Chapter 4 Layout of Business Letters

1. Chapter 4 Layout of Business Letters By: Grace Xia xiahuiweihai@yahoo.com

2. Types of Letters • Personal Letters • Business Letters: Letters of Application Letters of Recommendation Letters of Apology Letters of Inquiry ……

3. Business Letter Letter of Application Personal Letter

4. to inform, which refers to conveying the vast amount of information needed to day-to-day operations of the business; to influence, which means that messages included in a business letter should also influence the reader’s attitudes and consideration. Functions of Business Letters

5. Essential Contents in a Business Letter: ＊ letter head ＊ date line ＊ reference number ＊inside address ＊ salutation ＊subject line ＊ letter body ＊ complimentary close ＊ signature ＊ identification initials enclosure ＊ others carbon copy NB (special attention)

6. JOYFLY TEXTILES IMP. & EXP. CO., LTD. 296 Huashan Road, Shanghai, China Tel. NO.: 021-65928766 Fax No.: 021-65928765 Http:// www.joyfly.com E-mail: sean.chen@joyfly.com I.Example of the Letter Head:

7. JOYFLY TEXTILES IMP. & EXP. CO., LTD. 296 Huashan Road, Shanghai, China Tel. NO.: 021-65928766 Fax No.: 021-65928765 Http:// www.joyfly.com E-mail: sean.chen@joyfly.com I.Example of the Letter Head: • The Letter head showing sender’s company name • and address, Tel. No. Fax No., Website if have, E-Mail if • have, Post Code and P.O. Box, Logo if have etc. Post office Box (邮政信箱）

8. If the letter is very long, you maybe use a second page. Then in the end of the first page, “to be continued” should be typed. Also a white page without letter head is needed for the second page, and only type three contents in the left-up corner. P2 Receiver’s name dateline

9. II. Example of the Dateline: True or False ? March, 8, 2008 March 8th/ 2008 3/8/2008 8th, March, 2008

10. Mar. 2, 2008 (March 2, 2008) in U.S.A. and Canada Mar. 2nd, 2008 (March 2nd, 2008) 2nd Mar., 2008 in U.K., Pakistan etc. (2nd March, 2008) 3/2/2008 (×) 2/3/2008 (×)

11. III. Reference Number for checking for filing e.g. USA/2008/3/2/X HR/OZ/2008/ 3/ 2

12. Ms. Helen Smith Sales Manager ABC Company 123 Berry Drive Minneapolis, MN55106 U.S.A. IV. Inside Address Usually contains the receiver’s company name and address.

13. Ms. Helen Smith Sales Manager Messrs: International Bell Company 123 Berry Drive Minneapolis, MN55106 U.S.A. If a company is named after a private name, the word “Messrs” is usually shown in the inside address.

14. V. Salutation Gentlemen: (in U.S.A.) pl. Dear Sirs, (in U.K.) Dear Sir, single Dear Miss Smith, Dear Ms. Smith, Dear Mr. Smith

15. VI. Subject Line I) “Subject” is the main topic in a business letter. II) It often begins with “Subject ” or “ Re ”. III) It always under lines. IV) Sometimes, the words are all typed in capital letters. e.g. Subject: Washing Machines SUBJ: WASHING MACHINES Re: Washing Machines RE: WASHING MACHINES

16. VII. Letter Body opening sentence can be divided into 3 parts main topic closing sentence

17. VIII. Complimentary Close

18. IX. Signature Examples: 1. Yours faithfully, (signature) J. A. MIREL Marketing Manager

19. 2. If Mr. Mirel have right to sign for his company, the name of the company should be typed above his name. Faithfully yours, THE ABC CO., LTD. (signature) J. A. MIREL Marketing Manager

20. per pro,由…代理/代签 3. If Mr. Mirel signed the letter for someone else, it should be typed as: Faithfully yours, For: THE ABC CO., LTD. (signature) J. A. MIREL Secretary Faithfully yours, PP: THE ABC CO., LTD. (signature) J. A. MIREL Secretary

21. 4. If Mirel is a lady, the name of the person must be fully spelt. Truly yours, For: THE ABC CO., LTD. (signature) JANET ALICE MIREL Secretary

22. X. Identification Initials Example: If the sender is J.A. Mirel and the typist is Helen Smith, the identification initials can be: JAM/ HS JAM: HS JAM/ hs JAM: hs It is usually placed in the left margin, 2 lines following the signature. Sometimes, it is placed in the “Ref. No.”.

23. XI. Others I) Enclosure If have documents, catalogues, pricelist herein enclosed, The enclosure must indicates what documents enclosed. ＊ If only one item enclosed, use “ enc: ” or “ encl: ”. e.g. Enc: 1 pricelist ＊ If have two or more items enclosed, use “ encs: ” or “ encls: ”. e.g. Encs: 1 pricelist 1 catalog

24. II) Carbon Copy （ 抄送） e.g. CC: the Bank of Osaka, Ltd., Kobe the Osaka Chamber of Commerce CC: Mr. John Smith Financial Manager ABC Co., Ltd. Mr. Bill Winter Salesman ABC Co., Ltd.

