Mastering Business Correspondence: Styles and Best Practices
Item 4
Companies engage with other private and public entities through commercial activities. Key characteristics of commercial correspondence include clear commercial relations and ease of understanding. There should be adequate exhibition of terms. The antesignatura indicates the company name and the signer’s position. The signature area is reserved for the responsible section of the letter.
Common greetings include: Sir/Madam, Madam, Dear Sir, Dear Lady.
The company seal is placed near the signature. The full signature of the person signing must be included. Annexes are noted in the lower-left part of the letter when documents are attached.
Item 5
Styles of Business Letters
Several styles exist, including modern, modern certified, professional, and evolved.
- Modern: Characterized by simplicity in distribution and typing speed.
- Modern Certified: Similar to modern, but the recipient’s address is placed on the right.
- Professional: Indents the beginning of paragraphs and greetings by 2-3 cm, offering more flexible reading.
- Evolved: Emerges as an alternative in modern commercial relations, simplifying the content by addressing the issue directly.
Types of Business Letters
- Report Cards: Personal and business reports.
- Letters of Request: Requests for information, firm orders, order acceptance letters, order confirmation letters.
- Letters of Complaint: Order complaints, unpaid claims.
The evolved style omits greetings and farewells, focusing on the home, contents, and end of the letter.
Request Letters
When requesting information, write with precision, state the reasons for the request, and reference data confidentiality. Requirements: Clear information and a concise description of the request. Communicate respectfully to avoid offending the customer.
Order Acceptance Letters
These simple letters indicate order acceptance. Avoid repeating order conditions unless there are differences or changes that alter the order; communicate these changes immediately to the client.
Letter Components
- Start: Indicate the position of the person greeting or the entity’s name.
- Content: Address the recipient by name and explain the reason for sending the letter.
- Ending: Include the sender’s name, a brief and friendly farewell, the hometown, and the date.
Greeting Composition
Write in the third person, single-spaced, short, without a signature or seal. Do not include the company or recipient’s address.
Internal Communication
Used for communication between different departments or sections within a company.