1. BUSINESS LETTER WRITING © 2011 Centre for English Language Communication NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

2. OUTLINE OF TODAY’S LECTURE Part I. Learning Objectives Part II. The Letter Writing Process 1.0 Planning 2.0 Organizing 3.0 Drafting and Revising 4.0 Formatting (available in notes)

3. LEARNING OBJECTIVES To understand the nature of business letter writing as READER - CENTERED

4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES To learn how to deliver messages in business letters CLEARLY, APPROPRIATELY and PERSUASIVELY

5. LEARNING OBJECTIVES To appreciate the role of TONE, CULTURE AND PERSUASION in business letter writing

6. THE PROCESS OF LETTER WRITING

7. 1.0 PLANNING Plan to make your letter clear, appropriate and persuasive ◦Letter writing is a complex process. ◦Writing your letter demands critical thinking skills.

8. Planning Determine the message and purpose of the letter. Analyze your reader. Consider: cultural orientations; reader-writer relations; level of interest and knowledge in the subject matter; specific needs; expected reaction to the letter…

9. 2.0 ORGANIZING Identify the type of business letter to be used. a.Positive or neutral letter b.Negative letter c.Apology letter d.Campaign or promotional letter

10. 3.0 DRAFTING AND REVISING Focus on coherence, style and tone. a.Be coherent b.Use appropriate language (3Cs) c.Establish positive reader-writer relationship (4Ps)

11. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Coherence C OHERENCE refers to how ideas are pulled together logically to produce one whole piece of writing.

12. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Coherence For example, use linking words: within a sentence Managers were generally reluctant to employ part-time staff; however, this was not always the case.

13. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Coherence For example, use linking words: within a paragraph The company has not made a cent of profit over the last twelve months. We are no longer attracting investors like we used to. There is evidence of growing absenteeism among both office staff and workers. Therefore, the Board of Directors feels that certain drastic measures have to be taken.

14. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Coherence For example, use linking words: between two paragraphs VideoSing, Ltd recognizes your contributions to the success of the global premier of A1GX™ Videos in Singapore. Such efforts cannot go unrewarded. In this connection, we would like to invite you to our Testimonial Dinner 2010 in honour of our most valuable employees like you to be held on Friday, 24 September 2010, at 8 o’clock in the evening. The venue will be at the Grand Ballroom of Epic Venus Hotel on Orchard Link.

15. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Coherence Correct use of COHESIVE DEVICES ( e.g. however, therefore, in this connection ) requires organizing and critical thinking skills, and not merely linguistic skills.

16. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Style and Tone S TYLE is made up of the words and sentences that a writer chooses in order to generate a desired response from the readers. T ONE refers to the unwritten or unspoken message and voice that come across in your communication. Style produces a particular tone; tone requires a particular style.

17. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Style and Tone SentencesStyle (expressed message) Tone (hidden message) Please be informed that… Begins with ‘Please’ Uses the passive form ‘be informed’ Polite and potentially formal I would like to inform you that… Begins with the ‘I’ pronoun Uses the active form ‘I…inform you’ Polite, personal

18. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Style and Tone SentencesStyle (Expressed Message) Tone (hidden message) I sold 25 pieces of the product. Begins with personal pronoun “I’; “I” is the actor (or doer) in the sentence; Active construction is used Informal, personal 25 pieces of the product have been sold. No “I”; no ‘doer’ of the action; focus on “25 pieces” Passive construction is used Formal, impersonal You should know that… Begins with the ‘You’ pronoun and continues with an imperative ‘should’ Informal, demanding, angry

19. 3.0 Drafting and Revising Style and Tone Style and tone can be achieved through the 3Cs of business language:  Clear  Concise  Correct

20. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 3Cs CLEAR Abstract  A relatively new product  At the soonest possible time  Good attendance record  A significant loss Concrete  A new product introduced in 2011  By 5pm, Friday…  95% attendance record  A 53-percent loss

21. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 3Cs CONCISE Wordy  At the present time  I am of the opinion that  Conduct an investigation  Have a discussion Concise  Now; right now  I think  Investigate  Discuss

22. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 3Cs CORRECT For example: Many of our customers thought that UltraCab is the most reliable taxi company. However, they also believe that taxis have become a very expensive mode of transportation. Inconsistent tenses

23. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 3Cs CORRECT Another example: The Singapore worker, partly through legislation and partly through his own attitude, have lost progressively fewer working days. Subject-verb agreement

24. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 4Ps Style and tone can be also be achieved through the 4Ps of business letter writing:  Polite  Positive  Personal  Professional

25. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 4Ps POLITE (a) As you did not respond within 10 days, it should be clear to you that you did not qualify for the free gift. (b) You probably did not notice that your order was mailed after our special gift offer had expired. Tone Accusative Rude Polite Conciliatory

26. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 4Ps POSITIVE (a)There are no more places for the May 15 seminar and there will be no similar seminar organized until October. (b) Due to its popularity, all places for the May 15 seminar have been filled. A similar seminar will be organized in October and we will be happy to reserve a place for you, if you like. Tone Negative Positive

27. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 4Ps PERSONAL (a)We are happy to announce that we have increased the size of our store building. (b)Now you will find a wider choice of merchandise in the greatly enlarged building. Tone Informative, distant, lacks personal touch Personal, adopts a ‘you’ attitude

28. 3.0 Drafting and Revising 4Ps PROFESSIONAL (a)As a valued customer, you can rest assured that we will take every precaution to ensure that you get the best service in the future. (b)Since you are our valuable customer, please give us another chance to prove that we can do a good job. Tone Dignified Undignified

29. CONCLUSION To write clear, appropriate and persuasive letters:  Know your audience, message and purpose  Identify the type of business letter you will write  Be coherent  Use appropriate language  Establish positive reader-writer relationship While letters, emails and memos have different forms and functions, they follow the same fundamental principles of writing. Letter writing demands both language and critical thinking skills.

30. Thank you. Any questions?