Business Correspondence

Business Correspondence
Prof. Nikhil Bangde
Asst. Professor, S.B.Jain Institute of Technology,
Management & Research
UNIT II

Business Correspondence
Business correspondence means the
exchange of information in a written
format for the process of
business activities.
 Business correspondence can take place
between organizations, within organizations or
between the customers and the organization.
2 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Importance of Business
Correspondence
i. Help in maintaining proper relationship
ii. Inexpensive and convenient mode
iii. Create and maintain goodwill
iv. Serves as evidence
v. Help in expansion of business

Business Letters
 World of business is replete with various types of
written communication.
 Written communication is part of everyday’s business
that one cannot think of a business without related
correspondence.
 Business Letters are also called Commercial Letters.
 Letters form the most important form of business
correspondence.
 Letters are essential as organization has to keep in
touch with the world outside i.e its suppliers, customers,4 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Different Types Of Business
Letters
I) L. Gartside in 'Modern Business
Correspondence' classifies business letters as
follows:
A) Information Letters:
(i) Routine Letters:
a) Enquiries b) Quotations c) Orders d) Payment Letters
(ii) Special Purpose Letters
B) Sales Letters: Offers
C) Problem Letters : a) Complaints b) Overdue Accounts
D) Goodwill Letters: a) Greetings b) Thanks
• It is widely accepted classification of Commercial
letters

Different Types of Business Letters
(Contd..)
 Business/ Commercial letters can also be
classified on the basis of approach-
(a) Direct: All good news letters, offers of
appointment, enquiries, orders, promotion,
intimation etc.
(b) Indirect: All 'bad news' letters like adjustment
refusals, request refusals, rejecting a job applicant
etc.
(c) Persuasive: Offers of sales and services, job
applications that have been regarded as similar to
sales letters fall in the category of persuasive
letters.6 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

(Contd..)
 Letters can also be classified as:
(a) Official letters: Are written to government or semi
government departments/ offices/bodies
(b) D.O.'s (Demi-Official letters): Are essentially official in
purpose but addressed to an official by name and not just
sent to him by designation. Sent to guard the confidential
nature of the matter concerned.
(c) Form letters: Correspondence of routine nature.
Acknowledgement, reminders, interviews, notice,
appointment etc.
(d) Internal letters: Internal letters or memos are used in
government offices as well as business organization

(Contd..)
Official letter

(Contd..)
Demi-Official letter

(Contd..)
Form letter

(Contd..)
Internal Letter- Memo

(Contd..)
 Letters can easily be classified on the basis of their
subject, viz, enquires, credit information, collection
of dues, complaint, sales promotion, sales circulars,
appointment of personnel, agencies etc.
 Letters can also be classified on the basis of the
correspondence of different department of an
organization.
Ex: i) Personnel department of an organization invites
applications, calls candidates for written test/interview,
sends interview letters, offers appointment letters, gives
charge-sheet etc.
ii) Purchase department sends requests for quotations/
invites tenders, places orders, and sends letters of12 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Essentials of Commercial Letter
(Internal)
Essenti
als
Clarity
Impact
Relevant
Information
Simplicity
Appeal
Style
Vocabular
y
Language
Timeline
ss
Brief

(Internal)
i. Clarity
• The underlying message should be expressed in
clear terms
• The purpose of letter is to: inform, invite, reiterate,
emphasize, remind, announce, seek clarity etc.
should clearly be stated.
ii. Impact
 Behind every letter there is an objective & intended
impact, which must be felt.
 Letter writer should write keeping in view the skill,
knowledge, status & comprehension ability of the
addressee.
 Desired impact happens when it ensures purpose
orientation, lays the right emphasis, establishes an

(Internal) (Contd..)
iii. Relevant Information
 Principle of communication referred here is adequacy or
completeness.
 All facts and details which the receiver needs to know in
order to respond or act on the basis of it.
iv. Brief
 Brevity is a very important attribute for any Commercial
letter.
 Receiver does not have unlimited time for reading and re –
reading.
v. Simplicity
 Avoid complex sentences, technical jargon, high-sounding15 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Essentials of Commercial Letter (Internal)
(Contd..)
vi. Timeliness
 Letter should be written & dispatched on time. Some
messages carry a sense of urgency.
 Ex: Communication from a controlling office to a branch
stating. "Please send us the statement without fail by 30th
September 2005" reaching on 2nd October 2005.
vii. Language
 Necessary to ensure that the language used is
appropriate i.e. the language with which the reader is at
ease.
 Grammatical errors and spelling mistakes have no place
in a good business letter16 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Essentials of Commercial Letter (Internal)
(Contd..)
viii. Vocabulary or Word Power
 For the language to be effective, an important prerequisite
is abundant vocabulary or word power.
 Most of the set of the words depend on context, tone and
gravity of the message & also relationship with person to
whom it is addressed.
ix. Appeal
 Should go beyond message it conveys, making overall
good impression.
 A letter is appealing when it shows consideration i.e
thoughtfulness.
x. Style
 Manner of writing which constitutes the collective17 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

(External)
i. Quality of paper
ii. Color of the Paper
 It is better to use different colors for different types of letters
iii. Size of the paper
 Standard size paper (A4) should be used while writing business
letters.
iv. Folding of letter
 Care should be taken to give minimum folds to the letter so that it
will fit the size of the envelope
v. Envelope
 The business firms use different types of envelopes i.e., ordinary
envelope, window envelope, laminated envelope etc.

