Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

BASIC
The basics of good business letter writing are easy to learn. The following guide provides the phrases that are usually found in any standard business letter. This basic of business letters are important because certain formulas are recognized and handled accordingly. Think of a basic business letter in three steps:

Introduction - The reason for writing

The introduction helps the reader understand in which context the letter should be considered. Possibilities include job interview inquires, business opportunity requests, complaints, and more. Each type of business letter has its own standard phrases which you can find in this this guide to different types of business letters.

Details - What you would like to accomplish

The detail section of a business letter is extremely important. This is where you achieve your goals in writing a business letter.

Conclusion / Next Steps - What you would like to happen in the future

Provide a call for future action. This can be a chance to talk in person, a follow-up letter or more. It's important and expected to make it clear what you would like for the next step from the person reading your business letter. The phrases presented in this guide provide a frame and introduction to the content of business letters. At the end of this guide, you will find links to sites that give tips on the difficult part of writing successful business letters - arguing your business objective. By using these standard phrases, you can give a professional tone to your English business letters. Once you understand these basics, you can refine your business letter writing skills by focusing on different types of business letters, as well as other business documents to refine your skills for your business needs at your employers or your own small business organization.

3.1

The Start

The start of any business letter begins by addressing the recipient of the letter. Dear Personnel Director, Dear Sir or Madam: (use if you don't know who you are writing to) Dear Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms Smith: (use if you know who you are writing to, and have a formal relationship with - VERY IMPORTANT use Ms for women unless asked to use Mrs or Miss) Dear Frank: (use if the person is a close business contact or friend) Note: If you are unsure how formal you should be, always choose a more formal form. Writing to a specific person is always preferred if at all possible.

3.2

The Reference

Begin by referencing a specific conversation or other contact means. If this is the first letter in a conversation, you can also provide the reason for writing. rd With reference to your advertisement in the Times, your letter of 23 March, your phone call today, th Thank you for your letter of March 5 .

3.3

The Reason for Writing

I am writing to... ... inquire about ... apologize for ... confirm ... comment on ... apply for

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

Examples: I am writing to inquire about the position posted in The Daily Mail. I am writing to confirm the shipment details on order # 2346. I am writing to apologize for the difficulties you experienced last week at our branch. Once you have introduced the reason for writing your business letter, move on to stating more specifically the purpose of your letter. Here are a number of possibilities:

3.4

Requesting

Could you possibly? I would be grateful if you could

3.5 3.6

Agreeing to Requests Giving Bad News

I would be delighted to Unfortunately I am afraid that Examples: Could you possible forward your job requirements? I am afraid that I will be able to attend the conference next week. I would be delighted to give you a tour of our facility this coming month.

3.7

Enclosing Documents

I am enclosing Please find enclosed Enclosed you will find

3.8

Closing Remarks

Thank you for your help Please contact us again if we can help in any way. there are any problems. you have any questions.

3.9

Reference to Future Contact

I look forward to ... hearing from you soon. meeting you next Tuesday. seeing you next Thursday.

3.10

The Finish

Yours faithfully, (If you don't know the name of the person you're writing to) Yours sincerely, (If you know the name of the person you're writing to) Best wishes, Best regards, (If the person is a close business contact or friend)

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

3.11

Sample Letter

Ken's Cheese House 34 Chatley Avenue Seattle, WA 98765 Tel: Fax: Email: kenny@cheese.com

October 23, 2006

Fred Flintstone Sales Manager Cheese Specialists Inc. 456 Rubble Road Rockville, IL

Dear Mr Flintstone: With reference to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to confirm your order for: 120 x Cheddar Deluxe Ref. No. 856 The order will be shipped within three days via UPS and should arrive at your store in about 10 days. Please contact us again if we can help in any way.

Yours sincerely,

Kenneth Beare Director of Ken's Cheese House

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

INQUIRY VRAAG OM INFORMATIE

We write an inquiry when we want to ask for more information concerning a product, service or other information about a product or service that interests us. These letters are often written in response to an advertisement that we have seen in the paper, a magazine, a commercial on television when we are interested in purchasing a product, but would like more information before making a decision. For further types of business letters use this guide to different types of business letters to refine your skills for specific business purposes such as making inquiries, adjusting claims, writing cover letters and more. Remember to place your or your company's address at the top of the letter (or use your company's letterhead) followed by the address of the company you are writing to. The date can either be placed double spaced down or to the right.

Important Language to Remember

The Start: Dear Sir or Madam To Whom It May Concern - (very formal as you do not know the person to whom you are writing) Giving Reference:With reference to your advertisement (ad) in... Regarding your advertisement (ad) in ... Requesting a Catalog, Brochure, Etc.: After the reference, add a comma and continue - ... , would (Could) you please send me ... Requesting Further Information: I would also like to know ... Could you tell me whether ... Signature: Yours faithfully - (very formal as you do not know the person to whom you are writing)

An Example Letter

Kenneth Beare 2520 Visita Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 Jackson Brothers 3487 23rd Street New York, NY 12009 September 12, 2000 To Whom It May Concern: With reference to your advertisement in yesterday's New York Times, could you please send me a copy of your latest catalog. I would also like to know if it is possible to make purchases online. Yours faithfully (Signature) Kenneth Beare Administrative Director English Learners & Company

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

RESPONDING TO A INQUIRY ANTWOORDEN OP EEN VRAAG OM INFORMATIE

It is very important to make a good impression when responding to inquiries from potential customers. Of course, the best impression will be made by providing the materials or information that the perspective client has asked for, this positive impression will be improved by a well written response. Remember to place your or your company's address at the top of the letter (or use your company's letterhead) followed by the address of the company you are writing to. The date can either be placed double spaced down or to the right. You can also include a reference number for correspondence. For further types of business letters use this guide to different types of business letters to refine your skills for specific business purposes such as making inquiries, adjusting claims, writing cover letters and more.

