Business+Letters+and+Memos

Business Letters and Memos

__**Tuesday, February 26:**__ //**Important to remember:**// Everyone in business needs to write letters. It's unavoidable if you want to run your business or just stay in touch with your suppliers and clients. How well ... or not so well ... you write reflects on you and your business. Write poorly constructed letters with unprofessional layout and format and you will look like a rank amateur, no matter how good you are at plumbing, cooking or whatever it is you do. The easiest, quickest and most efficient letter format is known as "full block" or simply "Block". A block letter has all its text left justified ie, there are no indents. This method is very popular because it is simple to produce. Writing a business letter is quite different from writing a personal letter. Business letters are a formal way to communicate with a business or companies, or customers and clients. [|Parts of a Business Letter] [|Sample Business Letter] All parts in the letter are “left justified”, or lined up on the left.
 * Type the sample letter you find [|here] in a new Word document. Send as an e-mail attachment to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us**
 * Use "Practice Business Letter" in the Subject line.**


 * Type the [|second business letter] for more practice. Send as an e-mail attachment to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us**
 * Use "Practice Letter 2" in the Subject line.**

__** Wednesday, February 27: **__

//**Write an appropriate letter for each situation. Each letter should be on a separate Word document. Use the letter head found on the Desktop of your computer. Using one email message attach both and send to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us Use "Business Letter Assignment" in the Subject line.**//

1. Compose a formal business letter to Jack Magnetic, a local radio personality, asking him if he could conduct an auction at a neighborhood event you are having to raise money for a family who lost everything in a fire. Make up whatever details are needed to make the letter complete.

2. Write a formal business letter to your office supply company placing a new order for supplies, including paper, pens, printer cartridges, and other basic materials you need. Inform them that you received your last order, but there was a problem with one of the items that they sent to you. Ask for a refund for that item. As before, make up whatever details are needed to make the letter complete.

__** Monday, March 11: **__
 * //Write an appropriate letter given the following information. The letter should on a new Word document. Send as an e-mail attachment to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us. Use "Business Letter " in the Subject line.//**
 * RECIPIENT**
 * **//Karen Jacobson//**
 * **//Acquaintance (met twice before, briefly)//**
 * **//Title: President, The Flying Club//**
 * **//Address: 44 Windermere Drive, Waterloo, Ontario L1B 2C5//**
 * //REASON//**
 * **//To invite her to remain on the board for a second term.//**
 * **//Other members suggested that she has enjoyed this position and has been thinking about staying on.//**
 * **//No other volunteers have come forward to take over at the end of September.//**
 * //SPECIFIC DETAILS//**
 * **//If she decides to stay on she will need to be available for the national meeting on November 5.//**
 * **//Board members who stay for two terms are sometimes asked to take on extra duties, such as taking minutes or hosting social events.//**
 * //RESPONSE//**
 * **//She will need to respond by September 30.//**
 * **//She can contact you by email or phone (need to provide an email address and phone number).//**
 * //ORGANIZATION//**
 * **//Return address of HLV Community School//**
 * **//Karen Jacobson's title and address//**
 * **//Salutation: Dear Ms. Jacobson//**
 * **//First paragraph: Introduce yourself briefly--remind Karen where you met before. Provide reason for writing: "I have heard from a number of board members that you may be interested in staying on for a second term. We would be very pleased to have you stay on for another year."//**
 * **//Second paragraph: Explain what type of commitment this position will involve this year (once a month meetings, national meeting, plus possible extra duties)//**
 * **//Third Paragraph: Provide deadline for response and how to contact you.//**
 * **//Closing: Express thanks to Karen for volunteering her time this year.//**

__**Tuesday, March 12:**__ //**Review the letter below and re-type in proper business letter format.**// //**Use Block style format.**// //**Use today's date**// //**Make all spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and paragraph spacing corrections**// //**Type and sign your name to the letter**// //**Send your letter as an e-mail attachment to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us Use "Letter Re-Type" in the subject line of the email.**//

dear mr simpson thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and mr jones yesterday and to learn more about the position of Office Assistant at United Tire and Iron. i am very interested in the position and excited by the prospect of joining your organization. Based upon your description of the department's goals, it appears that my customer service skills and experience will be strong assets to your company. it sounds like the kind of challenge at which I can excel and enjoy doing at the same time. again, thank you for your consideration. As we discussed, I will call you next week if i have not heard from you before then sincerely Alma mater


