- The global best-selling
companion to the fundamentals of business correspondence. Over 350,000 copies
sold!
In business, communication
counts. Clear and well-structured letters, documents and e-mails can deliver better
results, with speed and accuracy. The words that you use, and the way that you present
them, also send important signals about you and your business to your customers,
colleagues and business partners. So make sure you're sending the right ones.
Model Business Letters is a
practical and comprehensive guide to help you get more value from your business
communication.
- In this book you will find
over 500 sample documents for a wide range of business situations, easy to use examples
and practical advice on content, language and style. Model Business letters will help you
to put the key rules of good business writing into action, and a framework for creating
clear and effective business communication, including:
- How to present business
documents correctly and clearly
- how to structure your
communication for maximum results
- how to make your email work
for you
- model examples for a range
of business communication needs
- 100 top-tips for better
business writing
If you want your business to
be a model of successful communication, Model Business Letters will be a valuable
companion.
Table of Contents
Preface to the first edition
(Leonard Gartside)
Preface to the sixth edition
(Shirley Taylor)
Introduction
Unit 1 Written
communication - an overview
1. Presentation of
business documents
Printed stationery
Fully-blocked style with
open punctuation
Continuation pages
Parts of a business letter
Open punctuation
Memos
Fax messages
Checklist
2. Structuring your
communications
4-point plan
Checklis
3. Language and tone
The weakest link in your
business writing
Ten steps to good business
writing
Checklist
4. E-mail
The explosive growth of
e-mail
Seven deadly sins of working
with e-mail
The good, the bad and the
ugly of e-mail
The weakest link in your
e-mails
How can you make e-mail work
for you?
Customer care and e-mail
Creating electronic rapport
E-mail @ work
Netiquette
Checklist
5. Enquiries and
replies
Requests for catalogues and
price lists
General enquiries and
replies
Requests for goods on
approva
Visits by travellers
Requests for concessions
Useful expressions
6. Quotations,
estimates and tenders
Terminology
Routine quotations
Quotations subject to
conditions of acceptance
Tabulated quotations
Estimates and specifications
Tenders
Quotations not accepted or
amended
Follow-up letters
Useful expressions
7. Orders and their
fulfilment
Placing orders
Routine orders
Acknowledging orders
Declining orders
Counter-offers from
suppliers
Packing and despatch
Useful expressions
8. Invoicing and
settlement of accounts
Invoices and adjustments
Pro forma invoices
Debit and credit notes
Statements of account
Varying the terms of payment
Methods of payment
Useful expressions
9. Letters requesting
payment
Tone
Late payments
Collection letters:
- First applications for
payment
- Second application letters
- Third application
letters
- Final collection
letters
Checklist
Useful expressions
10. Credit and status
enquiries
Reasons for credit
Disadvantages of credit
Requests for credit
Business references
Status enquiries
Replies to status enquiries
Useful expressions
11. A typical business
transaction
Request for quotation
Supplier's quotation
Request for permission to
quote company as a reference
Permission granted
Order
Supplier's acknowledgement
Advice note
Consignment note
Delivery note
Invoice
Debit and credit notes
Statement of account
Payment
Receipt
Unit 3 Creative and
persuasive documents
12. Complaints and
adjustments
Handling complaints
Complaints concerning goods
Complaints concerning
delivery
Cancelling orders
Personal complaints
Checklist
Useful expressions
13. Goodwill messages
General goodwill letters
Letters of apology
Letters in which tone is
particularly important
Letters of thanks
Letters of congratulation
Letters of condolence and
sympathy
Checklist
14. Reports and
proposals
Introduction to reports and
proposals
The Plain English Guide to
Writing Reports
- Defining the purpose
- Investigating the topic
- Organising the report into
sections
- Order of presentation
- Order of writing
- Numbering sections and
paragraphs
- Planning the writing
- Revision
Checklist
15. Notices,
advertisements and information sheets
Notices
Advertisements
Leaflets and information
sheets
Design skills
Checklist
16. Circulars
Circulars announcing changes
in business organisation
Circulars announcing changes
in business partnerships
Letters announcing change of
representatives
Internal circulars to staff
Circulars with reply forms
Checklists
17. Sales letters and
voluntary offers
The weakest link in your
sales letters
Successful sales letters
Specimen sales letters
Voluntary offers
Checklist
Useful expressions
18. Publicity material
Press releases
Newsletters
Writing Skills
Checklist
19. Marketing matters
Identifying your audiences
Why is customer care so
important?
Customer care through
Internet and e-mail
Marketing through the Web
20. Business Plans
Components of a business
plan
Checklist
21. Meetings
documentation
Notice and agenda
Minutes of meetings
Types of minutes
Checklist
22. Personnel
Letters of application
Testimonials
Favourable references
Unfavourable references
Interview Letters
Offers of appointment
Termination of employment
Sundry personnel matters
Useful expressions
23. Travel and hotels
Passports
Visas
Travel by sea/air
Hotel accommodation and
itineraries
Useful expressions
24. Secretarial and
administrative correspondence
Requesting appointments
Inviting speakers to
conference
Conference accommodation
Programme
Board meeting
Diary dates
Invitations and replies
Unit 4 Classified
business letters
25. Agencies
Finding an agent
Applications for agencies
Offers of agencies
Formal agency agreements
Appointment an agent -
typical procedure
Correspondence with agents
Useful expressions
26. International
trade
Import/export flow chart
Commission agents
Goods of consignment
Indents
Bills of lading
Important documentation and
procedure
Bonded warehouses
Useful expressions
27. Banking (home
business)
Kinds of bank account
Correspondence with banks
Current accounts
Bank loans and overdrafts
Useful expressions
28. Banking
(international business)
Bankers' drafts
Bankers' transfers
Bills of exchange
Documentary bills
Bankers' commercial credits
Useful expressions
29. Transport
Carriage by sea
Carriage by air
Carriage by road
Carriage by rail
Useful expressions
30. Insurance
The insurance contract
Insurance brokers
Insurance premiums
Householders' policies
Holiday insurance
Fidelity insurance
Temporary cover
Claims
Marine insurance
Floating and open-cover
policies
Average
Motor insurance
Useful expressions
Appendix
Useful Web sites
Spoken and written forms of
address
Index
496 pages