4

Written Communication

THE ART OF WRITING

Writing is a mode of communicating a message for a specific purpose. It reveals one's ability to think clearly and to use language effectively. A manager is responsible for a variety of written communications, such, as replies to clients, enquires, memos recording agreements, proposals for contracts, formal or informal reports to initiate action, and so on. A manager should be able to convey information, ideas, instructions, decisions, and welfare proposals in written form, in keeping with the level of the people who receive and read them. However, a manager's objective in writing a particular document is only met when readers understand exactly what is intended to be communicated to them. A manger, therefore, should be able to write down his or her thoughts simply and concisely.

The Skills Required in Written Communication

Effective writing does not come by chance. It does not just happen. There is a set of skills required to write simply, clearly, accurately, and concisely.

Writing skills are as essential as the other knowledge and skills that form an executive's professional qualifications and requirements. The skills required for business writing are essentially the same as those required for general written communication. Business writers should carefully check the grammar, punctuation, and spellings; ensure that sentences and paragraphs are structured logically; and follow the principles of sound organization—clarity, simplicity, and directness.

THE PURPOSE OF WRITING

The first task for writing effectively is to identify the purpose of the communication. There are mainly two goals of communication in business situations—to inform and to persuade.

Writing to Inform

When the writer seeks to provide and explain information, the writing is called informative writing. It is also called expository writing because it expounds on or expresses ideas and facts. The focus of informative writing is the subject or the matter under discussion. Informative writing is found in accounts of facts, scientific data, statistics, and technical and business reports.

Informative¹ writing presents information not opinions. Its purpose is to educate and not persuade. It is, therefore, written with maximum objectivity. For example, consider the passage in Communication Snapshot 4.1.

 

Exhibit 4.1 presents a list of questions that must be answered in the affirmative to determine if a piece of writing is effective.

 

 

Exhibit 4.1 Informative Writing: A Checklist

Writing to Persuade

Persuasive writing aims at convincing the reader about a matter that is debatable; it expresses opinion rather than facts. This writing is also called argumentative, as it supports and argues for a certain viewpoint or position. The matter at hand generally has two or more sides to it. The writer seeks to influence and convince the reader to accept the position he or she has put forth.

 

Persuasive writing focuses on the reader. The writer attempts to change the reader's thinking and bring it closer to his or her own way of thinking. Persuasive writing is found in opinion essays, editorials, letters to editors, business and research proposals, religious books, reviews, or literature belonging to a certain political party.

Persuasive writing does more than just state an opinion—that is not enough. The opinion must be convincing. There must be supporting evidence or facts to back the writer's opinion or point of view. Moreover, the writers point of view should be well argued, meaning his or her reasoning should be logical and clearly arranged. Let us consider the example of “Alternative Sources of Fuel” shown in Communication Snapshot 4.2.

Exhibit 4.2 presents a list of questions that must be answered in the affirmative for a passage to be considered persuasive.

 

 

Exhibit 4.2 Persuasive Writing: A Checklist

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE WRITING

An important requirement for effective writing is to recognize the needs, expectations, fears, and attitudes of the audience or receiver and the reader of the written message. Written communication is one-way— from the sender to the receiver. The receiver cannot immediately clarify doubts or confusion if the message is unclear. Therefore, communicating clearly is especially important when it comes to written communication.

A manager works out schemes and projects, a scientist or engineer solves a technical problem. As the “doer”, he or she is clear about what is in his or her mind. But the moment someone takes up a pen and starts writing to communicate ideas, he or she must keep in mind that the structure of his or her thoughts has to follow the structure of language, that is, the format of sentences, paragraphs, and the composition as a whole. Writers must follow the principles of unity and coherence that bind words into sentences, sentences into units or paragraphs, and paragraphs into essays (the full composition). When this transformation of thought into language is not effected under the guiding principles of language, the muddy clutter hides the meaning and makes it difficult to understand the writers thoughts.

 

Although letters have remained the most common means of written communication for a very long period, their importance is frequently overlooked. Authors often dictate or write down a few scattered sentences in the hope that the reader will get the message. However, the message may be buried under a mountain of unnecessary words, or an unnatural style may conceal the writer's true intentions. Instead of letting business letters be friendly, interesting, and persuasive, such writing makes them overly formal and dull.

 

Exhibit 4.3 shows a well-written sample letter that has the flavour of easy conversation. Notice the use of everyday words, such as “hope”, “remember”, “regret”, “send”, “says”, “provide”, “charge”, “believe”, “make”, and so on that give the letter the simplicity of the spoken word.

 

 

Exhibit 4.3 A Well-written Sample Letter

The written word often gets cluttered with complex construction of sentences. Communication Snapshot 4.3 presents an example of a paragraph whose meaning is lost because of complex sentences. It also shows how this paragraph can be rewritten to bring clarity.

The purpose of business writing is to achieve the understanding and reaction needed in the quickest and most economical way. To do this, one must follow the principles and structure of effective writing.

Effective written communication is achieved by following the principles of (a) accuracy, (b) brevity, and (c) clarity, in addition to others. As we have already discussed clarity, let us focus on other important principles of effective writing here.

Accuracy

To achieve accuracy, the writer should check and double-check:

• All facts and figures
• The choice of words
• The language and tone

For example, whether a communication is formal or informal, one should always write “between you and me”, not “between you and I”. In this case, the choice is simple as it is guided by the objective rules of grammar. But in other cases, word choice may not be as clearly indicated. The correct choice of words is determined by the appropriateness of the word for the subject, audience, and purpose of a particular piece of writing.

