For any questions. business correspondence etiquette

  • What types business correspondence distinguish.
  • What rules of business correspondence are important to follow.
  • What are the characteristics of business e-mail?

Doing business correspondence compliance with the rules is one of the important components of success in a career and in business. Ignorance of these rules, or their incorrect application in practice can lead to the loss of partners and customers. In addition, accurate and competent business correspondence is an important component of a business image.

What are the types of business correspondence

Business correspondence - with partners, clients, colleagues, organizations - is one of the most important activities of any enterprise. Managers, employees of various ranks receive and send letters, commercial offers etc. Depending on the form, content and direction, any correspondence is divided into the following types:

  • official;
  • personal;
  • internal;
  • external.

For each of them there are separate requirements for compilation and submission. The most common types of formal business letters are:

  • thanksgiving;
  • commercial;
  • letters, demands and requests;
  • denials;
  • congratulations;
  • condolences, obituaries.

Considering that today most of the business correspondence is carried out in in electronic format, exist ready-made templates and shapes for any kind.

The art of business writing

Each text is a mechanism for influencing the addressee. If it doesn't work, then you violated the assembly rules: you took the wrong parts, arranged them the wrong way. To get what you want from the addressee, you need to pick up the right facts, state them correctly and do it “with the right face” - one that will make the recipient of the letter want to accept your offer. How to do it?

Data. It happens that rational arguments that can convince the addressee are lost in a chaotic presentation of various, sometimes extraneous thoughts. But it is worth building a structure, and the letter becomes clear and convincing, even if nothing in it has been changed in meaning. the main idea(often this is a call to action) is brought to the beginning, it immediately follows the greeting. The following is a list of arguments (each is indicated by a red line and italicized) with vivid illustrations (explanations). At the end, there is a call to action. Signature follows. Simple editing turns even a pitiful and not very intelligible message "to grandfather's village" from Chekhov's story "Vanka" into a well-reasoned tempting offer to grandfather.

sender image. The response depends on how the sender of the letter appears. In a letter, you can be an official, or you can be a person. Sometimes the former is beneficial, and sometimes the latter. For example, if you are praising the addressee, it is better to use a personal style (write from yourself, report your attitude to facts, speak on an equal footing). Thanks to this, the addressee will know not only that he is well done, but also that it is you who have a good opinion of him. Scolding, on the contrary, is better formal phrases stating the bare facts. This advice, in a somewhat exaggerated presentation, looks like this: instead of “You are a fool,” you need to write “signs of the mind of the reader were not found.”

In modern correspondence, we often get straight to the point, omitting "weather talk" between the salutation and the headline. It would seem that an optional short sentence does not carry a large semantic load. But it is it that first appears before the eyes of the reader, therefore it sets the tone for the letter and determines with what eyes the recipient will look at the rest of the text. Here are a few examples of how to start your message to subordinates and partners, pursuing different goals.

  1. To give yourself weight: "Given that the project A is under the personal control of the governor of the region, we remind you."
  2. To establish warm relations with an unfamiliar company: “Having learned that your company, like us, is a sponsor of the KVN Siberia contest, we decided to offer you first of all.”
  3. To get help: “Olya, you were so cool and, most importantly, you spoke professionally at the conference! I think you, as an expert, can help me.”
  4. To mobilize subordinates: “Congratulations – it’s already Friday. It remains to submit proposals on the budget - and you can relax.

5 Terrible First Phrases That Will Kill Your Email

The American company HubSpot found out which first sentences do not inspire the reader, but, on the contrary, force them to delete the letter. Find out what these phrases are, and never use them at the beginning of a correspondence.

General rules for business correspondence

The reputation of your company indirectly depends on how the business letter is designed and written. It can be said that in order to form a successful image of the company and build its reputation, employees must comply with the rules of business correspondence for both external and internal communication.

Blank letter. It would be correct to use the forms drawn up in corporate identity, which contain details. Styling refers to the presence of a logo, the use of a special font, the indication of all contact information and the full name of the organization.

Page layout. When writing a business correspondence letter, margins are used (left margin - 2 cm, right margin - 1 cm, upper and lower margins - 2 cm each). If the letter includes several sheets, then they must be numbered (put at the top of the sheet in the middle).

Style. Business letters are written in a formal business style, which short description the essence of the letter, the accuracy of the wording and the use of stamps and standard turns. In addition, there is a rule in business correspondence: one problem - one letter.

The structure of the text. A standard business correspondence letter includes three parts:

  1. Appeal to the addressee.
  2. Introduction (purposes of the letter).
  3. Main part.
  4. Summary.

Rules of business correspondence in English

Preparation of business correspondence English language carried out in accordance with the general requirements:

  1. The text is divided into paragraphs without the use of a red line.
  2. The upper left corner of the letter must contain the sender's personal data (full name, or the name of the organization, and its address).
  3. Below is the name of the opponent, or the name of the recipient's enterprise with the address (on a new line).
  4. The date of the letter is indicated three lines lower, or at the top in the right corner.
  5. The main part of the letter is placed in the center of the sheet.
  6. It is better to start the main idea with an indication of the reason from the reason for the appeal: "I am writing ..."
  7. A standard letter should be completed with the expression: "Yours sincerely" if the name of the addressee is known; "Yours faithfully" - if not.
  8. Skip the four lines after the thank you and include your name and position.
  9. The signature is placed between the name and the salutation above.

"Language" of business correspondence

There are special requirements for business correspondence. First of all, letters should not contain emotional overtones. They should be as discreet, concise and precise as possible. The logical and consistent construction of the text completely replaces emotionality. Interjections, diminutives, abbreviations that are not on the list of generally accepted ones - all this should be avoided in business correspondence.

One of the important conditions for writing a letter is semantic accuracy, which represents its practical value.

Next important criterion is the logical presentation of the text. Words should not be subjected to double interpretation - this can change the meaning of the content in the letter and give it an undesirable tone.

The main purpose of any business document is persuasiveness in expressing a certain point of view. The main rules in writing and compiling a document, memo or letters - this is literacy, argumentation, correct appeal, reliability of information and a sufficient amount of evidence.

Below are a few rules for writing business letters:

The use of pronouns. Business correspondence should avoid reflecting personal emotions and perceptions. Business information is traditionally communicated using standard forms. As a rule, in the course of such correspondence, the interests of the whole enterprise, and not of an individual, are expressed, therefore the appeal comes from the plural. And, although this involves the use of the pronoun "we", its use should be avoided by using the appropriate verb forms.

Pledge forms. In business correspondence, the passive voice should be used. Such appeals have a softer look. For example, if you rearrange the phrase: “You did not complete the repair work on time”, with the words “ Repair work stipulated by the contract have not been fulfilled”, then it is possible to state the very fact of non-fulfillment of work without making direct accusations. That is, the fact of the violation is indicated, but the specific perpetrators are not indicated, which makes the tone of the letter softer.

The active voice is used when defining in a letter an object that serves as the initiator of certain actions. For example, “legal department, providing clarification…”. It should be noted that in such sentences the present tense form is used.

The use of the passive voice also determines the nature of the letter. Such forms allow you to set the focus on a specific event, and not on the performers of the action (offer sent, report received). The passive voice is also used if the object is obvious (the date of the meeting has been determined).

Verb form. If there is a need to focus attention on a constantly recurring action, verbs in an incomplete form are used to describe them (specialists regularly violate deadlines). If it is necessary to highlight the completeness of the process, apply perfect view verbs (patrolmen started their service).

Introduction of accents. While most business emails are neutral in tone, there are times when additional focus is needed on certain points. For this, introductory turns are used, softening the phrase. (If you change the phrase “please send the documentation in your possession” with the words “please send the documentation that appears to be in your possession”, then the degree of tension is significantly reduced in it, and it is more suitable for the requirements of tact in business correspondence.)

When writing business letters, attention should also be paid to a respectful attitude towards the opponent. So, if the phrase “we are not interested in your offer” is replaced with “unfortunately, we are not currently interested in your offer”, it is freed from unnecessary rigidity, which is not appropriate in business correspondence.

Introductory constructions are also an important part of a business letter, as they make them not so dry. In accordance with regulations business etiquette the phrase “please make, if possible, your expert comments on the quality of our materials” would be appropriate. Introductory constructions are a good tool for reducing categoricalness, showing respect and attentiveness, as well as expressing a benevolent tone. Their use allows you to express an idea without hurting the opponent's pride.

Business Email Etiquette: 5 Tips for Making a Good Impression From Afar

1. The response time to the letter demonstrates your interest in communication and cooperation. It is necessary to respond to business letters within the shortest possible time: minutes, hours, maximum a day. If there are objective reasons for the delay, send a letter and write that you received a message and will respond soon. In order to correctly prioritize, you should pay attention to the corresponding notes in the opponent’s letter - “importance”, “topic”, and so on. The presence of such marks indicates how important your answer is.

