How to write a business letter of request. How to write a business letter: types, design rules, style and samples of business letters

“The most difficult thing for a person is given that which is not given to him.”
M. Zhvanetsky

Probably, everyone at least once in their life had to deal with the fact that there was an urgent need to write a business letter to the head of a commercial company, partner, official, or at worst, to the housing office. But if you consider yourself a businessman, even a beginner, or are going to open your own business, even in the distant future, you must learn how to write business letters competently.

So what is the difference between a simple letter and a business letter?

First of all, the absence of emotional components, and the predominance of logic and pragmatic a rational statement of your request or proposal. A businessman, company owner or head of a large, and even not very large enterprise, unlike just a “consumer”, is unlikely to be interested in your emotional and inspirational letter to him with a request about cooperation, providing assistance or establishing any other friendly relations.

First of all, you must understand that writing a business letter is how you write it to the point! Many will now say to themselves what a “pun” is, it is clear that a Business letter differs from the rest in a clear understanding: “To whom”, “Why” and “Why”. I read many letters and proposals, and, unfortunately, in some letters the meaning constantly slipped away, and at the end of the letter it was not at all clear what the author wanted to ask or offer.

Therefore, so that the meaning and idea of the letter does not “spread through the tree”, you must answer the following questions for yourself:

To whom are you writing a letter, did you make a mistake with the addressee?
Why are you writing a letter, what do you want to offer or ask? Are your arguments clear, style of presentation and are they convincing your arguments for the Addressee? And what benefit will he get from cooperation with you?
Why are you doing this? What result do you want to get? What further actions do you intend to "provoke" the Addressee?

For business letters, the corresponding GOST R 6.30-2003 has been developed, which describes the basic requirements for the content and execution of documents. In more detail, you can familiarize yourself with this GOST by purchasing it in a business book store, and use it later in your paperwork.

But, I would like to pay special attention to some important points:

The heading of a business letter should contain an appeal to the Addressee. It is issued a little below the registration number: in the upper right corner, the position and full name are indicated. Addressee. Below you can specify the Subject of the letter. Even lower, in the center, an Appeal is drawn up. In the appeal, respect should be expressed using generally accepted words: “Dear”, “Mr.”, “Madam” (abbreviations are not allowed). The cap is usually highlighted in bold.

For example:

Ref. No. 01 dated 04/20/2012

on Vh. No. 01 - RiK dated 01/01/1930

Director

LLC "Horns and Hooves"

Bender O.I.

"About a batch of defective horns,

delivered on 01.01.1930"

Dear Ostap Ibrahimovich,

Introduction. In the introduction, it is necessary to briefly define the essence of the letter. You can start traditionally: “I bring to your attention ...”, “I ask you ...”, “At present ...”, etc. - if the letter is written in the first person.

If the appeal comes from a legal entity, then the narration comes from a third party (For example, “Our enterprise offers ...”).

Moreover, both in the introduction and in the following text of the letter, the pronoun you and all its forms (you, you, your) should be written with a capital letter.

In the conclusion of the letter, the results of what has been written are summed up; a request or proposal is often written. For example: "Given the above, I ask you ...".
The main text of a business letter traditionally ends with the phrase: “Respectfully, ...” - if a neutral address is intended. If you are personally acquainted with the Addressee, then you can end the letter with the phrase - "Sincerely yours, ...".

For example:

Yours sincerely,

Underground millionaire (signature) A.I. Koreiko

Position, full name (first name and patronymic are printed, and then the surname), the signature is put in one's own hand.

The business letter ends with information about the sender, which should contain his full name. (preferably in full) position, and contact phone number. This is necessary if the Addressee or their representative needs to be contacted for additional information. You can also indicate the responsible person (full name), and his contact phone number. By the way, do not forget to indicate the area code along with the phone number. Do not force the Recipient to spend time searching for this information.

I also want to draw your attention to some points related to the presentation of the letter itself. At one time I used various options for the presentation of the letter, up to before use NLP, but all this was of little practical use, since the style of business writing itself is very conservative, and letters that do not match this style, they simply did not go beyond the “customs control”, represented by the company secretary. Therefore, I refused from experiments and began to write, as required by the business style.

Remember, your letter should contain three main sections, these are introduction, reasoning and conclusion. Many authors of the letter immediately get down to business, without introducing the interlocutor into the course of this matter. Of course, if the letter is long enough, the businessman may or may not read the introduction, but will jump straight to the point. But he can also return to the beginning of the letter if this "essence" interests him. In conclusion, you need to write what you want to receive. There should not be any double interpretations in the letter, only one clear thought through your entire letter. To do this, it would be nice to recall Aristotle, who, 300 years before our era, considered the logic of propositions and formulated logical laws based on it:

The law of identity - the concept must be used in the same meaning in the course of reasoning;
The law of contradiction - "do not contradict yourself";
The law of the excluded middle - "A" or "not-A" is true, there is no third.

According to the writing rules, the main part of a business letter should logically disclose the content of the request or proposal, making it understandable to the Addressee. All previous paragraphs should flow logically into the next. Provide specific facts and figures as needed. And don't forget that "brevity is the sister of Talent". Remember that too long text can "tire" the Recipient, he may put off your letter, and not find out what is the point of your unique offer.

And only after you consider that your letter is finally written, be sure to check it for spelling and punctuation errors. Check again its logical sequence and the readability of the entire text (it is best to read it aloud).

If you inadvertently or in a hurry make spelling mistakes, then this will be an embarrassment. How can one "do business" with a company that distributes error messages? Be carefull!