Parts of Business Letter
1. Heading
2. Date
3. Reference
4. Inside Address
5. Subject
6. Salutation
7. Body of the letter
8. Complimentary close
9. Signature
10. Enclosures
11. Copy Circulation
12. Post Script

1. Heading
Contains the name and postal address of the
business, E-mail address, Web-site address,
Telephone Number, Fax Number, Trade Mark or logo
of the business
2. Date
The date is normally written on the right hand side
corner after the heading as the day, month and years.
3. Reference
Indicates letter number & department from where the
letter is being sent and year. It helps in future
reference. Is normally given on the left hand corner
after the heading.21 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Parts of Business Letter (Contd..)
4. Inside address
• Includes name & full address of person or the firm to
whom the letter is to be sent.
• On the left hand side of the sheet below the reference
number.
• Letters should be addressed to the responsible head.
Ex: The Secretary, The Principal, The Manager etc.
The Chief Manager,
State Bank of India
Nagpur University Campus
Nagpur,
Maharashtra- 400015

(Contd..)
5. Subject
• It is a statement in brief, that indicates the matter to
which the letter relates attracting attention of the
receiver immediately
Ex: i) Subject: Enquiry about Samsung television
ii) Subject: Your order No. C317/8 dated 12th
March 2003
6. Salutation
• This is placed below the inside address & is usually
followed by a comma (,).
• Various forms of salutation are:
i. Sir/Madam: For official and formal
correspondence23 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

(Contd..)
7. Body of the letter
This comes after salutation & is main part of the letter which
contains the actual message of the sender. It is divided into
three parts:
a) Opening part
Introductory part of the letter. Attention of the reader
should be drawn to the previous correspondence, if any.
Ex: With reference to your letter no. 326 dated. 12th
March 2003, I would like to draw your attention towards the
new brand of television.
b) Main part
This part usually contains the subject matter of the letter. It
should be precise and written in clear words.
c) Concluding Part
Statement the of sender’s intentions, hopes or expectations
concerning the next step to be taken. At the end, terms like

(Contd..)
8. Complimentary Close
• It is merely a polite way of ending a letter. It must be in
accordance with the salutation.
9. Signature
• It is written in ink, immediately below the complimentary
close.
• Name of the writer should be typed immediately below
signature.
Salutation Complementary Close
Dear Sir/Dear
Madam
Yours faithfully
Dear Mr. Raj Yours sincerely
My Dear Akbar Yours very sincerely (express very informal
relations.)

(Contd..)
10. Enclosures
• This is required when documents like cheque, draft, bills,
receipts, lists, invoices etc. are attached with the letter.
These enclosures are listed one by one in serial numbers.
Example :
Encl : (i) The list of goods received
(ii) Cheque No:___ of Rs. 1000/- dt. Feb. 27,2003 towards payment for
goods supplied.
11. Copy Circulation
• This is required when copies of the letter are also sent to
persons apart of the addressee. It is denoted as C.C.
Ex: C.C. i. The Chairman, Electric Supply Corporation
ii. The Director, Electric Supply Corporation
iii. The Secretary, Electric Supply Corporation26 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Type of Business Letters
i. Business Enquiry Letter
ii. Quotation Letter
iii. Order Letter
iv. Complaint Letter
v. Recovery Letter

i. Business Enquiry Letter
 Sometimes prospective buyers want to know the
details of the goods which they want to buy, like
quality, quantity, price, mode of delivery and
payment etc.
 Points to be kept in mind while writing letters of
enquiry-
– Should clearly state the information required, which
may be asking for a price list or a sample.
– Write specifically about the design, size, quantity,
quality, etc. about the product or service in which the
buyer is interested.

ii. Quotation Letter
 After receiving the letter of enquiry from a prospective
buyer, Sellers supply relevant information by writing a
letter called quotation letter.
 These letters are written keeping in view the information
asked for like price list, mode of payment, discount to
be allowed etc.
 Businessman should reply to the inquiries carefully and
promptly.

iii. Order Letter
 Prospective buyer after receiving the reply to his
enquiry letter may decide to place on order with that
business house which offers goods at minimum price &
at favorable terms and conditions.
 Letters written by a buyer to the seller giving the order
to purchase the goods is called order letter.

iv. Complaint Letter
• Written when purchaser doesn’t find goods to his
satisfaction.
• Normally written by purchaser when he receives
wrong, defective, damaged goods or receives
incorrect quantity.
• Points to be considered while writing a complaint
letter-
 Should be written immediately after receiving the defective
goods.
 Mistakes as well as difficulty due to mistake should be
mentioned.
 Proposal to correct the mistakes should be made31 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

v. Recovery Letter
 Letter written by the seller for collection of money for
the goods supplied to the buyer is called Recovery
Letter.
 Aim of letter is to collect money without annoying the
customers.
 Letter should include information regarding the
amount of arrears, argument for payment and last
date for payment.32 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Class Exercise
i. You want to buy a book from the
Kalka Publication, which is
situated at Kanchan Bazar,
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh -
500030. Write a letter indicating
your requirements.

