Letter Archives - Page 6 of 6

Factors to Consider in Letter Writing

Even in the face of advancement of mobile communication and SMS technology, writing letters continue to be an important and effective means of communication. Especially in formal discussions and agreements, they are often finalized in letters.

Writing letters date back from the olden days. It is way of communicating via a pen and some kind of paper. The notes passed in class between friends are considered letters. But the formal letters are what we will bring to focus in this discussion.

It is very important to learn how to write letters clearly and effectively. Otherwise, you fail to get the right message across. The good thing with writing letters, in contrast to verbal communication, is that you have a moment to pause and think about what you want to say, the order of the things you want to say, and at the same time be able to choose the right words to deliver a clear message.

In writing a letter, determine your purpose. It will make it easier to construct your sentences. Organize your thoughts beforehand. If possible, you can draft an outline first and write a trial letter. Read it over and over and edit along the way as necessary.

Be clear and make sure your data is complete. Provide names, dates, venues, time, contact numbers, addresses and other specific details as necessary and appropriately. If necessary, state the main reason for writing that letter, and what you want to achieve from bringing that message.

Get the appropriate tone. It is always critical to reach a correct tone. Avoid being too formal or too casual. Generally, business letters should acquire a more formal tone. Personal letters to friends are more informal. Use respectful words typical in formal letters.

Keep your sentences simple and sincere as possible. The reader will always sense whether you are genuine or just making stories. Steer clear from terminologies not familiar to your addressee. In fact, as a general rule, avoid using highfaluting words. Use common words as much as possible. For example, if you mean something big, avoid using the word “colossal” when you simply mean huge or large.

A well written letter does not go in circles. It drives to the conclusion in a clear manner. It maintains a precise yet complete message. It does not beat around the bush because that only makes the reader more confused.

A good letter has the gist of the message in the first paragraph. It expands into details as the letter progresses. Succeeding paragraphs all support the main idea.

The final paragraph usually summarizes the message and extends regards to the recipient. In this part, you usually express gratitude for taking the time out to read what you have written. This is also the part wherein appreciation is expressed.

There are several formats you can follow. But typically, in every letter, there are five parts. First is the date and time. Second is the address of the sender (your address). Third is the salutation (often starts with “Dear”). Fourth is the body of the letter. This is your main message and the largest part of the letter. And fifth is the closing or your signature.

Features Of An Effective Business Letter

Writing an effective business letter is an art. It is an acquired skill and depends on constant practice. Regular practice gives a flow to the style and brings a natural sense of expression. Features of an effective business letters are:

Scientific Expression

Scientific expression means something said directly and briefly. A good composition is essential for a business correspondence. To that end, a letter must be written clearly. Clarity in writing letters is of particular importance because many people have a lot of letters to deal with and they cannot waste their time trying to decipher the meaning of the composition. A letter written clearly in simple language conveys the meaning immediately to the reader.

Brevity is said to be the soul of the wit. Therefore, whatever you want to communicate, do so in brief and a forceful language. A letter written in brief and concise form contains only essential information. It must not be overweight with irrelevant and superfluous details. One must use as few words as possible but the composition must not be abrupt and vague. In the busy world of trade and commerce, people do not have much time in the midst of feverish activities. Thus, a wordy and circumlocutory letter irritates the reader rather than pleasing him/her.

Accuracy is important in a business letter; whatever you communicate in a letter must be accurate. The facts mentioned by you must be true and genuine. The writer must employ a suitable style and correct format. Rules of grammar and style must be followed. Correct construction of sentences and punctuation are essential in a business letter.

There must be proper paragraph divisions in a letter. Each distinct point must be expressed in a separate paragraph. For a new paragraph, both styles, ‘intended’ or ‘block’, are regarded correct at the present time. Some people begin the paragraphs at the left hand margin without leaving any space (indentation) and some of them think it proper to leave some space on the left-hand side.

Scientific expression prefers everything in a systematic and orderly way. A letter, therefore, must be drafted under the norms discussed above to bring effectiveness in communication.

Association of Ideas

The ideas and facts mentioned in the letter must be interlinked. It must be well-planned so that the reader is able to understand it easily. The writer must tackle various facts one by one. He must prepare a diagram in his mind and work upon it. Coherence in writing makes it interesting and affects the reader positively. Therefore, association of interconnection of ideas is a plus point in good business communication.

Politeness and optimism

Politeness and optimism are the passwords in the business world. Business correspondence must be conducted in a polite tone. Courtesy costs nothing but pays rich dividends. Politeness wins sympathy, respect and mutual understanding. Everybody likes to be addresses pleasantly, so it must be heeded. ‘Please’, ‘we appreciate’, ‘thanks’, ‘I am sorry’, ‘may we’, etc., are certain words that convey politeness or courtesy and these induce the reader to respond to the writer in a similar manner.

How to Write a Business Letter – Super Tips to Create a Stunning Business Letter

If you are planning to start a business, you cannot afford to neglect knowing how to write a business letter.

