Business Letter Software

Archive for June, 2009

Copyright Shaun R. Fawcett

At some point along the way, most of us have used what are commonly called “fill-in-the-blank” writing templates. We might have used them to write a letter, format an essay, or set-up a resume or CV.

You know what I’m talking about here. It’s those form letter templates that you see in many writing texts and workbooks.

FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS TEMPLATES
For example, in the case of a letter, a “fill-in-the-blank” template would look something like this:

Dear [NAME OF RECIPIENT]:

This is to advise you that your probation period in the position [POSITION NAME] expired on [DATE].

The [NAME OF REVIEW COMMITTEE] met on [DATE OF MEETING] and determined that your probationary appointment was successful, and that you should be immediately appointed to [NAME OF POSITION] [NAME OF ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT].

Accordingly, this is to inform you that effective [DATE OF APPOINTMENT] you are officially appointed to the position of [NAME OF POSITION] for an initial period of [NUMBER OF YEARS/MONTHS]. Terms and conditions of your employment are covered by [OFFICIAL CONTRACT NAME/NUMBER].

Would you please report as soon as possible to [NAME OF OFFICIAL], [TITLE OF OFFICIAL] in the [OFFICIAL NAME OF HR GROUP] so that the details of your appointment may be properly documented.

Congratulations [NAME OF APPOINTEE]. All of us at [COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION NAME] look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

[NAME AND TITLE OF ORIGINATOR]

Although this “fill-in-the-blank” approach can work, it has a number of shortcomings as follows:

DISADVANTAGES OF FILL-IN-THE-BLANK TEMPLATES
- Because of their generic nature, they tend to generalize so much that they look like a computer generated form letter.
- They don’t provide specific information on how a professional would properly fill in the required information [BLANKS].
- They don’t provide mental stimulation or show how a professional might word the letter in a specific real-life context.
- The content is typically watered down to try and cover every possible situation.
- Thus, they are virtually useless for 98% of real-life situations, since they lack real-life content.

REAL-LIFE TEMPLATES
On the other hand, here’s what a “real-life” template would look like for a similar situation:

Dear Jessica:

This is to advise you that your probation period in the position Customer Service Agent (Temporary) expired on November 30, 200X.

The Staffing Review Committee met late last week and determined that your probationary appointment was successful, and that you should be immediately appointed as Customer Service Agent (Ongoing).

Accordingly, this is to inform you that effective December 1, 200X you are officially appointed to the position of Customer Service Agent in the Customer Support Group for an initial period of 36 months. Terms and conditions of your employment are covered by the Customer Service Group Employment Agreement.

Would you please report as soon as possible to Jim Jackson, Chief of Human Resources so that the details of your appointment may be properly documented.

Congratulations Jessica! All of us here at MedWay Systems Inc. look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Sharon Smithson
Manager, Customer Support Group

ADVANTAGES OF REAL-LIFE TEMPLATES
Clearly, the “model” that most of us would rather work with, if we had to write a similar letter, is definitely the second one, the “real-life” template.

You can relate to them. They talk about real-life people in a real-life situation that you can identify with. And, you get to see exactly how a professional worded it.

There are other advantages to “real-life” templates:

Fully-Formatted Final Versions
“Real-life” templates are fully-formatted as final documents so that you can see exactly how they looked when they were sent out in a “real-life” situation. They don’t look like some kind of “draft” form letter.

Content With Value
Working with “real-life” templates, it is much easier to adapt them to YOUR actual situations because they give you visual and intellectual cues that you can relate to.

Naturally, when you see how a copywriter or consultant has dealt with a “real-life” scenario, in terms of word choice, context, and punctuation, it is much easier to adapt to the real-life situation that you are writing for. In that way, the actual content has value.

Easy To Work With
“Real-life” templates are just as easy to work with as other templates. You simply load them into your word processing program and edit and adjust them to fit your own specific situation. Presto! You have a fully formatted real-life letter ready to be printed and sent out in the mail.

You also have the comfort of knowing that what you are sending has already been used in other “real-life” situations.

Real-Life Content
With real-life templates, it is much easier to find an adaptable “fit” for the situation you are writing for. Not only do they give you the final format of a document, their content provides an excellent real-life sample and gives food-for-thought to assist you in the writing process.

