Reference: XYZ/12345 1 July 2005
Mr K J Smith Company Secretary Greenwater plc Mile End Towers London WXX 2YY Dear Mr Smith
New Product Launch, 15 September 2005
Thank you for confirming that you will be attending our new product launch on Thursday 15 September.
I enclose an information pack about the event, which includes full details of the venue and the structure of the day, together with some advance product information. Additional details are also available on our website at www.xyz.com.
I look forward to meeting you at the launch.
Yours sincerely
Kim Evans
Marketing and Sales Manager Telephone: 0123 456 789 Email: [email protected]
● general email address (frequently [email protected])
● website address.
As well as looking good, the design should work practically; for example typefaces and colours should allow a clear photocopy to be taken.
There may also be legal requirements about the information provided on business stationery, designed to provide full details for anyone doing business with the organisation concerned. In the UK, for example, the 1985 Companies Act requires companies to include the following information:
● the full company name
● whether the company is a limited company (Ltd) or a public limited company (plc)
● the country in which the company is registered (for example, England and Wales)
● the company number (the unique identifier given to the company on registration)
● the address where the company is registered (this must be included whether or not this is the same as the main office address for correspondence).
If a UK company is also VAT registered, it is also usual to include the VAT registration number.
These legal details are usually reproduced in smaller type at the bottom of the headed notepaper.
2.2 Structure
Sample 13.1 also gives an indication of the key elements which make up a standard letter. These elements are identified more clearly in Figure 13.1, and discussed in more detail below.
The greeting
The formality of the greeting will depend on how well the parties know each other, but should also reflect the degree of formality that the recipient expects. Be especially careful about spellings and check titles (Mrs/Ms/Dr, etc). Where the identity of the recipient is not known, it may be necessary to use ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.
Signposts
People will not necessarily read everything put in front of them; their first scan is saying:
Do I need to read this? This is why it’s important to include signposts which can be easily identified and provide a way in to the core message of the letter. These include:
● the subject identifier or heading, usually identified in bold or italic
● a reference or account number, creating continuity if this is part of an exchange of letters or providing the context for what follows.
The core message
Beyond the subject heading, getting down to business in a way that makes content clear is important too. The opening paragraph should outline explicitly why you are writing the letter, and may also include a link to previous correspondence: ‘Thank you for your letter of . . .’, ‘I am writing to let you know . . .’.
PART FOUR Written and numeric communication 158
Style should be businesslike and jargon kept to a minimum. The objective of the letter is always the starting point: if you know why you are writing and what you want to achieve, everything else follows. The letter should be logically structured, using new paragraphs to identify new subjects. Do not be afraid to add emphasis: for example, in a letter confirming a meeting it may be useful to put the time and place agreed in bold type.
It is also important to state clearly whether you expect, or would like, the recipient to respond in a certain way, perhaps answering a specific request or, in a promotional letter, ordering a product sample. For some letters, it might also be appropriate to include a brief closing message, such as ‘I look forward to hearing from you’ or ‘Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any more information’.
Sign-off
This links to the greeting and depends on the level of formality required. In most cases, the default sign-offs are:
● Yours sincerely: where the name of the recipient is known to you or
● Yours faithfully: where the name of the recipient is not known and you have used Dear Sir/Madam.
CHAPTER 13 Written communications I 159
XYZ Company Ltd
Reference Date
Address of recipient
Greeting
Subject identifier/heading
Core message paragraph or paragraphs
Closing message
Sign-off
Sender’s signature Sender’s name Sender’s job title Figure 13.1 Sample business letter structure
The sign-off also includes the sender’s signature (or first name where the recipient is well known to them), their full name and, usually, their job title. This may also be followed by a direct line telephone number and email address to give the recipient a variety of ways of contacting the sender either to respond to or to clarify the message.
PART FOUR Written and numeric communication 160
Sample 13.2
Dear Guest
We would like to thank you for allowing us to serve you here at the XYZ Hotel and hope that you are enjoying your stay.
Our records show that you are scheduled to depart today, and we wish to point out that our check-out time is 12 noon. Should you be departing on a later flight, please contact our front desk associates who will be happy to assist you with a late check-out. Also, please let us know if you require transport to the airport so that we can reserve one of our luxury Mercedes limousines.
In order to facilitate your check-out for today, we would like to take this opportunity to present you with a copy of your updated charges, so that you may review them at your convenience. Should you find any irregularities or have any questions regarding the attached charges, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We wish you a pleasant onward journey today, and hope to have the privilege of welcoming you back to the hotel again in the near future.
Sincerely yours Jim Jones
Front Office Manager