25. III) NB ( Special Attention) If you want the receiver to pay special attention to this message, you need NB. e.g. NB: No vessel is available until after 20th April, 2008.

26. Sender’s address receiver’s address date salutation letter body complimentary close

27. Layout of Business Letters • Semi - Block Style / Indented Style （缩行式） • Full Block Style （齐头式） • Modified - Block Style （改良的齐头式）

28. Letter head Dateline Reference No. Inside Address Salutation: ________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Complimentary Close Signature Letter Body Semi - Block Style / Indented Style First Word indented blank line

29. Letterhead Dateline Inside Address Salutation _________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ Complimentary Close Signature Full Block Style letter body blank line Note: 1. Every line begin from left margin from dateline to signature. 2. No punctuation is used in every part except for letter body.

30. Letter Head   Dateline  Inside Address Salutation ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Complimentary Close Signature Letter Body Modified - Block Style blank line Note: 1. Everything starts from left margin except for dateline and complimentary close. 2. Punctuation can be used or not used as you like.

31. China National Machinery Import & Export Stamp Corp. 36, Jianshan Road Beijing, 100871 Registered People’s Republic of China PHOTO ONLY P&G Company 24 Madison Avenue Columbus, OH 43004 U.S.A. COMMERCIAL Layout of the Envelope Sender’s name & address manner of delivery things herein enclosed receiver’s name & Address things for attention

32. 6 parts in an envelope: ＊ the sender’s name & address ＊ the receiver’s name & address ＊ stamp ＊ manner of delivery: urgent registered by express via air ＊ things herein enclosed ＊ things for attention: commercial private confidential

33. China National Machinery Import & Export Stamp Corp. 36, Jianshan Road Registered Beijing, 100871 People’s Republic of China PHOTO ONLY Mr. John Brown C/O P&G Company 24 Madison Avenue Columbus, OH 43004 U.S.A. COMMERCIAL

34. China National Machinery Import & Export Stamp Corp. 36, Jianshan Road Beijing, 100871 Registered People’s Republic of China PHOTO ONLY Mr. John Brown C/O P&G Company 24 Madison Avenue Columbus, OH 43004 U.S.A. COMMERCIAL care of （转．．．）

35. Define Our purpose • Why am I writing this letter – what has led up to it? • What do I hope to get out of it (my maximum aims)? • What do the receiver expect to get out of it (my realistic aims)? • What is the best way to achieve this? • What information do I need to provide?

36. Letter of Application • Specify the job you are seeking. • State your accomplishments and abilities • Ask for action from the employer.

37. Useful Expressions • I would like to apply for the position of assistant to your marketing project manager.(我申请贵公司营销项目经理助理这一职务） • I shall be only too glad to have such a chance… (非常高兴有此机会…） • I am applying for the secretary position advertised in the China Daily on April 2，2008. (我申请贵公司于2008年3月2日在中国日报广告上刊登的秘书一职）

38. Useful Expressions • As you will see from the enclosed resume…(从随函附上的简历中你将得知…) • I am about to graduate from…(我即将毕业于…) • I graduated from…in 2005, majoring in computer science.(我于2005年毕业于…专业是计算机科学） • I am greatly impressed by your company.（我对贵公司印象深刻） • I have the necessary skills and ability for…(我在…方面掌握了必要的技能） • I have a good command of spoken English.(我英文说得很流利）

39. Useful Expressions • If these meet your requirements, please grant me an interview.（如果这些达到了贵公司的要求，请给我一次面试的机会） • I am available for an interview at any time. (我随时能来面试） • I am looking forward to hearing from you and talking with you soon. （我期待早日收到您的来信并能尽快与您交流）

40. Summary • The layout of business letters • Useful expressions used in letter of application

41. Homework Write a business letter in 3 forms. One form is in details, and other two forms are simplified. And then finish an envelope. Contents: ＊Opening Sentence 感谢你方2009年2月20日的来信，我们 将乐意与贵公司建立业务往来。

42. ＊Main Topic 正如你方所了解的，我们的贸易政策是在平等互利 基础上同所有国家的人民进行贸易活动。我们相信通过 双方的努力，将能促进双方的贸易往来和友谊。 　 现在我们给你们寄去有关我们产品的３份小册子 (brochure)和１份价目表(price-list)，请在适当的时机通 知我们什么样的产品你们最感兴趣。 ＊Closing Sentence 　　你们的早日答复将不胜感激。

43. ＊ Sender’s name & address China National Foodstuffs Imp. & Exp. Corp. (the address at your option) ＊ Receiver’s name & address 1) The ABC Trading Company Pakistan 2) The ABC Trading Company Canada ＊ Subject: Chinese Foodstuffs

44. Thanks for Listening!