Class Exercise
ii. Suppose you are the owner of a
shop that sells ceiling fans. You
received an enquiry letter from
M/s Aakash Hotels, Connaught
Place, New Delhi seeking
information about the price and
availability of fans. Write a letter in
response to the enquiry made by
M/s Aakash Hotels.34 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Business Meeting
Major components of a business meeting are :
1. Notice of Meeting
2. Agenda of Meeting
3. Minutes of the Meeting

Notice
 The statement that contains the particulars of holding a
meeting is known as notice.
 It is one kind of request to the members for attending the
meeting.
 The date, time, place and agenda are informed through the
notice.
 It may be oral or written.
 It is letter of invitation that carries the request to the
members to attend a meeting.
 A formal written or formal information, notification or warning
about a fact or an invitation to the concerned person for
attending the meeting.
 “ A notice is the communication-verbal or written , informing
the persons entitled to attend the meeting about the time,
date, place and the business of the meeting.”

Notice
Date: 20.08.2016
The students of BBA, L.L.B (Hons.), BA (Hons.) in English, B.Sc.(Hons.) in
Economics, B.Sc. in CSIT and other undergraduate programs are requested
to take clearance from the Account Section for payment of their tuition
and other fees up to Summer,2016 on any working day from 26.08.2016 to
07.09.2016 and deposit the fees into the Bank just after getting
clearance.
Otherwise, they will not be issued Admit Cards for the Semester Final
Examination,2016.
………………………….
Prof. Md. Ali Azam
Pro-Vice Chancellor
Copies Distribution
 Deputy Director of Accounts
 Asst. Registrar (P.O. to VC)
 All Faculties in Charge
 All classes of the undergraduate programs
 Office copy

Specimen Notice

A notice (without agenda)
Confidence Cement Limited
32, Motijheel C/A
Mumbai-1000
October 1, 2016
Notice
Notice is hereby given that the second meeting of the Board of
Directors will be held at the registered office of the company at 3.30
p.m. on Friday October 10, 2016.
…………………………
Ahmed Patel
Secretary

Notice
It should satisfy these conditions:
1. It should be under proper authority
2. It should state the name of the organization
3. It should state the day, date, time, and place. Also,
sometimes, how to reach the place
4. It should be well in advance. Some require seven days’
notice, some 48 hours’
5. It should state the purpose and, if possible, the agenda
6. It should carry the date of circulation and
convener’s/secretary’s signature
7. It should go to all persons required at the meet
8. It should mention the TA/DA etc. payable and the
arrangements for this41 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Agenda
 Also called business or order of business.
 Agenda is a document that outlines the contents of
a forthcoming meeting.
 It is usually sent along with the notice of the
meeting.
 Basically agenda is a statement of business or
assignment to be discussed in the meeting on
which minutes and decisions are taken thereafter.
 Agenda should be specific and clear to all
authorized person.
 It comes from the Latin word agendum (singular)
which means ‘a thing to be done.’42 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Specimen Agenda

A Specimen of Notice With Agenda
Confidence Cement Limited
32, Motijheel, Andheri
Mumbai-1000
October 1, 2009
Notice
Notice is hereby given that the second meeting of the Board of Directors
will be held at the registered office of the company at 3.30 p.m. on Friday
October 10, 2009
Asif Iqbal
Secretary
Agenda:
1. Confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting.
2. Matters arising from the minutes
3. Financial irregularities of company accountants.
4. Confirmation of the appointment of Auditor.
5. Date of next meeting.

Importance / Necessity of Agenda
 Agenda is an official list of things to be done or
dealt with at a particular meeting. It is drawn up by
the secretary in consultation with the Chairman.
The importance or necessity of agenda is pointed
out below:
1. It informs the persons to be attended at the
meeting
2. Free discussion is possible
3. Decisions are taken easily
4. Exchange of opinions is possible before meeting
5. It ensures that only matters relevant to that
particular meeting are discussed
6. It facilitates the preparation of the minutes.

Minutes of the Meeting
 Minutes is a chronological written statement of
resolutions taken in meeting after elaborate
discussion of the agenda.
 It is a list of motions and resolutions adopted after
detailed discussion of persons attended in the
meeting, preserved it for decision making and
policy implementation.
 It is to be mentioned that the minutes requires to
be approved by the participating members of the
meeting.
 The minutes must be concluded by the signatures
of the Chairman, secretary, and other authorized
person of the meeting.

