LECTURE

1ST

LETTERS

LETTER:

A letter is a written or typed message from one person to another.

Historically, letters were the only reliable means of communications between two persons at different locations.

The role of letters in communication has changed significantly since the 19 th century.

GOOD BUSINESS LETTER

• Be clear, brief and businesslike

• Do not write confused, overlong or pointless letter

• Be polite and friendly

• Do not be rude or patronizing

• Write concise and purposeful letter

• Do not try to impress with your writing

INTRODUCTORY COMPONENTS OF A LETTER

SAMPLES

• Personal Address• Street address

• City

• State

• Zip Code

• Company Address• Company’s name

• Street address

• City

• State

• Zip Code

• Full Calendar Date• May 31,2009

• 31May 2009

• 2-4 spaces

• Address of the reader• Reader’s Name

• Reader’s Title

• Company Name

• Company Street Address

• Company City

• Company State

• Company Zip Code

• 2-4 spaces

• IF you know the reader’s name, salutation will be• First / Last Name

• Followed by Colon

• For example• Dear Mr. Smith:

• Dear Ms. Jones:

• Dear Miss / Mrs. Jones:

• Dear Chris Evans:

• OTHERWISE• Use title

• Dear Vice President:

• Use department’s name• Accounting Department:

• 2 spaces

• Includes• Introductory Paragraph

• Discussion Paragraph

• Concluding Paragraph

• 2 spaces below salutation

• 2 spaces b/w paragraphs

• Place a comma after complimentary close

• Preferred close is Sincerely,

• 2 spaces below body

• Sign your name legibly

• Type your name

• Mention your title (Optional)

• 4 spaces below complimentary close

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN LETTER WRITING

• asap = as soon as possible

• cc = carbon copy (when you send a copy of a letter to more than one person, you use this abbreviation to let them know)

• enc. = enclosure (when you include other papers with your letter)

• pp = per procurationem (A Latin phrase meaning that you are signing the letter on somebody else's behalf; if they are not there to sign it themselves, etc)

CONTINUE

• ps = postscript (when you want to add something after you've finished and signed it)

• pto (informal) = please turn over (to make sure that the other person knows the letter continues on the other side of the page)

• RSVP = please reply

LECTURE

2ND

Reading maketh a full man;

Conference a ready man;

And writing an exact man.

Bacon

FOUR LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION

1) Intrapersonal communiaction

2) Interpersonal communication

3) Group communication

4) Public communication

COMMUNICATION INVOLVES THREE COMPONENTS1) verbal messages (what we say )

2)Paraverbal messages (how we say)

3)Nonverbal messages (our body language)

Types Of LettersThere are two basic types of letters.

1. Formal Letters 2. Informal Letters.

Formal Letters:A formal letter is a letter written to a business, a college, or any

professional that are not considered friends or family. These are also called official letters.

Informal Letters:An informal letter is a letter written to a friend or family. These are also

known as personal letters.

Electronic Mail (email):Messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to

one or more recipients via a network.

Formal LettersInformal Letters

Electronic Mail

Business

Official

institute

organization

FORMAL AND INFORMAL LETTERS

Formal Letters Informal Letters

Friends

Relatives

parents

Agreement letter

Apology letter

Invitation letter

Excuse letter

Letter of support

Goodbye letter

Inquiry letter

Reply to inquiry letter

Order letter

Sales letter

Goodwill letter

Claim letter

Adjustment letter

Credit letter

SOME COMMON LETTERSBusiness letters Social letters

The art of communication is the language of leadership.

James humes

LECTURE

3RD

WHY ARE BUSINESS LETTERS WRITTEN ?

There are many reasons why we may need to write business letters :

>> to persuade >> to apologize >> to congratulate >> to reject a proposal or offer >> to introduce a policy >> to invite or welcome >> to inform >> to request >> to express thanks >> to remind

WHO WRITES BUSINESS LETTERS AND TO WHOM ?

