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Routine Business Correspondence
Letters, Memos, and Emails
Planning for Routine Correspondence
PPurposeurpose What is my purpose?
What do I need to say? What do I want?
AAudienceudience Who is the primary/secondary audience?
How might they react?
What do they know/need to know?
GGenreenre What genre is best?
What are the conventions of that genre?
OOrganizationrganization How will I organize an outline?
What does the genre mean to organization?
SStyletyle What tone? Mood? Visual characteristics?
PAGOS
PAGOS
PAGOS
OverviewOverview
• Emails – Can be sent internally or externally• DO NOT USE – sensitive, official, highly formal or
serious, paper attachments needed
• Memos – internal only• DO NOT USE – with external audiences
• Letters – External/internal audiences, no prior relationship, official signed record, formality
• DO NOT USE – for routine messages that can be emailed or sent as a memo
Do emails REALLY matter?
• Email contributes to “ethos”
• Is a relationship tool
• Reflects on YOU and your organization
From: [email protected]
CC:
Subject: [ENC2210.001]
can U plz send me the assinments??????
Emails (2 real examples)
From: [email protected]
CC:
Subject: [ENC2210.xxx]
HERES MY PROJECT. CAN YOU TELL ME WHATS WRONG
THX!!!
Characteristics of Successful E-Mails (Guidelines)
• Effective subject line – main idea, important info
• Greeting
• Single topic, concise
• Conversational tone
– Graphic highlighting often appropriate
• Liberal paragraph breaks
• “signature”
Email Characteristics/Guidelines
• Don’t – write in all caps – use backgrounds, weird fonts, or images– ignore your audience
• U, thx, lol, roflmao, haha, sup, IMO, l8r, cya, WTF, j/k, TY, TIA, imho, and/or various colorful obscenities. ???????
– use quotes/verses/sayings in signature – Use an inappropriate email address
• Do– Proofread– Check for tone– Check for a response– Use a good subject line
Characteristics of Successful Memos (Similar to Emails)
• Headings: Date, To, From, Subject• Single topic• Conversational tone• Concise, liberal paragraphs• Graphic highlighting (in certain contexts)
• MEMOS – Internal, established relationship and shared understanding
Types of Memos
Procedure and Information Memos Downward flow – distribution
Request and Reply Memos Direct request
Confirmation Memos “to-file” reports or “incident” reports
Memos: Organization
1) Heading1) Heading
DATE:TO: FROM: Name (and identifying info) Example: Dave Smith, Section 011SUBJECT: Summarize the main idea. Example: Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.
4 Parts: heading, opening, body, closing
Memos: Organization
2) Opening2) Opening
In general, start directly; state the main idea
Indirect (ineffective) opening:
This is to inform you that we must complete the annual operating budgets shortly. Over the past two months many supervisors have met to discuss their departmental needs.
Direct (effective) opening:
All supervisors and coordinators will meet June 3 at 10 a.m. to work out the annual operating budgets for their departments
Memos: Organization
3) Body3) Body
• Explain and discuss the topic.• Use graphic highlighting to facilitate reading,
comprehension, and retention.• Consider columns, headings, enumerations,
bulleted lists, etc.
4) Closing4) Closing• Request action, include end date.• Summarize message or provide a closing
thought.• DO NOT SIGN
Memos: Formatting
DATE: February 31, 2030
TO: Rob Montaine
FROM: Heidi Chan HC
SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY FOR MEMOS
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
DATE: February 31, 2030
TO: Rob Montaine
FROM: Heidi Chan HC
SUBJECT: FORMATTING AND STATIONERY FOR MEMOS
Welcome to Multimedia, Rob! I’m pleased to be able to answer your questions about formatting and stationery for memos in the organization.
Please examine the enclosed samples and call me if you have additional questions.
Enclosures
1¼ inchmargin
1¼ inchmargin
Single spaced paragraphs, additional
space between paragraphs
align
Do not sign
double spaced
Subject Lines for Informative and Subject Lines for Informative and Positive Messages – Positive Messages – ALL GENRESALL GENRES
• Make subject lines Make subject lines specific.specific.– Subject: Interview Questions for Job Candidate Subject: Interview Questions for Job Candidate
Toni James.Toni James.
• Make subject lines Make subject lines concise.concise.– Subject: Let’s Hire Toni James.Subject: Let’s Hire Toni James.
• Make subject lines Make subject lines appropriateappropriate for the for the pattern of organization.pattern of organization.– In general, provide the same information that In general, provide the same information that
you would in the first paragraph – main ideayou would in the first paragraph – main idea
Characteristics of Successful Business Letters
• All have an opening (purpose), body (details), and closing (request action or courteous closing)
• Clear, organized content
• “Goodwill” tone
• Correct form
Courtesy TitlesCourtesy Titles
• Use Use Ms.Ms. or or Mr.Mr. unless the reader has a unless the reader has a professional titleprofessional title..– Dr., Rev., Prof.,Dr., Rev., Prof., and and Senator.Senator.
• Use a complete name if you don’t know gender.Use a complete name if you don’t know gender.– Lee SandersLee Sanders instead ofinstead of Mr.Mr. or or Ms. Sanders.Ms. Sanders.
• When you don’t know the reader’s name or When you don’t know the reader’s name or gender, usegender, use– The reader’s position or job title.The reader’s position or job title.
• Dear Dear Human Resources ManagerHuman Resources Manager
– The general group to which the reader belongs.The general group to which the reader belongs.
• DearDear Concerned CitizenConcerned Citizen
Business Letters: Block Formatting
EMAIL: [email protected] Katella Avenue PHONE: (310) 329-4330Anaheim, CA 92642 FAX: (310) 329-4259
May 18, 2001
Ms. LaTonja WilliamsHealth Care Specialists2608 Fairview RoadCosta Mesa, CA 92627
Dear Ms. Williams:
SUBJECT: FORMATTING BUSINESS LETTERS
EMAIL: [email protected] Katella Avenue PHONE: (310) 329-4330Anaheim, CA 92642 FAX: (310) 329-4259
May 18, 2001
Ms. LaTonja WilliamsHealth Care Specialists2608 Fairview RoadCosta Mesa, CA 92627
Dear Ms. Williams:
SUBJECT: FORMATTING BUSINESS LETTERS
Cypress Associates, Inc.Cypress Associates, Inc.Letterhead
Dateline
Inside Address
Salutation
Subject Line
2 inches from top of page, depends on ltrhead
1 blank line
1 blank line
1 blank line
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Proin condimentum. Mauris sit amet ligula. Curabitur velit odio, aliquam nec, viverra vel, tincidunt at, odio.
Fusce a libero. Nullam felis. Suspendisse vitae diam ut eros tristique mattis. Cras sapien. Curabitur mi. In ac leo vitae quam sodales nonummy. Mauris quis odio.
In porta, augue consectetuer dictum volutpat, enim dui auctor ante, nec rhoncus lectus magna ut nunc.
Sincerely,
Sharon Montoya
Sharon Montoya
SM:mef
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Proin condimentum. Mauris sit amet ligula. Curabitur velit odio, aliquam nec, viverra vel, tincidunt at, odio.
Fusce a libero. Nullam felis. Suspendisse vitae diam ut eros tristique mattis. Cras sapien. Curabitur mi. In ac leo vitae quam sodales nonummy. Mauris quis odio.
In porta, augue consectetuer dictum volutpat, enim dui auctor ante, nec rhoncus lectus magna ut nunc.
Sincerely,
Sharon Montoya
Sharon Montoya
SM:mef
ComplimentaryClosing
Printed Name
Reference Initials
3 blank lines
1 blank line
1 blank line
Business Letters: Block Formatting
Courtesy TitlesCourtesy Titles
• Use Use Ms.Ms. or or Mr.Mr. unless the reader unless the reader has a professional titlehas a professional title..
– Dr., Rev., Prof.,Dr., Rev., Prof., and and Senator.Senator.
• Use a complete name if you don’t Use a complete name if you don’t know gender.know gender.
– Lee SandersLee Sanders instead ofinstead of Mr.Mr. or or Ms. Ms. Sanders.Sanders.