Rules for conducting business correspondence: practical advice and examples for companies

In 2021, every second person on the planet sent and received 246 billion emails of various types, and the average worker spends 28% of their working day managing email. And from subjective observations, both in our company and in the companies of my colleagues, I see that more and more business communications are moving into the text environment: into email and instant messengers. Because it's convenient. Because we millennials are digital natives, and it’s easier for us to communicate by text with ten people at the same time than by phone with one person.

And since electronic business correspondence is such an important communication channel today, the skill of writing effective letters is of great value.
Below we will look at the rules by adhering to which you can make your letters to colleagues and clients more convincing, powerful, and effective. You no longer need to search and call every digital agency.
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Etiquette and literacy

Never forget about politeness.
As already emphasized above, it is important if you are interested in business correspondence. Phrases such as “glad to cooperate”, “thank you for your attention”, “I apologize for disturbing you”, “we will be glad to see you”, “would you like to join us” and others . The last two, by the way, refer more likely to invitations to corporate celebrations than to a business letter

Always, as a sign of respect, add “please,” “thank you,” “would you be kind,” etc. to phrases where appropriate.

Human literacy is no less important in the process of writing business letters. More precisely, if you make even one elementary mistake in the process of creating a letter, we can say that the interlocutor will form a completely different opinion about you than the one you expect

Therefore, try to write as competently as possible and check everything several times. If you don’t know how to find errors and correct them yourself, use the services of a proofreader or specialized services. It's very simple, but it will allow you to be confident in your text.

Tips and tricks

During business communication, disrespect towards each other is not allowed, despite possible existing disagreements in the business sphere. Therefore, etiquette recommends reserved and courteous behavior. In addition, general standards prohibit the use of:

• Anglicisms;
• slang;
• internal corporate reductions;
• complex terms.

In each letter it is necessary to follow the generally accepted structure and not to neglect the rules of subordination. In addition, it is important to remember: reading correspondence requires wasting the most valuable resource - time. Therefore, when composing a text, you should make sure that the interlocutor will need no more than 50-60 seconds to perceive and familiarize yourself with it.

Letter requirements

So, the rules of business correspondence state that all letters must, firstly, be brief. This is the main rule that it will be read. Agree, we all don’t like when we are loaded with a large amount of information. If this is a business letter, it should not be huge - in this case, it may simply be ignored. If you can’t shorten the information right away, do it after you write the first draft of your letter.

Secondly, your partner (participant in the correspondence) must understand what is being said. That is, the letter should be made informative and understandable. It should contain the information that you would like to convey in such a way as to avoid additional questions and not waste time on clarifying details.

Thirdly, the letter should be made as respectful as possible towards your partner or company employee who will read it. It's true - the more respect you show your interlocutor, the more likely it is that he will respond appropriately to your request and, in the end, you will achieve the desired effect.

External paper documentation

Any business letter must be written on company letterhead with company details and all contact information.

Be sure to include the exact date of the document.

The upper right corner of the sheet is occupied by the initials of the addressee and the address of the recipient company.

Break the text into meaningful paragraphs to make it easier for the reader to understand and perceive it. No more than 4-5 lines.

Writing all words in capital letters is bad form.

Documents may be attached to the letter. In this case, they are listed in a separate line in the lower left part of the sheet. According to business etiquette, a response to a letter must be received within 10 days. If the problem requires more time to resolve, the addressee must notify this.

After writing, you should be sure to carefully check the text again for errors, both spelling and grammar. If you have time, you should put the letter aside and return to it again later. As a rule, inaccuracies will be discovered that were not noticed at first. This advice is most important when responding to a customer complaint. You shouldn’t irritate a person even more with an illiterately written letter.

When the document is written and checked a couple of times, print it on A4 paper. This size is the standard size used for any correspondence, even if the text itself only takes up half a sheet.

Test the ink in the printer before printing to avoid blurry or sloppy output.

In some cases, you can attach your business card to the document, and enclose the printed sheet itself in a transparent file.

A branded envelope with the company logo is also considered good form.

The rules for conducting informal business correspondence are often more emotional than in business papers and less clichéd. Abbreviations and the use of colorful adjectives are appropriate here, for example, in congratulations: amazing, responsive, kind.

How to understand abbreviations

• EOB (end of business day) → end of the working day.
• SOB (start of business day) → the beginning of the working day.
• EOQ (end of quarter) → by the end of the quarter.
• TBD (to be determined) or TBA (to be announced), we use it when information on the timing or date is not yet known.
• PTO (paid time off) → vacation.
• OOO (Out of office) → outside the office, not at work. The phrase is used in auto replies.
• FUP (follow up) → follow, take control.
• POC (point of contact) → contact person.
• FYI (for your information) → for your information.
• AAMOF (As A Matter Of Fact) → essentially.
• AFAIK (As far as I know) → as far as I know.
• BTW (By The Way) →by the way.
• CU (see you) → see you
• F2F (face to face) → alone.
• IMHO (In My Humble (Honest) Opinion) → in my humble opinion.

How to write a business letter

There are certain rules and regulations for writing a business letter. The main aspect is compliance with business etiquette. Business correspondence is a type of official correspondence.

