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Business Correspondence Lecture 1 Week 6

Chapter 10 covers business correspondence, focusing on selecting appropriate mediums such as letters, emails, memorandums, and faxes for effective communication. It emphasizes the importance of format, audience consideration, and organizational structure in drafting messages, including how to convey good or bad news effectively. The chapter also provides guidelines for writing various types of correspondence, including inquiries, responses, complaints, and expressions of thanks.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
9 views20 pages

Business Correspondence Lecture 1 Week 6

Chapter 10 covers business correspondence, focusing on selecting appropriate mediums such as letters, emails, memorandums, and faxes for effective communication. It emphasizes the importance of format, audience consideration, and organizational structure in drafting messages, including how to convey good or bad news effectively. The chapter also provides guidelines for writing various types of correspondence, including inquiries, responses, complaints, and expressions of thanks.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 10

Business Correspondence
Objectives
Select the appropriate Write out business
Set out a letter, email,
medium for your messages that cater
memorandum or fax
message – letter, for the needs of your
using an appropriate
facsimile, email, readers – the
format
memorandum audience

Write a variety of Draft messages by


Redraft examples of
messages that fulfil following an
ineffective messages
their purpose(s) organisational plan
Letters, Emails, Memorandums and
facsimiles (faxes)

It is important to select the The four mediums allow for


appropriate medium for one way communication
your message, audience only, because feedback is
and purpose delayed
The business letter is on of the means used by an
organisation to keep in touch with its customers.

Good quality paper and a letterhead

1. Letters
Increasingly, letters are sent as email attachments to
ensure speedy transmittal to their intended audiences

Letters are used for external communication

The appropriate register for a letter is either formal or


consultative, depending on the audience, purpose and
subject matter.
Email is the most widely used communication for business
correspondence

Speed and low cost

More efficient because documents can be sent as an attachment

2. Internal and external (with clients and other organisations)


communication. People form an impression of the

Electronic
organisations from the quality of the emails they receive.
Emails are written in formal, consultative or colloquial
(conversational) register- depending on the audience, purpose and

mail
subject matter.

Slang is inappropriate

NB: The key to effective use of email is consideration for your


audience.

Page 220: Guidelines for emails


Commonly known as a memo

Conveys a message sent through


the internal parts of an organisation

3. Mainly used:

Memorandum • to convey information or instructions


• To put on record the information, policies, or
s decisions reached at a meeting or conference
• To keep people informed of events in the
company
• To request information, assistance or input from
a co-worker or co-workers
• Memos are written in a formal or consultative
register
The facsimile (fax) is not strictly
speaking a medium

It is a office machine that can be used


4. to transmit other media such as letters,
memos and reports electronically
Facsimile Transmission is immediate, and a hard
s (fax) copy is provided

the disadvantage is that certain types


of fax paper fade-a copy should be
made of the fax to be filed
A professionally set out
document makes a
favourable impression
on your reader

Format errors distract


Formats of the reader from the The letter reaches the
content of your correct receiver
letters, message

Emails,
Memorandum Business letters are
formatted to ensure
A response to the letter
is facilitated
s and Faxes that:

Subject matter is
apparent at a glance
Email structure: Subject heading

1. 2. 3.
Gives in overview Short and should Should be specific,
of the content of preferably not be concise,
your message more than 50 meaningful and
characters(5-7 relevant
words)
Poor vs Better Subject heading

Poor Better
• Enquiry • Enquiry: Platinum Loyalty Rewards
• Quarterly results • Fourt Quarter Sales Results
• Minutes: Fundraising Meeting of 24
• Minutes of meeting March 2025
• Schedule • Fourth Quarter Marketing Schedule
• Seminar • Leadership Seminar: 4 July 2025
Greetings and Complimentary closes

Often the choice of greeting is


determined by:
• Your relationship with the audience
Forms the initial connection • Their level of seniority in relation to you
between you and your audience • The number of recipients of the message
• The preferred style of the organisation
• The likelihood that the message might be
forwarded to others
Organisation of Content

Three organisational
plans to help you
It is very important to know structure your message:
how to format a document • A plan for communicating
correctly, but the content is good or neutral news
• A plan for communicating
even more important.
bad news
• A plan for persuading
Direct Plan Messages: Good and Neutral
News
• Most widely used way to organise business messages.
• This plan is used when the purpose of the message is to inform,
either by conveying good news or neutral news
• The focal point of a direct plan message is always at the beginning
• The direct plan structure can be used for the following:
Enquiries and requests, responses to enquiries and requests, informal
messages, complaints, adjustments, and thanks and congratulations.
Enquiries and Requests
• Enquiries and requests includes facts and information about
products and services
• Should contain sufficient information so the reader knows exactly
what you want
• Having a well written message, makes the task of responding,
much easier.
• Page 227 email enquiry
Responses to enquiries and requests
• Responses to enquiries should be swift
• The way you handle enquiries will determine whether or not you
receive business from the reader or not.
• Make sure to address each point that was raised in the enquiry.
• Page 228: example email.
Informational messages
• Conveys information that readers need to know.
• The messages requires action from the reader, therefore, the
correct information should be conveyed in order for the reader to
respond.
• Example on page 229
Complaints
• A complaint (also called a claim), could be regarded as BAD NEWS from the readers
viewpoint, however, it is customary to use the direct plan for complaints.
• These messages require action to solve a problem, therefore:
 Problem must be explained by supplying any information that will make tracing to
transaction or situation easier (Exact date of purchase, number, size, model)
 Detail your loss or inconvenience
 Avoid negative words like demand, worthless and dishonest
 Explain clearly what you want such as adjustment or prompt investigation
 Express appreciation for the reader’s attention
Adjustments
• Adjustments are responses to claims .
• Essential elements for messages granting adjustments:
• Thank the writer for the opportunity to make the adjustment
• Explain the cause of the problem
• State what the adjustment is that you intent to make
• Promote goodwill by giving an assurance that the error will not be repeated
Example on page 232-233.
Thanks and Congratulations
• Messages of thanks or congratulations convey appreciation, they
build relationships and promote goodwill
• Example on page 234
Homework to be discussed in class next
week
• Read the following sections for self study:
1. Letters
1.1 Formats of business letter
1.2 Letters of invitation
1.3 Sponsorship letters
• Pp. 235-242. NB-makes notes and bring to class.

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