Letters,
Memos &
E-mails
BUSINESS LETTER
Objectives
Explain features of a letter, memo and e-mail
Identify basic parts of a letter, memo and e-mail
Differentiate a letter, memo and e-mail from one
another
Objectives
– Use appropriate format and document design for
a letter, memo and e-mail
– Write an effective letter, memo and e-mail
– Evaluate a letter, memo and e-mail
Advantages of Written
Correspondence
They allow the writer to have time to think about the message
he/she wants to convey thoroughly
They are more accessible and can be retrieved by the reader at
any time convenient to him/her.
They present the message in details
They can be documented and filed.
ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS
WRITING
– A BUSINESS LETTER elicits the expected response
from the reader.
– A business letter serves several purposes: for sales
efforts, for complaints, for information dissemination, for
relationship building and for problem-solving
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTTER
– 1.LETTERHEAD- identifies the writer, his//her address,
and contact numbers
– 2.DATE- placed between the letterhead and the inside
address. It should never use plain numeral for dates as it
may create confusion.
– Instead of using 02/02/16, February 2, 2016 or 2
February 2016 can be used.
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
3. INSIDE ADDRESS
– Is the part of the letter where you see the name
and address of the person to whom the letter is
addressed.
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 4. ATTENTION LINE- used when the writer wishes the
whole company but wants to bring it to the attention of
a particular person in the company.
– It can be written in two formats:
– Attention Peter Burkin
– Attention: Peter Burkin
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 5. SALUTATION- refers to the writer’s greeting to
the reader. It can appear in different formats.
– Dear Sir:
– Sir:
– Dear Mr. Burkin
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 6. BODY- contains the message of the letter.
– Paragraphs are single- spaced internally but
double- spaced to separate paragraphs.
– If the letter is too short, the body can be double-
spaced or triple- spaced to separate paragraphs.
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 7. Complimentary Close- an expression used to end a letter.
– Level of formality (Merriam Webster’s Guide to Business
Correspondence, 1996)
– Highly formal
– Respectfully yours,
– Respectfully,
– Very respectfully
– 7. Complimentary Close-
– Polite and formal
– Very truly yours,
– Yours very truly,
– Yours truly,
– 7. Complimentary Close-
– Less Formal
– Sincerely yours,
– Yours,
– Cordially yours,
– 7. Complimentary Close-
– Informal and Friendly
– As ever,
– Best regards,
– Kindest regards,
– Regards,
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 8. Signature Block- includes the signature and the
type name of the sender.
– The typed name can be in all caps (PETER
BURKIN) or CLC format (Peter Burkin).
– The space for the signature should be three to
five lines.
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 9. IDENTIFICATION INITIALS- indicates the typist’s
initials if the sender is not the one who personally
typed the document.
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 10. ENCLOSURE NOTATION- indicates the attachments to the
letter.
– It can be written in the following formats:
– Enclosures(2)
– Enclosure
enc./encl.
PARTS OF A BUSINESS
LETTER
– 11. COPY NOTATION- indicates the name of the
secondary recipients of the letter.
– It is indicated by cc: which means carbon copy or
courtesy copies
THREE FORMATS OF A
BUSINESS LETTER
– Full Block Format
– Full block style business letters have a formal
appearance, however they can be used in informal
business situations as well as formal ones.
– If you are looking for a single format that will work well
in every situation, this is a good one to use.
Full Block Format
– This block format business letter template illustrates how
quick and easy communications can be to type.
– It looks very much like the semi-block letter format,
except the paragraphs are not indented.
– This is a format you can use for all business occasions.
Full Block Format
– All elements in this letter are left justified. This formatting provides
a crisp, modern look that many people prefer.
– If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at
the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block. Just write
“enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the
envelope. A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are
some of the things you might think about including.
Modified Block Format
– Modified block style business letters are less formal than
full block style letters.
– If you are corresponding with someone you already have
a good working relationship with, the modified block
style letter is a good one to use.
– This business letter format is written without indents.
Semi- Block Format
– This format looks very much like the block letter format,
except the paragraphs have been indented.
– Semi-block format letters are just a little more formal
than modified semi-block business letters.