A message should be communicated correctly in terms of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Of course, it is not always easy to be accurate in expression; however, some obvious pitfalls can be avoided by being alert to the following:

 

• Follow the rules of grammar.
• Pay attention to punctuation marks.
• Check words for spelling and usage.

Only a few samples are given here to indicate the danger of overlooking the technical aspects of writing. Detailed study of the grammatical rules will be discussed in Appendix 1.

To avoid incorrect usage, it is important to check the suitability of the words used. Exhibit 4.4 presents a list of words that are often confused or used incorrectly.

Wordy Constructions	Concise Constructions
Along the lines of	Like
In the event of	if
For the purpose of	For
In the neighbourhood of	About
For the reason that	Since/Because
With a view to	To
In the event that	If
In as much as	Because
With reference to	About
In the case of	If
With regard to	About
With the result that	So that

 

Exhibit 4.4 Examples of Wordy and Concise Constructions

Brevity

Brevity lies in saying only what needs to be said and leaving out unnecessary words or details. Being brief does not mean saying less that what the occasion demands. Brevity is not to be achieved at the cost of clarity. Nor is brevity to be gained by sacrificing proper English.

 

To achieve brevity, avoid wordiness. This can be done in the following ways:

1. Do not use four or six words when one or two will do. It is not necessary to qualify one word with another word that basically means the same thing. For instance, in the phrase, “worldwide recognition by all”, it would suffice to say just “worldwide” or “by all”. Exhibit 4.4 lists phrases that are examples of wordiness; they can each be reduced to one or two words.
2. Wordiness can also be avoided by changing long clauses into phrases. Here are a few examples:

    

   Wordy:	The vast majority of farmers in India are poor in a greater or lesser degree.
   Concise:	Most Indian farmers are quite poor.
   Wordy:	The special difficulty in my case arises in relation to the fact that I live so far from my institute.
   Concise:	I am specially handicapped by living so far from my institute.
   Wordy:	In this connection, it is not without interest to observe that, in the case of many states, no serious measures have been taken with a view to putting the recommendations of the HRD minister into practice.
   Concise:	Most states have done little to implement the HRD minister's recommendations.
   Wordy:	Mr Singh, who was a newcomer to the city mentioned earlier in this report, proved to be a very able administrator.
   Concise:	Mr Singh, a newcomer to the above-mentioned city, proved to be a very able administrator. (Here a clause has been reduced to a phrase and a phrase reduced to a single word.)
   Wordy:	She is so honest that she will not tell a lie.
   Concise:	She is too honest to tell a lie.
   Wordy:	The wind is so cold that we cannot go out at present.
   Concise:	The wind is too cold for us to go out at present.

    

3. Drop “which” and “that” clauses when possible. For example:

    

   Wordy:	I need cards that are of formal type.
   Concise:	I need formal cards.
   Wordy:	She received a shirt that was torn.
   Concise:	She received a torn shirt.
   Wordy:	She cleared the debts that her husband had taken on.
   Concise:	She cleared her husband's debts.
   Wordy:	I am sure that I shall be able to help you.
   Concise:	I am sure I can help you.

    

4. Do not overuse the passive voice. For example:

    

   Wordy:	Technology can be used by children also.
   Concise:	Children also can use technology.
   Wordy:	The post of Prime Minister of India is held by Dr Manmohan Singh.
   Concise:	Dr Manmohan Singh holds the Prime Ministership of India.
   Wordy:	Many great lands had been seen by Ulysses.
   Concise:	Ulysses saw many great lands.

Communication Snapshot 4.4 illustrates a wordy and tedious business letter and one way to make it more concise.

The letter in Exhibit 4E can be rewritten in a brief and concise form, as shown in Exhibit 4F.

PLANNING, WRITING, AND REVISING: BUSINESS MESSAGES

The writers of letters and other forms of business communications are advised to follow the three steps of successful writing to communicate clearly and accurately: (1) planning, (2) writing, and (3) rewriting (revising).

• Planning: Writing a letter or memo is a one-way communication exercise. The words written on the page are all that convey the message. The reader does not have other non-verbal means to interpret the message. Usually, the reader is not in a position to immediately clarify something that is unclear. For example, suppose you write a letter to the Hill View Resort to make arrangements for a business meeting and lunch three days before the event. You would need to give complete information about everything the manager would need to know before making arrangements for the meeting and lunch. This includes the number of persons, the time, duration, and size of the conference, the hall desired, the number of collar microphones needed, the seating plan, the duration of the meeting, the kind of food needed, the number of vegetarians and non-vegetarians, the beverages and snacks required, and so on.

  Hence, to write a complete and short letter, plan before writing it. In addition, it is generally helpful to write a draft first.

  The writers should always consider:

  • The reader
  • The purpose of writing
  • The situation (context)

  These three elements determine the choice of the letter's/memo's/report's content, organization, and format.

• Rewriting and revising: Writing is a mode of thinking. Rewriting or revising what has been written or dictated is a mode of improved thinking. Revising the first draft is not just useful for fixing grammatical errors. It is also an attempt to check if the writer has been able to say what was intended in the best manner possible. Revision is, therefore, a process of clarifying ideas, meanings, and purpose. It involves eliminating clutter that hides the writer's true intentions.

   

  Revision is a process of clarifying ideas, meanings, and purpose. It involves eliminating clutter that hides the writer's true intentions.

Very few people are capable of expressing themselves accurately in the first draft. This is not due to poor command of the language. It is related to the process of accurate thinking. Writing is an act of transcribing ideas into words. The transcription will be accurate only when the thinking is accurate. Each revision sharpens the writer's thinking and thereby helps tighten his or her expression to a close transcription of what is in his or her mind.

How rewriting changes the thinking and message of a manager from verbiage to intent, eliminating wordiness, correcting the tone, and revising the policy itself can be explained with the help of the example discussed in Communication Snapshot 4.5.

LETTERS AND MEMOS

Letters, memos, and e-mails are brief pieces of communication. They are so short that most people hardly think it necessary to spend much time planning them before writing. It is common to just jot down one's thoughts—the basic information needed to communicate. In fact, it is important to be careful when writing letters, memos, and e-mails, because these small pieces of communication are used in less formal contexts. They tend to affect the receiver's feelings and thoughts with great immediacy and power. Writers should, therefore, consider two questions before writing:

1. What is the exact message?
2. How will it affect the receiver? That is, what would be the receiver's reaction—would he or she be pleased or displeased, interested or not interested? These four kinds of reactions should guide the writer. They determine the sequence of information in letters.

Memos: Format and Appearance

Persuasive letters partly share the form and intimacy of memos, which are frequently written to persons within the office/organization to communicate routine matters. A memorandum, often referred to as a memo, is a form used by a person known to the receiver personally. Therefore, it is less formal in tone and does not have formal elements, such as the salutation, subscription, greeting, or even a signature at the end. It directly states the subject after mentioning the following:

 

From________   Subject________

To________   Date________

Alternatively, it can have the following format:

To________   Date________

From________

Subject____________________________

How to Write a Memo

A memo addresses the subject under discussion immediately. It is short and written in a friendly tone. All business messages and information solicit a friendly, cooperative, and positive response from employees, clients, or senior or junior colleagues. For this purpose, the memo writer (manager) should write in a friendly and cooperative tone. A harsh or unfriendly tone will dishearten the reader of the memo and lower his/her morale.

 

For example, consider the following memorandum from a works manager to the supervisors working with him.

“Every Saturday morning all supervisors in my plant must meet and report on the clean-up of their individual shop floors. All reports must be submitted by afternoon.”

In this memo, the tone is of distrust and authority. The works manager uses “all” and “must” twice. It shows that he does not consider any of his supervisors responsible. The use of “must” indicates that he doubts their sense of duty. The manager can direct his supervisors without doubting their sense of duty. Further, the memo is vaguely worded. The reader will not know which Saturday the meetings begin and when they are to be held—morning is a long period of time and is not specific. In addition, questions such as where the meetings are to be held are not addressed. No refference of place is made. Again, afternoon is a vague deadline. The manager should indicate the specific time by which the reports are due. Finally, the phrase “clean-up” does not completely convey all that is to be considered while inspecting the work. Such vagueness should be avoided by observing the following principles of writing memos:

In the case discussed here, show how the supervisors would benefit from the proposed change. Explain the need to hold a Saturday supervision meeting to discuss and report on the clean-up of the shop floors. Ask for feedback. It is necessary to know supervisors’ ideas on the monitoring and reporting of the clean-up. If they are invited to give their views, they will have sense of participation and involvement in the decision-making and execution processes.

Uses of a Memo

The various functions of memorandums are given in Exhibit 4.5.

Function	Example
To provide information	I attended the meeting of the executive committee. The main points discussed were…
To issue an instruction	Staff members are requested to attend the orientation session to be held in the conference room at 11 a.m. today.
To convey a policy decision	The executive committee has decided to pay one day's salary for working on a Saturday.
To offer suggestions	I think in-house training should be a regular feature for all cadres.
To record/report an agreement	During the meeting held on August 5, it was decided that we buy 3 LCD projectors.

 

Exhibit 4.5 Functions of a Memorandum

As a written record of business decisions, policies, institutions, and so on, a memorandum acts as a permanent record of whatever is communicated. Therefore, it should be written with great care and skill.

Part A: The Original Memo

 

 

Exhibit 4.6 Ineffective and Effective Sample Memos

Part B: Te Revised Memo

 

The two versions of the memo in Exhibit 4.6 show the diference in the effectiveness of a well-written memo and a poorly written one. The revised memo is specific and friendly in tone. It gives adequate details and explains why the change is needed and how it would help the engineers.

Office Memorandum

Letters or any form of such written correspondence are vital organs of an office. An official letter is different from the types of business letters that have been discussed. It can be both internal and external. Some of the examples of official letters are memorandum, notice, circular, and e-mail.

Memorandum

A memorandum or memo is a document used for internal communication in an organization. The plural form of memorandum is either memoranda or memorandums. A memo may be addressed to one person or a group. The writer and the readers of a memo are well acquainted, and therefore a memo does not require formal elements, like salutations, greetings, or even signatures at the end. A memo usually records events or observations on a topic or provides information about any development in the organization. Since it is only about communicating some important information related to the functioning or processes of the company, it is usually quite direct in approach, to the point, focusing sharply on what the reader needs to know.

