1. Effective
Business
Correspondence

2. Should it be...
• a MEETING,
• a PHONE CALL,
• a MEMO,
• an EMAIL, or
• a LETTER?

3. • Is the business private? (i.e., does it
require a secure medium?)
• Does a group decision need to be made?
• Is something potentially confusing in your
message?
• Is your message complicated and full of
ideas and instructions?
• Do you have an announcement or need
a quick answer to a simple and
unemotional question?

4. 1. Writing Emails

5. Things to Do with Email:
1.Send too many.
2.Forget to include attachments.
3.Write a long, rambling email without a clear point.
4.Include information that’s confidential or damning.
5.Be too informal: leave off a greeting or signature.
6.Be at ALL snarky.
7.Accidentally hit “reply all.”
*Don’t make yourself the bane of someone’s
existence.
BAD

6. Things to Do with Email:
GOOD
1.Have a very specific subject heading.
2.Define goal, point, audience, order, tone, opening,
supporting information, conclusion with desired
follow-up (pp 120-122)
3.PROOFREAD, clarify any confusing info, check
tone and style (pp 125-129).

7. 2. Writing Letters• Design the letter (see pp 171-173), follow genre
conventions.
• Err on the side of formality.
• Write to a specific individual (look them up if
need be).
• Get to the point in the first paragraph.
• Provide supporting information.
• In last paragraph, provide your contact
information if it’s not in the letterhead, and invite
the person to contact you if they have
questions.
• Make sure you sign the letter.

8. not or
You want to come across like