Think about it. Would you rather work from a “fill-in-the-blanks” generic template or an actual letter, based on a real-life situation, with a fully-formatted “real-life” template?

By: Shaun Fawcett

Technorati Tags: free templates, templates web, website templates

Your Job Employment Cover Letter: How do You Know Where to Send It

In submitting your job employment resume cover letter how do you know where to send this letter?

Some organizations do not accept unsolicited applications, resumes or cover letters.

Often applicants who address communications to the human resource (H.R.) department get a standard form letter stating that no applications are currently being accepted. So much for the successful job hunter. The task just got more challenging.

How do you know how and where to submit your employment search cover letter?

First of all find out who hires. You cannot go fishing if you do not what bait the fish like and where the fish are located. To boost your chances of getting an interview address your letter to the specific person or areas that have hiring authority for the position that you are applying for.

If possible address the letter to the supervisor / department head / manager who would directly supervise your work. It should be patently obvious that it is not wise to address your cover letter to ‘Whom It May Concern’. This job seeking tactic will target your letter to the trash bin.

How do you get to know the right person’s name? It all comes down to diligence and standard investigation and research tactics.

One method is to call the target employer and say that you are doing career research and want to address the letter of inquiry to the person who specializes in your career area. Get the person’s full name and title. Verify and recheck the spelling and address to ensure that it is correct.

When you do call, introduce yourself, get the name of the person you talk with and thank that person by name for her or his help. Always say that you are a student or are doing research. The person that you speak to could possibly help you later, and using names establishes a friendly, courteous tone.

Another tact is to go directly to the human resources officer, if one exists. Ask whether there is an organizational ‘chart’ or organizational ‘map’ which you could use for your career planning class or personal research. This chart of map should provide you with the name of the department head to which you can address your cover letter.

If this method seems inappropriate for your job career employment search, ask members of your job search employment network to help you devise and plan a more workable approach.

Always use your creative abilities to dare to different and innovative. To be on the cutting creative edge, however always be most courteous, polite and professional.

If possible contact the department head of your target job personally to get you in the door sooner. If you send your cover letter and resume only to the human resources department, it may well be that the person or persons who head that specific department you are interested in may never see these documents.

On the other hand, if you send a letter and resume directly to the person that you would work for, then your chances of getting an interview ill be greatly increased. It is true however that the human resources department may feel sidelined and resentful at being circumvented in the organizational structure.

How do you handle this situation? I the employer is accepting applications, send one letter and resume to the Human Resources department and one letter to the department head. Indicate in your letter that you have sent similar communications to each party. At the worst both letters will wind up in the human resources department. I the employer is not officially accepting applications, send your cover letter and resume to the department only. If your resume and cover letter are persuasive and well prepared then you may well still get that interview.

By: William Z. Piker -

Technorati Tags: job cover letters, resume services, resume writing

The impact of a cover letter in our life is becoming overwhelming for job seekers. Cover letters are written in order to assist employers make decisions for possible applicants qualified for the job. As such, cover letters emphasize a brief overview of the applicant abilities and skills leading the employer to learn more about the applicant vision and how they can benefit in their companies.

What are cover letters?

Cover letters are summarized business letters used by individuals searching for jobs that introduces applicants to the employers therefore learning more about the applicants’ abilities and skills needed for the position applied for. Cover letters should be impressive and enjoyable to read in order to get the attention so that employers will want to get to know you better.

The letter is composed of factual information about the applicant and the trainings or work experience they have had in their lives wherewith included also basic information about the applicant itself.

Cover letters are direct and should emphasize certain professional attainment in life that makes great differences in the employers’ decision in hiring an applicant. Although a cover letter should not be repetitive as what is instated in the resume but should be originally written by the applicant.

What is included in the cover letter?

Cover letters should never be a form of letter but should be original. A cover letter needs the following to make a formal, professional letter and at the same time have the perfect business letter format.

1. The cover letter should be typed with the same fonts used on your resume.
2. It should be addressed to a certain person to call attention to the reader.
3. The resume, envelope and cover letter should all have matching papers.
4. Be original by avoiding mailing the same cover letter to different employers.
5. Have your cover letter proofread to check for errors.
6. Be brief and direct to the point when writing a cover letter.

Are there techniques that can be used in writing cover letters?