The format of a memo is fairly simple. The standard features of a memo are listed here:

1. The word ‘Memo’ or ‘Memorandum’ at the top of the page; though not mandatory, it helps to make clear, right at the beginning, the nature of the communication
2. The date of the issue of the memo
3. The name of the receiver/s, followed by “To:” and the name of the sender, followed by “From:”
4. The names of the receiver/s and the sender/s should be followed by their full title and the department.
5. A subject line following the word “Subject:” or “Sub:”, clearly identifying the topic
6. The content or message of the memo

The content of the message should be brief, to the point, giving specific dates and time, if any. The language should be polite, pleasant, and friendly. It should not sound bossy and instructive; it should be participative and tactfully articulated. A memo is generally used to convey a policy decision, to issue an instruction, to provide information, or to record an agreement.

An example of a Memo

 

Good News and Routine Letters

Letters that please the receiver are called good-news letters. Those that neither please nor displease, but are received with interest are known as routine letters. Both follow the same sequence of presentation of ideas and have a deductive pattern, which is a direct organization of ideas (Exhibit 4.7).

 

 

The direct organization of ideas in good-news and routine letters follows human psychology. A pleasant or interesting idea will always hold the receiver's attention. Hence, good news can be given in the very first sentence, followed by details and the final message.

This basic plan of presenting ideas can be used in many business situations. These situations include:

1. Routine claim letters and “yes” replies
2. Routine request letters and “yes” replies
3. Routine order letters and “yes” replies

Routine Claim Letters and “Yes” Replies

A claim is a demand or request for something to which one has a right. Examples are a refund, payment for damages, a replacement for something defective, exchanges, and so on. A claim letter is, thus, a request for adjustment. When a writer thinks that because of guarantees or other specified terms and conditions, the request for adjustment will be automatically granted without delay or without requiring persuasion, he or she writes the letter in the routine form. When the writer believes that a direct statement of the desired action will get a positive response without arguments, he or she can use the following sequence/pattern of ideas:

1. Request action in the opening sentence.
2. Give reasons supporting the request or action.
3. End by appreciating or thanking the addressee for taking the action requested.

The writer of the claim letter in Exhibit 4.8 obviously thought that his routine request for an exchange would be granted. He, therefore, stated his claim in the very first sentence without any complaints. Similarly, the person replying to a routine claim letter knows that the recipient will be glad to know that his or her request has been granted, therefore, the writer states an expression of willingness in the first sentence of the response. The details and closing sentence follow the opening. This is demonstrated in Exhibit 4.9.

 

 

 

The “yes” reply in Exhibit 4.9 grants the request, but the writer does not use the word “grant”. Moreover, there is no reference to the letter being answered as a claim, though these words are often employed for referring to such letters. Phrases such as “your request is granted” or “we are granting your request” may convey to the receiver “we see ourselves as superiors and in a position of power”. Similarly, “we are adjusting your claim” can also suggest “We are responding to your dissatisfaction”. Therefore, words such as “grant” and “claim” are not used in such letters.

 

The recipient of a claim letter should always try to view the complaint positively. He or she should not be angered by customers, clients, or defective products. Business letters in all situations should be written with politeness and respect for the other party. Negative expressions should be avoided, though it is easy to react sharply when people complain about something one has done, said, or sold. Neither the writer nor the person replying should use expressions of accusation, such as “because of your careless packing, several pieces of the crockery set sent to me are broken” or “I have been cheated by you because the colour of the shirt, which was guaranteed to be fast, has completely faded”.

Instead of using the harsh language used in Exhibit 4.10, the writer can simply state the facts of the situation and the action desired. For example, it is more businesslike to say:

“I have received the sunglasses I ordered from your company. I find that there is a scratch on the right lens; perhaps it happened in transit. I would appreciate an early replacement of the sunglasses as I am going on a trip to Rajasthan at the end of the month.”

 

 

Another example of a businesslike claim is,

“I am returning the Easy Knit shirt that I purchased from your shop a week ago. Its colour has faded after washing by machine. The colour was guaranteed as long as the shirt was not exposed to the sun. I request you to exchange it with a new shirt of the same colour.”

The “yes” reply letter in Exhibit 4.11 directly grants the request, reassures the buyer that he made a wise choice when he chose Easy Knit, and goes on to explain how to maintain the product. The reply avoids negative language. Through positive language, the customer is made to see his mistake. The letter also suggests ways to prevent future trouble and finally expresses hope for a continuing relationship by informing the buyer of discount sales. The “yes” letter is carefully written to guarantee customer confidence in the product and full satisfaction in the transaction. The letter has a direct, positive approach.

 

Request Letters

Routine Request Letters and “Yes” Replies

Now that we know how routine claim letters and replies to them should be written, let us take a look at routine requests. A letter to, say a vendor, requesting information about a product, should state clearly and completely what information is desired. A request for information should not suggest that the writer wants to place an order. Exhibit 4.12 shows a sample routine request. Exhibit 4.13 shows how a “yes” reply to a routine request should be written.

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.13 A “Yes” Reply to a Routine Request

Routine Orders and Their “Yes” Replies

Routine orders should be explicit and thorough. In addition, they should be very clear about what they expect by giving complete details of the desired product. This includes specifying the time of delivery and the mode of shipment. There should be no ambiguity or chance of confusion or misunderstanding. A sample of a routine order letter is presented in Exhibit 4.14.

 

 

Since the response to the letter in Exhibit 4.14 is positive, the “Yes” response should follow the pattern shown in Exhibit 4.15.