Minutes
of
Meeting

Difference Between Agenda and
Minutes
1. Definition
Agenda: is an official list of things to be done or dealt with at
particular meetings.
Minutes: The official records of discussions held and
decisions taken at a meeting are called minutes.
2. Preparation
Agenda: drawn up by the secretary in consultation with the
Chairman.
Minutes: are generally written by the secretary of the
organizational unit.
3. Purpose
Agenda: Gives the members an idea about the topics to be
discussed.
Minutes :Preservation of the resolution of the meeting for50 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Difference Between Agenda and Minutes
4. Authority
Agenda: Top level management gets and things over the
agenda.
Minutes: All members at the meeting discuss and take
decisions
5. Read out
Agenda: At the beginning of the meeting it is read out.
Minutes: At the next meeting it is read out.
6. Approval
Agenda: It need not requires to be approved earlier.
Minutes: It needs to be approved by the members at the next
meetings.
7. Where Written
Agenda: It is generally written on the notice board.

Specimen of Minutes
ABC Company Limited
Minutes
Of the first meeting of the Board of Director held on
Friday,24th April,2009 at 3.00 p.m. at the Registered Office,
Nagpur Commerce College Road, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Present:
Mr. A
Mr. B
Mr.C (Directors)
Mr. D
Mr.E
Mr. Rajib Hazra, Secretary
Mr. Khan, Solicitor

No. of
Minutes
Subject of Minutes Details of Minutes
1. Chairpersons of
Meeting
Mr. Shafiul Alam was unanimously
elected Chairperson of the Meeting.
2. Chairperson of the
Company
Resolved: That Mr. Shafiul Alam be
and he is hereby appointed
Chairperson of the Board and of
the Company
3. Quorum Resolved: That three directors
shall constitute a quorum at the
Board meeting
4. Appointment of
Secretary
Resolved: That Mr. Humayun Kabir,
be and is hereby appointed
secretary of the Company at a
salary of Rs 25000 per month to be
terminable on three month’s notice
either side

No of
Minutes
Subject of
minutes
Details of minutes
5 Appointment
of Bankers
6 Prospectus
7. Seal
8. Next meeting The next meeting of the Board was
fixed to be held on Friday, 1st
April,2009 at 3.00 p.m.
Dated:
20.04.2009
Mr. Shafiul Alam
Chairperson
Mr. Rajib Hazra,
Secretary

Factors Considered in Drafting
Minute
i. Name and address of the organization
ii. Name of the meeting
iii. Date, time and venue of the meeting
iv. Name of the chair person
v. Name and signature of the participating members
vi. Serial number
vii. Following of the rules and structure of minutes
viii. Name of the prosper and supplier of resolutions
ix. Number of regret letters
x. Easy and understandable language
xi. Divisions
xii. Proper data
xiii. Signature of the president

Class Exercise
iii. Draft a notice & agenda of convening a meeting :
a) A Sport Association
b) A cooperative housing Society
c) A Company meeting
iv. As a Secretary of Bombay Social Club draft the
minutes of managing committee meeting which
among other things discussed the following:
 Organizing of a film show to collect money
 Inviting the mayor to annual programme
 Renting of bigger accommodation for the club

Memorandum
 Memorandum is popularly known as memo.
 According to Lesikar and Pettit, “Memorandum is a
form of letters written inside the business”.
 According to Stewart and Clark, “Memos are used to
communicate with other employees, regardless of
where the employees may be located in the same
organization.”
 According to S. Taylor, “Memo is a written
communication form one person to another (or a group
of people) within the same organization.57 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Memorandum is used for
1) Discussing & explaining a problem
2) Making a request for replenishing the storage of
resources or providing some information
3) Making proposals and request for more of these
4) Conveying policy statements of company
5) Communicating official directives & guidelines
6) For requesting quick response from the reader
7) For inviting the receiver for attending business
meetings
8) For giving suggestions, recommendations & feedback
9) For demanding explanations or clarifications
10) Making reminders in courteous manner58 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Classification of Memorandum
Type Definition
Type of
Document
Content
Introducti
on
Body
Conclusi
on
Direct
Writer arrives
at purpose
quickly
Used for good
news or
routine
communicatio
n (audience is
receptive or
neutral)
Purpose Details
Action
informati
on or
courteou
s close
Indirect
Writer
gradually
builds up to
the purpose,
which is
stated in the
body.
Used for
negative,
persuasive, or
sales
messages
(audience is
not receptive)
Relevant,
attention-
getting
statement
s
Purpose
statemen
t is
sandwich
ed by
details.
Action
informati
on or
courteou
s close59 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Standard Memo Template
Memorandum
To: Recipients’ names and job titles
From: Writers’ names and job titles
Date: Complete and current date
Re: Description of what memo is regarding
Begin with a brief introductory paragraph that contextualizes
the memo for your readers and describes the main point or
course of action that readers should take after reading the
memo.
Body of the memo should be broken into sections with
informative headings at the start of each section.
If there are others who will receive copies of memo, aside
from the recipients, add cc: after the memo subject line with
the names of those individuals.60 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Memo Format