Having the perfect cover letter is very important, however, there are some techniques that can get you quick result in getting hired for the available hiring position. First, use language understandable for employers to read and all cover letters needs to be written in a friendly manner throughout the very end. Secondly, be direct in asking for an interview by the employer you have addressed the letter. Third and lastly, at the end of the letter add a P.S. to catch the attention of the employer.

Achieving the perfect cover letter can get you the position desired for and a well-written cover letter should be focused, impressive, and relevant in manners that contrast to the resumes of the applicant. In that way, well-written cover letter can achieve positive employment for job seekers.

Cover letters are completely necessary for job seekers to have while on the process of job application. Cover letter writing may seem complex yet still is important for job seekers to have along during the employment period because an applicant with a cover letter can also assist employers make possible decisions about the applicant.

Applicants with a perfect cover letter can make an impact on the reader allowing them to become fully interested in getting to know the applicant more because with a cover letter you can get positive results and on your way to be hired.

By: Mario Churchill -

Technorati Tags: amazing cover letter, cover letter sample, great cover letters

Letter is a most important way of communication as it conveys your message to the person you want to. But Business letters are formal letters helps to convey your message to your business associate or associates in a very professional manner. There are certain principles that one needs to follow in order to write an effective business letter that creates a positive impact and generates good results from the benefactor. (A person whom we are trying to convey or convince)

The some basic things one has to keep in mind while writing a perfect business letter are:
- There are some specific rules and regulations for writing a formal Business Letter, which may not be in writing.
- The Business Letters should compulsorily be written on the Company’s Letter head to create a positive impression.
- Obviously for a formal Business Letter you language must be formal as a sign of respect and gratitude.
- The person referred in the Business letter should be addressed by opening words like Dear Mr., or Dear Ms. (Ms. is written as you are not sure whether the female is married or not) , or Respected Sir or Respected Madam, or if you do not know the name you can write Director; or, CEO; etc.
- To start with, firstly explain the reason behind writing this letter (in one sentence) and then directly write the letter in detail. For eg: Suppose you are writing a general letter or want to enquire about something you start with ‘…I am writing this letter to know about the ……. To convey sympathy to some official person you start with…’ I deeply regret on the sad demise….’ If you want to complain about something start with….’I am greatly disappointed for the fact that…..’ and further continue your letter with formal explanation of the cause behind writing this letter.
- While writing a Business letter the language and the theme should be general and to the point despite of the your relation with the person to whom this letter is subjected.

Business Letter is not only a formal way of communicating message but also acts as an important document which can be preserved as a record for future reference, if needed. The business letter must be written with complete concentration and in a clear language so as to convey the message very clearly and straightly. In case of a missed sentence or even a word for that matter, may land you up in a mess and give you a hard blow instead of working out positively for you. For eg: A letter for application of a job, one has to mention his complete expectations from the company clearly, as his impression as well as future earnings will obviously depend on this letter.

Never use words like ‘don’t’ or ‘couldn’t’ instead use ‘do not’, or ‘could not’ as the later words sound more formal than the former ones. Use present tense and don’t try to show off. Moreover while closing your letter always use honest and gratifying words like ‘Truly yours’ or ‘Sincerely yours’ or Faithfully yours’ or ‘Thanking you’ or other regular ones like ‘Best Regards’ or ‘Sincere Regards’ etc…

Believe in yourself and put in your best efforts and write a Business Letter that Gets You Good Results! (If you can’t do it by yourself, internet is always there to help you). Always remember ‘Word are mightier than Sword’.

By: Sean Anderson

Technorati Tags: acceptance letter, apology letter, business writing

Our friend Dave called last night, he’s started a small engine repair business and he asked us to review a sales letter he’d written. Dave’s letter was actually pretty good; the only problem was that it did not give a really good reason why anyone should do business with him! There was no incentive; no “special introductory offer”; no inducement for anyone to dash to the phone and call him. Of course we offered to rewrite the letter.

The number one objective for a sales letter is - get the letter read. And the second is to persuade the reader to take an action and start a business relationship.

How do you do this? First, create a powerful headline with an immediate clear benefit for the reader, not some wishy-washy “Hi, here we are” statement. Ask a question that shows you understand their needs, “Are you still looking for someone who can guarantee your mower, tractor, trimmer, cultivator or compactor will be ready to work when you are?” This show’s you understand their needs and are not just jumping into a “rah rah” selling pitch.