There are several types of business correspondence, namely:

• circular letters - inform subordinates of any information or instructions;
• letters of inquiry - requests to formulate a commercial proposal or describe a product/service;
• letters of guarantee - sent to confirm the terms of contracts;
• complaint (claim);
• cover letters, etc.

But all types of business letters have the same differences from a simple letter.

Main differences:

1. Writing style. It implies brevity and capacity of the letter, it is advised not to write more than one page, with the generally accepted structure of the letter, without “water”.
2. Official vocabulary. Strong expressions of emotions and feelings are not allowed.
3. Forms on company letterhead with details and all contact information.
4. Font. Not large, but not small either. Identical throughout the entire length of the letter.
5. Respect for subordination.
6. Style. Your letter should be in a formal business style, i.e. use of official vocabulary.
7. Relevance of information. The information in the letter must be relevant and relevant at the time of sending.

Writing a business letter on paper

Address the recipient of the letter by position/last name/first name and patronymic or generalized in the upper right corner. The subject of the letter (may sometimes be omitted). In order to correctly compose a topic, you need to think through the text of the letter and identify the main words, which then need to be summarized. You can also forward the subject of the email if it was a response to a received email. Addresses from the words Dear First Name Patronymic. The main part of the letter. Description of the problem or purpose of the letter, contains the main information, important proposals, necessary requirements, request or orders. This part contains a strictly chronological presentation of facts and logical justification.

Each paragraph contains one aspect of information. If you need to pay special attention to something in the text of the letter, then use the mark “Important!”, after which information that is important for the recipient is implied.

Example of introduction and main part:

General Director of StroyMedProm LLC Kazantsev V.O. From Yarygin P.N. st. Lesnaya 33, G

Perm (There may also be information elements of the organization) (topic) On fulfillment of the terms of the contract

Dear Viktor Olegovich! (Main part) In accordance with the recent agreement, you need to send all the documents of our agreement... Important! Documents must be certified by a notary.

• Any type of business letter must contain a conclusion, which consists of conclusions, proposals, agreements/refusals, warnings. For example, these: we ask, we remind, we warn.
• Closing phrases should encourage further cooperation or possible refusal. A postscript “PS” may appear at the end to add to the completed letter.
• If documents are attached to the letter, this should be indicated in the lower left corner of the sheet. According to business etiquette, a response to a letter should not take more than 10 days; if the response requires more time, you must inform the addressee about this.
• Also at the end there is a signature with a transcript and a date. Conclusion example:

In connection with the above, we warn you that there are deadlines in this matter. We look forward to further cooperation! Appendix 1 “Document-agreement” Appendix 2 “Contract Agreement” Read also:  Why we undermine our relationships and how to stop doing it Deputy Director P.N. Yarygin (signature) 25.07.2018

Business correspondence by E-mail

It often happens that a letter needs to be sent online. With this type of letter, you should also follow the rules and not forget about the official style.

Basic Rules:

1. Set up a work email address that you will use in the office.
2. The name of the mailbox must contain the appropriate name of either the company or your last name.
3. You must always fill in the subject line, otherwise your email risks ending up in spam. In the subject line, indicate the most important information about the letter (no more than 5 words).
4. Do not mix several topics in one letter; it is better to divide them into different ones and send them one by one.
5. Be polite even online.
6. The email should be short, one and a half to two times less than a written letter.
7. Attach attachments as separate elements.
8. At the end there must be a signature of the company or person sending it.

Style and style

We have drawn up a competent writing plan. Now it is important to write the letter in the correct language. So we need a few more rules.

Rule 9. Choose specific subjects

Everyone had to read opuses in the spirit of “In order to avoid problems with tourists paying for tours and the subsequent discovery of the impossibility of issuing a visa to them by the embassy, ​​the travel agency changed the procedure for accepting and checking tourists’ documents for a visa.”
In this text, the subject, the main member of the sentence, denoting the hero or subject of the story, let us down. Here there is only one thing - “change”.

List who or what the sentence is about:

• tourists
• agency
• embassy…

Make the most important characters or items on the list the subject. “The travel agency has changed the procedure for accepting documents to eliminate cases when the embassy refuses tourists who have already paid for the trip.”

Rule 10. Use predicate verbs

The predicate is responsible for the action of the hero or the sign of the object in the sentence.
It can be simple (“design”, “control”) and complex (“design”, “provide control”). Even if there are several words in the predicate, the main thing is still the verb. In the simple version, the whole meaning of the predicate is in the verb (What are we doing? We are designing!). In a compound verb, the verb is empty (What are we doing? We are doing it!), and the meaning must be sought further in the text.

A simple verb predicate is easier to perceive. Instead of “providing consultation,” write “consulting.”

Rule 11. Avoid “uninhabited” pieces of text

The subject and predicate are the locomotive of the sentence.
If we attach a couple of dozen words to one locomotive, the sentence “will not work.” Instead of “In case of non-use of paid communication services through a subscriber number for 150 days and subject to a positive balance of the personal account, tariffication of communication services on this Subscriber number is carried out in accordance with the terms of the “Spare” tariff plan, write “If you do not use paid services for more than 150 days, and your account balance is positive, your number is automatically transferred to the “Spare” tariff

The text should be “densely populated” with subjects and predicates - as shown in the diagram “based on” the poems of Agnia Barto. The higher the structure on the diagram, the easier it is for the recipient to perceive it. The lower, the more difficult it is for the recipient.

