上外外贸函电02BusinessLetters

1、Trade Related Business CommunicationLesson 2Business Letters1Classification of Business Letters General Communication: “Let it be!” attitudeSending News: the POSITIVE & negative sideComplaining: Never write in angerB2B V.S. B2C2Modern business English is. The writing of information in a way that giv

2、es a reader a good chance of understanding the document at the first reading.Martin Cutts, The Plain English Guide, Oxford ,1995 3The Readers Expectationsclear and easy to readshort and to the pointpolite and respectful action-orientedIn summary, they want to receive documents that are reader-friend

3、ly. 4How?State why he (or she) is writing and what he (or she) wants the reader to do. Separate the information into short paragraphs. Use short sentences. Use simple and clear words. Use polite expressions. 5Busy BusinessRemember, most readers are busy people. They want to know the main points of y

4、our message quickly.6Your readers expect to find：a clear statement of your purpose for writingall necessary information (maybe more than that) for them to take actionthe specific action to take7To meet your readers expectations and get results,your reader needs to:Understand your document easily and

5、 correctly.Respond to your document appropriately. 8The 5Cs Principle CompleteCohesiveClearConciseCourteous9Grammar Guide Active voiceModern wordsFewer (noun) PhrasesBrief Sentences10Language StyleYou-attitudePositive EmphasisReaders BenefitTone, Power and Politeness11How to Create You-attitudeTalk

6、about the reader, not about yourself.Refer to the readers request or order specifically.Dont talk about feelings, except to congratulate or offer sympathy.In positive situations, use you more often than I. Use we only when it includes the reader.In negative situations, avoid the word you.12Reader Fo

7、cusI have negotiated an agreement with Apex Rent-a-Car that gives you a discount on rental cars.As our VIP customer, you can now get a 20% discount when you rent a car from Apex.We are shipping your order of September 21 this afternoon.The two dozen Corning Ware starter sets you ordered will be ship

8、ped this afternoon (and should reach you by September 28).13Readers ConcernYour orderTo individual:The desk chair you orderedTo a Company:Your invoice #78332914Your FeelingsWe are happy to extend you a credit line of 500.You can now charge up to 500 on your ICBC student credit card.Congratulations!

9、Your application for ICBC student credit card is approved.15The Readers FeelingYoull be happy to hear that our products meet OSHA requirements.Our products meet OSHA requirements.OSHAthe Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a U.S. federal agencyYoull be happy to hear that your scholarship

10、has been renewed.Good news! Your scholarship has been renewed.16You, I and WeWe provide insurance to all students.You receive health insurance as a full-time SISU student.Avoid “We” when it excludes the reader.17Negative SituationsYou must get approval from the adviser for your private affair leave.

11、Students must get approval from the adviser for their private affair leave.You made no allowance for inflation in your estimate.No allowance for inflation has been made in this estimate.This estimate makes no allowance for inflation.18Beyond Sentence LevelBe complete, prepare an appendix for details

12、 the reader may need.Anticipate and answer questions the reader is likely to have.If you include information the reader didnt ask for, show why it is necessary.Show readers how this subject affects them.19You-attitude in Structural OrganizationPut information readers are most interested in first.Arr

13、ange information to meet your readers needs, not yours.Use headings and lists to help the reader find key points quickly.20Positive EmphasisAvoid negative words and words with negative connotations.Focus what the reader can do.Justify negative information by giving a reason or linking it to a reader

14、 benefit.Omit the truly unimportant negative.Put the negative information in the middle and present it compactly.21Negative Words to AvoidDerogatory TermsSome dis- wordsMany in- wordsSome mis- wordsMany un- words22OptionsSubstitute two negatives with one positive term:Never fail to back up your data

15、.Always back up your data.Use the least negative word that is accurate if necessary:Your balance of 500 is delinquent.Your balance of 500 is past due.23Hidden NegativesI hope this is the information you want.Enclosed is a brochure about the teapots you want.The new flavor of our biscuit tastes bette

16、r.The new flavor of our biscuit tastes even better.I hope that you are satisfied enough to place future orders.Call Mercury whenever you need computer chips.24AccuracyThe exercycle is not guaranteed for life.The exercycle is guaranteed for life.The exercycle is guaranteed for 10 years.Customers unde

17、r 60 are not eligible for the Prime Time discount.You must be over 60 to be eligible for the Prime Time discount.If youre 60 or older, you can save 10% on all your purchases with Prime Time discount.25Can-do Focus State what you (or the reader) can do rather than what you cannot do.A. Our office clo

18、ses at 4:00 pm.B. Our office stays open until 4:00 pm.Use the if-contract, which states what you (or the reader) can do if a specific condition is met. The if-contract emphasizes what is possible.26PracticeYou need a reference before you can open an account. If you give us a reference, you can open

19、an account.Settle payment immediately or you will be charged an additional $15. If you pay immediately, you will not incur any additional charges.27Reason & Reader BenefitWe cannot sell computer disks in lots of less than 10.Compare:To keep down packaging costs and to help you save on shipping and h

20、andling costs, we sell computer disks in lots of 10 or more.We sell computer disks only in lots of 10 or more.28Omit negatives only when:The reader does not need the information to make a decision.You have already given the reader the information and he or she has access to the previous communicatio

21、n.The information is trivial.The negatives will fade away with time goes by.29Negative Treatment in OrganizationPut negative information in the middle of the message.Give negative information only once in the message.Start to talk about negative information from the middle of a paragraph.Avoid to pu

22、t negative information at the bottom of the first page.30Good Reader BenefitsAdapt reader benefits to the audience.Stress intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivators.Prove reader benefits with clear logic and explain them in adequate detail.Phrase reader benefits in you-attitude.31Create Reader Benefi

23、tsIdentify the feelings, fears, and needs that may motivate your reader.Identify the features of your product or policy that could meet the needs youve identified.Show how the reader can meet his or her needs with the features of the policy or product.32Cultural Difference: Chinese V.S. EnglishSample Inquiry 3-2, p62V.S.Sample Inquiry 3-3, p6333Filing of Business LettersPhysical copies Digital copies Management of files 34Classification and Indexation Criteria: