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Obtaining the skills for writing good business correpondence is important;
a job seeker needs to send customised job application letters. A secretary
needs to send out an official invitation letter. A purchasing assistant
may need to prepare an invoice. It does not necessarily imply that you
must just have a good standard of English. You should remember that correspondence
means to communicate a message. It is a two-way effort between the writer
and the receiver.
Here are some tips:
The Printing
The quality of your printing reflects the stature of your own company.
Ensure that your printer has an adequate ink cartridge and the printing
is even. Do not set your printer to “quick draft” as the quality
is not up to standard and may not be easy for the receiver to read.
Write To The Point
The structure of the business correspondence should always be to
the point and not be opened to various interpretations. Your writing should
not be repetitive and a business letter should preferably be a page long.
If your receiver does not have any background information, you should
include an attachment with the cover letter.
The Title Of Business Correspondence
The title of your business correspondence should preferably be
a line long and not have a font that is too big. If the title is not clear,
your letter may be put under the KIV tray of your receiver. There are
many senior executives who empower their personal assistants to sort out
their corporate mail.
Short Sentences
Your sentences should not be too long. They should be consistent
with the theme of the correspondence and you should avoid jargons or quotations.
Watch Your Punctuation
Punctuation rules should be adhered. With the popularity of office
software tools, presentation bullets are used indiscriminately in all
business correspondence. Please use this tool appropriately and maintain
the official nature of your writing.
The Receiver’s Details
It will reflect very badly on your professionalism if you make
an error in the name or designation of your receiver. It implies that
you do not take the business correspondence as important.
Your Contact
You should leave your direct contact number or even an email
address if you need an urgent reply from the receiver. With the improvement
in telecommunications, it is expected that the message be relayed in the
quickest manner. It is not a good idea just to leave your corporate number
with a voice mail.
Remember To Proofread
It is a good habit to proofread your writing; do not just
rely on spell-check or grammar-check to do the job. As an illustration,
after careful reading of your business writing, you may discover that
your writing is too casual for the situation.
Fax Cover Letter
If your are sending out a fax, you must remember to include
a cover letter to accompany the rest of the correspondence. This is to
ensure that your receiver obtains all your correspondence.
Your Signature
You must remember to sign your business correspondence,
where necessary.
This article has been contributed
by Colin Ong TS, Managing Director of MR=MC Consulting Pte Ltd (http://www.mrmc.com.sg)
which provides Customized Training for Organizations and Educational Institutions
in the area of Knowledge Management, Workplace Issues & New Technology
Empowerment.
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