 

Guidelines for a “Yes” Reply

The guidelines a writer needs to follow while drafting a “Yes” reply to a routine claim, request, or order are summarized here:

1. The beginning should state the reason for writing the letter and the main idea.
2. The middle paragraphs should give details of the good news, reaffirm the guarantee if any, describe the product offered, and explain why the replacement would satisfy the receiver.
3. The end should draw the reader's attention to the conditions, if any, attached to the positive response. The letter should close on a positive note of thanks for the original order and hopes for continuing good relations with the buyer.

Guidelines for a “No” Reply

In business, at times we have to say “no”. In some situations, it may not be possible to grant the writer's request or deliver what he or she has ordered. On such occasions the goal of the person who is responding should be to write a “no” letter inoffensively, while stating facts and giving reasons as convincingly as possible. A refusal is a refusal. It is bound to disappoint the reader. However, the goal is to reduce the negative emotions as much as possible. The writer of a “no” reply cannot convey an unfavourable decision in an unfavourable way if he or she wants to retain the customer's goodwill. Thus, he or she must be able to write “no” while minimizing the readers disappointment. To achieve this objective, the information should be patterned as follows:

1. The letter should begin with a paragraph that describes the general situation as the context in which the reader's request was considered. It should indicate in a neutral or friendly tone the reasons that led to the negative information or a refusal.

   Some possible methods to do this are:

   • Assuring the receiver that his or her matter was considered with great understanding and care.
   • Making the reader believe that it is the circumstances or situation her request that is responsible for the “no” response. (For example: “than ten thousand admission requests from your country”)
   • Agreeing with the reader in some way. (For example: “You are right that the guarantee period is one year.”)
   • Giving a sincere compliment. (For example: “Your CAT score is quite high…”)
   • Showing (without raising false hope) that the possibility of fulfilling the request was there. (For example: “Your plan for opening a business school of international caliber sounds excellent.”)
   • Mentioning good news of interest to the reader. (For example: “The government has passed a bill to open new credit banks for farmers.”)
2. The “no” letter should give facts and provide reasons and factors for refusal. (For example: “The manufacturer's instructions have not been strictly followed.”)
3. The refusal should be mentioned in the same paragraph. It is important not to highlight the refusal. Therefore, no separate paragraph should be given to this negative point, instead, it should just be stated at the end of the paragraph that mentions the reasons for it.
4. The end of the “no” response seeks to maintain good business relations with the reader by suggesting an alternative course of action or a better deal in the future.

The aim of indirectly organizing a “no” response letter is to assure the reader that the bad news or the unfavourable decision was arrived at after careful consideration of the total situation and facts that could not be altered by the writer (the decision-maker). The purpose of indirect organization is to ensure that the reader does not believe that the refusal is based on arbitrary, subjective, or personal reasons.

Consider Exhibit 4.16, a letter of refusal written by New India Tile Company to the replacement request. Exhibit 4.13 is a “yes” response to the same request, but the factors involved in making the decision are different in this situation. Hence, the company's response to replacing the tiles is “no”. The letter seeks to convey the negative message through indirect organization.

 

 

Exhibit 4.16 A “No” Reply (to a Routine Request)

Persuasive Letters

Persuasion is used when the writer suspects that the reader will not be interested in the message and the action to be taken. In such a situation, the writer may use the device of startling the reader by informing him or her about something unexpected at the beginning of the letter. This way, the reader is made to see right away why he or she should accept the letter's proposal. The letter goes on to show how the reader will greatly benefit by taking the suggested action. Such letters, which arouse the reader's interest and induce him or her to act as directed, are essentially letters that sell ideas to others. They are called persuasive letters. Writing them well requires skillful patterning of information. The persuasive pattern, also known as persuasive organization, involves the following sequence of ideas:

 

1. The opening sentence in a persuasive business letter (usually sales) catches the reader's attention by saying one of the following:
   • A startling statement of fact—“Every second, 6 children die of malnutrition in our country”
   • A remedial measure to a problem—“At last, you can build your own house.”
   • An alarming question—“Would you like to die without providing for the safety of your children and spouse?”
   • A special product, scheme, or plan—“Within the next 14 days you should expect to receive important authorized mail from our sweepstakes manager.”
2. The middle section of a persuasive letter gives details regarding the product or scheme that is being promoted. This section mainly describes the benefits to the reader. It explains why the reader should accept the proposal.
3. After arousing the reader's interest in the proposal, the letter then requests action, such as a “yes” response to the proposed request.
4. The last paragraph acts as a reminder to the reader of the special benefits he or she would gain by acting as urged and requests action within the given

Such persuasive sales letters are also known as form letters. They differ from other business letters in the following ways:

1. They may not be dated: These letters can be used by the company for many months. Therefore, the date of the form letter (sales letter) may not be necessary and relevant.
2. There may be no personal salutation: The sales letter is not addressed to a specific individual. The receiver's name is superimposed as a mailing device.

   Dear Friend,

   Dear Reader,

   Dear Valued Customer,

   The opening sets a pleasant tone by saying that the reader is known for his or her interest in the kind of proposal made.

3. There is usually a postscript message to remind the reader of the action to be taken by the specified deadline or to highlight the benefits or any other important point.
4. Most persuasive sales letters include some mention of further material to be received by the reader. For example, the box with the word “important” in the sales letter shown in Communication Snapshot 4.6 highlights that two sweepstakes entry cards would be sent in the near future.