 * This is Part 2 of today's assignment: **

Your boss, Randy Larsen, wants you to compose a letter to Herman Munster. The company is unable to deliver his perosnal computer. Delivery was attempted on four different occasions. Each delivery company has refused to set foot on his property. Deliver will be attempted again this Friday (include date). Reiterate the company's apology for the wait for the product. Include the company's contact information. Company information: ICU Computer Systems of Seaclearly, CA


 * **//Copy should be noted to your boss//**
 * **//Use the block style business letter format//**
 * **//Use today's date for the letter//**
 * **//Include any additional information needed to compose the letter//**
 * **//The tone of the letter should be professional, apologetic, courteous, positive, and mention continuing a good business relationship//**
 * //Edit your letter. Spell check it and proof read it. Check the composition, layout, format, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and directions. Remember, you are a professional representing a professional company. Print letter and turn in for credit.//**

**__Thursday, March 14:__**

It is 9:00 a.m. Monday, September 13. Mr. Bowen, Vice President of Sales for United Stores, who is your customer, calls you on the telephone.

He is upset because the remote control trucks you sold him last month just arrived and some of them had parts missing. United Stores has had an advertised sale this weekend, sales starts Saturday, September 18th. The remote control trucks are advertised and Mr. Bowen is expecting to sell out.

He likes you as a salesperson. He wants to do business with you but he can't if your company doesn't ship quality controlled products. The customer wants you to immediately ship 500 remote control trucks to replace the faulty shipment and pick-up for credit the 500 trucks he has.

Your company, Remote Automated Toys (RAT) can only ship 300 trucks by Thursday, September 16. The warehouse manager says he has 300 remote control trucks, 1000 cars, and 1000 motorcycles available.

Your shipping department can have a delivery to Mr. Bowen by Thursday afternoon. But the best you can do is deliver 300 trucks and offer options to make up the difference with cars and motorcycles.

Within your level of responsibility, you are the Southern Sales Manager, you can approve up to a $250 shipping allowance (your company will pay the shipping cost). Or you can authorize a case of ten (10) complimentary vehicles to be delivered to your customer. You use your discretion as to how to satisfy the customer.


 * //Though this requires a quick response, Mr. Bowen cannot be reached by phone. Your letter will be faxed to him immediately. Write a business letter to your customer.//**
 * **//Compose the letter yourself//**
 * **//Use the above information to form the details of your response//**
 * **//Be sure your solutions stay within your scope of authorization//**
 * **//Use the block style business letter format//**
 * **//Letter should be close to one page in length//**
 * **//Copy should be noted to your supervisor and the warehouse manager (invent names)//**
 * **//Use dates which will meet the sales deadline//**
 * **//The tone of the letter should be professional, somewhat apologetic, courteous, positive, and mention continuing a good business relationship//**
 * //Edit your letter. Spell check it and proof read it. This assignment will be graded as an assessment, so composition, layout, format, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and directions need to be completely followed. Remember, you are a professional representing a professional company.//**

__** Friday, March 15: **__
Think of a career that you would want to be in.
 * Create a letter of inquiry to Sally Brown asking for inforamtion about the career that yu are interested in. Questions may include the following:
 * What are the top five technical skills desired for a person in this field?
 * What are the top three people skills or soft skills needed? (//Do you know what people skills or soft skills are? I will ask you Monday to explain them - you may want to research this . . . )//
 * What education and/or work experience are required for an entry-level position?
 * What computer skills are important?
 * What is the average salary for an entry level job in this field?
 * Make sure that your letter is formatted correctly. Refer to your examples if needed.
 * Use the first paragraph to intrduce yourself and explain why you are writing this letter.
 * In the second paragraph ask specific questions about the career yu are interested in.
 * In the last paragraph, thank the person for their time, urge them to write you back or give them other options in getting in touch with you such as through e-mail or a phone call.
 * Proof your letter. Make sure that it is clear and error free.
 * Send as an attachment to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us

#1: Revising a Business Letter (Handout) Rewrite the letter replacing any words or phrases that you think could be replaced with more concise, formal, or appropriate langauge. #2: Write an informal business letter to your friend, Jewel, thanking her for her introducing you to some people in her office. Ask her for the address and phone number of someone she introduced you to that mentioned a possible job opening in which you are interested. Make up whatever details are needed to make the letter complete. Attach both letters to an email sent to jgrams@hlv.k12.ia.us Use an appropriate subject line.
 * __ Monday, March 18: __**

Handouts
 * __ Tuesday, March 19: Memos __**

[|Writing Business Emails] (information) Writing formal emails - Handouts
 * __ Wednesday, March 20: Emails __**


 * __ Monday, March 25: __**