training: effective business letter writing

Effective Business Letter Writing

www.softheme.com

Training

www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme™ Training: Effective Business Letter Writing

The training’s purpose is to equip

participants with knowledge of the main principles

and techniques of effective business letter

writing. In this entertaining, highly practical

course, participants learn how to structure letters

for success, produce a more professional

document, maximize comprehension, and create

a good impression. In addition, participants

discover how to handle even the most difficult of

customers, minimize the risk of escalating

problems and maximize the efficiency of

business correspondence.


When writing business letters keeping mind three important points:

• Business letters – an information vehicle – they serve one purpose

• Business letters cost money

• Business letters act as an official document


There are four important points without which your message is not

going to be effective:

• Subject

• Audience

• Purpose

• Style


SUBJECT:

• It could be anything that a particular situation calls for

• Stick to one subject only

• If you have two or more subjects, write another letter


AUDIENCE:

• Your audience is always larger than you expect

• Do not assume that the reader knows what you are talking about


PURPOSE:

• There is nothing worse than reading a letter with no purpose

• State the purpose of the message and keep it clear


BASIC STYLE:

1ST PART of the body:

• State the purpose of the letter

2ND PART of the body:

• Sate your point. explain what you want to happen. Explain the

information you have

3RD PART of the body:

• Call for action or request some form of action. Thank the reader for his

or her response


PART I of the body:

• Get straight to the point in the first sentence. it is a very short paragraph

PART II of the body:

• It is going to be the core – it clearly explains the piece of information you are

proving and what you want the reader to do

• You have a lot of information? Break it, make short paragraphs, list the

points, or include it as an attachment


PART III of the body:

Is usually broken down into 3 sections:

• CONCLUDE THE MESSAGE. Draw all you key points into one statement

• CALL TO ACTION. Tell your reader what to do and when to do it – no call for

action means your reader will not act

• THANK THE READER. It is only appropriate that you thank your reader for

his time and attention


Ways to organize your information

• From general to specific

• From specific to general

• From positive to negative

• From negative to positive

• Step by step

• From most important to least important


Emphasizing the positive

Positive sentences are inviting and encourage people to read on. Negative sentences

can seem bossy and hostile.

Instead of:

If you fail to submit your report, you will not

qualify for admission

Use:

You must submit your report to qualify for

admission


VERBS vs. NOUNS

Do not change verbs into nouns

Instead of:

• The requirement of the department is that employees work seven

hours a day

• You will work on the establishment of goals for designated group of

employees

Use:

• The department requires employees to work seven hours a day

• You will establish goals for hiring employees from designated groups


• Use bullets to identify each item in the list. all items should begin with a

lower case letter

• Use numbers only when you are describing a step-by-step procedure

• Use commas or no punctuation

• If the list consists of alternatives, put “OR” after the second to last item

• If the list is inclusive, put “AND” after the second to last item

Guidance for tabulation


Avoiding double negatives

Instead of:

He was not absent

I don’t know nothing

Use:

He was present

I don’t know anything


Avoiding ambiguity

Instead of:

Michelle researched and wrote the speech herself, which everyone

thought was impressive.

Use:

Everyone was impressed with the speech that Michelle researched

and wrote herself.


ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE

Instead of:

In early April, all applications will be reviewed by the committee

Use:

The committee will review all applications in early April

Thank you!

2010 | Softheme Team | Kyiv, Ukraine | Software Outsourcing Solutions

www.softheme.com » Outsourcing to Softheme™

Questions? → [email protected]

training: effective business letter writing

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