Rule 12. Put the subject at the beginning of the sentence

It is especially difficult for a “composition” sentence to move if the locomotive is not in the head, but in the tail.
This happens when there is a long adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence. Instead of “Given the possibility of vehicle malfunctions occurring away from the auto repair shop, it is necessary that the driver be able to fix minor malfunctions himself.” write “Since the car can break down away from the auto repair shop, the driver should be able to fix minor problems himself.”

Types of business letters

To decide how to compose a letter, you need to know the differences between its types. This will help you decide on the topic of the message and its correct design.

This will help you avoid looking stupid in the eyes of an important opponent.

According to the design structure there are:

Letters of communication

This includes letters of refusal, claims, excuses, and confessions. Everything that an employee uses in the course of his professional activities.

Letters of agreement

An important type of writing. Thanks to her, the results of the meeting are summed up, agreements are formed, the time for completing tasks is determined, and both parties are convinced of the correct understanding of the contract.

Requirements

A business letter must meet the following requirements:

• Speech is standardized at all levels - lexical, morphological and syntactic. It contains many expressions, terms and formulas.
• The tone of writing is neutral, restrained and strict, without the use of emotional and expressive language.
• Accuracy and clarity of the text, without logical errors, clarity and thoughtfulness of wording.
• Conciseness and brevity - without using expressions that carry additional meaning.
• The use of language formulas formed as a result of repeated situations.
• The use of terms, that is, words or phrases that have special concepts.
• The use of abbreviations, which can be lexical (that is, compound words formed by removing letters from parts of words: LLC, GOST, and so on) and graphic (that is, word designations in abbreviated form: grn, zh-d, etc.).
• The use of constructions in the genitive and instrumental cases.
• Phrases with verbal nouns (“provide support” instead of “support”).
• Using simple common sentences.

The above business letter samples are shown in full version (with body) below. The information meets all the requirements of an official business style.

How to write a business letter in English

We found out how to write a business letter in Russian. What about writing letters for foreign companies?

1. Date

In the USA, there is its own form of writing the date: first comes the month, then the date, then the year (October 9, 2021 will look like this - 09/10/19). In Britain, the date is written the same way as in Russia, but it is better to write the month in letters, and not in numbers to avoid confusion.

2. Business letter: recipient details

• Addressing a man looks like this: Mr (followed by the surname).
• Addressing a married woman: Mrs (followed by the surname).
• Addressing an unmarried woman: Miss (followed by the surname).
• If you don’t know the lady’s status: Ms (indicate last name).

3. Recipient's address

For letters sent to the USA, the following order of address writing is established: office number, house number, street name, zip code, state name. Letters sent to the UK must include the name of the county and country.

4. Address to the recipient

Usually this:

• Dear Madam.
• Dear Sir.
• Dear Sir or Madam.
• Dear Mrs.

Letters sent to the United States must be followed by a colon. And if the letter is sent to the UK - a comma. The exclamation mark is not used in this case.

5. Subject line

In business letters, you must indicate the subject so that the recipient immediately understands what will be discussed.

6. Text construction

For ease of reading, you need to divide the text into parts and make paragraphs. Sometimes you can write all sentences on a new line.

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7. Farewell

It must correspond to the style of correspondence; the degree of formality is determined by the general nature of what is written. If you are writing a rather stern business letter, an example of a farewell might be: “Thanking you for assistance, we remain Yours truly...” (Thank you, devoted to you....).

8. Signing

Everything is standard here: after the farewell, the name, surname, position and place of work are indicated, then the signature follows.

9. Application design

If any documents are attached to the letter, “Enc.” must be indicated at the end of it. and list the applications.

10. When are capital letters used?

• Last names and initials.
• Company names.
• Names of cities, states, etc.
• Any words that indicate the position held.
• The first words of farewell.
• Opening addresses.

Laconic informative signature

Insert a signature to the letter and format it according to the principle “so that it is useful and convenient for the recipient”: insert your name, position, and 1-2 contacts where you will respond most quickly. It would be optimal to indicate in your signature your phone number (mobile or office with an extension) + messenger account for prompt communication in writing.

Structure of a laconic signature

Tips for writing a thoughtful signature for a letter:

• if you are comfortable being addressed by your first name (and not your first name and patronymic), then do not indicate your full name, limit yourself to your first and last name;
• if you are writing from a corporate email, which makes it clear exactly where the letter came from, it is not necessary to indicate the company in the title;
• Be sure to indicate your personal phone number in your personal signature: either mobile or corporate, but then be sure to include an extension number;
• indicate the phone number in the generally accepted standard using the mask: +7 (…) …-..-.., so that it is convenient for the recipient to copy it into dialing from any device;
• As an additional contact, it is advisable to indicate a messenger or an additional telephone number, which will certainly answer you within 15 minutes in the event of force majeure;
• omit polite curtsies like “with respect”, “sincerely”, “wishing you a good day” and so on: there is no sincere politeness in these general phrases, but they clog up the letter and take up lines where useful information can be placed.