A delay in response is a high probability of losing a client. Please answer as soon as possible. "For later" leave only letters, the answer to which is time-consuming. Learning to predict people's behavior and excellent negotiation will help you in the School of the General Director.

2. Personal appeal. Personal address is preferable, as it is a manifestation of respect for the addressee.

The use of personal address is one of binding rules business correspondence. Personal orientation is a demonstration of respect for individuality, and benevolence. In addition, this way you will highlight your letter from the gray mass of template answers.

3. Expression of words of gratitude (for the appeal). Appreciation expressed in a letter is a kind of gratitude for choosing an opponent or client in favor of your company. A written response that begins with "Thank you for your letter" demonstrates to the opponent that he is valuable to you. This tone of a business letter is correct, as it reflects a constructive position. For example:

Good afternoon!

Sincerely,

Anatoly Seosyan.

Unsuccessful answer

lucky answer

Hello Anatoly! To open an account, you need the details of your company. Send them, please, in the answer to this letter.

Hello Anatoly! First of all, we would like to thank you for choosing our center. We also want to express confidence that you will be satisfied with cooperation with us. To open an account, we need your company details. Please send them in response to this letter.

An expression of gratitude for the trust in your business is made at the beginning of the letter using the following constructions:

  • Thank you for your interest…;
  • Thank you for your letter…;
  • Thank you for reaching out to us…;
  • Thank you for choosing our company…;
  • Thank you for your interest...

4. Positive ending. The final constructions are guaranteed to fall into the field of attention of the opponent after reading the letter. Therefore, it is desirable to consolidate the positive mood of business correspondence in this form and create a positive mood and a desire to continue communication with the correspondence partner. For instance;

the last thing that remains in the field of attention of the addressee when reading your letter. Fix the emotionally positive atmosphere in the last phrases business communication. Create at the recipient good mood- so that he wants to communicate with you again. For example:

Good afternoon!

I passed the interview for enrollment in advanced training courses at your center. Tuition fees will be paid from my company account. Please send me the appropriate invoice for payment.

Sincerely,

Anatoly Seosyan.

Unsuccessful option

Good option

Hello Anatoly! First of all, we would like to thank you for choosing our center. We also want to express confidence that you will be satisfied with cooperation with us. To open an account, you need the details of your company. Send them, please, in the answer to this letter.

Hello Anatoly! First of all, we would like to thank you for choosing our center. We also want to express confidence that you will be satisfied with cooperation with us. To open an account, you need the details of your company. Send them, please, in the answer to this letter. We are always happy to answer questions related to training in our center.

When you finish your letter, always give your opponent a positive attitude to continue communication. For these purposes, you can use the construction:

  • We are glad to cooperate;
  • Ready to answer your questions;
  • If you have any questions, please contact;
  • We look forward to mutually beneficial cooperation;
  • Happy to help you;
  • Sincerely.

5. Signature and block of contacts. An employee who conducts business correspondence needs to have an idea who is present "on the other side of the monitor." In other words, information about the name, surname, position and contact details of the opponent is required:

  1. Name (surname) - provide the possibility of personal address;
  2. Position - provides the opponent with an understanding of the level of competence
  3. Coordinates - contribute to the emergence of additional communication channels.

Good afternoon!

I passed the interview for enrollment in advanced training courses at your center. Tuition fees will be paid from my company account. Please send me the appropriate invoice for payment.

Sincerely,

Anatoly Seosyan.

Unsuccessful option

Good option

Hello Anatoly! First of all, we would like to thank you for choosing our center. We also want to express confidence that you will be satisfied with cooperation with us. To open an account, you need the details of your company. Send them, please, in the answer to this letter. We are always happy to answer your questions related to training in our center.

Sincerely,

Anton Antonov

Specialist of the Center for Advanced Studies

Tel. XXXXXXX

Mob. Tel.ХХХХХХ

To optimize work with business correspondence, it is better to add the block with contact information to the standard settings. This block should be present in letters to partners, colleagues and clients as a symbol of a professional attitude to business.

Business Email Rules

Grigory Sizonenko, CEO CJSC Information Implementation Company, Moscow

1. Use the "Reply all" button. If several people participate in the correspondence, you need to respond to everyone, and not just the sender of the last message.