There is another style of formatting a persuasive form letter, which is shown in Exhibit 4.17. To look more informal, the letter leaves out the salutation completely. It also drops the formal ending “subscription”. Instead, it closes with “best wishes” from the writer of the message.

 

Collection Letters

Collection letters are letters sent to customers who do not pay accounts promptly. In such letters tone is very important. The way you write such letters will depend on such factors as the age of the debt, whether the customer is habitually late in settling accounts, and any previous reminders issued.

 

 

If a polite letter like this fails to produce a response, a firmer letter is sent.

A firm tone will be accepted as a professional approach while a letter with impolite tone may result in losing a customer.

Examples

Letter of Confirmation

The main purpose of this letter is to provide a written record of arrangements made between the sender and the recipient in person or by telephone. These letters are usually very short.

 

Letter of Acknowledgement

We acknowledge receipt of something when a written record is appropriate. An acknowledgement letter may also be sent to acknowledge receipt of another letter or document which requires further attention. As such you would clearly state that you will look into the matter and reply in more detail at a later date.

 

 

Some organisations use printed cards for this purpose, which can be completed easily.

 

Letter of Enquiry and Reply to Enquiry

Enquiries for information about goods or services are sent and received in business all the time. In your letter remember to state clearly exactly what you want - information? a catalogue? a price list? a quotation? Keep your enquiry brief and to the point.

 

Reply to an Enquiry

Enquiries are potential business. They must be acknowledged promptly. If the enquiry is from a present customer, say how much you appreciate it. If it is from a prospective customer, thank her/ him for the enquiry, give all the relevant information and express the hope of good business relations.

 

Letter of Complaint and Reply to Complaint

In business, there are bound to be occasions when you have to make a complaint, or deal with one. When you have a genuine complaint, you will feel angry, but remember that the other party may not be to blame. They may have a perfectly good reason. Therefore, your complaint should be confined to a statement of the facts, followed by an enquiry about what the company will do about it or your suggestion of how you expect the matter to be dealt with. At all costs, avoid rudeness.

 

 

Most companies wish to hear if customers have cause to complain. It gives them an opportunity to improve, to explain, and to put things right. Here are some general rules for dealing with complaints:

1. Acknowledge a complaint promptly. If you are unable to reply fully give a brief reply and say they will hear in detail soon.
2. The customer is not always right, but it is good practice to assume that the customer may be right.
3. Be polite and try not to offend, even if the complaint is unreasonable.
4. Admit blame readily if appropriate, then express regret and state how you intend to put matters right.
5. Thank the customer for bringing the matter to your attention.
6. Do not apologise if you are not at fault.

 

Collection Letters

Collection letters are letters sent to customers who delay payment of dues. In such letters tone is very important. The way you write such letters will depend on factors, like the period of the debt, whether the customer is habitually late in clearing accounts, and earlier reminders issued.

 

 

If a polite letter of this kind, fails to act, a firmer letter is sent. The second letter is firm but polite.

A firm tone will be appreciated as a professional approach, while a rude letter may result in losing the customer.

Application Letter

An advertisement that attracts your attention, check carefully to note whether application should be hand-written. If it is not mentioned, you may print your letter. Keep the application letter short and concise, give your main particulars listed in an enclosed curriculum vitae (sometimes called a resumé). This saves your letter from becoming very long.

 

 

Some advertisements require that you should request for an application form, in which case just write a simple letter of request in the standard form. Larger organizations because by having specific headings the company can be assured of obtaining the same information about each applicant.

 

Letter for Interview Invitation

A letter inviting shortlisted applicants to attend all interview should be fairly short, simply thanking the person for his/her application and giving a day/date/time for the interview.

Interview The interview is an essential stage in the recruitment process. Unit 2 gives full guidelines on how to prepare for interviews. Perhaps you can arrange for some mock interviews to be held in your class.

 

Letter of Offer of Employment

After all the candidates have been interviewed, a shortlist may be drawn up and second interviews held. Once a decision has been made on the successful candidates, a formal offer of employment will be sent to the successful applicant(s). Depending on the size of the organisation, a separate contract of employment may be drawn up. Here we will deal with a simple offer letter, enclosing a job description.

 

Letter of Acceptance

It is usual to write a formal letter to the company accepting the post. Keep it simple.

 

Letter of Resignation

When you have been in employment and wish to leave for whatever reason, it is usual to write a formal letter, resinging form your post.

 

Letter of Recommendation

It is helpful to ask previous employers for testimonials as they will be useful when applying for jobs in future.

 

Sales Letters

Sales letters are a very selective form of advertising. They aim to sell a company's goods or services, or they persuade readers to take up special offers. All sales letters must:

• arouse interest
• sound convincing
• create a desire
• encourage action.

In this sales letter Aurora Mobile enclose a newsletter and make everything sound appealing and attractive.

 

 

Remember these important principles when writing sales letters:

1. Try to get on the same wavelength as your reader in the opening paragraph.
2. Present the advantages of the product or service showing relevance to the reader.
3. Write in a positive, convincing style without being aggressive.
4. Encourage the reader to respond by placing an order, completing a reply form or card, requesting further details.
5. Use singulars rather than plurals, e.g.

    

   

Quotation Letter

A quotation is an offer for a specific product or service for sale. It states exactly how much a product/ service will cost.