Even if your business may be just a small entrepreneurial startup, knowing how to write a business letter is a key skill that you, or at least one of your assistants, should know.

Before we go on with the technicalities of an effective business letter, let’s lay down the reasons why a business owner should have excellent writing skills.

Business letters are the primary means by which your company would communicate to investors. They should give a great impression of you and your company. They could actually prove crucial to your business taking off or to its survival.

Business letters should be understandable, be able to communicate exactly what needs to be done, or state communication in a very clear manner. Without clarity, miscommunication may lead to misunderstandings, or worse, botched jobs.

Want to write a business letter that rocks? Then it has to possess these characteristics:

1. The standard format of letter writing applies. Ideally, a business letter should contain the following information, in order:

– Letterhead (the sender’s address)

– Current date

– Recipient name and address

– Subject (optional)

– Salutation/Greeting

– Message (body of the letter)

– Closing salutation

– Signature (including the corporate designation/position of the sender)

2. The business letter should be written in block style.

3. Use double space; and as much as possible, keep the letter in the center of the paper you use.

4. Do not shorten your words and verb forms. “Do not” should not be written as “don’t,” and so on. Otherwise, the letter gives an impression of informality.

5. Keep the letter brief and concise, but be sure to include all the information you need to communicate.

In knowing how to write a business letter, make sure that it elicits the desired results. Keep the following in mind:

– Include a reference to an event, matter, or information that is pertinent to your letter, or is the reason for your writing the letter even.

– Obviously, you would need to include the reasons for your writing. Whether the letter is a request, agreeing to a request, delivering bad news, etc., don’t be so busy as to actually forget what you need to communicate.

– Remember to enclose the important documents that the letter should come with.

– Provide a reference to where the recipient could contact you after reading the letter.

– Always keep a copy of the letter with you.

As you can see, knowing how to write a business letter is rather simple. Just bear in mind that this letter aims to communicate and that the main objective is to communicate what you need to in the clearest and most concise manner possible.

Components of a Business Letter

A letter is a form of written communication widely used across the world. Different types of letters are used in different situations. For example, formal letters are used for official purposes, whereas informal letters are meant for family and friends.

A business letter is a type of formal letter. It is used for the exchange of information between various business agents, i.e. customers, owners, suppliers, government officials, etc.

Every such type of letter has a set of components common to different styles of business writing. The components are:

1. Origin of the letter – This section includes the name, address and other contact details, such as the phone number and e-mail, of the sender. For the recipient, this is also the return address of the letter.

2. Letter date – It refers to the date on which the letter was written. The date is generally written in the “Begin with the month, use a comma” format (March 5, 2011) or “Begin with the day, no comma” format (5 March 2011).

3. Mailing details of the recipient – This section includes the complete name, address and title of the recipient.

4. Point of reference – If the letter is in response to any specific detail asked by the recipient, then it needs to be mentioned. For example: the bill number or the branch code, etc.

5. Subject of the letter – It is a one-liner indicating the purpose of the letter.

6. Salutation – It includes words for greeting the recipient. For instance, Dear Sir or Madam.

7. Body of the letter – It contains the content of the letter.

8. Complimentary close/complimentary closing – It is a phrase that appears at the end of the letter but before the signature of the sender. It helps in closing the letter in a non-abrupt manner and also shows respect for the recipient of the letter. Some commonly used complimentary closings are ‘Yours faithfully’, ‘Yours Sincerely’, and ‘Regards’.

9. Signature of the sender – This section includes the signature and name of the sender. It may also include the designation of the sender.

10. Enclosures – If any additional document or documents is sent with the letter, then their number and title is mentioned in the enclosure section.

11. CC – ‘CC’ means courtesy copies. It is an optional section that includes the list of people and their addresses who will require the copy of the letter along with the enclosures, if any.

Win More Job Interviews by Using Stronger Keywords In Your Next Resume Cover Letter

It’s widely accepted by recruitment professionals that increasingly higher competition among today’s job seekers is making it harder for many applicants to successfully obtain interviews for positions in the organizations they wish to join.

In order to overcome this situation, the successful job seeker is learning more and more to use power words to help stand out from crowd in this increasingly competitive job market. Even a few years ago, you probably would not have heard of the term keywords in the context of cover letters for resumes.

But, given the increased use of technology in screening the thousands of applicants applying for positions in Fortune 500 organizations, they have started to impact individuals and related industries in a big way.

But keywords, those hot words that are associated with special industries or job positions, are an important way that a job seeker can differentiate him or herself from the competition of other job seekers. They are important because they can mean far more than the more two or three words convey by themselves.

Jay Block, an executive career coach in West Palm Beach, Fla., commented that if the ad says candidates need to have a bachelor’s degree, “bachelor’s degree” had better show up somewhere in your resume.

He also commented that job hunters need to look at ads for similar jobs from other companies. It’s important to recognize that each specific industry has its own inside “speak” or jargon, and knowing what specific words are important in the range of ads about certain job positions will help you spot the pattern of words that employers are continually using. Once you spot the pattern, a good tactic is to start using them yourself in you own resume cover letters and correspondence relating to getting an interview for a new position.