An example of an overloaded and laconic signature

Common mistakes in business correspondence

There are several seemingly small things that can nevertheless become fatal in the case of business communication. Often it is these little things that lead to the termination of mutually beneficial relationships, the termination of transactions and similar unpleasant things. You need to know the enemy by sight!

1. You cannot write (and call too!) about work outside of working hours! How often do we, not wanting to wait until the morning, disturb our partners, clients, colleagues at nine, ten, or even eleven in the evening. It seems to us that everything will disappear overnight, collapse, fail, and it will no longer be possible to save the situation. And those rare individuals who are able to hold out until the morning, for some reason, believe that six in the morning is the best time to communicate. After all, if I don’t sleep, then no one sleeps. Alas, such behavior only irritates and turns us against ourselves.
2. This has already been indirectly mentioned, but nevertheless, there can be no familiarity! Communication at work takes place exclusively in “you” (with a capital V, which means politeness and respect).
3. Excessive exchange of pleasantries can also cause harm. Firstly, it takes up valuable time, and secondly, it looks a little annoying and boring. No need to try hard.

Business letter etiquette

In what cases may we be required to write a business letter? Of course, if we conduct any business with organizations and/or individuals. What we write to our partners, colleagues, clients, the way we format our letter will become the face of our company and present us either in a favorable light or in a not so favorable light. Unless, of course, we are competent in the etiquette of writing business letters. In order not to lose face, you need to learn the wisdom below. By the way, it is also useful to have such knowledge because the slightest mistake, a tiny discrepancy with the rules can turn a business letter into one that is illegal from a legal point of view.

One of the most important parts of etiquette is business correspondence.

It is estimated that almost 50% of the time at work is spent dealing with papers and mail. But this is necessary, since competent business correspondence can significantly increase a company’s turnover and speed up the interaction of different services and departments.

Of course, there are certain patterns here, and we will definitely talk about them in this article. The rules of business correspondence have long been standardized. The existing GOST R.6.30-2003 will help you correctly place the text on the sheet, tell you what indents, margins, and fonts to make. Business correspondence is characterized by uniformity and repetition of speech patterns.

However, any letter is individual. A big imprint on it is left by the identity of the sender, his position, situation and recipient. To some extent, business correspondence is a combination of creativity and hard work.

Types of business letters

A business letter is a document that performs a number of functions and deals with one or more interrelated issues. Business letters are written for different reasons and have many varieties. Business correspondence is conducted as part of interaction between employees of the same or different enterprises. With its help, you can convey the necessary information to a colleague or partner, make a proposal, make a claim, or ask for something. Such correspondence requires adherence to certain rules and regulations for writing and processing documents.

Any business letter can be classified. The types of such letters are completely different. There are several groups of them, each of which includes letters united by a certain characteristic: topic, function, recipient, composition, form of sending.

Subject:

• Proposal or offer. Offer of goods, services, cooperation.
• Request. Sent in order to clarify the conditions of joint work, some nuances of cooperation.
• Claim. It is sent in case of improper fulfillment of its obligations by one of the parties.
• An information letter is necessary in order to notify the partner about some changes, innovations, etc.
• Confirmation. It is sent in order to inform about agreement with new working conditions or, for example, about the receipt of some kind of shipment.
• Reminder. It is necessary to inform a colleague or partner that, for example, the terms of a contract are expiring.
• Invitation. Sent with the goal of inviting a partner to an event or meeting.
• Congratulations or thank you letter. It is necessary to express gratitude for any reason, in order to congratulate on holidays and significant events.

Function:

• Initiative letters. The sender composes a letter on his own initiative in order to obtain the necessary information, confirm receipt of documents, invite him to a holiday, etc.
• Answers. They are sent in response to initiative letters.
• Letters without answer. Sent to ensure that the partner receives the necessary information. A response to a business letter of this type is not usually written.

Recipient:

• Personal. Sent to the name of a specific person. This could be the head of the enterprise, a department employee, an accountant, etc.
• Group or impersonal. Such letters do not have a specific recipient; they are usually sent to the company's address.

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Composition:

• Single-aspect. Such letters are about something specific.
• Multidimensional. These letters have several subjects of discussion.

Departure form:

• Traditional or paper.
• Electronic.

E-mail correspondence: what to pay attention to

In modern reality, most business letters are sent by e-mail, and therefore the rules of business etiquette formulate requirements for conducting electronic business communication.

1. If messages are not sent from corporate servers, you need to be careful when writing your email address. The name of the email address must be official, and it is better not to use all frivolous options, for example: “krasotka_mary”, “supercar” and the like.
2. It is always necessary to fill out the field with the subject of the letter, formulating it as briefly and succinctly as possible.
3. When you write a reply, you can quote the original message so the recipient can see what questions they wanted answered. This rule is not strict; it is applied depending on the accepted standards of business correspondence at the enterprise or the established rules of communication with a specific recipient.
4. It is acceptable to use the capabilities of email programs to request a read receipt. It is not always necessary to use this option, especially if the letter is being written to be addressed outside the organization, since the recipient in this case is required to send such a notification, which may irritate him. It is better to use wording in the text of the message asking for notification of receipt of the letter: “Please confirm receipt.”
5. The signature in an email has its own characteristics. It should be more detailed than when issued on the organization’s letterhead. In business correspondence, it is customary not only to sign the letter, but also to indicate next to the signature the name of the organization, position, contact phone number and website of the organization. In essence, this signature format replaces the header of a printed form. The capabilities of email programs allow you to create a signature template and use it with automatic substitution in each message you send.
6. Applications are sent as attachments to an email message, and the names of the attached files can be listed in the text.

Knowledge of the rules of business communication and their application in a business letter allows the sender to create a reputation as a business person and a reliable partner who is attentive to the information sent to its addressees.

Types of business correspondence

Document circulation is carried out on paper and via e-mail.

All correspondence at the enterprise can be divided into the following groups:

— official/unofficial correspondence;

- internal and external.

Official correspondence includes commercial offers, letters of gratitude and guarantees, trade agreements, orders for the enterprise, job responsibilities, requests, demands, claims.

Informal correspondence includes various congratulations from business partners, customers, and employees; condolences, apologies, invitations and thanks.

Internal documents circulate only between departments of one enterprise, while external documents go beyond its boundaries.

Offer

Any business correspondence (the examples we give also necessarily have this property) requires a logical sequence. If at first you wrote about why you were writing, then you should further specify and expand this idea. Indicate what you would like from the interlocutor more broadly - perhaps draw him the prospect of benefits from agreeing to work with you. This part, by all logic, should be the “peak” of your writing, the culmination of its kind. If initially you smoothly approached what interests you primarily, then in this part you should “reveal your cards.” All business correspondence (the examples of letters above are no exception) should be built along such a smooth upward curve. Then the reader of your lines will understand your mood and, thus, it will be more comfortable for him to communicate with you. Don’t make any abrupt leaps, don’t move from one topic to another.

As the examples show, if you need to discuss, for example, two unrelated issues, you can divide the article into parts by breaking it into paragraphs. This is convenient for both the reader, who will visually see the moment where you move from one question to another; and so it is for you, because in this case you write as if we are talking about two different letters.

If we talk about our examples, we should write: “In addition, we would like to re-order product N, about which we interacted with you a month earlier.” Or: “At a price suitable for our conditions, we would like to establish ongoing cooperation with you in this area, increasing the sales channel to XY thousand units.” Finally, you can do this: “If your interest in working with us is still valid, please let us know.”

Every second sample of business correspondence is built according to this principle, so there is nothing wrong with it. On the contrary, highlighting headings often helps to navigate better, since it removes “solid text” and creates a kind of “anchors” in it that you can visually attach to.

Online Business Etiquette and Business Emails

Electronic letters, like paper ones, consist of several important elements that require competent filling out not at all because of speculative rules, but precisely because these elements can be informative and very convenient from a utilitarian and practical point of view. A correct letter guarantees a correct and prompt response, as well as a constructive solution to the issue.

1. Addressee: It is customary to indicate one address in the addressee line.

This indicates not only a respectful attitude towards the interlocutor, but will also protect his e-mail from spam, unnecessary mailings and prying eyes.

1. A copy of the addressee's letter is filled out for a specific purpose.

By sending a letter to the main addressee and indicating another in the “copy” section, the addressee informs the second interlocutor about what is happening, but does not require him to respond or directly participate in the correspondence.

1. Subject line: specificity and uniqueness.

Extreme specificity of the topic should help both the addressee and the addressee navigate the topic of discussion and distinguish between many problems and tasks: not just “Report from Katya”, but “Report for May 2015. Draft”

Please note: the name in this case is useless, since the addressee is already clear to the addressee from the name of the email box

Emails are equally easy to read on a desktop monitor or a tablet.

1. The body of the email should contain 3 key elements.

First, a greeting (if this is the first letter of this day, for example) and an address (in each letter). Secondly, a statement of the question: a presentation of yourself (if the letter is the first), a reminder of the tasks to be solved, a description of the problem or its solution. Thirdly, a request or encouragement to action.

1. The email read notification function requires sensitivity.

It should be used if the letter is really important, but there is no way to ask about its receipt by phone, for example. This function usually imposes unclear, vaguely formulated psychological obligations on the recipient, so it should not be abused

A correct and not so categorical option is a polite request at the end of the letter to indicate that it has been read.

1. The signature requires conciseness and at the same time capacity.

The wording may contain the standard formula “With respect” or be limited to the last name and first name. The signature, including name, position, organization name and contact information, should not exceed 7 lines. It is advisable to indicate alternative contact information, in addition to your mailbox: telephone, Skype, ICQ, and other popular instant messengers.

1. Attachments: the main thing is to warn and name the files correctly.

Netiquette requires information about the document in the file attached to the letter: about the format, its volume and content. The attachment should not be larger than 3-5 Mb. Its title, like the subject of the letter, should be extremely short, specific and unique.

Normal type of email

The reaction time of a letter in netiquette differs from the time in off-line. Two to three hours is a comfortable time to wait for a response to an urgent letter. In response to urgent or important messages, sometimes it is enough to warn that the e-mail has been received and the information has been taken into account. If the problem requires lengthy consideration, then the addressee needs to inform his interlocutor about the time it will take to answer the question.

