letter writing by sohail ahmed

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Letter Writing Sohail Ahmed

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Page 1: Letter writing by sohail ahmed

Letter Writing Sohail Ahmed

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What is a business Letter

Letter writing is an essential skill. Despite the prevalence of emails and text messages, everyone has to write letters at some point. Letters of complaint, job applications, thank you letters, letters requesting changes or making suggestions

Business letters are sometimes called "snail-mail" (in contrast to email which is faster).

{Letter Witing} Sohail Ahmed 2

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Business Correspondence

Letter

Memo

Fax

Email {Letter Witing} Sohail Ahmed 3

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Who writes Business Letters?

Letters are written from a person/group, known as the sender to a person/group, known in business as the recipient.

Business people also read letters on a daily basis.

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Why write Business Letters?

to persuade to inform to request to express thanks to remind to recommend to

apologize to congratulate

to reject a proposal or offer

to introduce a person or policy

to invite or welcome to follow up to formalize decisions

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Business Letter Formats

Use A4 paper or letterhead Use 2.5 cm or 1 inch margins on all four sides Use a simple font such as Times New Roman ,Arial

or Book Antique Use 10 to 12 point font Use a comma after the salutation (Dear Mr,) Lay out the letter so that it fits the paper

appropriately

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Single space within paragraphs Double space between paragraphs Double space between last sentence and closing

(Sincerely, Best wishes) Leave three to fives spaces for a handwritten

signature cc: (meaning "copies to") comes after the typed name

(if necessary) enc: (meaning "enclosure") comes next (if necessary) Fold in three (horizontally) before placing in the

envelope {Letter Witing} Sohail Ahmed 7

Business Letter Formats Cont……..

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Envelopes for Business Letters

It is best to type an envelope for a business letter

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Format of Business Letters

There are two formats of Business Letters

Full Block Letters

Semi-Block

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Remember while Writing Letter

A business letter is not a place for chit-chat. A business letter should be clear and concise. By taking time to plan your letter, you will save time in the writing and proofreading stages. During the planning stage, ask yourself a few simple questions. Jot down your answers to create an outline before you start writing.

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Reason of writing letter?

The main reason for the letter should be understood from the subject line and first few sentences. You may cover more than one thing in one business letter, but there will almost always be a general reason for the letter. Identify your main goal and what you hope to accomplish.

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Writing a Business Letter

The term "business letter" makes people nervous. Many people worry that their writing is not advanced enough for business writing. This is not the case. An effective letter in business uses short, simple sentences and straightforward vocabulary. The easier a letter is to read, the better it is.

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Parts of Letter

Following, may be the parts of Letters but not all letters have same requirements. Letterhead/Return Address Date Line Reference Line or Block Special Notations Inside Address Salutation Subject Line Text or Body Complimentary Closing Signature Block Reference Initials Enclosure Notation Courtesy Copy/ Carbon Copy Postscripts

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Parts of Letter

Letterhead/Return Address—Business letterheads provide the name, address, and phone number of the organization sending the letter. The letterhead may also include the company logo and fax number(s). The date line- The date line is placed two or three lines below the letterhead (or as many as six lines, if the letter is short). If no letterhead is used, the date line is directly beneath the return address.

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Parts of Letter

Reference Line or Block—Reference lines or blocks are one or two lines below the date line. Reference lines are usually aligned with the date. They can begin with RE or Reference. Sometimes a lead-in is needed to clarify the reference. Special Notations—Special notations appear two

lines below the date or reference line. Capital letters are used to make the note more visible.

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Parts of Letter

Inside Address—The inside address appears below the date or reference line.(It's the name and address of the person the letter is sent to, just like the one you put on the outside of the envelope.)

Salutation— The salutation appears two spaces below the inside address and usually begins with Dear followed by the title and name of the addressee. In standard style punctuation, a colon (formal letters) or comma (informal letters) follows the salutation.

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Parts of Letter

Subject Line—Subject lines define the subject of the letter. They appear two lines below the salutation and two lines above the first line of the text. Subject lines are emphasized by using boldface type, underlining, or all capitals.

Text or Body- Text is usually single-spaced with one blank line between paragraphs. (Most of Business letters written in three Paragraphs but some times it extends to many pages)

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Parts of Letter

Complimentary Closing—The complimentary closing appears two lines below the last line of text and is right of center. (eg: Sincerely, Regards etc….)