In conclusion, I would like to say that your letter will also be greeted first by “clothes”, you need to pay special attention to the quality of the paper on which the letter is printed, to the design, whether the letter will lose its shape during transportation, whether they want to take it in hand. If everything is fine in this regard, then a neat, logically consistent, revealing essence, well-written business letter will incline the Addressee to positive decision in your favor. Write letters!

come back

Whatever the purpose of business letters, they are written to achieve the desired goal in business. Not every employee of the organization has the proper competence in the field of business correspondence; with an inept approach, there is a risk of completely spoiling the reputation of the company with one letter. But if you use the service of compiling a letter in our agency, the addressee will certainly be interested in cooperating with you.

Purpose of business letters

Business letters do not lose their relevance in solving work issues and marketing tasks. Information in writing is convenient because you can always return to it or appeal to it when resolving controversial issues. Written text allows you to articulate thoughts more concisely and clearly than oral communication. In addition, some recipients can only be contacted by sending a business letter. And the higher the status of this addressee, the more professionally the text should be composed. Types of business letters as diverse as the scope of business relations. Business correspondence can be commercial (the desire to conclude a deal, a claim against the party to the transaction) and non-commercial (thank you, information, guarantee letters, letters of request, invitations, reminders, etc.) According to the functionality, initiative letters and response letters are distinguished, as well as messages that do not require a response.

How to write business letters.

Features of the structure and text of a business letter

Business letters have a clear composition:

In the introduction, the purpose and reason for the letter are indicated, a link is given to the document that served as the starting point for this message;

The main part describes the state of affairs, provides an analysis of the situation, and arguments.

The nature of the evidence depends on the direction of the letter: for example, to convince to come to a conference, to invest in a project, to purchase a product;

In conclusion, a conclusion is drawn on the basis of the foregoing: offer, request, refusal, wish, etc.

Before the text of the letter, a polite appeal to the addressee is always placed (For example, “Dear Sergey Mikhailovich!”) And also at the beginning or at the end of the text there is a courtesy formula drawn up according to the canons of business correspondence. Politeness formulas usually begin like this: “I express my gratitude for the assistance rendered ... / gratitude for the invitation ... / hope for fruitful cooperation ... ". When writing such letters, a business style is observed. Its features: conciseness, clarity, unambiguity, use of terms, neutral tone, standardization.

Difficulties in writing business letters

Be well aware of the addressee and the information that he already has on your question;

Knowledge of the rules of the Russian language and business style features: language formulas, rules for drafting proposals, etc.;

Correct and appropriate use of terminology;

Correctness in addressing the addressee.

How to write good business letters.

Dictionaries, templates for compiling business letters can help you cope with this task on your own. But if there is not enough competent employee or time to prepare for writing business letters, this service can be provided by a professional agency. Comagency communication agency specialists will help you develop a letterhead, collect the necessary documents for a convincing argument, compose a competent and presentable business letter, thereby improving the image of your organization.

How to learn to write business letters

Watch the video below, where it is easy and simple to learn how to learn how to write business letters, clear and understandable recommendations and practices for training are given:

What do you plan to outsource in 2017

official letter- this is a generalized name for documents of different content, which serve as a means of communication with institutions and individuals, reporting something, notification about something.

Business letters are compiled to inform the correspondent, to inform him of information that may be extremely important to him, letters are written in order to obtain the necessary information, in order to establish contact, establish business ties, so that in the future it will be possible to carry out joint activities, make transactions, etc. Business a letter is a means of operational information exchange in the implementation of joint activities. The letter can be used as a confirmation of oral agreements, as a guarantee of the obligations assumed, as a requirement for the fulfillment of the conditions assumed, as a reminder. In addition, in any of these cases, a business letter is always a way of presenting the company. Just as the first impression of a person determines the attitude towards him for a long time, so the form of the letter, the envelope, the design of the letter and, finally, the text, can produce a favorable or unfavorable effect on the recipient of the letter. So, if you want this impact to be favorable, a business letter must be perfect in every way.

A business letter doesn't have to be long. In business relations, every minute is precious, so you need to express your thoughts concisely, simply, and clearly. The letter should contain only information that is directly relevant to the case. The letter should be written logically, clearly, understandably. A business letter should use complex language turns, complex concepts, while a business letter should not be dry, it should interest the addressee. At the same time, this does not mean that the letter should be emotional, let alone expressive. Even if the situation itself is quite tense, causes serious fear or concern, emotions should be restrained in the letter, the tone of the letter should be outwardly calm, neutral. Moreover, familiarity is not allowed in the letter. Conversational manner of communication, informal style - not for business writing.

Business letters are subject to the following requirements:

- a business letter is drawn up on a special form - a letter form (for other types of correspondence, special forms can also be used: telegram forms, fax message forms, telephone message forms);

- the design of a business letter must comply with GOST R 6.30-2003; "

− a business letter is signed by the head of the organization, or his deputy, or another official in accordance with the distribution of responsibilities between the management adopted in the organization;

- the letter should be devoted to one issue, several issues can be considered in the letter only if these issues are interconnected and one decision will be made on them;

- the letter should not be large in volume (most letters are up to one page of text, and only in exceptional cases that require a detailed description and analysis, a letter may contain more than one page of text);

- an initiative letter (request, request, demand, etc.) must be answered;

- a business letter should be composed competently, accurately, without corrections;

- a business letter should contain objective information about the events and facts stated, and, if necessary, have explanatory and supplementary materials.

Computer technology is used to prepare and format business letters. The official nature of business correspondence and the ethics of business communication require high quality production of documents on printing devices, and the following should be observed:

− unified document style;

− established sizes of service fields;

− correct location of the addressee, signature, date, registration number and other details;

− the same paragraph indents, if the paragraph starts with a red line;

- clear, clear imprints of signs;

- a straight line of lines, letters;

− equal spaces between characters, letters and numbers.

The preparation of documents transmitted via telecommunication channels has its own characteristics and involves:

− presence of service headers;

− limitation of message volume;

− use of an established limited set of abbreviations;

− registration in accordance with the rules established by the communication authorities.