The reputation of a business person and a company consists not only of the efficiency and effectiveness of the business, but also of the little things and nuances of any stage of business negotiations. Compliance with the principles of business correspondence is required from every representative of the company: from a minor clerk to a public relations specialist and the head of the company.

Letter form and language formulas

A letterhead letterhead is the face of the company, so its mandatory attributes are literacy, accuracy of details, external neatness and modest originality of design.

Whether it is a corner or longitudinal version of the form, the full name of the organization, postal, actual and official address, telephone, fax, email addresses and the address of the official electronic page must be easy to read. The list of details is not strictly regulated, but completeness of data always looks more advantageous.

For reference: Information about the registration of correspondence is also desirable - about the date, number in the list, about the specific executor who prepared the document for sending. If this is a response letter, then a reference to the request letter is necessary.

In a business letter, it is also possible to indicate the genre, which simplifies the formatting of correspondence: information letter, proposal, request, petition, apology, condolences, gratitude.

Letter on the official letterhead of the organization

The first part of the letter is an address, the formula of which contains the name and patronymic of the addressee or a more official version - the word “Mr.”:

• Dear Fedor Fedorovich!
• Dear Mr. Smirnov!
• Dear Mr. Director!

The main part of the letter - informative - contains a short, understandable and succinct message and clear tasks: provide information, clarify information, resolve a supply issue, etc. If the letter contains a refusal, then it is correct to start the first half with a clear and evidential justification. Language formulas may be different, depending on the chosen tone:

• The company asks to consider the issue...
• The President and Board of Directors request to be informed about...
• Please consider the opportunity...
• Please respond as soon as possible...

The final part of the letter is gratitude, apology, assurances that the issue will be resolved as soon as possible, and hope for further cooperation.

Business letters require compliance with official procedures: if the letter requires the signature of a manager, then it must be signed by the manager (at least, his deputy).

Nuances

A business letter has its own clear, special structure. At the same time, there is no single standard for the preparation of paper documents: different companies may have their own variations. They adhere only to a certain composition of the parts of the letter: they must certainly contain a “header”, a greeting, the main part and a farewell. Don't forget about your personal signature at the end of the letter.

By the way, the so-called frame of the message - the initial and final phrases - is called a label frame. It is she who helps to establish the necessary relationship with the addressee. In addition, the rules of etiquette for business letters and examples of their writing demonstrate the use of various speech cliches in messages (they will be discussed below).

An important aspect of writing a business letter is the correct use of address. Before the revolution in our country, the address “sir” or “madam” was in use: it was considered universal, they called anyone that way. Nowadays there is no such universal address, although the word “Mr” or “Madam” is often found in business letters - having previously lost its popularity, it is gradually coming back into use. You can address this to a business partner or official, but not to a client or colleague.

The most common and universal at present is considered to be the address “Dear” or “Dear Sir,” but in fact it is not that either. In a similar way, for example, you cannot appeal to the so-called VIPs - especially important persons, who are considered governors, mayors, and presidents. In this case, you will need to start your letter with the address “Dearly” (another option is “Highly Respected”).

If the message is addressed to several people at once, and they are all representatives of the same profession, it would be appropriate to use an address such as “Dear colleagues” (if all addressees are women, it is permissible to write “Dear ladies”; if men, then “Dear gentlemen"). If the letter is addressed to one person, it is strictly forbidden not to use a name or surname. This is permissible only in the above case (when the addressee is a group of persons) or when interacting with a legal entity.

As for the end of the message, you need to remember: it is no less significant than the beginning. It is at the end of the letter that hope is expressed for further cooperation, confidence in a successful and/or quick resolution of the issue, and the like. Here, you should also not point out previous difficulties - for example, delays in answering or failure to receive one at all. These phrases are considered negative signs of business letter etiquette and are considered as reluctance to continue the relationship, as well as disrespect for the interlocutor

It is important to understand that this is unacceptable

Well designed theme

The formulation and design of the subject line of the letter deserves special attention. Every day we receive and write 130 business letters, and well-designed subject lines help us quickly navigate this information flow.

Formulating the subject of the letter:

1. clearly convey the essence of the letter;
2. do not exceed 50 characters;
3. link to the email chain if this is the answer.

An example of poorly and well designed subject lines for the same emails:

• “Approval” → “Agree on photos for a new article”
• “Agreement” → “Agreement for contextual advertising with amendments”
• “Answer” → “Re: List of questions about the results of SEO promotion”

Maintaining a topic length of 50 characters is important so that it is fully displayed when viewed from a smartphone; and responding to a letter not with a new topic, but keeping the same one, is important in order to maintain a history of correspondence on specific issues (to easily find key information within the entire chain, without having to do a tedious search through all the letters in the inbox and sent folders).

Working with attachments

If there is too much information to convey, do not put it all in the body of the letter, but attach it as separate documents as attachments.

For the convenience of the recipient, rename the documents you prepared to names that he understands. This will show your interest and win you over. Think about how many work folders the recipient has on his computer and how he will search for your letter among them.

Be sure to inform the recipient about the files you are sending so that he does not consider them a random virus. Archive large documents.