“Letters are written from a person/group, known as the sender to a person/group, known in business as the recipient.”

Here are some examples of senders and recipients:• business «» business • business «» consumer • job applicant «» company • citizen «» government official • employer «» employee • staff member «» staff member

FORMATS OF LETTER WRITING

Full Block Format

Semi Block Format

Modified Block Format

1:Full block format

Begin at the lift margin.

Font size should be 12 in times new roman.

Distance between each part is double space while lines of body are single spaced.

Open punctuation

Popular because of print media.

Quick and simple to type.

Convey formal sense of order.

2:Semi Block Format

Also known is ‘Indented style’ .Each paragraph started farther from margin. Writer name+Date+ Complimentry close+Signature slightly pass the center of page.Lines are single spaced while parts are double spaced.It uses close punctuation style.

3:Modified Block Format

Margin are the same as for full block format.

the author's address, date, and complimentary closing are begin slightly past the centre of page.

It uses open or mixed punctuation style.

Commonly use for business purposes.

4:AMS simplified format use by administrative management society (USA).

Just like full block format but it has no salutation & complementory close.

Subject in capital letter without the word “subject”, on place of salutation.

It uses open punctuation style.

It reserved for bulletins & notices.

Block Style Semi Block Style Modified Block Style

Samples Of Electronic Mail (email)

LETTER PUCTUATION STYLES

Body of letter is punctuated like any other text.Writer address and signature area are never

punctuated.The remaining four parts –date, reader address ,

salutation and complemantry close – are punctuated differently in different styles.

Remember the word DISC. There are three letter punctuation styles.

1. CLOSE PUNCTUATIONDISC parts are punctuated.

Full stop at the end of date line & the last line of inside address.

Comma is placed at the end of other line of inside address and the complementry close.

A comma or colon after salutation.

2.OPEN PUNCTUATIONNone of the DISC parts i.e. date,

inside address, salutation, and complementary close is puctuated.

3. MIXED PUNCTUATIONAlso known as standard punctuation.

Only last two parts of DISC parts are

punctuated i.e. salutation and

complementary close.

Difference between Hard letter and Soft letter writing

• Hard letters are in the form of printed or written on pages.

• Hard letters do not need any electronic mean to read them.

• Soft letters are in the form of soft copies.

• These can either be saved in cd’s, hard disks or flash drives.

• These can also be electronic letters.

• Soft copy letters need electronic means to read them.

Hard Letter Writing Soft Letter Writing

Letter Application

• A letter you write because you are replying to someone or letting someone know what is happening.

• Writing a letter you can explain your purpose in more than one or two paragraphs.

• An application is written to apply for something.

• While writing an application you summarize your purpose.

Difference Between Letter And Application:

MEMOSInternal letter.

Singular word is “memorandum”.

Plural is “memoranda”

People use short form ‘memo’ or ‘memos’.

Sent by one person of a company to other person in the company

Reply may be written on origional memo or on a separate memo.

For business and office purposes.

Include To and From , date and body.

What is cover letter ?Cold communication.

Words show your personality.

Descriptive form of resume.

Summary and a compact form of resume.

First communication to a certain commpany.

Non-verbal communication.

Contain only basic info.

Attach to resume.

Describe ourselves with words.

RESUME Resume is a French word meaning “ summary”.

Summary of one’s employment, education , and other skills , used in applying for a new position.

Seldom exceed on one side of A4 sheet.

Don’t list out all skills and specification, only highlight specific skills customized to the target job.

Written in third person, objective and formal.

Suited for job where experience and specific skills are important rather than education.

CURRICULUM VITAE C.V. is a Latin word meaning “course of life”.

Contain 2 to 3 pages & can run longer as per requirement.

Lists out every skill, job detail , qualification, degrees and professional affiliation but in chronological order.

Display general talent rather than specific skill for any specific position.

Preferred option for fresh graduates, and those applying for academic position, and people looking for career change.

Be Not Afraid Of Falling Be Afraid Of Not Trying

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