– The sender’s address, the closing, the signature, and the
signature block are left justified.
Semi- Block Format
– The only elements that are not left justified are the first
lines of each of the paragraphs.
- If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make
a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature
block. Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the
names of any items inside the envelope.
TIPS FOR WRITING A LETTER
– 1. Use a language that is appropriate to the target
readers.
– 2. Arrange your ideas logically.
– 3. Use a direct but tactful tone.
– 4. Use active voice in most of your sentences.
– 5. When writing, put yourselves in the shoes of the
target readers
TIPS FOR WRITING A LETTER
– 6. Use correct format, punctuation, spelling and
grammar.
– 7. Specify the receiver’s name. However, if it is
impossible to get the name of the receiver, use a
generic title such as The Human Resource
Director
MEMORANDUM
MEMORANDUM
A business correspondence which aims to inform and persuade target readers
who are within the organization.
It follows a news writing format, it follows an inverted pyramid structure.
Most important
Supporting data
and examples
Least
important
information
Five Types of a MEMO
– 1. INSTRUCTION MEMO- provides information that
the readers need to perform accurately. A notice
directing the employers to undergo physical check-up
is an example.
– 2. REQUEST MEMO- asks readers to provide certain
information or take certain actions. An example is
when requesting funds for a seminar.
Five Types of a MEMO
– 3. ANNOUNCEMENT MEMO- provides information
about an event, person, or thing. An example is when
announcing a meeting
4. TRANSMITTAL MEMO- serves as a cover note for
more formal or lengthy document. An example of this
memo is when transmitting an annual report to the
members of the BOD.
Five Types of a MEMO
– 5. AUTHORIZATION MEMO-gives
permission. An example is when allowing an
employee to study on Saturdays.
ADVANTAGES OF A MEMO
– 1. It reaches a large number of readers at the
same time.
– 2. It provides a written record that can be
accessed any time.
– 3. It allows a detailed and accurate delivery of
message.
DISADVANTAGES OF A
MEMO
– 1. It is not ideal to convey complex topics since
memos are generally used for short texts.
– 2. It takes time to reach distant branches and
offices.
– 3. It is more expensive than e-mail.
PARTS OF A MEMO
– 1. LETTERHEAD- identifies the writer, his/her address and
contact numbers
– 2. DATE- It is placed between the letterhead and the inside
address. It should never use plain numerals for dates as it
may create confusion. Instead of using 02/02/16, February
2,2016 or 2 February 2016 can be used.
– 3. “To” Line- It indicates the name and title of the receiver.
PARTS OF A MEMO
– 4. ATTENTION LINE- It is used when the writer
wishes to address the whole company but wants
to bring it the attention of a particular person in
the company. It can be written in two formats:
– Attention Peter Burkin
– Attention: Peter Burkin
PARTS OF A MEMO
– 5. “From LINE”- It indicates the name of the sender.
The sender should affix his/her name for verification
purposes.
– 6. SUBJECT LINE- It announces the main content or
topic of the memo. Subject is more preferred than
the old term RE
PARTS OF A MEMO
– 7. BODY-It contains the message of the memo. Paragraphs
are single-spaced internally but double-spaced to separate
paragraphs. If the memo is too short, the body can be
double-spaced or triple-spaced to separate paragraphs.
Paragraphs in the memo are not indented.
– 8. IDENTIFICATION INITIALS- It indicates the typist’s initials of
the sender is not the one who personally typed the
document
PARTS OF A MEMO
– 9. ENCLOSURE NOTATION- It indicates the attachments to the
letter, it can be written in the following formats:
– Enclosure (2)
– Enclosure
– enc./ encl.
– 10. COPY NOTATION- It indicates the name of the secondary
recipients of the letter, It is indicated by cc: which means
carbon copy or courtesy copies
TIPS FOR WRITING A MEMO
– 1. Use bullets, numbers, and letter to list information.
– 2. Use a positive tone, active verbs, and concise wording.
– 3. Use heading to improve the readability
TIPS FOR WRITING A MEMO
– 4. Eliminate grammatical and typographical
errors.
– 5. Use correct format and structure.
– 6. Put your initials in a signature form beside your
printed name as sender.
