtesy title, name, professional title, department name, company name, street address, city, state, and zip code
Is keyed at the left margin, a minimum of three lines beneath dateline

5. Letters Salutation Body Is the message greeting
Is worded to complement the first line of the mailing address and the relationship between sender and receiver
Uses either mixed or open punctuation
Is keyed at the left margin
Is omitted in the simplified letter style
Body
Is the letter message
Begins a double space below the salutation
Uses single spacing within paragraphs, double spacing between them
May have blocked or indented paragraphs, depending on the letter format

6. Letters Complimentary Close Signature Block Ends the message
Is worded to match the formality of the letter
Is keyed a double space after paragraph text and placed horizontally to align with the date
Uses uppercase only for the first letter of the first word
Is punctuated using the same style as used in the salutation
Signature Block
Contains the writer’s signed name, keyed name, and title
Is keyed four lines beneath the complimentary close
May key writer’s courtesy title before the name, especially when name doesn’t suggest writer’s gender
Is signed (without courtesy title) in the space between the complimentary close and the keyed name

7. Letters Reference Initials Show who keyed the letter
May also include initials of letter writer and the letter signer, if not the letter writer
Vary in use of case and punctuation

8. Letters Supplementary Parts of a Letter Attention Line Subject Line
Company Name in Signature Block
Enclosure of Attachment Notation
Copy Notation
Postscript

9. Letters Attention Line
Used when company name is first line of inside address
Directs letter to a person, position title, or department
Placed beneath the company name in the inside address (current trend) or a double space below the inside address (traditional)
Keyed in uppercase or combination of upper- and lowercase letters
Do not abbreviate word Attention
Use colon or no punctuation after word Attention
Match salutation with inside address, not Attention Line

10. Letters Subject Line Company Name in Signature Block
Identifies topic of letter
Keyed a double space below Salutation and a double space above the body
May be centered, keyed flush with left margin, or indented as a paragraph
Omit word Subject in Simplified letter; otherwise, key the word followed by colon
Use the same format for Attention and Subject lines if letter has both
Company Name in Signature Block
Keyed in uppercase letters a double space after the complimentary close
Used when letter has contractual implications
Used when letter is printed on plain paper rather than on letterhead
Aligned vertically with the complimentary close

11. Letters Enclosure of Attachment Notation Copy Notation
Identifies items sent with the letter
Keyed a single or double space beneath the reference initials
May list the items enclosed or the number of items enclosed
Use Attachment if items are attached, not enclosed
May spell or abbreviate the notation word
Copy Notation
Used when letter is sent to someone in addition to addressee
May be displayed as cc (courtesy copy) or c (copy)
Keyed flush with left margin a double space below reference initials or enclosure notation, whichever is last
Use bcc (blind courtesy copy) to conceal copy distribution from addressee
Keyed in same location as copy location BUT only on the copy

12. Letters
Postscript
Used to add a personal comment OR to emphasize an important point discussed in the body
May be used to add info unintentionally omitted from message, but better to edit the content
Follows the last notation
Formatted as a paragraph
Keyed without P.S. notation

13. Letters Punctuation Styles Letter Formats
Mixed punctuation requires a colon after the salutation, a comma after the complimentary close
Open punctuation omits the colon after the salutation and the comma after the complimentary close
Letter Formats
Full Block
Has all parts of letter begin flush with the left margin
Is quick and easy to key
Modified Block
Has date (or return address and date) begin at horizontal center of page
May key paragraphs flush with left margin (more common) or indent the first line of each paragraph (less common)

14. Letters
Simplified
Used when receiver’s name, gender, or marital status (female) is unknown
Eliminate salutation and complimentary close
Replace salutation with subject line
Display subject uppercase letters
Omit the word Subject
Display writer’s name and title on one line
Use uppercase letters for writer’s name and title

15. Letters Personal Business Letters
Write when conducting personal business
Select a good grade of paper
Use either full block or modified block style
Use either mixed or open punctuation
Key return address two inches from top edge of paper
Key date on first line beneath the return address
International Business correspondence
Learn about how correspondence is formatted in receiver’s country
Realize that standard letter parts may be placed differently than in formats used in the U.S.

16. Envelopes Return Address Mailing Address Envelope Notations
Same color and quality as letterhead stationery
Large enough to hold letter and any enclosures without unnecessary folding.
Return and mailing addresses are required; notations may be necessary.
Word processing software has feature to assist with envelope preparation
Return Address
Mailing Address
Envelope Notations

17. Envelopes Return Address Is the sender’s address
Should be same as on letterhead
May be pre-printed or keyed
Is placed in upper-left corner
May key writer’s name, initials, and/or location above pre- printed return address
Use same placement position for return address on a personal business letter
Key the return address using single spacing and mixed upper- and lowercase letters

18. Envelopes Mailing Address Envelope Notations
Should be identical to the inside address on the letter
Keyed slightly below and to the left of the center of the envelope
Is blocked and contains no blank lines
Must have city, state, and zip code as last line
Envelope Notations
Key addressee notations in uppercase letters one blank line below the return address
Consider the attention line an addressee notation when using the traditional format in the letter
Key delivery instructions in uppercase letters one blank line below the stamp or meter mark

19. Memos and E-mail Uses of Memos and E-mail
A memo (memorandum) is used for internal business messages
is the electronic version of a memo
is rapidly replacing print memos for internal communication
Uses of Memos and
Both travel upward, downward, laterally, and diagonally within the organization
can be cost-effective replacement for long-distance phone calls
may be a cover document for attachments
inappropriate for confidential messages or those that discuss significant issues
not a good choice for lengthy messages or those requiring a print record

20. Memos and E-mail Advantages of Memos and E-mail
Both messages may be addressed to multiple receivers
Both are less formal than letters
Both may take less time to compose than letters
Both may use informal—but not casual—wording
As visual documents, both make a more lasting impression than an oral message

21. Memos and E-mail Memo Format
May vary among as well as within organizations
May be prepared on pre-printed stationery or prepared using word processing templates and plain paper
Uses guidewords To, From, Date, and Subject instead of a dateline and inside address
Include courtesy or professional titles as dictated by corporate culture
Key body flush with left margin
Leave two blank lines before and after Subject
Key text on every line within a paragraph; leave one blank line between paragraphs
Omit complimentary close and signature block
Sign or initial near name in the From section
Place and key reference initials, notations, and continuation page headings as in a letter.

22. Memos and E-mail E-mail Format
Based on message composition template in the software program
May list date automatically; writer keys variable information.
Begin text at default margin
Key text on every line within a paragraph; leave one blank line between paragraphs
May use a conversational style by opening with a greeting and ending with a signature
Use relationship between sender and receiver when determining formality

23. Stationery Correspondence Paper
Stationery appearance and quality should fit the purpose of the message
Correspondence Paper
Standard size paper is 8 ½ by 11 inches; executive size is 7¼ by 10 inches
Common weight is 20-pound bond
White is most popular color; other may be used to reflect image of company
High-quality stationery has at least 25 percent rag (cotton fiber) content and has a watermark
High-quality stationery has appearance, texture, and durability advantages
Letters are prepared on high-quality paper; memos are prepared on a lower-quality paper

24. Stationery Envelope Paper
Same weight, color, and quality as that used in letterhead stationery
Size should be in proportion to stationery

25. Summary of Learning Objectives
Describe the seven standard parts of a letter
Describe the appropriate use of supplementary parts of a letter
Format business letters using the full block, modified block, and simplified styles
Address an envelope properly
Format memos and properly
Discuss the characteristics of appropriate stationery for letters, memos, and envelopes