Then tell them you have the solution, “Our 10 point small engine tune-up will keep you running strong all summer longwe absolutely guarantee it.”

Give them your business credentials. Dave could say, “I’ve been repairing all makes of lawn and garden equipment for over 15 years and I love it!” Now offer them something they can use, in other words: tell them what’s in it for them if they buy your product or use your service right away. Don’t be afraid to be bold. Use capitals, underline, or bold typelet the offer leap off the page so that if they read nothing else, they’ll at least see the offer you’re making. “Take advantage of our FREE ‘get-to-know-us’ offer”

Now add some credibilitypeople want to know what others say about you, so tell themadd two or three testimonials.

Be sure your letter has a high interest factor by adding some free advice or tips and tricks. Dave could tell how to make an engine run better by selecting proper fuel mixtures or how to keep a lawnmower blade sharp.

Clearly state what the next action should be and give them a reason why it’s important to act right away. “Be sure you’re ready for the growing seasoncall us NOW!”

Use plain language and don’t use language that you would not normally usebe sure it sounds like you. Thank the reader for reading your letter and sign it personally. If you know the reader, add a note at the bottom in your own handwriting.

Last, add a P.S. This is a great place to reiterate the offer and maybe even sweeten the deal. “Take advantage of our FREE ‘get-to-know-us’ offer by April 30th and we’ll throw in a free tank of gas for your mower or tractor.”

Of course you must have a good list to send this out toone that is accurate and up-to-date. Sending a great letter to a non-existent person is a waste of time, so phone your contacts before you mail and make sure your list is up to date.

Do a test. Send out a few dozen per week, and follow up by phone. Vary the offer and see what happens.

By: Liz Walker

Technorati Tags: sales letter sample, succssesful sales letter, writing sales letter

I have observed some very effective and compelling sales letter and discovered that they have a common characteristic.
All of them are written with strong, opinionated words.

This should be the way you write your sales copy, I think.

You want to slap (mentally, not physically) people in the head to capture their attention so that you can present something useful to them.

Some will love you for who you are while other will hate you.

Heck, do you care?

Understand this…

Good marketing is offensive.

As long as you make the money from those that love you again and again, then you can be very very rich indeed.

Let’s face it. Not everyone will like you even if you are a Mr Nice guy.

Look at the Rich Jerk.

He is selling his products like crazy by highlighting the fact that most of you are poor and that he is filthy rich.

In order to be rich like him, you need to buy his wealth creation product.

And he telegraph the fact that he did not need your money any way, that you are doing yourself a favour by buying his product.

Though he talk and market like a real jerk, still many people buy from him.

Why?

People wish they could be as outspoken as the rich jerk, that direct, that blunt. They cry for freshness in their lives.

The world is filled with people who are crying for leadership and direction.

They want to be told what to do even though they act as though they are not.

You can be opinionated and controversial in your own way, maybe not the rich jerk way.

People will respect you for being that straightforward, non-sugarcoating approach.

When you write a sales copy, speak what you want from the heart. Be yourself.

This way, your sales copy will contain a personality flavoring, truly yours.

People can sense it.

By: Yew Heng Chiong

Technorati Tags: business letters, employment letter, writing a letter

Representing a memo, a business letter of intent contains the details of a ‘business deal’ between two or more parties and includes the supply of products & services

A business letter of intent can be used in a number of situations including a commitment to purchase something, usually a business. It is also referred to as s Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

IN THE EARLY STAGES THERE’S VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU.

It is extremely important that you choose the most suitable style so your document presents as professional as possible.

You can select from varying styles including Block Style, Modified Block Style, Semiblock Style. You can have a look at these varying options and select the one that you consider is most suitable.

WHILE DRAFTING A BUSINESS LETTER OF INTENT, THERE’S A NUMBER OF ISSUES YOU NEED TO CONSIDER -

1/ - It’s best mentioned that it is a non-binding document. The letter only needs to include the discussion points whilst exposing as little as possible about the actual issue.

If this is not adhered to, the other party may well commence litigation for breaking the contract if you cancel.