TIPS FOR WRITING A MEMO
– 7.Flush the memo heading to the
left (“to” line, “from” line, subject
line and date line)
TIPS FOR WRITING A MEMO
– 8. Say thank you or state a directive action
(e.g. for your compliance, for your
immediate action, for your approval, for
your information) at the end of the memo.
ELECTRONIC MAIL
(E-MAIL)
ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL)
E-mail (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-
stored messages by telecommunication. (Some
publications spell it email; we prefer the currently
more established spelling of e-mail.)
E-mail messages are usually encoded in ASCII text.
However, you can also send non-text files, such as
graphic images and sound files, as attachments sent
in binary streams.
ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL)
– E-mail was one of the first uses of the Internet and is still
the most popular use. A large percentage of the total
traffic over the Internet is e-mail.
– E-mail can also be exchanged between online service
provider users and in networks other than the Internet,
both public and private.
PURPOSES OF E-MAILS
– It can be used to give directions;
– to transmit documents;
– to record important data and information;
– to confirm requests;
PURPOSES OF E-MAILS
– to explain procedures;
– to make recommendations;
– to inquire;
– to submit feasibility and status reports
PARTS OF AN E-MAIL
– An email message consists of the following general components:
– Headers
– The message headers contain information concerning the sender
and recipients. The exact content of mail headers can vary
depending on the email system that generated the message.
Generally, headers contain the following information:
PARTS OF AN E-MAIL
– Subject. Subject is a description of the topic of the
message and displays in most email systems that list
email messages individually.
– A subject line could be something like "2010 company
mission statement" or, if your spam filtering application
is too lenient, "Lose weight fast!!! Ask me how."
PARTS OF AN E-MAIL
– Sender (From). This is the sender's Internet email
address. It is usually presumed to be the same as
the Reply-to address, unless a different one is
provided.
PARTS OF AN E-MAIL
– Date and time received (On). The date and time the
message was received.
– Reply-to. This is the Internet email address that will
become the recipient of your reply if you click the Reply
button.
PARTS OF AN E-MAIL
– Recipient (To:). First/last name of email recipient, as
configured by the sender.
– Recipient email address. The Internet mail address of the
recipient, or where the message was actually sent.
PARTS OF AN E-MAIL
– Attachments. Files that are attached to the message.
– Body
– The body of a message contains text that is the actual content, such as
"Employees who are eligible for the new health care program should
contact their supervisors by next Friday if they want to switch." The
message body also may include signatures or automatically generated
text that is inserted by the sender's email system.
–
Advantages of E-mail
It reaches the target reader fast.
It confirms an acceptance or rejections easily.
It is less costly than letters and memos.
Advantages of E-mail
– It can easily reach the farthest parts of the globe.
– It is environment-friendly.
– It is easier to document.
Disadvantages of E-mail
It is prone to hacking and technical glitches.
It can cause information overload.
It can be used to transmit computer virus.
Tips for Writing an E-mail or a
Memo
– 1. Make the subject line informative or
descriptive of the memo content. Avoid
vague subject lines such as follow-up,
additional information, and request.
– 2. Keep the subject line simple and short.
Tips for Writing an E-mail or a
Memo
– 3. Do not change the subject line when you are replying
to an e-mail.
– 4. The “to” line should contain the names of the primary
readers. Secondary readers must be placed in the cc line.
Primary readers are those who are directly involved in
the message of the e-mail.
Tips for Writing an E-mail or a
Memo
– 5. Ensure the correctness of the e-mail address of the
recipients.
– 6. Make the file name of the attached document
meaningful. Instead of using “letter1”,use
“request_letter_barrot.”
– 7. Never use “all caps” in the main text. This is
unacceptable.
Tips for Writing an E-mail or a
Memo
– 8.State your purpose in the first sentence of the
memo.
– 9. If the message is sensitive, compose it first
using the word processor.
– 10. Avoid emoticons and informal jargons like LOL
and BRB in formal memos.
References
– https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/writing-center/business-
letter/format/
– https://www.zimbra.com/desktop2/help/en_US/Creating_Messages/parts_of_
an_email_message.htm
– https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/e-mail-electronic-mail-or-email
– Purposive Communication book