From all that has been said before, it follows that the composition of the text and the design of the letter require a creative attitude. Each specialist must not only be competent in his field of activity, but also be literate, master the art of formulating thoughts and arranging them within the framework of the requirements of current regulatory documents. Theoretical provisions, no matter how fully they are stated, require for their assimilation and practical application to show mock-ups, samples and examples of their specific implementation.

Correspondence skills, as a rule, are developed with experience, therefore, the writer of letters needs to carefully study the previous correspondence of the organization, use letters previously compiled by specialists as samples, study the rules of correspondence, analyze the features of writing texts of letters on the subject of the organization, taking into account its goals, objectives, specifics activities. An important role is played by the general culture of a person, his knowledge, skills, outlook, therefore it is very important to constantly work on oneself, improve the general culture, including the culture of business communication and the culture of speech.

Writing a letter includes the following steps:

Studying the essence of the issue;

Collecting the necessary information, including from previous correspondence;

Preparing a draft letter;

Coordination of the project (if necessary);

Signing by the head.

Draft letters are prepared by executors on behalf of the head of the enterprise.

Business letters are issued on letterheads in accordance with GOST R 6.30-2003, as a rule, with a corner arrangement of permanent details (“stamp”). Forms with a longitudinal arrangement of permanent details for letters are used less frequently, mainly by authorities and higher organizations. Forms A4 and A5 are used. The A5 format is used if the letter does not exceed 7-8 lines.

The first page of the letter is printed on forms, the rest - on blank sheets of A4 paper.

The letter is drawn up in at least two copies.

The first copy is drawn up on a form and sent to the addressee, the second (it is called a copy) is printed on a blank sheet of paper and filed into the case as evidence of the work performed.

When issuing business letters, the following details are used:

− State Emblem of the Russian Federation;

− coat of arms of the subject of the Russian Federation;

− logo of the organization or trademark (service mark);

− organization code;

− main state registration number (OGRN) of a legal entity;

− taxpayer identification number / registration reason code (TIN/KPP);

− document form code;

− name of the organization;

− reference data about the organization;

− date of the document;

− registration number of the document;

− addressee;

− resolution;

− title to the text;

− mark of control;

− the text of the document;

− a mark on the presence of the application;

− signature;

− visa approval of the document;

− print imprint;

- mark about the performer;

- a note on the execution of the document and sending it to the case;

− a mark on receipt of the document by the organization;

− identifier of the electronic copy of the document.

The listed details can be divided into three groups:

− details of the form of the letter: the State Emblem of the Russian Federation; emblem of the subject of the Russian Federation; company logo or trademark (service mark); organization code; main state registration number (OGRN) of a legal entity; taxpayer identification number / registration reason code (TIN/KPP); document form code; name of company; reference data about the organization;

− details used when compiling a business letter: reference to the registration number and date of the document; destination; title to the text; text; a mark on the presence of the application; signature; visa approval document; seal; mark about the performer;

- details used when working with business letters and necessary for organizing workflow, executing letters, systematizing letters and organizing their storage: date of the document; registration number of the document; resolution; title to the text; mark of control; a note on the execution of the document and its direction in the case; a mark on the receipt of the document by the organization; identifier of the electronic copy of the document.

The text of the letter most often consists of an introductory part and the main part. The introductory part indicates the reasons for writing the letter, accompanied by links to facts, dates, documents. The main part of the letter formulates its main purpose (offer, refusal, request, guarantee, etc.).

The text of the letter is written in the first person plural: “we ask ..., we send ...”, or the third person singular - “the company believes ..., the organization has considered ...”.

If the letter is issued on the official letterhead of the head of the organization, then the text, as a rule, is stated in the first person singular: “I suggest ..., I ask ...”.

The text of the letter may begin with an appeal.

This small part of the text is extremely significant for the purposes of communication. A correctly chosen appeal not only attracts the attention of the addressee, but also sets the right tone for the correspondence, contributes to the establishment and maintenance of business relations. The importance of the appeal is determined by the author of the letter, the appeal allows you to provide yourself with a listener. The punctuation mark following the appeal deserves special attention. The comma after the appeal gives the letter a casual character, the exclamation mark emphasizes the significance and official character. The appeal is printed in a centered way.

Dear Mikhail Petrovich!

Miss Petrova!

Dear Mr. Smirnov!

Mr. President!

Dear Colleagues!

The letter is usually drawn up according to the scheme: introduction, body, conclusion.

“In accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated June 27, 2003 No. 620 “On Approval of the Model Regulations ....”.

The main part contains a description of the event, the current situation, their analysis and evidence.

The conclusion of the letter is a conclusion in the form of requests, suggestions, opinions, refusals, reminders.

Only officially accepted abbreviations, designations and terms should be used in letters. The names of institutions, organizations and positions, titles, units of measurement, geographical names and others must exactly match the official names.

The final part of the text may end with the expectation of the execution of the request, as well as the politeness formula:

The letter can contain only one final part.

The mark about the presence of attachments is printed two intervals below the text of the letter from the left border of the text field in the event that the letter provides for an attachment to it.

The signature is separated from the text by three line spacing.

Approval visas are issued on a copy of the letter remaining in the file. Visas are affixed at the bottom of the letter sheet.

The mark about the performer is printed on the front or back side of the last sheet of the document on the left side of the document.

The date of the letter is the date of its signing.

Letters are signed by officials in accordance with the distribution of duties and assigning them the right to sign documents in the regulations on structural divisions and job descriptions.

Before the requisite "signature" there may also be a politeness formula, which is printed from the paragraph and separated from the position by a comma, for example:

The courtesy formula might look like this:

Yours sincerely, …

Best wishes, …

With sincere gratitude,…

Sincerely, …

The seal certifies the authenticity of the signature of an official on documents certifying the rights of persons, fixing facts related to financial, material resources, etc. The seal certifies letters containing obligations (letters of guarantee) confirming facts, events, letters of financial content.