It is best to send too large attachments (over 200 kbytes) in other ways, for example, through an ftp server.

Some mail servers do not allow formats such as COM, EXE, CMD, PIF and a number of others to pass through and block them.

If there were several recipients of your letter, take the time to delete all evidence of mass forwarding each time. The addressee does not need such extra information at all. The “bcc” command will help you.

The rules for conducting business correspondence by e-mail require informing the other party that the correspondence has been received. If it is not possible to answer at the moment, notify your interlocutor about this. Save your correspondence history to avoid further questions and proceedings.

If the response is important and urgent, it is allowed to additionally notify the addressee by phone, Skype or ICQ. If after this it was not possible to achieve a positive result, remind yourself again

It is not uncommon that when you request a document, you receive an empty letter with an attached file in response. It is unacceptable. Examples of business correspondence require that relevant information be placed in the body of the document. For example, this: “I am sending the necessary data for your request.”

Don’t forget to indicate the coordinates at the end of the letter: all available methods of communication, position, company website, links to social networks.

When writing organization contacts, provide as much information as possible - telephone number with area code, address with zip code. After all, your communication occurs not only with residents of your region. If you have all the information, it will be easier to contact you.

And the last rule: whoever started the correspondence must finish the electronic dialogue.

Well-designed investments

Another important, simple, and unfairly ignored way to improve the effectiveness of your email is to carefully check all the properties of attachments attached to the message:

• Check the file name to ensure it is relevant and does not contain unwanted information. For example, “ps_layout-HOWED-check you.PSD” reflects its content much worse than “Horns-and-hooves_Promotion layout bouquet as a gift_for verification_01/15/2020.PSD”, and can also offend the recipient..
• Indicate in the letter how the recipient should use the attached files. For example, not just attach to the letter “Report on the tasks of the site site.ru_January 2021.xls”, but comment on its essence: “Please read the detailed report on the completed tasks for the past month, it is attached to the letter in the file “Report on the tasks of the site site.ru_January 2021.xls“"..
• Never send .exe or other program files. The mail server will most likely perceive such an email as potentially dangerous and block the attachment or the entire email.
• When “packaging” attachments, use the universal encodings .zip or .rar. Other extensions may be blocked or cut off during transmission and create problems for the recipient.

Business communication style

Business correspondence involves a delicate balancing act. Friendly communication is inappropriate here, but emphatically harsh communication is not appropriate either.

Features of communication:

Severity of designs

Diminutive words and slang expressions will be inappropriate.

Using emoticons

Use emoticons carefully or avoid them. The first contact does not allow their presence in principle

In the future, brackets may be present, but only positive ones, in moderate quantities. Niceness and humor are unacceptable in this style of communication. This form is unacceptable if you are subordinate to your interlocutor.

Greetings by name and patronymic

The rules for conducting business correspondence imply a respectful attitude towards the interlocutor, attention and interest in his person. This increases your opponent's interest in you and increases the chance of his leniency.

It is advisable to know in advance the name of the person you are addressing, as well as his preferences for address.

Reply within two days

It is correct to send a response to the message within a few business days. Otherwise it is considered disrespectful. If the letter was sent before the weekend or vacation, you don’t have to respond to it if it’s not urgent. Otherwise, you need to warn your interlocutor about the temporary absence of your response or briefly unsubscribe about the contents of the letter.

Lack of intrusiveness

Constantly asking about something, asking for confirmation will show you in a bad light. If confirmation from the interlocutor is required, you can remind him of the need to respond in three days. If the matter is urgent, it is better to mention it initially in your first message.

Mirror rule

Business correspondence etiquette often allows you to address your opponent the way he does. This increases the possibility of mutual understanding and communication on the same level. Keep track of what terms, style of communication, and address your interlocutor uses.

Happy holidays

If communication takes place around or during official holidays, it is worth congratulating the interlocutor. These are the rules of business correspondence. It is also useful to know when your opponent's birthday is.

Gratitude

Elementary politeness would be words of gratitude in response to a congratulation, invitation, or explanation.

Taking into account all the above features, it will not be difficult to establish contact with your interlocutor and form a favorable opinion about yourself.

Why do we need uniform rules for electronic correspondence?

Business interaction has almost completely moved to the Internet. Well-written and correctly formatted letters highlight the company’s reputation, become its calling card and allow employees to accurately understand the information presented.

The basic rules of business electronic communication are as follows:

• accuracy and punctuality in the process of information exchange;
• respectful attitude towards the opponent and his business position;
• compliance with confidentiality principles.

Networking with its generally accepted standards also presupposes an established format and template for letters, correct design and lack of creativity. However, the company’s own corporate style is allowed.

Unified standards for writing an electronic appeal take into account the possibility of correct display on various equipment - stationary PCs or mobile devices.

Basic rules for correspondence by e-mail

Use your work email address only for its intended purpose.

Pay attention to the name of the mailbox. Do not use incorrect names when working, such as “baby”, “superman”, even if they are indicated in English transcription

Always fill in the “subject” column, otherwise your letter may end up in spam. Descriptions like “plan”, “list”, “commercial proposal”, “report” will not work. There may be quite a lot of similar letters in your recipient's inbox. Be as specific as possible about what your message is about. Don't use more than five words. Capitalize your subject. There is no need to put a period at the end.