Signature Block—The signature block is four or five lines below the complimentary closing and is right of center. The signature block contains the handwritten signature of the writer, the full typed name of the writer, and the title of the writer.

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Parts of Letter

Reference Initials—Reference initials (the writer's initials and the secretary's/typists' initials) are two lines below the last line of the signature block and flush with the left margin.

Enclosure Notation— Enclosure notations remind readers that one or more enclosures are included. These notations appear directly under the reference initials.

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Parts of Letter

Courtesy Copy Notation (CC)— Courtesy copy notations, which show the distribution of the letter, are two lines below the enclosure notations and flush left.(its also known as Carbon Copy)

Postscripts- Postscripts may be used as additions to a letter after it has been typed or to emphasize items, it comes below CC: (Eg: PS or PSS: reply us as soon as possible)

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Parts of Letter

All letters must have following Parts:

1. Salutation2. Body

First Paragraph Second & Third Paragraph

3. Closing

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Parts of Letter : Salutation

First and foremost, make sure that you spell the recipient's name correctly. You should also confirm the gender and proper title. Use Ms. for women and Mr. for men.

Here are some common ways to address the recipient:

Dear Mr Ayaan, Dear Ms Sara, Dear Sir or Madam Gentlemen

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Parts of Letter : First paragraph

In most types of business letter it is common to use a friendly greeting in the first sentence of the letter. Here are some examples:

Thank you for your kind letter of January 5th. I came across an ad for your company in The Dawn. It was a pleasure meeting you at the conference this

month. I'm writing to enquire about... I'm interested in the job opening posted on your

company website.

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Parts of Letter : Second and Third paragraphs

Use a few short paragraphs to go into greater detail about your main point. If one paragraph is all you need, don't write an extra paragraph just to make your letter look longer. If you are including sensitive material, such as rejecting an offer or informing an employee of a layoff period, embed this sentence in the second paragraph rather than opening with it.

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Parts of Letter : Final paragraph

Your last paragraph should include requests, reminders, and notes on enclosures. If necessary, your contact information should also be in this paragraph.

Examples:

Please respond at your earliest convenience.

I look forward to...

If you require more information...

Thank you for taking this into consideration.

I appreciate any feedback you may have.

Enclosed you will find...

Feel free to contact me by phone or email. {Letter Witing} Sohail Ahmed 27

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Closing

Here are some common ways to close a letter.

Yours truly,

Yours sincerely,

Sincerely,

Sincerely yours

Thank you,

Best wishes

Best of luck

Warm regards, {Letter Witing} Sohail Ahmed 28

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Proofreading a Business Letter

"Proofread" means to read a text carefully to check it for errors and general tone. You should always proofread a business letter before sending it.

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Types of Letters

Classifications of business letters Positive

▪ Letters responding favorably to a writer’s request or complaint▪ Sales letters promoting a product

Neutral▪ Letters requesting information about a Something, placing an order,

or responding to some action or question

Negative▪ Refusing a request, saying no to an adjustment, etc.

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Types of Letters

Inquiry Letters: Inquiry letters ask for information about something.

Special Request Letters: State who you are and why you are writing, Indicate clearly your reason for requesting the information. Make your questions easy to answer and separate them clearly.

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Types of Letters

Sales Letters: Identify and limit your audience ,Use reader psychology.

Customer Relations Letters: Deal explicitly with establishing and

maintaining friendly work relations. Send readers good news or bad news, acceptances or refusals

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Types of Letters

Being Direct or Indirect: Good news message

Use the direct approach Start your letter with the news the reader wants to hear

▪ Don’t postpone the opportunity to put your reader in the right frame of mind Then provide any relevant supporting details, explanations, or

commentary Bad news message

Use the indirect approach Start your letter with pleasant, positive words designed to put your

reader in a good frame of mind Explain the situation End on a positive, upbeat note

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Types of Letters

Follow-Up Letters: A follow-up letter is a combination thank you note and Some times Inquiry.

Complaint Letters Never send a nasty letter Avoid the following

Name calling Sarcasm Insults Threats Anger Unflattering clip art Intimidating type fonts (e.g., all capital letters)

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ThanksSpecial thanks to:

Prof: Hina

Stylecard

KCI

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Good Luck

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