The imprint of the seal on the document may capture part of the title of the position, but not the signature of the official. The imprint of the affixed seal must be well readable.

The layout of a business letter is shown in fig. 7.

If the text of the letter consists of two or more paragraphs, then the letter begins with the 5th character (from the field line). Text without paragraphs can be printed directly from the left margin.

The text of the letter should include three structural elements: an introductory part that sets out the reason for writing the letter; evidence part; the final part, which sets out the request, consent, refusal, etc.

The reverse order of construction of the letter is possible: the final part is given before the evidence. This order is typical for letters from higher organizations.

Appendix: on ... l., in ... copies.

Job title

leader (signature) AND ABOUT.

Job title

(signature) I. O. Surname

00.00.0000

Performer (I.O. Surname)

Phone (000 00 00)

ID of the electronic copy of the document

Fig.7. business letter layout

Publication date: 2014-10-19; Read: 6692 | Page copyright infringement

Studopedia.org - Studopedia.Org - 2014-2018. (0.008 s) ...

Letter plan

1. In the first introductory phrase, state the purpose of your letter-representation of your company, product, services.

I am writing to you to introduce our company.

I am very pleased to introduce our company.

I am pleased to introduce our company.

Further to our telephone conversation I am very pleased to write you more about our company and its products.

Continuing our telephone conversation, I am very pleased to tell you more about our company and the products it produces.

With reference to our telephone conversation of May 19 regarding the educational software, I am very pleased to inform you.

In accordance with our telephone conversation on May 19, regarding the training programs, I am very pleased to inform you.

I am writing to you in connection with…

I am writing to you about...

With reference to our telephone conversation this morning I am writing you to confirm…

According to our telephone conversation this morning, I am writing to you to confirm...

I am writing to you regarding…

I am writing to you regarding...

You may remember we met and exchanged addresses at the CeBIT'2004 in Hannover.

You may remember that we met at CeBIT'2004 in Hannover and exchanged addresses.

We are a company which imports tools for the industrial and do-it-yourself markets.

Our company imports tools for industry and DIY market consumers.

2. List the main advantages, innovations, advantages of the proposed product, services.

This is a new reviewed edition including more than 20 new pictures.

This is a new, revised edition, which includes more than 20 new pictures.

3. Determine the market segment where you propose to present your product. Identify potential consumers.

Our customers are small entrepreneurs.

Our customers are small business entrepreneurs.

We are working for teens.

We work for teenagers. We make products for teenagers.

We suppose that our products will be of interest for young families and people with rather low income level.

We believe that our products will be of interest to young families and people with a fairly low income.

4. Express a specific proposal for cooperation: wholesale or retail, license agreement, creation of a distribution network, etc.

We are particularly interested in long term working relations.

We are particularly interested in long-term working relationships.

We are looking for German companies to create a chain of retailers.

We are looking for German companies to create a retail network.

In fact we are interested in license agreements only.

In reality, we are only interested in license agreements.

5. If you are enclosing product samples, you must explain which products from the series offered.

I am enclosing 5 copies of the software mentioned above.

I am attaching the 5 sample programs mentioned above.

Please find enclosed 3 units of the "Smart Styler" for evaluation.

3 Smart Styler product samples are included for testing and evaluation.

6. Express your willingness to answer all questions that may arise during the evaluation of the product.

If there is any further information you require, please contact us.

Please let us know if you require further information.

We will be pleased to supply any further information you require.

We will be happy to provide you with any required information.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need any further information.

Please let us know if you need further information.

7. End the letter with a standard phrase, express the hope for cooperation.

Hope to hear from you soon.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We hope to receive an answer from you soon.

We look forward to doing business with you.

We look forward to working together.

We would be grateful for an early reply.

We would be happy to hear from you soon.

Hope for future cooperation.

We look forward to working together. Looking forward to working together.

8. Your signature, name and position

Golden Rule:

List all the achievements, advantages of your company, product, service, your personal ones should be honest, without undue exaggeration. Any information can be easily verified.

Golden Rule:

A business formal letter should be written as a personal one, addressed to him alone, the recipient. No cold, formal phrases!

All global business is built on personal relationships, and they must be built!

Golden Rule:

The letter should be both informative and concise and take up no more than one page. Remember, no one will read more than one page. End the letter with a direct indication of what you expect from this company. It is this final phrase that will be remembered the most.

Golden Rule:

When writing any letters, you should always be guided by the formula:

KISS = Keep It Short and Simple

Example 1. Representations of a company - a developer of educational computer programs.

I am very pleased to introduce you our company and its software products for possible cooperation with your company.

Our interactive software products "Open" versions contain the last achievements of the modern technologies and make educational process very attractive and effective. This "Open" version is a unique combination of possibilities to listen and read texts, make computer experiments and solve a set of problems. I would like to point out that there are no such quality educational software products on the German market at the moment.

"Open" version is highly recommended for high school and college students as well as for self education.

This "Open" version includes at the moment:

"Open Physics" (2 parts, 2 CD-ROMs), German/ English/Russian/French, and

"Open Math" (6 parts, 6 CD-ROMs) German/ English/Russian/French.

The software mentioned above was developed by joined venture Open Learn Inc. (USA) – MATHEMATIC Ltd. (Russia) and widely used in USA, Russia and Europe.

Since our business is expanding in German speaking part of Europe, we are interested in long term contacts with German software retailers and consider Media Surep-Market to be one of the best.

Therefore, please, find the "Open" set enclosed for your review and evaluation.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely yours,

Example 2

Would "Seans Printers" be interested in marketing the exciting new ink-cartridges from "Russian Rainbow ink"?