If you are replying to a previously received email, be sure to remove the “Re” in the subject line.

How to conduct business correspondence correctly

When composing a letter, it is important to pay attention to all details. When describing the rules of business correspondence, it is worth paying attention to the following aspects:

If you are writing a letter in which you need to answer specific questions asked by the author, then it would be appropriate to quote each of them separately. To do this, use numbering and break the text into paragraphs. When composing a letter, you need to briefly comment on all the documents attached either by you or the interlocutor

This is important so that the recipient immediately understands the essence of the letter. The letter must be signed by the manager and stamped.

Rules for conducting business correspondence

Errors when composing business letters are unacceptable, so it is important to know the basic rules for composing them:

1. Do not use words whose meaning is unknown, or check their interpretation using a dictionary.
2. Conducting business correspondence excludes the use of specific terminology, since some words may be unknown to the addressee. If such terms are used, then provide an explanation.
3. Express your thoughts in short sentences so that the main point is not lost.
4. If you don’t know the Russian language thoroughly, then it’s better to first type the text in an editor or in a document on your computer to check your spelling.
5. Business correspondence does not allow the use of colloquial words, literary expressions, and so on. Before sending a letter, check it for errors and typos. It is better to check again after a while.

Beginning of a letter in business correspondence

First, in the structure of the letter there is a “header”, which contains the position and full name of the addressee. Features of business correspondence include the standard address “Dear,” which in most cases is written in the center of the page. If the person is unfamiliar, then the word “Mr.” is written before the last name. The first paragraph (preamble) includes the purpose and reason for the letter. After reading it, the addressee should understand the main meaning of the message.

Request in business correspondence

One of the popular types of business correspondence is a request letter. This could be a tactful request or a diplomatic demand on a current issue. Business writing skills are important for writing requests because they should motivate the recipient to take the action required by the writer. There are certain rules for writing a letter:

1. The addressee should be addressed personally, observing the basics of business etiquette.
2. To explain to the recipient the reason for the request, you can give him a compliment, highlight his business or personal qualities and merits.
3. Give reasons for the request and interest the addressee in fulfilling it. The problem should be described as concisely and clearly as possible.
4. Once the request is made, it should be modified and repeated again, emphasizing the potential benefits.

How to remind yourself in business correspondence?

A reminder letter is used when you need to remind about the fulfillment of undertaken obligations, compliance with the law, the approach of an important event, and so on. In most cases, a verbal reminder is used before it

As a result, the letter serves as some kind of evidence of the action taken. A reminder in business correspondence includes:

1. Information about the sender and recipient. After this, the reason for the reminder is stated.
2. Links to laws and regulations related to the issue being recalled are provided.
3. The phrases of business correspondence should be clear, but not threatening. It would not be amiss to remind you that the problem can be solved peacefully.
4. The letter has no standards, so it can be written in free form.

How to properly apologize in business correspondence?

One of the most difficult letters to write is an apology letter, which requires you to both apologize and save face for the company. In addition, it is aimed at restoring damaged relationships. Business correspondence indicates the following features of the apology:

1. The structure of the letter includes the indication of the recipient, the subject of the message and the message.
2. You don’t have to specify the performer, since management will sign everything.
3. Phrases of apology in business correspondence should not be explicit and the subject of the letter should be neutral or absent altogether.
4. The effect that needs to be achieved is a sincere apology and information about what happened, that is, an indication of the reason for the unpleasant situation.

Fast and clear response

According to Wikipedia, “Business communication is a type of communication that is subordinated to solving a specific problem

based on the common interests and goals of the communicants.” Solving any problem requires clarity, precision, and certainty. This means that if business communication is communication with the goal of solving a specific problem, then one of the principles of business correspondence is to be clear (that is, clear, precise, definite) in communications.

To be clear in emails:

• reply to any email within 1 hour;
• if you are asked a number of questions, answer them all;
• indicate deadlines for solving the tasks listed in the letter;
• if the question is urgent, call rather than write;
• check the format, name, content of attachments.

Time management gurus (for example, Gleb Arkhangelsky with his “Time Drive”) declare a standard response to e-mail within 24 hours. But in fact, today the time for comfortable waiting for a response has decreased significantly: almost half of the respondents out of 2 million people respond to e-mail within 1 hour. If it is impossible to respond so quickly (you need to clarify information, collect data), then in your response letter you need to indicate the reason why an immediate answer is impossible, and the time frame within which you will still give this answer.

Clarity in email correspondence also manifests itself in a clear request: when naming the tasks that you set for your interlocutor, be sure to indicate in what time frame you expect them to be completed. You write to your interlocutor “make a layout” and mean “make a layout today by the end of the day,” and he understands the task as “make a layout within an acceptable time frame,” and his “acceptable time frame” is a week (not a day like yours) . As a result, conflict arises due to insufficiently clear writing.

By the way, urgent issues (requiring resolution by the end of the day) should generally be resolved by phone or in instant messengers, since less than half of people check their mail every couple of hours, and your letter may be opened much later than required for a quick response.