Standard Memo 1

Standard Memo 2

Advantages of
Memo(Memorandum )
i. Time saving: usually printed, it takes less time to draft it.
ii. Less formality: Inside address, salutation & complimentary
closing is omitted
iii. Maintaining good relationship: among the boss and
subordinates, because the bossing attitude is absent here.
iv. Low cost: Cost of communication is less than those of others.
v. References: Is a written document hence can be used for future
references
vi. Inform the decisions and actions
vii. Provide information
viii. Remaind someone of action: Memo is also written to remind
someone of action, if requires

Disadvantages of
Memo(Memorandum )
i. Limited application : not widely used means of
communication.
ii. Time consuming: It takes time to be sent to a distant
branch or office
iii. Expensive: Usually a memo is a per-printed form, it is
expensive than other means.
iv. Lack of explanation: Is written in a short form. So the
meaning of it may not be cleared to the reader.
v. Not suitable for illiterate people

Guidelines to follow when writing a
memo
i. Use An Informative Subject Line
• Be specific from the beginning, tell the reader what the
subject of the memo is and what is a proposal, progress
report, question, or result.
ii. Use Strong Opening Sentences
• Avoid wasting time on lengthy introductions
• First few sentences need to elaborate on the topic & purpose
of memo
iii. Avoid Unfamiliar Words
• Avoid Jargons
iv. Check Before You Send
• Take time before you send the memo to make sure that you
have covered all the correct information.
• Double check names, dates, and the specifics of the

memo
v. Don’t be Overly Sincere
• Avoid phrases such as “we’re sorry” or “please don’t
hesitate to call.”
vi. Become the Reader
• Keep your reader in mind when you are writing a memo
vii. Make the End the Beginning
• Inverted pyramid style of writing
• Put what you want the reader to get out of the memo at the
top & then continue to go into more detail in the body of the
memo
viii. List Recipients of the Memo
• Enables the readers to be prepared to explain the situation

memo
ix. Keep Paragraphs Short
• Limit each paragraph to about five lines or less
x. Call to Action
• If you want a response by Friday at 3 P.M., then say so
gives reader an obligation to send you something back.
xi. Closing
• The signature line needs to include a contact phone
number, e-mail address, and, if your company has a Web
Site.

memo
xii. Dates
• Write dates in the following format:
o month in written format, (ex. December),
o followed by the day in numerical format,
o concluding with the year in numerical format
xiii. Legality of Document
• Memos are legal documents hence it is important to
write them in a professional manner.

Tenders
• Any written or formal offer for undertaking any project
or for the supply of goods on an agreed price.
• Refers to the process whereby governments or
organizations invite bids for large projects that must
be submitted within a finite deadline.
• Required to be submitted within specified time
• Institutions have a well-defined tender process, as
well as processes to govern the opening, evaluation
and final selection of the vendors.
 Tendering is utilized by:
o Government departments, offices and agencies
o Private sector companies and businesses
o Non Government Organizations
o Overseas markets and businesses70 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Tender 01

Tender 02

Communication related to
Tenders
Step I: Determination of Tender Process
Step II: Preparing the request for Tenders
Step III: Invitations of Tenders
Step IV: Response of Suppliers
Step V: Evaluation & Selection
Step VI: Notification & Debriefing
Step VII: Establishment & Management of
Contract73 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Guidelines for Writing Tenders
1) Applicant should clearly mention about the products &
services which are offered by the organization, and
access whether client requirements are according to
organizational capabilities.
2) One should clearly understand the client’s
requirement
3) One should estimate whether successful completion
of business tender would be profitable. Can further
contracts or business opportunities be gained through
it, whether current resources and workforce be able to
implement the project as per client’s requirement etc.74 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Guidelines for Writing Tenders
(Contd..)
4) One should draft the tender in such a way that it
depicts how well the project requirements can be
fulfilled by the organization.
5) Finishing lines of the tender should refer to
successful accomplishments of similar requirements
by the company. Mention the sales pitch at the end
and reaffirm the promise of fulfilling the expectations.

Sales Letter
• It is a letter of persuasion to stimulate the customer to
purchase goods or services.
• It uses marketing strategies to draw the customer’s
attention towards the brand in the market.
• Is also used to launch of any new range of products
and define the incentive which are in the forms of
discounts, free samples, complementary offerings etc.
• Is considered to be one of the most attractive &
relevant tool in creating customer consciousness for
any product.76 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Sales Letter
Mrs. Bharti Jha,
Purchasing Manager,
DTEB Company,
Ranchi.
Subject: EXIM Software for your organization
Dear Madam,
It’s my pleasure to introduce, user friendly EXIM software which can act as an
effective assistant by reducing your work loads. I have been walking around
offices by creating awareness to people over the past few days. Many
insurance companies had accepted my software and they were happy due to
my visit.
I am very happy to show you the features and demonstrate the function of
new user-friendly EXIM software, which has greater capabilities to help you. If
you want to reduce the number of workers in your firm, EXIM software is an
outstanding tool to help you do that.
Thanking You.
Yours Sincerely,
For Manorama Software Developers
(Signature)
A.B. Bhatt
Marketing Manager