I have developed and own all the rights to perfect ink-cartridges for "Seans Printers" which I feel could be selling exceptionally well in a printers industry such as yours.

The new ink-cartridge offers a variety of benefits to its users.

The colors of ink are perfectly fresh and bright.

The cartridge itself is the same size as the item you are using now, but contains two times more different colors.

The quality of printing is higher in comparison with the current models you used.

I honestly believe that this product would fit very well with the realistic pricing and strong distribution channels that seem to be the hallmark of "Seans Printers".

This letter is not a broadside attempt to attract anyone and everybody who would be interested in new ink-cartridge.

It is being sent solely to "Seans Printers", and I would truly appreciate you getting back to me as soon as possible so we could discuss the prospects of this issue further.

Please consider the new ink cartridge and let me know your thoughts!

Example 3

An offer to produce and sell in Russia a product owned by a foreign company.

I would like to explore the possibility of doing some business with your company.

I recently visited Boston and needed some toy as a present for my own personal use. I bought the "Selfeducable Box" developed by your company and it did exactly what I needed.

The thought struck me that if packaged correctly and properly marked, this product could prove to be a very effective promotional tool, at least for education.

I propose to produce and package your product, along with complementary products, and sell it in Russia initially to our clients in the book stores and libraries field. We believe that this more direct approach to selling you product would help establish some significant long term relationships.

I would like to know what could be worked out in the way of a royalty/licensing agreement for us to use the "Selfeducable Box". As an alternative means to sell your product, this could prove to be an excellent way to "Magic Tools" and "Selfeducable Box" to the Russian market that is, at the current moment, untapped.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

Sincerely yours,

Example 4

Proposal to find a publisher abroad for a book by a Russian author.

As a follow up to our discussion yesterday, I am enclosing a copy of our "Emergent Markets" book which was published by Moscow Business Press. It has been received very well by the press.

By the spring of 1999, the book will have been published in four languages: Russian, Chinese, Danish and Slovenian. As I mentioned to you, I would very much like to also see an American edition. I believe the issue of Emergent Markets will be very timely in USA. Could you help me find a good publisher? I would be most grateful.

As such cooperation has evolved; I would also like to look into the possibility of talking to some of your colleagues in the Bergamon Press in the same subject.

Do you think there would be an interest?

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

With kind regards

yours sincerely,

Example 5

Proposal to receive correspondence business- education.

Dear Mrs Vancouver

Thank you for your interest in the World Open University Business School.

The Business School provides management development designed for people in full-time employment. In choosing this type of program you will be able to focus on your own organization and situation as a basis for practical assignment, whilst gaining insight into other organizations and industries from case studies and from interaction with your local study group.

The World Open University is the world's leading university in "Supported Open Learning". It has more experience and expertise than any other university in providing effective, high quality education for adults in full-time employment.

Our programs are relevant to your work and career, and guarantee flexibility, where you learn at a pace which fits in with your other commitments.

The World Open University is a recognized British state-university, and the Business School's MBA is acceredited by AMBA, which accredits only the top 30% of all Europeam MBA programs.

Before deciding on your next step, take advantage of our local advisory service! We offer regular information evenings in Moscow and St. Petersburg or the choice of a personal appointment at a time convenient to you.

Example 6. Response to a newspaper advertisement offering to represent a Russian company in the USA.

Re: Your Advertisement in the Business Weekly

I learned from the Business Weekly that you are interested in representing Russian companies in the United States.

Our company is not yet represented in the USA. Last year we commissioned a market research institute to investigate the market there for sales of our products. The results of the study were very encouraging, and we are therefore now looking for a representative in this region.

The Business Weekly wrote very highly about your achievements as a new start– up company, so I think that we could cooperate successfully.

Therefore could you please let me have some references and a list of the companies which you represent?

Please mail or fax me the references, together with the name and telephone number of a contact with whom I can discuss the project in detail.

With hope for future cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

Exercise 1. An offer to represent a foreign company in Russia.

Below is the text of the letter of offer of representative services by a Russian company for a certain foreign company. The text of the letter is broken arbitrarily. Using the above plan for compiling such letters, compose the letter formula of a real letter. Check the result by clicking the "Check" button.

Dear Mr Heathrow

d. If you are interested in being represented in Russia, I am confident that you would be satisfied with our services.

b. Our company "Soft-System" has been working in the software industry for more than 10 years, and we are very interested in representing you and selling your system software in Russia. Please let us know if you are interested in distributing your software in Russia.

a. We received your address from the Moscow branch of the American Chamber of Commerce.

e. We enclose a brochure and further details of our organization for your information.

f. I look forward to hearing from you soon,

c. We currently represent two American and one French company of great renown here in Russia. I would like to point out that we enjoy above average sales results. We employ a well-trained and efficient sales staff, and also have adequate facilities and means of transportation.

Sincerely yours,

Correct answer: a, b, c, d, e, f.

Below is the recovered text of the letter.

Example 7. An offer to represent a foreign company in Russia.

Dear Mr Heathrow

We received your address from the Moscow branch of the American Chamber of Commerce.

Our company "Soft-System" has been working in the software industry for more than 10 years, and we are very interested in representing you and selling your system software in Russia. Please let us know if you are interested in distributing your software in Russia.

We currently represent two American and one French company of great renown here in Russia. I would like to point out that we enjoy above average sales results. We employ a well-trained and efficient sales staff, and also have adequate facilities and means of transportation.

If you are interested in being represented in Russia, I am confident that you would be satisfied with our services.

Promises:- urgent, spectrum (of services)–wide, discount–significant / insignificant, proposal–constructive, disagreement–material/insignificant, profitability–high / low, calculations–preliminary or final and so on.

