Identify your purpose Analyze your Audience Choose your ideas Collect data to support your ideas Organize

your message

Direct (Deductive) Approach

Direct-Request Plan Good-news Plan

Indirect (Inductive) Approach

Bad-news plan

Persuasive Request plan

Opening Paragraphs
1.
a. b. c.

Choose openings appropriate for message purpose & reader

Main idea or good news first Buffer first for bad news Attention getting statements first for persuasive request

2.
a. b. c. d. e.

Make the opening considerate, courteous, concise, clear

Get reader into opening Keep first paragraph relatively short Focus on positive Use courteous & conversational language Avoid unnecessary repetition

3.
a. b.

Check for completeness

Sentence structure Date of letter you are answering

Closing Paragraphs
1. 2.
a. b. c. d.

Make action request clear and complete with what, who, where, when, why, how End on a positive courteous thought
Include any apologies and negatives before last paragraph Be friendly Show appreciation Occasionally add a personal note

3.
a. b. c.

Keep last paragraph concise & correct

Avoid trite expression Omit discussion of trivial details Use relatively short & complete sentences

Drafting your message Revising your message Editing & proofreading your message

Stationery & Envelopes Standard parts of the letter Optional parts of letter Letter layout

Quality, Size, Color Letterhead Envelopes

Business Letters

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Heading: Letter head & date Inside address Salutation Body Complimentary close Signature area Reference section

Business Letters

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Attention line Subject line Enclosure notation Copy notation File or account number & mailing notation postscript

Business Letters

Punctuation styles Letter styles Tips for letter placement

Business Letters

Stationary Parts of Memorandum Layout of Memorandum body Envelopes & electronic mail

Email Facsimiles (Faxes) Telegrams, Mailgrams, Telexes Teleconferencing

Answering inquiries
Expanded good-news plan for recommendations Recommendation for outstanding candidates Recommendation for candidates with shortcomings

Granting request for adjustments

Tone in adjustment-granting message

Organization & content when seller is at fault

Organization & content when the buyer is at fault Organization & content when the fault is not yet determined

Approving credit
Decision or shipment in first paragraph
Explanation of credit terms Resale & sales promotion Future service closing

Acknowledging orders
For first order For repeat order

Granting favor or other requests Job acceptance letter Goodwill messages

Letters of Appreciation Letters of Congratulation Letters of Condolence

Announcements
Announcing sales & events Announcing procedures, policies, responsibilities Announcing honors & activities of people

Transmittals

Indirect plan
1. 2. 3. 4.

Buffer Explanation & Analysis Decision, implied, or expressed, with resale and/or helpful suggestions Friendly, positive close Bad news decision Explanation Appropriate, courteous ending

Direct plan
1. 2. 3.

Answering non-sale-related inquiries when the information is undesirable Refusing adjustments on claims & complaints Refusing credit Acknowledging orders you cannot fill now or at all Declining invitations & requests for favors

Announcing bad news about prices or services Penalizing for nonconformity to rules or procedures Conveying other bad news

Direct request organization

Main idea Explanation Courteous close

Indirect request organization

Explanation
Main idea Courteous close

Requests that require time or personal contributions Request about products or services Request for claims & adjustments Request for changes in policy Request for changes in performance Request from employer to a reference Request from employee to a reference

Suggestions for writing solicited sales letters Suggestions for writing unsolicited sales letters

Developing the main sections Outlining the major sections Including other desirable sections

Conference reports Progress reports Periodic reports

Steps for preparation:

Introduction Main division of the body or text Closing section

Recommendation-Justification report

Informational letter report Analytical letter report

Cover & external Title Title fly & Internal Title Letter or Memorandum of Transmittal Table of Content Executive summary, Abstract, Synopsis

Bibliography Footnotes & Endnotes Appendix Glossary Index

Writing the first draft

Introduction Body or text Conclusion, Summary

Editing & revising the rough drafts Typing the final documents

Overall Appearance Spacing Margins

Pagination

Research proposals Business proposals

Title page Executive summary, Abstract, Synopsis Draft contract Tables of content Introduction: purpose, problem, scope, Project team Background Procedures Equipment & facilities Personnel Budget Appendixes

Letter of transmittal Executive summary Body: project team, scope of services, construction contract packages, computerized engineering system

Request for proposal (RFP) Chronology of procedures for solicited major proposals

Know your skills Know your accomplishments Know your interest Know your personal values

Written sources of career & Job information

Self Assessment and career planning Resume & cover letter preparation Interviewing strategies Internships International careers

Helpful persons regarding employers & jobs

Opening section
Heading Job or career objective

Education Work experience Achievements, awards, service activity Personal data (optional) References

Opening- for favorable attention

Summary opening Name opening Question opening News item opening

Middle paragraph- for data, details

Education Work experience Personal attitudes, interests, activities, qualities

Last paragraph- for easy action