Business Writing for Special Purposes
Business writing is not just about memorandums and proposals but also about human emotions and relationships. If we break away from the black and white of business writing, we can find that the range and form of business writing is exciting and varied. Business letters are those that are produced by someone at a business and usually go to another business or a customer, as opposed to personal letters, which are more informal and tend to go from person to person.
Business letters: If we were to define business letters, we could say that business letters are simply letters dealing with business. They can be external mail sent by one company to another or internal correspondence to the employees of the company. Business letters need to follow a certain format, no matter which type they are.
Often business letters are the first contact one makes with a prospective client or an employer; hence, it becomes critical that you get the tone and message of the letter right to make a good impression. Though a simple enough document to produce, writing effective business letters can be quite a challenge.
Here is a short review of what was discussed in past lessons when writing business letters. This information will come in handy with writing assignments for this lesson:
- Keep it short and simple. Use simple and succinct words instead of long-winded ones. Business letters need to be pithy; this can be achieved by making use of clear and concise words, short sentences, and crisp paragraphs.
- Be direct: Your reader is a busy professional, so come straight to the point in your letter without beating around the bush.
- The best way to begin a letter is by stating the purpose in the very beginning. This is called the direct approach, and it sets the tone for what is to follow in the letter body. It grabs the reader's interest.
- If your letter delivers bad news, a direct approach is not advisable. Instead, use an indirect approach in which you state the bad news in the second or third paragraph of the letter.
- Always keep the readers' benefits before yours. Instead of saying what you expect them to do for you, mention what you can offer them.
- Be careful to get the name and title of the recipient correct.
- Make your tone conversational yet professional; do not be overtly formal.
- Stay away from jargon unless you are absolutely sure that the reader will understand it.
- Use active voice and personal pronouns in a letter.
- Always end the letter with a request for action.
- Be careful about the tone you use in the letter; do not come across as overconfident, arrogant, or boastful.
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