Thank you letter to the supplier

Letter #1:
Dear Ivan Ivanovich,

expresses its gratitude Delopis.ru LLC for mutually beneficial and fruitful cooperation for several years.

Your company is a company that is really interesting to work with, because Delopis.ru a very dynamically developing company, every year launching new products of excellent quality on the market. I would like to separately note that, only six months after entering the market, he was able to win his regular customer.

We look forward to the release.

We hope that in the coming September 2013 year of the exhibition Delopis.ru LLC once again please us with their new products.

Delopis.ru is a team of professionals with whom you can deal!

Sincerely,
Petr Petrov

Letter #2:
Dear Ivan Ivanovich,

Company Delopis.ru is a repeated winner in tenders for the purchase of products and services for state needs, has established itself as a reliable supplier partner.

For the entire period of cooperation, starting from 2005 years, deliveries were carried out on time and in full.

In the process of work, the company's employees showed a high level of professionalism and communication skills.

We express our gratitude for many years of joint work and look forward to further fruitful cooperation.

Sincerely,
Petr Petrov

Letter #3:
Dear Ivan Ivanovich,

We express our gratitude to the company Delopis.ru for timely compliance with delivery dates, installation work by a team of professional installers with extensive experience and high professionalism in their field. I would especially like to note the high quality of products, which has proven itself from the best side throughout the entire period of operation.

Sincerely,
Petr Petrov

Letter #4:
Dear Ivan Ivanovich,

The company expresses its gratitude and appreciation for the high-quality and timely delivery of equipment, for an attentive approach to the task.

We also want to express our personal gratitude to the head of the department Alexey Alexandrovich Semchenko for professionalism, patience and ability to resolve issues in the shortest possible time.

Sincerely,
Petr Petrov

Letter #5:
Dear Ivan Ivanovich,

thanks Delopis.ru LLC for the timely delivery of products to repair facilities of the city Tver.

has established itself as a reliable supplier that ships equipment in full and on time. The supplied products are of consistently high quality, having passed all the necessary tests and certification.

In addition, it provides our company with information support, providing professional advice on the entire spectrum of electrical equipment.

Thank you for your cooperation, quick response to the declared volumes. We are ready to continue working on joint projects.

Sincerely,
Petr Petrov

Letter #6:
Dear Ivan Ivanovich,

Thanks to the team Delopis.ru and you personally for successful and fruitful cooperation with us in the construction market of the city Moscow.

During the period of our joint work, the company Delopis.ru has established itself as a reliable supplier of quality products, capable of performing complex tasks at a high professional level.

I sincerely wish you and your company prosperity and further success in the implementation of new projects.

Sincerely,
Petr Petrov

Today, almost everyone actively uses the Internet. But business correspondence has not ceased to be relevant and important. It was simply transferred to other media. How to compose and format a business letter, the publication will tell.

What can a business message contain?

First of all, business correspondence provides an opportunity to exchange any opinions or suggestions with employees and business partners. The letter can contain requests, claims and other thoughts to eliminate misunderstandings between companies. In general, business correspondence is a kind of official correspondence.

Differences from other letters

The main differences can be summarized as follows.

Presentation style.
The presence of subordination.
Vocabulary without a strong expression of emotions.
As a rule, the letter takes no more than one page.
The font throughout the text is the same (not small and not large).
It is usually drawn up on the official letterhead of the organization.

Types of business letters

Letters to be answered:

Request.
Petition.
Requirement.
Offer.
Appeal.

Letters that do not require a response:

Informational.
Notifying.
Accompanying.
Warranty.
Warning.
Reminder.

Commercial letters. They are usually needed during the period of the contract or to conclude an agreement:

Request.
Response to a request.
Reminder.
Claim.
Offer. This is an offer to conclude a contract or make a deal.
Warning of the need to fulfill obligations, the termination of agreements, and so on.

Non-commercial letters:

Invitation.
Information about something.
Expression of gratitude.
Recommendations.
Request.
Instructions.
Covering letter.
An expression of condolence.
Congratulations on any occasion.
Letter of guarantee.
Confirmation of receipt of goods, provision of services, and so on.

Classification of business letters by structure:

Compiled according to a strict pattern.
Written in free form.

Types depending on the addressee:

Normal. Sent to one addressee.
Collective. Sent to one person, but from several persons.
Circular. Sent to multiple recipients.

The form of the letter is as follows:

Sent in regular postal envelopes.
Handed in person.
sent as a fax.
Sent by email.

As you can see, a business message can be framed in different ways and with different intentions. But it is worth noting that in some cases, for ethical reasons, it must be written by hand, and not typed on a computer. This applies to congratulations and condolences.

Parts of a letter

A good business letter is always divided into several parts. This is the introductory, main and final. And they are connected with each other logically.

As a rule, the introductory part contains information about the circumstances that led to the writing of the letter. The main text is the content itself, the essence of the message. In the final part, they summarize the results, which can express refusal, consent, request, and so on.

Writing principles

Any business message should be written like this.

Impartially.
Addressed (that is, intended for a specific person).
Argued.
Reliably.
Most complete.
All information in the text must be current at the time of writing.

Stylistic features

The rules for writing a business letter state that it is necessary to adhere to a strict style. It is necessary to use only those means of speech that are typical for official documents. That is, an official business style will be appropriate. The language must have the following features.

Officiality.
The accuracy of the information provided.
Objectivity.
Structured.
Informative but concise.

The essence of the matter should be stated in simple short sentences, with emphasis on verbs. There is no need to overload the text with adjectives, use little-known and highly specialized terms that the addressee may not understand. This will only cause negativity and rejection. It is better to try to explain in simple, understandable words, more facts and specifics. Business style does not allow the presence of uninformative and “watery” texts.

