Put it before them briefly so they will read it,

Clearly so they will appreciate it,

Picturesquely so they will remember it,

And, Above all, accurately so they will be guided

by its light.

-- Joseph Pultizer

Written Communication

Everything that is put down on paper by writing comes under the purview of Written Communication.

Advantages Disadvantages

Types

Letter Memo Notice Circular Report

Letter Writing

In order to achieve the definite purpose and the intended results, the business letters written to express facts and opinions clearly, concisely, completely and correctly.

Types of Letters

Personal (to a friend or within the family) Social ( invitations, death notices, etc.) Official ( from government or its

corporations, etc.) Business (within business environment) Miscellaneous (letters to the editor, etc)

Purposes

Giving or seeking information Making or answering an enquiry Placing an order Demanding or refusing credit Mollifying the injured feeling of a customer Selling goods and services Making, accepting or refusing a request Making or responding to complaints Creating goodwill etc.,

Business Letters To achieve a definite purpose of your organization

To sustain business relationship without personal contact

To create a friendly relationship with another organization to produce record for subsequent references

To create a good impression about the writer’s firm and also of the writer himself

Importance / Advantages Drafting at convenience Reaches far and wide A record for purpose of law A record for reference Solidifies a business brand Helps to expand business Saves money in communication Convenient for giving unpleasant news

Essentials of a good letter Correctness Completeness Clarity Conciseness Courtesy Consideration Concreteness Convincing power

Types of Business Letters

Letters of enquiry Letters of quotation Letters of order Letters of acceptance Letters of cancellation Letters regarding complaints and claims Adjustment letters Collection letters

Components of Business Letter Letter Head

* Reference Date Inside Address Special Markings Attention Line Salutation Heading Subject Line

Letterhead

Creates impression of the company Company’s name Full postal address Contact numbers registered office and

Registered Number Website

Reference No. Ref:T/23/19

Date 31st December,2010

Sender’s Address GMR Builders

Inside Address Mr. G.Reddy, Ramco Tiles, New Delhi.

Salutation Dear Sir,

Body Text We are pleased………..

Closing ‘call to Action’ Yours Sincerely

Signature Block Sd/-

Enclosures Carbon Copy Encl: cc to: bcc:

Letter Body Opening or Introduction Main Body (Central section) Future Action (or response) Special markings Continuation of pages Closing Section Enclosures Signature Copies to be circulated Continuation of Pages Address on the Envelopes

Planning a Letter Select the Suitable Tone State the purpose Assemble Relevant Information Arrange the material Opening the Letter Avoid Obvious Opening Statements Avoid participial Opening Avoid Trite Expression Avoid Personal Pronoun

Layout

Neatly typed on the best stationery with proper punctuation and carefully laid out letter creates a good impression.

Forms of Layout

Block Form Semi Block Form Indented Form NOMA Form

The central Part Referring to the reader’s problem Telling the reader what he wants to know Creating the Hypothetical Situation Using a subject Line Open with a ‘Thank You’ Begin with a courteous Request or

Command Open with a pertinent name

Closing the Letter Use a provocative tone Use suggestion Use Command Offer an incentive Repeat the main point Use the Reader’s Name Avoid Participial closings and indefinite

closings

Complimentary CloseDear Sir

Dear Sirs

Dear Madam

Dear Sir/Madam

Yours faithfully

Or

Yours truly

Dear Ms. Kranthi

Dear Mr. Kiran

Dear Kalyan

Yours sincerely

Dear Customer

Dear Reader

Dear Subscriber

Dear Shareholder

Dear Member

Yours sincerely

Name on the letter headRef: no. : Reg/01/002

21st October,2010

Mr. Ramesh DebrajGeneral Manager – FinanceThe School Book DepotNavi Mumbai – 400 707

Sub: Request for the rates

Dear Mr.Debraj,

We shall be really pleased to establish business contacts with you for the purchase of somePublications of Maharashtra. Kindly send the price list available with you and the terms and conditions of the business at he earliest, so that we can immediately place the order.

We look forward for your immediate positive action.

Thanking you,Yours sincerely,

Subhash ChandraG M – Marketing

Don’ts Avoid Trite Expressions Avoid Long Phrases Avoid Adjectives Avoid Cliches (indicates the natural way of presenting

ideas) Avoid redundancy Avoid Gobbledygook (refers to the kind of grandiose

writing) Avoid verbosity Avoid curtness Avoid demanding tone Avoid bragging tone Avoid angry tone

To give a letter the right look, we should pay attention to its structure, layout and to its form and punctuation. It reflects the image of your organization. Since letters serve a permanent records and are a valuable repository of information, we have to use suitable and impressive layout. We should use suitable and widely accepted structure at work place.