Uses of Sales Letter
USES
Selling
by Mail
Produci
ng Sales
Inquiries
Followin
g-Up
Sales
Inquiries
Inducing
People
to Buy
Building-
Up
Goodwill

Functions of Sales Letter
Function
s
Attractin
g
Attention
Arousin
g
Desire
Implantin
g
Convictio
n
Stimulatin
g Action

Guidelines of Writing Effective Sales
Letter
Guidelines
Identify &
Limit the
audience
Understand
Reader’s
Psychology
Do not Bore
or Boast
Use words
that appeal
to Reader
Be Ethical

Solicited & Unsolicited Sales
Letter
1) Solicited Sales Letters:
 Solicited sales letter is reply to sales related inquiry
 Such letters deal with the questions about catalogue,
prices, terms, discount, deliveries, manufacturing
methods, types of accounts, available sources of supply
and similar information.
 Inquirer is often already customer or a potential buyer,
who may become a steady satisfied customer if the
reply is sent with favorable impression.

Solicited & Unsolicited Sales
Letter
2) Unsolicited Sales Letters:
 Unsolicited sales letters are initiated by the seller for
various reason.
 These letters are also known as “Prospective” and
“Cold Turkey” letters.
 According to Murphy and Peck the success in
unsolicited sales letters will depend upon three factor:
o The mailing list,
o The right appeals
o The presentation

Complaint Letter
• A complaint is done with the aim of rectifying a wrong &
not provoking a fight.
Reasons for Drafting Complaint Letter
Defective
Product or
Service
Unacceptable
Behavior
Internal
Conflicts
Bad Public
Administration
Problematic
Superiors

Cover letter/ Covering letter/ Cold contact
letter
• Letter of transmittal used to inform about attached
documents to a second party.
• It is an application which courteously & precisely gives
all information about the documents enclosed in it.
• Mainly 2 types of cover letters:
i. Document cover letter
ii. Resume cover letter

letter
i. Document cover letter
• When transmittal letter is used to convey or depict
attached documents to second party
• One page short business letter which contains brief
information of enclosed or attached documents set.
• Documents like reports, contracts, plans, legal papers,
travel documents, brochures, product samples, photos,
booklet etc., are attached in Document cover letter

letter
ii. Resume cover letter
• Two types of Resume Cover Letter
o Academic Cover Letter
Applying for research grant or job in academic field
o Business Cover Letter
Individuals who are keen to join business related jobs
use these type of letters.

Job Application Letter
• It is a letter which is written to the employer for the
purpose of making a request for a certain job.
 Written in order to persuade prospective employer, as
to why he/she is suitable person to get employed for
certain job.
 Also known as cover letter & generally has a attached
resume.
 A Job application form contains
o Applicants personal information such as name, address
etc.
o Applicants work information like job experience,
academics etc.
o At the end applicant’s signature to authenticate the87 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Purpose of Job Application
1) Attention:
Gain desired attention of employer expressing that
candidate is interested in the job.
2) Interest:
Candidate sells his/her qualifications & highlights
strong points to create employer’s interest.
3) Desire:
While describing his/her achievements explains how
he/she will be beneficial for the company
4) Action:
A request made for an interview or future meeting
with the employer

Types of Job Application
1) Solicited Job Application
• Are sent in response to job advertisements to an
invitation (usually advertisement).
• Advantage is a vacancy exists and that the employer
is anxious to fill it.
• Disadvantage is that if faces competition.
2) Unsolicited Job Application
 Written to an employer who has not invited an
application, does not face competition.
 But, possibility of non-availability of job is its
disadvantage.

Content of Job Application
1) Name of Candidate with Concerned Date
• Address should be given with current date on top of
the page.
Mrs. Joe Walkins,
Purchasing Manager,
DTEB Company,
Ranchi.
2) Name of Employer with address
 Must be given below the date after leaving two lines
The CEO
S. K. Electronics
Nagpur92 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

(Contd..)
3) Subject:
• Hiring managers receive a lot of emails & physical
letters regarding various purposes.
• One should mention Job Title he/she is applying for in
subject line
4) Salutation:
• This is placed below the inside address & is usually
followed by a comma (,).
• Various forms of salutation are:
i. Sir/Madam: For official and formal correspondence
ii. Dear Sir/Madam: For addressing an individual
iii. Dear Sirs/Dear Madam: For addressing a firm or
company.

(Contd..)
5) Body
• Should be 2-3 paragraphs
• Candidate should explain their credentials, experience along
with skills & talents.
• Should give a reason as to why his/her CV must be
considered.
• Candidate can use certain objectives like proven ability,
excellent interpersonal skills etc.
6) Complimentary Close
• It is merely a polite way of ending a letter. It must be in
accordance with the salutation.
Salutation Complementary Close
Dear Sir/Dear
Madam
Yours faithfully
Dear Mr. Raj Yours sincerely
My Dear Akbar Yours very sincerely (express very informal

(Contd..)
7) Signature
• It is written in ink, immediately below the complimentary
close.
• Name of the writer should be typed immediately below
signature.
8) Enclosures
• Whatever documents are attached along with the CV
must be clearly mentioned in the job application
Example : 1) Curriculum Vitae
2) Attested mark sheets
3) No objection certificate of current
employer95 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Process of Writing Job Application
Letter (Body)
1) Introductory Paragraph (First paragraph):
• You'll want to explain why you're writing.
• Mention where you saw the job application, whether it
was on the company's website, posted on a job search
board, etc.
• If you were referred by a friend or colleague, mention it
here.
2) Middle paragraphs:
• This space in the letter is where you can make a pitch
for your candidacy.
• Why would you be a good fit for the job?
• Highlight relevant jobs and responsibilities, as well as
accomplishments.

Process of Writing Job Application
Letter (Body)
3) Final paragraph:
• Use this space to thank the recipient for reading your email,
and mention that your resume is attached.
• This is also the space to thank recipients for their
consideration of your application.
4) Polite close:
• Use a polite close to sign off your letter, such as “Yours
Sincerely." Then, type your full name.
• Some of popular way of closing the letter are:
o I look forward to hear from you.
o I hope you will consider me for the interview.
o I hope my qualifications will fulfill your requirements

E-Mail in Business
Communication
• Email or Electronic mail is widely used as a form of
business communication and overall it is a highly
effective communication tool.
• Email is inexpensive, only requiring an Internet
connection that is generally already present in the
business.
• E-mail is a written form of communication. Therefore,
there is a “permanent” record.
• Another effect of e-mail’s written form is the lack of
nonverbal cues.

E-Mail Example

E-Mail Etiquettes
1. Be concise & to the point
2. Answer all questions & anticipate further questions
3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
4. Answer swiftly
5. Attach only necessary files
6. Use proper structure & layout
7. Do not over use high priority options
8. Do not write in Capital letters
9. Read the email before sending
10. Do not discuss confidential information
11. Do not use CC unnecessarily

Formal & Informal E-mail Format

Formal & Informal E-Mail
Think
about
Formal Informal
Purpose
Business and important
messages
Informal messages
Audience
Business and work
colleagues
Friends and family
Style and
accuracy
Professional - accurate
spelling,
punctuation and grammar
Ex: Thank you for your
prompt response
Friendly - accuracy is less
Important
Ex: Thx 4 d email, will call
you bk!
Beginning
and Ending
Start and end appropriately
Ex: Dear Mr/Mrs/Chris
Dear Sir/Madam
Yours sincerely
Yours faithfully
Regards
No rules - your choice

Advantages of E-Mail
 Price - sending an email costs the same regardless of
distance and the number of people you send it to
 Speed - an email should reach its recipient in minutes.
 Convenience - Message will be stored until the
recipient is ready to read it and send the same message
to a large number of people
 Permanent records - a record can be kept of
messages and replies.
 Send attachments, such as photographs, files and
spreadsheets.
 It speeds up the workflow process, documents can be
sent for comment, corrections can be made quickly.

Disadvantages of E-Mail
 Spam - unsolicited email that can overwhelm your email
system unless you install a firewall and anti-spam
software
 Viruses spreading through email attachments
 Sending emails by mistake - to the wrong person
accidentally
 Less formal nature of email can lead to careless or
even liberal remarks being made which can damage
your business
 Electronic storage space becoming a problem,
particularly where emails with large attachments are
widely distributed
 Not everyone has Internet connectivity

Business Report
Business Report is a type of assignment in which
you analyze a situation (either a real situation or
a case study) and apply business theories to
produce a range of suggestions for improvement.

Business Report
 According to Lesikar,
"A business report is an orderly, unbiased
communication of factual information that serves some
business purpose.”
Lesikar definition outlines following features:
i. Business report is a systematic & disciplined
communication
ii. It is objective & unbiased in nature
iii. It uses extensive areas of communication i.e verbal,
written & illustrations.
iv. It is based on factual data
v. It serves a business purpose.

Objectives of Business Reports
 Examine available and potential solutions to a problem,
situation, or issue.
 Apply business and management theory to a practical
situation.
 Demonstrate your analytical, reasoning, and evaluation
skills in identifying and weighing-up possible solutions
and outcomes.
 Reach conclusions about a problem or issue.
 Provide recommendations for future action.
 Show concise and clear communication skills

Characteristics of a Good Report

Structure of Formal Reports
1 • Title Page
2 • Table of Contents
3 • Executive Summary
4 • Introduction Section
5 • Main Body of Report
6 • Conclusion Section
7 • Recommendations
8 • Bibliography
9 • Appendices
10 • Glossary
11 • Signature