The final part should not be summed up with unnecessary and long turns of speech. Also, illogical and inconsistent proposals will not work. Therefore, adverbial and participial phrases are best excluded. Each paragraph should contain only one specific idea. After completing the text, it is better to check it for errors several times by reading the letter aloud.

Form Requirements

According to the rules of a business letter, it is better to draw it up on the letterhead of the company. It has the following main requirements.

In the middle of the form, you need to insert the Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation if the enterprise is state-owned.
The letter should be placed on a sheet of A4 format.
On the left, leave the field empty (at least 3 centimeters). This is necessary because after some time the materials will be filed with the rest of the documents.
The most optimal font is the standard "Times New Roman", size 12 and line spacing 1.5-2. It is best understood when reading.
In the header of the letter, you need to indicate the name of the organization, its actual and legal address, phone number and e-mail.

Design features

If the design of a business letter took several pages, then you need to number, starting from the second. It is recommended to use Arabic numerals for this. Dots next to the numbers do not need to be put.

The letter must be divided into paragraphs and, if necessary, into subheadings. The text should not look like a continuous stream, as it will be poorly perceived. The paragraphs will show where other thoughts end and begin.

It is important to note that typos, erasures and any corrections are unacceptable for business correspondence. They will testify to the illiteracy and frivolity of the opponent.

Used details

The letter usually contains the following information.

The full name of the company, not just the abbreviation.
Phone number, fax number, bank account and e-mail.
Addressee. Moreover, the name of the company should be used in the dative case. If you need to specify the last name and position, it is recommended to use the dative case. If the recipient has a title or academic degree, then this must be indicated before the name of the person.

It is important to note that each attribute should be written with a capital letter and on a new line.

References in a business letter

A formal communication should always be in a neutral tone. Appeals to the addressee should have the same form. Phrases like "Good afternoon" would be inappropriate. If you want to say hello, it's better to use the formal "Hello". But the most competent option is considered to be an appeal by name and patronymic. And it does not matter how long the acquaintance with the addressee lasts. In a letter, you cannot use the short form of the name (for example, Petya, Anya, and so on).

To maintain an interpersonal distance, to show respect for a person older in age or higher in position, the appeal to “you” will help. However, it is worth noting that in some companies, on the contrary, it is customary to use “you” when communicating, even in a letter.

It is worth noting that the title "Dear Sir" cannot be used without the subsequent indication of the name of this person. The abbreviations "Mr", "Mrs" should also be avoided. If you need to address a group of people, then it is allowed not to indicate names. Then you can briefly write: “Dear Sirs!” According to the rules, after addressing by name, you should always put an exclamation point. For example, a similar phrase in a business letter would look like this: "Dear Alexander Sergeevich!"

In the final part, you can use various options. “With best wishes”, “With respect”, “With hope for cooperation” and so on. Here, appeals should be formal but friendly.

Making the final part

It is also very important to finish the letter correctly. In the final part, you need to summarize what was said earlier. However, do not stretch the conclusions for 10 sentences. It should be remembered that conciseness and brevity are valued in a business style. It is better to limit yourself to simple phrases. For example, several constructions will be given that are appropriate in the final part of business correspondence. Business letters should be completed as correctly and politely as possible.

Thanks for your help or attention. "Let me thank you for..." "Thank you!"
Assurance of the addressee in something. "We'd love to work with you."
An expression of hope for the future. "We hope to hear from you as soon as possible."
Request for something. "We would be grateful if you report the results."
Apologies for any inconvenience caused. "We apologize for the delay in payment."

How to say goodbye to the addressee

Despite the fact that the correspondence is business, in a business letter you can say goodbye in different ways. To do this, use the so-called closing phrases.

The following options are examples:

Yours sincerely.
Sincerely.
Best wishes.
I wish you success in your work.
We hope to continue cooperation.
We were happy to be of service.

There may be other options. Here the choice of the final phrase is purely a matter of taste.

Signing

At the very bottom of the sheet, the sender must put his signature. But it is extremely important to do it right so that the document has an official look.

It is necessary to indicate the position, initials, surname, and opposite to put a signature. Additionally, you can specify contact information (personal email address or phone number). This will demonstrate to the recipient a willingness to communicate and cooperate.

Failure Features

It is also important to know how to write a business letter if you need to refuse something. After all, even a veiled negative or refusal will not go unnoticed and will entail unpleasant consequences. After this, it will not be possible to count on a positive or at least neutral attitude towards oneself. When writing a letter, you do not need to succumb to emotions. It is better to keep yourself within the limits, even if the addressee is very annoying. Rejection letters should always be reread several times, paying special attention to the tone of the message.

The message should not begin with a categorical "no", in whatever form it is expressed. Otherwise, the recipient will get the impression that he is uninteresting and does not matter. First, it is better to lay out non-contrived convincing explanations. When the reasons for the refusal are briefly listed, you can smoothly move on to stating the fact. At the same time, according to the etiquette of a business letter, it is recommended to use the following type of wording.

Unfortunately, we are unable to fulfill your request.
We are sincerely sorry, but we have to refuse your offer.
We are deeply sorry, but we cannot accommodate your request for the following reasons.

Ideally, at the beginning of the letter, you should briefly state the request of the addressee. So he will understand that they really got acquainted with his proposal, and for sure he will appreciate it.

Features of composing an email

Today, people are increasingly interested in how a business letter is written if it needs to be sent by e-mail. For such correspondence, all the same rules that were mentioned earlier apply. However, electronic business messages have their own characteristics.

The login must be solid and adequate. For example, [email protected] is a bad option [email protected]- good.

The "subject" field is always important to fill out. It will make it clear what the message will be about. If the letter is intended for a stranger, then the headline should be interesting. But it's important not to overdo it. Topics like “Unique offer just now”, “Urgent” will only cause rejection. The title should be composed of 3-5 words, putting the essence of the message into them.

