BUSINESS WRITING

A Brief Introduction to Culture, CONTENT, and FORM

Considerations & basic models For north American

Business letters

If  you’re  in  a  business  mee0ng…  

•  …in  Japan,  where  is  the  senior  person  si9ng?  •  …in  Morocco,  what  do  you  do  if  someone  suddenly  comes  in  and  interrupts  the  discussion?  

•  …in  Ecuador,  can  you  agree  to  do  something  even  if  you’re  not  sure  you  can  (or  will)  do  it?  

•  …how  do  you  say  “no”  without  causing  offense?  

       

Communica0on  

Language  

A9tude  Culture  

Cultural concerns

•  How  do  cultural  differences  affect  businesses?  •  Cultural  concepts  about  how  to  present  “content”  

•  “Culture  errors”  can  be  more  dangerous  than  “language  errors”  

Content concerns

•  Present  the  main  idea  directly  and  clearly  •  All  content  should  be  clear  and  concise  •  The  “rule  of  thumb”—one  page  

•  Business  wri0ng  is  “composi0on”  –  understand  and  use  the  wri0ng  process  

Form concerns

•  Business  wri0ng  is  one  of  the  most  formal  types  of  wri0ng;  “first  impressions”  are  very  important  

•  The  difference  between  “formal”  and  “old-­‐fashioned”  

•  Form  applies  to  purpose  and  audience  

•  Using  templates:  a  double-­‐edged  sword  

Wri0ng  

Language  

Content  Form  

Basic business letter models

•  “Block”  or  “modified  block”  format  •  “Tradi0onal”  vs.  “block”  paragraphs  •  Six  basic  elements:  

1.  Return  address  2.  Internal  address  

3.  Gree2ng  4.  Body  

5.  Close  6.  Signature  

1  2  3  4  

5/6  

“Block”  style  business  leZer  format  

1:  Return  address  and  date  

•  Your  address  •  2  or  3  lines  •  Your  name  is  not  “necessary”  

•  Are  you  using  “leZerhead”  sta0onery?  •  Today’s  date  (can  be  on  top  of  or  below  the  return  address;  with  or  without  extra  space)  

2:  Internal  address  

•  The  person’s  name  and  0tle  •  Company  name  

•  Company’s  address  

  Best  advice:  copy  the  name/0tle/address  exactly  as  you  see  it  on  the  adver0sement,  webpage,  or  business  card  

3:  Saluta0on  (the  gree0ng)  

•  Dear  Daniel  T.  Parker         (preferred)  •  Daniel  T.  Parker:  

•  Dear  Mr.  Parker:             (Mr./Ms./Dr.  only!)  •  Dear  Mr.  Daniel  T.  Parker:  

•  Dear  Daniel  •  Dear  Parker  •  Dear  Dainle  T.  Paker  

4:  The  body  (text)  of  the  leZer  

•  “Block”  style  paragraphs  •  “Single”  line  spacing  •  Paragraphs  should  not  be  too  long  or  too  short  (as  a  general  rule)  

•  The  first  sentence  should  immediately  and  clearly  express  the  purpose  of  the  leZer  

5/6:  Closing  and  signature  

•  Sincerely,  1  2  3  •  Daniel  T.  Parker  

(How  do  you  spell/arrange  Korean  names?)  

Daniel T. Parker