The Start:

Dear Mr, Ms (Mrs, Miss VERY IMPORTANT use Ms for women unless asked to use Mrs or Miss)

Thanking the Potential Customer for His/Her Interest:

Thank you for your letter of ... inquiring (asking for information) about ... We would like to thank you for your letter of ... inquiring (asking for information) about ...

Providing Requested Materials:

We are pleased to enclose ... Enclosed you will find ... We enclose ...

Providing Additional Information:

We would also like to inform you ... Regarding your question about ... In answer to your question (inquiry) about ...

Closing a Letter Hoping for Future Business:

We look forward to ... hearing from you / receiving your order / welcoming you as our client (customer).

Signature:

Yours sincerely (remember use 'Yours faithfully' when you don't know the name of the person you are writing and 'Yours sincerely' when you do.

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

Example Letter

Jackson Brothers 3487 23rd Street New York, NY 12009 Kenneth Beare Administrative Director English Learners Company 2520 Visita Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 September 12, 2000 Dear Mr Beare Thank you for your inquiry of 12 September asking for the latest edition of our catalogue. We are pleased to enclose our latest brochure. We would also like to inform you that it is possible to make purchases online at http:\\jacksonbros.com. We look forward to welcoming you as our customer. Yours sincerely (Signature) Dennis Jackson Marketing Director Jackson Brothers

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

MAKING A CLAIM KLACHTENBRIEF

Useful Key Phrases As someone who has worked with ... we were very disappointed to find / see / have discovered ... As our written agreement stipulated, we expected ... I think you will agree that a communication problem exists. We would like you to ..., or provide us with a refund. Example Letter Drivers Co. 3489 Greene Ave. Olympia, WA 98502 August 17, 2001 Richard Brown, President Document Makers Salem, MA 34588 Dear Mr. Brown: As someone who has worked with your company for over 3 years, we were very disappointed to see the documents you produced for our latest Drivers Co. publicity campaign. As our written agreement stipulated, we expected full color leaflets with fancy explanatory texts, but instead, we found that black and white photos had been included in the prepared leaflets. I think you will agree that a communication problem exists. We would like you to send out a photographer to provide us with the promised color coverage, or provide us with a refund. Yours truly, (signature here) Thomas R. Smith, Director

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

VOCABULARY (ZOEK ZELF DE VERTALING)

to act on behalf of to agree with always at your service as agreed as far as I'm concerned as far as the payment is concerned as follows as per invoice as per to the conditions as per your request as requested as soon as possible at your convenience at your earliest convenience at your expense awaiting your reply to be able to to be authorised to to be characterised by to be confident in to be delighted to to be held responsible for to be in arrears with payments to be in difficulty to be interested in on arrival of the goods on behalf of on condition that - provided that on delivery on receipt of the order on short notice on written request order to be confirmed our best attention our offer is still open outside address to pay the maximum attention to the matter payable in advance please allow us please send us please send us your instructions prices are increasing 8

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

to reach the destination to refer to to return a letter to the sender to sell at the best to send under separate cover sender address short term similar to sample - up to sample to be late to be overrun with orders to be prepared to - to be willing to before the date we agreed upon Best regards body of the letter circular letter claim - letter of complaint to come to a decision to come to an agreement - to reach an agreement complimentary close to cope with the competition correspond to the sample to correspond with covering letter due to oversight enclosure - attachment to fix an appointment following your instructions from order receipt further to our letter - following our letter goods listed below greeting half-price to have the pleasure to to stop negotiations to submit a sample to suit the quality - to meet the quality to take into consideration the aim of this letter the following items the goods are available in our warehouse the goods are not similar to sample the goods are sold out the goods arrived in good conditions 9

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

the letter remained unanswered the matter in reference the meeting was cancelled to our mutual benefit to the kind attention of under separate cover up to an amount of utmost care we acknowledge receipt of we apologise again for we apologise for we apologise for the delay we apologise for the mistake we are sorry to have to we are sorry to inform you to have the power to hereby in case of need in compliance with - accordingly in due time - in due course in good condition in our favour in partial payment in reply to your letter in the absence of to inform in due time inside address to let someone know in advance letter opening - beginning of the letter letterheading - heading to look forward to looking forward to an early reply looking forward to hearing from you to make the goods available to meet a demand to meet customer's requirements to meet the demand Messrs to notify in advance about on advanced payment we have received we hope we'll receive the goods soon we look forward to your kind reply 10

Auteur: Cindy Devijver

Middenjury kantoor 6&7 Engels HC

we must apologise for we remain - our kindest regards we sent you we thank you in advance we wish to inform you that we would appreciate it if you could answer we would appreciate your reply with no obligation - without commitment with reference to - in reference to with the compliments of with the utmost care with two weeks' notice within the end of the month within which without delay without notice would you please let us have would you please let us know you ordered you requested you sent us Yours faithfully (GB) - Yours truly (GB)

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