Routine Business Correspondence

Summary

This video script covers the essentials of routine business correspondence, focusing on memos, faxes, emails, instant messages, and blogs. It highlights their quick, efficient, and informal nature, ideal for internal and external communication. The script emphasizes the importance of clear, concise, and professional writing, providing tips on crafting effective memos and emails. Key elements include structure, clarity, confidentiality, and following organizational norms. The guide also outlines when to use formal versus informal communication, offering practical advice for different workplace situations while emphasizing the need for professionalism and ethical practices.

Takeaways

• 😀 Routine business correspondence, such as memos, faxes, emails, and blogs, are quick, easy, and effective ways for organizations to communicate internally and externally.
• 😀 These forms of correspondence are informal compared to letters and reports, but they still require clear, concise, and professional writing.
• 😀 Memos are a key form of routine communication, often used internally in organizations, and they lack formalities like salutations and signature lines.
• 😀 The memo header includes four main parts: To, From, Date, and Subject. The subject line should be clear and specific to motivate readers to engage with the content.
• 😀 Memos should answer five key questions: when, who, where, why, and cost, providing all necessary details for clarity and action.
• 😀 Memos should be organized into an introduction, discussion, and conclusion to ensure the message is structured and easy to follow.
• 😀 Email communication in business should be confidential, ethical, and follow company policies, avoiding inappropriate or unauthorized messages.
• 😀 A clear and precise subject line in emails is crucial for getting the reader's attention and ensuring they understand the purpose of the message.
• 😀 When writing business emails, follow netiquette by responding promptly, avoiding jargon and unnecessary abbreviations, and keeping the message professional.
• 😀 For international audiences, emails should use simple language, short sentences, and common words to ensure clarity and accessibility.
• 😀 Routine business correspondence is convenient and appropriate for day-to-day communication, but formal letters or memos should be used in situations requiring a paper trail, legal notifications, or financial statements.

Q & A

What are the common types of business writing mentioned in the script?

The common types of business writing mentioned include memos, faxes, emails, instant messages, and blogs.

What is the main characteristic of routine business correspondence?

Routine business correspondence is streamlined for the busy work environment, providing information quickly, and is informal compared to letters, proposals, and reports.

Why is it important to use a clear and concise subject line in a memo?

A clear and concise subject line is essential because it helps the reader understand the purpose of the memo quickly and motivates them to read further.

What are the five elements that should always be included in the body of a memo?

The five elements to include are: when, who, where, why, and cost. These elements address timing, involved parties, location, importance, and cost implications.

What is the purpose of the introduction in a memo?

The introduction should clearly inform the reader about the problem, procedure, question, or policy, provide necessary background information, and specify the purpose of the memo.

How should the body of a memo be structured?

The body of the memo should be divided into three parts: an introduction, a discussion of the key points, and a conclusion that specifies the desired response from the reader.

What are some guidelines for writing professional emails in the workplace?

Guidelines for professional emails include ensuring confidentiality and ethics, using clear and precise subject lines, observing netiquette, adopting a professional style, respecting international readers, and ensuring email safety and security.

Why should emails in the workplace be kept brief?

Emails should be kept brief to ensure they are easily readable, particularly because readers often receive many emails daily. Long emails should be sent as attachments.

What is the role of netiquette in business emails?

Netiquette involves responding promptly to emails, avoiding excessive or repeated messages, and refraining from using unfamiliar jargon or unnecessary emotions. It's crucial for maintaining professionalism in email communication.

When should formal letters be used instead of emails or memos?

Formal letters should be used when there is a need for a paper trail, such as for job applications, business contacts, legal notifications, financial statements, or acknowledging gifts or courtesies.