 

Application for Bank Credit Card

The application for getting the credit card is made by filling an application form of the issuing bank/ organization. Generally, the form calls for information about your name, address, contact number, and other personal details, such as age, nature and place of employment, annual income, outstanding credits, and expenses and other financial information to assess your credit worthiness. When the application is granted, the credit card is mailed to you with a letter of thanks and details of conditions for utilisation of credit allowed.

Credit Letter from the Bank for Issuing of Credit Card

Bank Loan for Business

DRAFTING AN APPLICATION LETTER

An application letter is planned like a sales letter: it gains attention and interest and asks for action. The application letter demonstrates the applicant's communication skills and functions as an interview request when it impresses the potential employer with the applicant's abilities and education. It needs to be written very skillfully.

The First Paragraph

The first paragraph identifies the objective exactly. In the first paragraph, the applicant should specifically state the position/job he or she is applying for and how he or she came to know about it—usually through an advertisement or a contact. Sometimes, an applicant may apply without knowing that a position exists or is available. He or she can use the opening paragraph to show what kind of position he or she is qualified for and also state the reasons for his or her interest in that particular company.

The Second Paragraph

The second paragraph gives evidence of the applicant's ability/qualifications. In the second paragraph, the applicant should explain he or she is qualified for the position/job. It is important not to repeat what has been written in the résumé. Instead, the application letter points out the particular facts relevant to the position applied for. It can highlight important courses or special projects that have enriched the applicants preparation and enhanced his or her suitability for the position. It can also describe any extra-curricular activities that show leadership or the ability to organize and coordinate. Lastly, it can also show how the various projects, industrial visits, and work experiences listed in the CV are related to the position.

 

The Third Paragraph

The third paragraph asks for an interview. At the end of the letter, the applicant can suggest that he or she come in for an interview at the employer's convenience. The purpose of the letter is to convince the prospective employer to interview the applicant.

General Tips

While writing an application letter, the applicant should remember that he or she is selling those merits which the employer needs. The following principles are key to writing an effective application letter:

 

• Coherence
• Concreteness
• Simplicity
• Emphasis
• Originality
• Sincerity
• Empathy
• Convention

Application letters should be brief. Like the résumé, they should be spotless, free of errors, typed, and well formatted on a standard white sheet. As far as possible, the application letter should be addressed to a specific person. Also, the applicant should sign the letter before mailing it. Exhibit 4.18 shows a sample application letter, and Exhibit 4.19 lists some pitfalls to avoid when writing an application letter.

 

ESSENTIALS OF GOOD BUSINESS LETTERS AND MEMOS

Businessmen and women do not have time to read long letters and messages. They want to know facts, results, and important details. Therefore, business letters should provide only what is essential in the shortest space. The key is to keep to the point and be simple.

 

 

Exhibit 4.19 Some Don’ts for Writing Application Letters

Simplicity, clarity, and conciseness are interrelated concepts. “Simple”, according to The Pocket Oxford Dictionary of Current English (1998), means, “(1) understood or done easily and without difficulty (2) not complicated or elaborate; plain (3) not compound or complex (4) absolute, unqualified, straightforward.” Most writers want their written communication to be simple in all the four senses. In fact, clarity and conciseness result from simplicity.

Simplicity

Simplicity in writing essentially means plainness and saying exactly what one means. The writer should not bring in irrelevant details or information. Instead, he or she should be straightforward and choose just one word instead of many whenever possible. Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs should be avoided. Qualifiers, adjectives, adverbs, and other unnecessary words often creep in without the writer realizing their presence. It is commonly believed that to be clear, the writer should be elaborate and repetitive, using several words with the same meaning. However, this creates clutter in writing instead of providing clarity. The key to writing simply, clearly, and concisely is to tighten the writing. Hence, while writing business letters, memos, or reports, one should choose one from among several nearly identical possible words and only use those that convey the message exactly. This basic principle of choosing one word carefully is usually called the principle of “unity”—the unity of thought and expression. This basic principle is discussed here:

• One main subject in one letter: Practical wisdom tells us if we have to write about two different subjects to the same company, department, or office at the same time, we should write two letters discussing each subject separately. Why? Two separate subjects placed together may adversely affect each other's importance. The two subjects may belong to two different sections and after taking action on one of the subjects, the department may just file the letter, resulting in the other subject being forgotten.

  Only when two subjects are related and are to be considered for action by the same person, should they be discussed in the same letter. In all other situations, it is better to write separate letters.

• One thought in one sentence: Each sentence should be formed so that it contains a single, complete thought. Complicated (complex and compound) sentences are confusing in a business letter. For example, compare the following sentences:

  Complicated: The benefits that he derived from his early training were soon lost and he began to do things as he was accustomed to doing them.

   

  Simple: The benefits of his early training were soon lost. He started doing things in his usual way.

• One idea in one paragraph: Each paragraph should open with a sentence that summarizes the central idea of the paragraph. The sentences that follow should support, illustrate, and develop the thought by providing additional information.

   

  Each paragraph should open with a sentence that summarizes the central idea of the paragraph.

Clarity

The clarity of a business letter is two-fold:

1. Clarity of message: Ideas should be logically sequenced in a coherent way.
2. Clarity of form: Presentation of matter, format, paragraph divisions, layout, margins, and spacing between the lines should be done neatly. The letter should appear well organized and properly formatted.