2. Always indicate the subject of the letter. In most cases, the recipient only sees the header of the new email. Later, the information in the Subject field helps you find and sort messages. You can use label words in the title - for example, "IMPORTANT!" - but only if they really correspond to the content of the letter (however, it is more convenient to just click the "Importance" button, which is available in all popular email programs, and the mark will appear next to the field "Topic"). Develop a unified style of wording and stick to it constantly. Keep in mind that today many people use automatic filters to sort correspondence. Therefore, the title must be chosen such that it can be “read” by the machine.

3. The letter should be short and structured. Strive for maximum transparency of meaning and clarity of presentation, separate essential and minor details. It is in your interests that after reading a business letter once, you can easily understand both the essence of the problem and the history of the issue, the meaning of the proposals and the nature of the actions expected from the addressee. Additional materials(documents, tables, photos) it is better to send as attachments so as not to inflate the text of the message; At the same time, you must indicate in the letter what kind of files you are sending.

4. Be polite. In any letter there should be a place for a greeting, an appeal and a signature (you can enable its automatic addition to any of your messages). You also need to place semantic and emotional accents - avoid the telegraphic style. Even if the correspondence is about a sensitive issue or conflict, be respectful. Indeed, in business it is important not to offend, but to find a solution. Restraint and courtesy are good helpers in this.

5. Letters must be answered! And promptly. Failure to understand this elementary truth entails a lot of misunderstandings. The sender should know that the letter has been read and after a while you can expect a meaningful response. At the same time, you should not rely entirely on autoresponders and automatic notifications - write a short phrase from yourself. Some emails, on the other hand, do not need to be answered. Firstly, to those where your address is in the "Copy" field: the sender wants you to be aware of his correspondence with another person. Secondly, to those where your address is not there at all: this means that the author of the letter has added your coordinates in the "Bcc" field - that is, he intends to acquaint you with the correspondence in secret from the direct addressee of the message.

6. Do not delete the text of the letter you are replying to. It is possible that your answer will be re-read after a while - maybe even after a few years. Many businesses already have email archiving systems in place. By the way, in countries where email from official company is recognized as a legally significant document, long-term storage of correspondence is a requirement of the law. We don't have that yet, but practice overtakes written regulations. Look at every letter you write through the eyes of the recipient. This is the basic rule of business correspondence. If you follow it, recipients will begin to highlight your messages from the stream.

7. Write well. Single mistakes made in a letter are offensive to the addressee, as they are perceived as a manifestation of haste or negligence. And multiple errors testify to the low cultural level of the sender, and also, since we are talking about business correspondence, they also represent the company where the sender works in an unfavorable light.

This article is the result of my observations on what aspects make a good impression from a business letter.

It happens like this, you get an answer to your letter and immediately make an internal decision: I want to and will continue to communicate with these guys, but I want to say goodbye to these guys right away. Have you ever experienced this? I have - yes. The last such practice happened to me quite recently: I corresponded with different companies for language courses.

Below are my summarized conclusions about what you should keep in mind if it is important for you that yours makes a good impression on the addressee and makes him want to continue business interaction with you.

1. Email response time.

  1. Positive letter ending

- the last thing that remains in the field of attention of the addressee when reading your letter. Fix the emotionally positive atmosphere of business communication in the last phrases. Create a good mood for the addressee so that he wants to communicate with you again!

Compare:

Answer option 1 Answer option 2
Hello Masha! First of all, thank you for choosing our institute! We are sure that you will be satisfied with our cooperation. In order to send you an invoice, we need to get the details of your employer company from you. Please send them as a reply to this letter.….. Hello Masha! First of all, thank you for choosing our institute! We are sure that you will be satisfied with our cooperation. In order to send you an invoice, we need to get the details of your employer company from you. Please send them as a reply to this letter. If you have any questions - please contact us!

Tip #4: Set the addressee to continue the dialogue. Show respect! Create and strengthen the mood of comfortable cooperation! Share your positive mood and sincere desire to continue business interaction with the addressee!

Options for final phrases:

I will be glad to cooperate!

I will gladly answer your questions.

If you have any questions - please contact us!

Looking forward to fruitful cooperation,

Always ready to help and answer your questions.

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

Yours sincerely,

With respect and hope for fruitful cooperation,

5. Signature and block of contact information.

It is important for a person conducting business correspondence to understand who is “on the other side of the monitor”: the name and surname of the addressee, position, contact details.

