Types of Business Letters

Four Steps for Structuring the Persuasive Message.

The four-step approach for structuring persuasive messages is:

1. Gain the reader's attention.

2. Introduce the product or idea.

3. Give evidence to support value to reader and others.

4. Ask for action.

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According to the purpose of the letter there may be quite a number of different kinds of business letters.

1. Enquiries. You send an enquiry when you wish to have some information on a product or its sale (after you have seen the product advertised or displayed at a fair exhibition or you have only heard about it).

2. Replies to Enquiries are short letters enclosing the required catalogues and price lists, brochures etc. It’s important to stress that you are sure of high-quality products, that they meet the customer’s requirements and that you are looking forward to an early order.

3. Offers and quotations. The word “offer” refers to orally presented offers, introductory offers or special offers in shops. A quotation (Br. –“tender”) is a reply to a request for a quotation and always includes information on the terms of sale: the price, terms of payment, terms of delivery, packing, insurance etc.

4. Sales Letters are nothing but advertising, are often used when the seller wants to introduce a new article to offer a special reduction or to promote sales. It is an offer not based on enquiry.

5. Orders are usually based on a received quotation or on a catalogue (Br. – an indent). It is short, accurate, detailed, written on a printed order form.

6. Packing instructions – might be given in the order. Types of containers: case, parcel, crate, container box, carton.

7. Order Conformation – is made by the buyer of the goods, e.g.

Dear Sirs,

We refer to our telephone conversation yesterday between Mr….. and Mr….. and we confirm our order as follows: …

8. Order Acknowledgement is made by the supplier of the goods. He informs the buyer that he has received the order and he agrees to deliver the goods. He might also inform about other particulars of the delivery.

9. Invoices and Accounts. One stage in the execution of the order is to make out an invoice and send it to the customer, either at the same time with the goods or later. There are several kinds of invoices which are not meant for payment, such as: the consular invoice, the customs invoice, the pro forma invoice. The Commercial invoice is sent to the customer to be paid. It is written on a printed invoice sheet and on it should be shown the description, quantity and price of the merchandise, discounts, if any, packing weight, number of parcels or containers, names of forwarders. It is made in several copies. If the customer has got open account terms or monthly account terms with the seller, he settles his debt monthly or quarterly or according to the agreement.

10. Collection letters remind the customer of his debt. In big enterprises it is taken care of by the computers which automatically send out new invoices if the old ones have not been paid by a set date.

11. Letters of complaint are sent by the customer when after having received the goods he finds that they are not up to order. They may be of the wrong size or colour, their quality might be inferior, there might be a shortage of quantity or weight etc.

12. Letters of claim are sent by the customer when he claims compensation for the inconvenience.

13. Letters of Adjustment are sent by the sellers in answer to complains.

Apart from that there are also application letters, congratulations, invitations, hotel and travel bookings, “Thank you” letters, letters announcing an arrival and other types of letters which are sent on different occasions.

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