Professional Correspondence

Professional correspondence- written or digital communication exchanged by two or more parties; it can be any written interaction with a potential employer or business partner

Forms:

• Letters 
• voicemail
• notes
• Emails
• text messages
• postcards

Business letter
- the exchange of information in a written format for the process of business activities

Parts of a Business letter

• Letterhead 
• Date 
• Inside Address 
• Attention Line 
• Salutation 
• Body 
• Complimentary Close 
• Signature Block 
• Identification Initials 
• Enclosure Notation 
• Copy Notation 

Guidelines in Writing a Business letter

1. Use correct format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar. 
2. Present ideas clearly using appropriate language. 
3. guidelines - Business letter 
4. Use an active voice. Apply direct but tactful tone. 
5. Arrange ideas logically. 
6. Leave 3-5 lines for a signature before typing your name. 
7. Never use plain numerals for dates. 

Memorandum

• “memorare” (latin) – to remember 
• Informs and persuades people within an organization 
• Follows an inverted pyramid structure 

Parts of a memo

• Letterhead 
• Date line 
• To line 
• Attention Line 
• From line 
• Subject line 
• Body 
• Signature Block 
• Enclosure Notation 
• Copy Notification 

Guidelines in Writing a Memo

1. Use correct format and standard language. 
2. Use bullet or numbered list to enumerate information. 
3. Use positive tone, concise wording, and active verbs. 
4. Sign beside your typed name. 
5. Flush left “to, from, date, and subject lines” 
6. Conclude memo simply with a “thank you” or a directive action. 

Kinds of memo

• Instruction memo  - provides information needed by the readers to perform directions 
• Announcement memo - provides information about an event, person, or thing 
• Request memo - asks to provide certain information 
• Transmittal memo - serves as cover note for more formal or lengthy document 
• Authorization memo - gives permission 

Electronic mails
- messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network

Guidelines in Writing Electronic Mails

1. Connect subject line to your reader’s needs and interests. 
2. Do not change the subject line when you reply to an e-mail. 
3. Make the subject line short and simple but specific. 
4. The ‘TO’ line must only contain the names of the primary readers. Secondary readers must be placed in the ‘cc’ line. 
5. Be accurate in typing the e-mail addresses of the recipients. 
6. Keep the message brief and straightforward. 

Email Etiquette 101

1. Punctuation: Use exclamation points when necessary, not when you’re angry.
2. Emoticons : The only one typically accepted in business email etiquette is the standard smiley face. :) 
3. Grammar: Don't use acronyms when communicating with external contacts and, depending on whom, some internal contacts. 
4. BCC: Blind Carbon Copy must be used with discernment
5. Subject Lines: Use a brief subject line that’s descriptive of the core contents of your message.
6. Tone: Use friendly language with simple punctuation.
7. Email Salutation: Depending on who we’re communicating with, this greeting can be formal or informal. 
8. Email Ending: The formality or informality of your email ending should match the tone of the greeting. If you use a formal introduction, use a formal ending. 
9. Email Closing: Even when the rest of our email is formal, we usually never need a formal email closing. Simply signing off with “-Name” suffices. 
10. Email Signature : It should not include every possible way to contact you. Do not use an image of any kind or any heavy marketing information
11. Fonts & Formatting: Keep the basic formatting .
12. Attachments: No more than two attachments, and provide a logical name. 
13. Hyperlinks: Rather than pasting full URLs into the email body, a better approach is to either shorten the URL or hyperlink a set of words. 

          Example:
         Check this out:  http://getsidekick.com/blog/vacation-emails-inbox-zero
         change to: 
         Check out this article.  (Note: article here is a hyperlink)

"Every e-mail you send adds to, or detracts from your reputation. If your e-mail is scattered, disorganized, and filled with mistakes, the recipient will be inclined to think of you as a scattered, careless, and disorganized businessperson. Other people's opinions matter and in the professional world, their perception of you will be critical to your success."

--Peter Post, director of the Burlington

REMEMBER!

Your e-mail is a reflection of you.