It’s important to understand that some keywords are the real ones that you need to take notice off. Although many keywords are industry specific, Mr. Block says, certain phrases are common among all organizations. These words continue to have favor today and they include “communication skills,” “problem-solving,” “team work,” “leadership,” “resource optimization,” and “image and reputation management.” The reason is that they relate to universal skills that are in hot demand by today’s employers.

“Business development” might be one of the most important of all, he says.

“I’ve interviewed many, many companies that will tell me, ‘Everybody from the floor sweeper to the national sales manager had better be involved in business development in some way,’ ” says Mr. Block.

Keywords are something that have been used by most people though their working lives – even if they don’t realize it at the time. They can be defined as simply the hot buzz words of a particular trade or profession. They clearly communicate something specific about the particular job function, qualification or specialist experience.

Some examples of these include increased market penetration for marketing personnel, shared vision for human resources personnel, customer development for sales staff and systems engineering for Computer IT Specialists.

As the market place has become increasingly competitive for job seekers , you will need to catch your potential employer’s attention by writing action driven statements that explain what value you can provide your prospective employer. Strong keywords are nouns that allow you to get the message across more successfully than most other means. They allow you to showcase your qualifications, capabilities and what you can offer the employer. Moreover, they are very hard to pass over so they tend not to be ignored.

It’s a well known fact in recruiting circles that keywords are a really effective way of enhancing your resume cover letters, broadcast letters and other styles of correspondence that you use to win job interviews. Strong keywords make a dramatic improvement to your presentation that should showcase achievements, qualifications and experiences that support your successes throughout your working career.

You might substitute, for example, revenue growth for bottom line improvement or efficiency and improvement for cost reduction and avoidance.

The potential list of keywords that can be used to create a professional image is very large and the more that you think of them, the easier it will be to incorporate them into your resume cover letters, resumes, thank you letters and other job search activities.

So, after you have worked thorough a listing of your “professional keywords”, you need to closely marry them to your background and simply drop the weaker terms. The most important part of the process is to make sure that these keywords are relevant to your profession. Use of in-appropriate keywords, or overuse of them, could also weaken your resume cover letter so it is important not to go overboard.

If you start researching the most powerful keywords for your profession, you will get the added advantage of educating yourself about the skills, qualifications and experience that is demanded by today’s employers in your particular field.

So, if you need to move away from your core area of experience and branch into a different job field one day, you will be well served by researching the right keywords to help you familiarize yourself with this new area and what is required by the candidate for the particular position.

Changing Your Career – How To Write An Effective Cover Letter

There are certain procedures to follow when searching for cover letter samples expressing one’s wish to change career. Career change cover letter samples should show exactly how the introductory letter should begin and what it should include.

At the top corner of most career change cover letter samples will have the potential employee’s address. In most cases, the name should be written on the first line, followed by the address beneath it. Include the city state and the zip code in the address and then add the current phone number. If there is an e-mail address, it can be written under the phone number and then follow it with the date.

It is common for career change cover letters to have the address and pertinent information of the probable employer. If one knows the name and designation of the person to whom the cover letter should be addressed, it is recommended to include it in the letter. Follow it with the company address, ensuring that it is situated at the left portion of the page.

The addresses of career change cover letters have the same style as any normal business letter. For the salutation, if the name of the addressee is known, write it down. However, if otherwise, “Dear Sir or Madam” can be used.

In the first paragraph of the letter, give an introduction and brief opening sentence. For example:

“This letter is to articulate my interest in (the job title) with your organization listed on (insert name) website.” (Put in significant details, position applying for and the newspaper or website where the job was seen.)

The next step is to express how suitable the applicant is for the job mentioned. Experience and relevance to the position applying for should be brought up clearly. One may write something like:

“I feel with my understanding in (specify the field) and my accomplishments in (name previous occupation) make me an ideal applicant for this position.”

The main component of a career change cover letter is its ability to list previous experiences. This gives additional advantage to the candidate. Being able to enumerate an applicant’s achievements in his previous job and the skills he was able to practice can increase the applicant’s attractiveness as an employee.

Write down key characteristics that are concerned with the job being targeted and then qualify straight away how previous experiences or trainings deal with each one. Create a bright picture in few words. Do not turn the letter into an essay. This letter should serve as an overview of the topic in positive terms. For instance:

“My experience in (jot down an experience) has helped me gain proficiency in many areas of the position mentioned. I consider (list down strengths) as my strengths.” (Then, provide examples of instances where these skills have been used successfully).

These qualities can be written in point format. Write only those strengths that will be advantageous to the job applied for.

Style every cover letter to suit the specific job and the organization one is applying for. Get some background information on the organization involved and mention in the cover letter any relevant information collected where applicable.

After citing the key characteristics, conclude. Write down contact information about the applicant to make it easy for the potential employer to get in touch with the applicant.