Conciseness

It is best to be “short”. This means writing short letters, choosing short words, forming short paragraphs, and constructing short sentences. The goal is to give only relevant information in the fewest possible words.

Besides simplicity, clarity, and conciseness, there are many other issues that need to be kept in mind while writing business letters and memos. These are discussed here.

Standard and Neutral Language

Writers of business letters should use standard, neutral language and should avoid jargon, technical terms, and slang. They should also eliminate hackneyed and old-fashioned expressions from their writing.

You-Attitude

Writers should keep in mind the point of view of their readers (customers and clients). All writing is for a specific reader, and it is at his or her level that the letter or correspondence should be written. In addition, the writer should know his or her readers’ expectations, fears, beliefs, and feelings about the matter at hand. The writer should be able to visualize the readers’ reaction to the message before writing.

Sincerity and Tone

The writer's tone and sincerity reflect his or her personality. These two aspects of a letter or memo are important to convince readers that the writer really means what he or she is saying. The tone of the letter should reflect the writer's personality. Today, good writers believe that a business letter should be characterized by confidence, directness, enthusiasm, and humanity.

 

• Confidence: Before writing a letter, the writer should have complete information on the subject and should be certain about the facts that will be discussed. If the writer is definite about what he or she is saying, the letter will not be evasive or vaguely worded with indirect expressions and passive verbs. Passive verbs are weak. They convey withdrawal in the writer's subconscious mind. In contrast, active verbs are strong. Expressions such as “it is recommended that” (I recommend), “it was considered that” (I considered), “it was felt that” (I feel), “it is an indication of” (it indicates), “conducted a survey of” (surveyed) show hesitation and should be replaced with their active forms, which show directness and confidence.
• Directness: Directness in letters results from confidence. One's letters should not only say what is intended, but should say so in a straightforward and courteous manner. However, while directness is desirable, one should not be abrupt.
• Enthusiasm: Te writer should be enthusiastic in his or her sincerity. The letter should make the reader feel that the writer is genuinely interested in him or her. This cannot be done by just saying something like “Believe me I am really interested in solving your problem.” Instead, the writer must choose words that show interest in the reader.
• Humanity: Business letters are generally written in a stiff, formal, and mechanical manner. They often lack personal warmth and the feeling of speaking to another living being. To counter this, writers should use the personal pronouns “we”, “I”, “you”, “he”, “she”, and “they”. These give a personal touch to business letters. For achieving the right tone, the letter and other forms of business correspondence should be written in a simple, formal, and friendly way. Remember that criticizing or apologizing should be done carefully, as should complimenting.

Emphasis

In business correspondence, specially a letter or memo, ideas must be placed in order of their importance. The main idea must be stated at the beginning. Even in the case of a sentence or paragraph, the rule is to place the main idea first. Position reflects importance. Emphasis can be indicated also by repetition, use of punctuation, and the mechanical devices of using bold letters or underlining.

WRITING E-MAILS

E-mail is the most commonly used mode of interaction among executives and departments, and between a company and its customers, clients, distributors, retailers, suppliers, and vendors. It is the quickest channel of written communication. Any amount of information, documents, pictures, and so on, can be sent to the recipients as attachments.

Receiver's E-mail Account

For e-mail connectivity, one needs to have just the e-mail address of the intended receiver. Many persons have more than one e-mail account—an official account and a personal account. Therefore, the sender of the e-mail should know which address is appropriate to use. In addition, one has to be careful in typing the address. For example, in the address [email protected], if there is any mistake, say an extra space, a spelling error, or a missing dot, the mail would not be delivered.

Subject Line

In an e-mail, the subject line is the first thing that is noticed by the receiver. Therefore, it should be composed as precisely as possible. The writer needs to carefully work out the wording of the subject line so that the title and context are clear and the reader gets the gist of the message. Examples of good subject lines are “Visit postponed to next Monday” and “Annual report to be ready this Saturday”.

Sending Copies

The sender may need to send a copy of the e-mail to several persons at the same time. This is generally simpler if group e-mail IDs are provided. For example, if a company has internal group IDs set up, then by writing “marketing” in the “To” line, an e-mail can be sent to all the people in the marketing department. Usually, this is an internal facility. In external e-mails, the e-mail addresses of all intended receivers are listed in the “Cc” line. A “blind carbon copy” of the e-mail can also be sent to one or more persons without the knowledge of other receivers, by entering their addresses in the “Bcc” line. However, caution should be exercised in marking blind carbon copies as this can lead to difficult situations. For example, if the sender marks a copy to a person without the knowledge of the receiver and the person marked in the “Bcc” field hits “Reply All” in response to that mail, it places the sender in a difficult spot.

An e-mail is like a memo that needs neither a salutation nor a closing subscription. However, if the two persons are communicating for the first time and do not know each other personally, the sender may indicate a favourable disposition towards the receiver by being friendly. Exhibit 4.20 shows an example of a short, friendly, and clear e-mail written by a famous Bollywood actor and youth icon in response to an invitation from a business school.

Exhibit 4.20 shows a series of e-mails between the COO of Time Industries and one of his former employees.

The following is a summary of the broad guidelines that need to be followed while writing business letters, memos, and e-mails:

• Consider the readers’ (receivers’) needs and expectations.
• Understand the purpose for writing the message and the total context in which it is being written.
• Put essential information first.
• State each point clearly and directly.

 

• Use conventional formats.
• Be courteous.