Purposes or Objectives of Business
Report

Types of Business Reports in Business
Communication
On the
basis of
Importance
or
Frequency
Ordinar
y or
Routine
Report
Special
Report
On the
Basis of
Formality
Formal
Report
Informal
Report
On the
basis of
Function
On the
basis of
Function
On the
basis of
reports on
meetings
On the
basis of
Nature of
the Subject
Informa-
-tive
Report
Interpr-
-etative
Report
Verbati
-
-on
Report
s
Summ
a-
-rized
Report
Problem
Solving
Report
Fact
Finding
Report
Perform
ance
Report
Technic
al
Report
Long
Report
s
Short
Report
s

Types of Business Reports
1. On the basis of Importance or Frequency
i. Ordinary or Routine Report
• Submitted daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually.
• Contains mere statement of facts in detail without any opinion
• Ex: Sales Report, Production Report etc.
ii. Special Report
• Prepared and presented before the top management on specific
request
• Ex: Opening of branch, Introducing a new product etc.
2. On the Basis of Formality
i. Formal Report
• Prepared in a prescribed format & presented before the competent
authority
ii. Informal Report112 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Types of Business Reports (Contd..)
3. On the basis of Function
i. Informative Report
• Prepared with the help of available information at the ‘maximum’ with
regard to an issue or situation
ii. Interpretative Report
 Contains the facts, views and opinions (+) causes for an issue or an
event and required remedial action with recommendations.
4. On the Basis of Length
i. Long Report
• Are detailed analysis of a project or a problem at hand
• Ex: Feasibility Report of a Product
ii. Short Report
• Are a one to three page presentation of a topic or an event
• Ex: Report on Annual Exhibition of School

5. On the basis of Nature of the Subject dealt with
i. Problem Solving Report
• Ex: A problem may arise in any one of the department . Hence, the top
management may seek a report for solving the problem
ii. Fact Finding Report
 Ex: A machine may be breakdown in the factory premises due to rivalry
between the two group of workers. Now, the management wants to know
the real reason for machine break down and group clash between the
workers.
iii. Performance Report
• Ex: The business organization wants to know the performance of each
department periodically or performance of a branch
• Ex: Performance of newly appointed employee
iv. Technical Report
• Ex: Whenever a company is going to introduce mechanical process
instead of manual process, the level of technology required assessed114 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

6. On the basis of meetings
i. Verbation Reports
• A verbation report is a complete word by word record of all
discussions made at a meeting
• Verbation report should not be confused with the minutes of
the meeting
ii. Summarized Report
 Prepared with the help of the essential details discussed in the
meeting.
 Prepared for sending to the press or to shareholders of the
company or members of the institution

Sales Report
• Report displaying the details related to sales data of
company for a certain period of time.
• Fundamental Purpose of report is to reflect whether
the sales is increasing or decreasing.
• They are used by sales head to access the ongoing
trend &take most suitable action for the situation.
• Usually a Sales Report contains:
o Separate sales figures of all products offered by
company
o Number of new & existing customers who were
contacted
o Expenses incurred on promotion & other sales
activities of new products.

Advantages of Sales Report
i. Assures that production of certain product will
continue if the sales figure is favorable.
ii. Helps Sales Manager to determine suitable course of
action on basis of important sales related information.
iii. Perfect representation of company’s sales position
with relation to different parameters likes Sales Cycle,
Win Loss Rate etc.
iv. Assists Sales Manager in identifying flaws in Sales
programme & Sales Personnel.
v. Enables proper management of organizational sales
programme in direction of financial improvements.

Disadvantages of Sales Report
i. It records all the events which occurred in the path of
sales activities but not in their actual sequence, so
can be a trouble in decision making
ii. Very likely that some employees wish to project their
positive image like data favoring certain group of
individuals

Committee Report
• Committee reports should necessarily include the
purpose of investigations, techniques of data
collection, analysis of data collected, particulars of
collected evidences & recommendations given by
committee.
• Every member of the committee or sometimes only
chairman signs the report.

Types of Committee Report
1. Standing Committee Report
• Standing Committees are permanent in nature and
are entrusted to deal with some continuing aspects of
the business organization
• Ex: Finance, Performance of Employees,
Performance of Departments etc
2. Special or adhoc Committee Report
• Special or adhoc Committees are appointed to deal
with special investigation and are dissolved as soon
as the presentation of report.
• Life of special committee is temporary
• Ex: Accident incurred in factory120 Prof. Nikhil Bangde, Asst. Professor

Types of Committee Report (Contd..)
3. Minority Report
• Committees or subcommittees are appointed to
submit the report based on the investigation of special
subject.
• Three members are selected to form a committee with
One among them as Chairman.
4. Majority Report
• All the members of the committee including chairman
have unanimous opinion among them then one report
is prepared & submitted
• If not so majority members are going to submit a
report before the responsible body

Technical Report
• It explains the technical problem under consideration,
examine, evaluate the present & future situations
explaining the future course of action.
• No specified layout or format but in internal technical
reports are concerned then organizations often
present them in standard & pre-existing formats.
• Qualities of Good Technical Report
i. Accuracy ii. Objectivity iii. Clarity
iv. Conciseness v. Continuity vi. Writing
Style

Business Correspondence

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Editor's Notes