What is it for?

Name and surname - allows you to conduct personal communication.

Position - gives the addressee an understanding of the boundaries of authority and professional competence in resolving issues.

Coordinates - provide the possibility of additional operational communication if necessary.

Compare: which of the answers looks more professional and inspires more confidence in the information.

Hello! I passed the pre-test when enrolling in a Spanish course at your institute. According to the results of testing, I was recorded in the PS-A2.1 group. My tuition will be paid by my employer. Please send me an invoice for tuition fees. Thanks. Sincerely, Masha Petrova
Answer option 1 Answer option 2
Hello Masha! First of all, thank you for choosing our institute! We are sure that you will be satisfied with our cooperation. In order to send you an invoice, we need to get the details of your employer company from you. Please send them as a reply to this letter. If you have any questions - please contact us!

POSITION

On holding an open festival-competition for the most original

figures from balloons "Air Brotherhood"

Festival organizers

Central Park of Culture and Leisure. V.V. Mayakovsky

Goals and objectives of the festival

1) creating an atmosphere of a real creative holiday;

2) exchange of creative achievements and experience between the participants;

3) support and popularization of the amateur movement to create figures from balloons;

4) development of new forms of territory decoration

Festival participants

To participate in the festival are invited:

1) festive companies of the city of Yekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk region

2) creative agencies of the city of Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region

3) initiative creative groups of the city of Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region

4) agencies for creating holiday decorations in the city of Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region

5) amateur designers of the city of Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region

No age restrictions!

Time and place of the festival

From 9.00 – 10.00: check-in for participants with large structures that require access to the site by car;

From 10.00 - 12.30: installation, arrangement of figures according to the participant's serial number;

From 12.30 - 15.00: jury's evaluation, photo session of park visitors with figures;

From 15:00 - 18:30: holiday concert, dismantling of the site (adjustment of the start time and duration of the event is possible);

Location: Central Park of Culture and Leisure. V.V. Mayakovsky, open area

Event address: Michurina 230, tram number 3, 6,9,10,20,21,33. Stop - Mayakovsky Park

Conditions for the execution of the festival program

1) The figure of the balls must fit on the territory of 4 * 4 m

2) The ball figure is made in advance or created in the park from 10.00 - 12.30

3) The participant must independently provide for ways to fix the figure and bring everything necessary to install the figure on the day of the event. (The park provides only a 4 * 4 m area. The grass cover!)

4) The works will be placed outdoors.

5) After registration, each participant will be sent a serial number. Serial numbers will be posted on the site.

6) Each participant must send the title and description of their work (see Appendix 1)

Member Opportunities

1) Each participant can use the covered room (tent) to create his figure, store things

2) The participant has the right to place his advertising (name of organization - logo - telephone - website - services). All information about the participant, namely (name of organization (name of individual) - logo - telephone - website - services - name of work - description) will be posted on information stand A3 size. 1 booth = 1 participant. Each stand will have a business card pocket attached to it. If desired, an organization or individual has the right to enclose their business cards. (see Appendix 1.2)

3) The participant has the right to use electricity 220 V (have an extension cord with him)

Jury

1) The jury is formed by the organizing committee of the festival from among the specialists of the Central Park of Culture and Culture and specialists in this direction from Yekaterinburg

2) The jury of the festival has the right to establish additional nominations and establish special diplomas.

Summing up and awarding the participants of the festival

Each participant is awarded with a Participation Diploma. The winners who took I, II, III place are awarded with diplomas and gifts.

Financial conditions

Registration fee for participation in the festival NOT PROVIDED

Organizational matters

1) applications for participation in the festival are accepted until August 24, 2016 e-mail [email protected] and phone 221-34-70

In the subject of the letter and the name of the file, indicate: application for the festival "Air Brotherhood". An example of filling out an application, see Appendix 1.

For all questions, please contact the art department of the Central Park of Culture and Culture. V.V. Mayakovsky.

Tel.: 221-34-70; 8-982-623-64-33 Doronina Maria - curator of the festival;

1) the organizing committee reserves the right to close the acceptance of applications before the announced deadline if the number of participants exceeded the technical capabilities of the festival.

2) The participant permits the processing of personal data provided in this application for the preparation of information materials of the festival, as well as the use of photos and videos with his participation in the information materials of the festival.

Attachment 1

APPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION

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