If the correspondence is conducted with a stranger, then first you need to tell him how you learned about him and what the company does. Without such an introduction, the message may be considered spam and immediately deleted.

Important points in the text are best highlighted in bold. In this case, it is unacceptable to use different colors.

Caps should not be used in a business email. Even subheadings and the title of the topic should not be solid capital letters. The same goes for duplicate punctuation marks.

It is better to divide the text into paragraphs, leaving an empty line between them.

The shorter the message, the faster they will respond to it.

Signature is required. It usually consists of several lines in e-mails, includes the name and position of the sender, company name, phone number and website address.

Text files and images can be attached to the letter. This is very convenient, because additional materials, comments, explanations and detailed descriptions distract from the essence. Therefore, it is better to place them not in the text of the letter, but in attached files.

If business correspondence has been going on for a long time and a warm trusting relationship has been established, then the use of emoticons is allowed in the email. They will help to “revive” a little and defuse communication. But they should not be abused, and in paper letters they are generally unacceptable.

Instructions for writing a letter

Writing a business letter can be divided into several stages.

1. First you need to specify the addressee. To do this, in the upper right corner of the form, you need to write the initials, surname and position of the recipient. If the addressee is an organization, then its legal address should be indicated.

2. Appeal to the recipient. It should be placed lower in the middle of the form. It has already been said what phrases can be used. Usually the appeal looks like: “Dear Igor Petrovich!”

3. Statement of purpose. Below, on a new line, you need to write the main thoughts, the whole point, mentioning the reasons for the appeal. If we are talking about some problems, it is worth offering options for solving it. If this is a proposal for cooperation, then you need to explain how it will happen. If the letter reflects a complaint, then it is worth asking for specific action. In a word, the recipient from the text must understand what exactly they want from him.

4. Final part. And finally, from a new line, you need to insert the final phrase and signature.

Thank You Letter

This sample shows how a thank you letter can look. However, there is one flaw in this example. Instead of the line “To the Flagship Company”, a greeting phrase and the names of those to whom the letter was intended could be inserted.

An inquiry

This is a sample business letter of request. There are no shortcomings in it. All the rules for writing an official letter were followed. From the text it becomes clear what problem has arisen and what needs to be done to solve it. The message also contains all contact details, a welcome message, a closing phrase and a signature.

So, the publication has demonstrated how to write letters intended for business partners. This should be done correctly and competently so as not to lose face. After all, the future of the company depends on it. It is also important to respond to a business message in a timely manner. This can be done within three to seven days from the receipt of the letter.

Preparing a business letter

Purpose of business letters

How to write business letters.

Features of the structure and text of a business letter

Business letters have a clear composition:

In the introduction, the purpose and reason for the letter are indicated, a link is given to the document that served as the starting point for this message;

The main part describes the state of affairs, provides an analysis of the situation, and arguments. The nature of the evidence depends on the direction of the letter: for example, to convince to come to a conference, to invest in a project, to purchase a product;

In conclusion, a conclusion is drawn on the basis of the foregoing: offer, request, refusal, wish, etc.

Difficulties in writing business letters

Be well aware of the addressee and the information that he already has on your question;

Knowledge of the rules of the Russian language and business style features: language formulas, rules for drafting proposals, etc.;

Correct and appropriate use of terminology;

Correctness in addressing the addressee.

How to write good business letters.

Probably, every person at least once in his life wrote letters to friends, relatives, colleagues or work partners. And you probably noticed that not every tone of the letter is suitable for a particular situation. So, for example, friends will have fun if you send them a message in a formal business style. And partners, most likely, will not appreciate the playful tone of the message. In order not to get into a mess, you should learn how to write letters correctly and competently.

There are 3 groups of letters in total. Each of them has its own nuances of style and design.

Personal letters - addressed to close people, friends, lovers, family members.
semi-formal letters. Their everyday situations for writing a letter about requesting any information, receiving goods, etc.
Official letters or, otherwise, business. These are formal messages exchanged between organizations, as a rule. This type involves the use of official style to give the message impartiality and unambiguous interpretation.

How to learn how to write personal letters correctly?

This is a very simple task. Letters to relatives and loved ones are written in a free style. Use normal conversational language, insert jokes, use kind words - everything is possible in a personal letter. How to start writing a personal letter? Address the person as if they are nearby.

Personal letters do not have strict boundaries. Unless - do not forget to sign at the end so that the addressee understands from whom the messages are: “With love, Masha”, “respectfully, Ivan Ivanovich”, “your Kitty”, etc. True, by sending a letter via e-mail, you can signatures and do not put or use a universal signature, which will automatically be placed at the end of any letter.

How to write formal and semi-formal letters?

Business correspondence is a very broad topic, implying a whole list of official and semi-official messages. We describe the most common options.

Letters to various organizations are compiled as follows:

the address is required;
date of writing the letter;
if you know the name of the addressee for sure, then it is better to start like this: “Dear (full name)”;
if you do not know the name or names of the addressees, you can contact: “Dear Sirs”;
on the right in the corner you need to leave a space for the letter number.

Information, requests, complaints, etc. are written in a simple and understandable style, without becoming personal. How to write an information letter? It is better if the information is presented briefly and to the point. After sending the letter to the organization, you should keep a copy of it.

If you are writing to an organization asking them to confirm this or that information, do not forget to leave your return address in the upper right corner. Also be sure to write the date and refer to the source of the information you received in the letter.

How to write a thank you letter? Such correspondence serves to strengthen partnerships between organizations and employees. Messages should clearly reflect the main idea, be concise, understandable for perception. Do not forget to mention in the text what you are thanking the addressee for.

What to write at the end of the letter?

If you write a business message on paper, then put the date, name, initials, signature. In electronic messages, a universal signature is often used, which indicates the following information: “Respectfully, full name” And then - contacts by which you can contact the person.