2/ - It should be clearly written in a neat & tidy fashion. The intentions of all concerned needs to be recorded in the document. Before commencing to write you’re best to make yourself familiar with the various styles of business letters.

3/ - After all the entities involved in the deal sign the memorandum of understanding, a joint press release should be issued. It sends a very positive message to the stockholders of the businesses involved.

4/ - A memorandum of understanding needs to note a time frame within which the agreement should be finalized. This is a significant point. Once you sign the document and issue a press release, all will be watching you.

For the sake of efficieny, it’s to everyone’s advantage that the agreement is completed as soon as practible.

5/ - A confidentiality accord is something which is an inherent component of any business contract. By signing a confidentiality accord, all those included agree that the details hashed out will remain confidential.

These are but a few of the possible issues that you need to keep in mind when drafting up a business letter of intent. And, although it can be an expensive exercise, you really should consult your lawyer before you commence.

The money that you save in the event of a problem, may far outweigh the cost of legal advice.

By: Peter Kirkham

Technorati Tags: letter of intent, letter of intent sample, letter of intent template

Customer service requires a very specific type of professional. You must have good PR or public relations skills first of all, patience when dealing with irate clients, charm, and knowledge of the service you provide. When applying for a job in this field, it helps to use a cover letter customer service for your application.

Just like any cover letter, customer service letters must include the name and address of the job applicant at the top. Below this on the left is the date of the letter. Next a block has the name of addressee or company division, company name and address. You may include a subject, ‘Re: [Job Ref No.]‘ if you wish.

Use standard salutation such as ‘Dear Sir/Madam,’ etc.

In the first paragraph, state briefly that you are interested in their job vacancy (be sure to say which one) and that you are an expert in the field.

In the second paragraph, cite your CV. Cite one or two highlights in your career, OR list the skills you have (one per line, making sure these are the same skills/experience they say they need in the job ad). Be brief.

In the third and closing paragraph, explain why you want this job. Make it sound like you’re always looking for new challenges to advance your career and help others. Finally, close the letter by saying you will be following up your case. This ‘forces’ them to deal with you.

Check your spelling and grammar. Then have a friend double-check your cover letter. Customer service is not for everyone, and you want your letter to stand out so the hiring manager will think you’re right for it.

By: E Streat

Technorati Tags: example resumesresume and cover letter, sample resume cover letter

Selecting the most suitable business letter format for the particular issue that you’re addressing is the most important step if you need to create a successful business letter that’s going to have some impact.

A select few have that special talent that’s required for writing & struggle with a business letter format, those that do have it are very fortunate indeed.

The rest of us just have to plod along struggling with word. Business writing is far less complex than writing sales letters for example where a certain type of talent is required.

The good news is, both of these styles can most definitely be learnt by following a proven format and if you follow that same format for each & every letter, you too will be able to write a professional business letter.

The Three Basic Styles Are:

- The block format
- The modified block format
- The indented or semi-block format

The Block Format Style.

Understandably, the majority of business people prefer the block format style, simply because it’s easy to format & looks very professional. This style has everything justifies to the left.

If you’re able to choose the style of a business letter format, I suggest this one is the best all round.

The Modified Block Style.

If you’re in the situation where you’re typing letters for others, some may want you to use this style.

Primarily it’s the same as block format style, however the return address, date and the closing text commence in the middle of the page.

The Semi-Block Style.

Many of us prefer the use of use indents, this style may be due to the importance placed on using them when being taught about writing paragraphs.

Before the world was blessed with word processing programs, this old format was the standard.

It’s much the same as modified block style, ie the return address, the date and closing commence in the middle of the page, only but every paragraph is indented.

This style is now very much outdated if you want my opinion and, it looks quite amateurish. Remember, if you do have a dinosaur for a manager, keep it under your hat.

My Personal Advice…

Refer to the KISS method… Keep It Simple Stupid.

If I had it all my way, the block style is by far THE best business letter format around.

There will be far less mistakes made, it’s a more efficient style to use and all pieces of communication that leave the office will certainly look the part.

If you do not have the authority to select a letter format style then you’ll simply have to go with the flow and bite your tongue.

Deal?

Just do as instructed & try and keep all of the business correspondence from your office looking neat & professional at all times.

When you do finally decide which business letter format is going to be the acceptable standard, save a template on your desktop.

This way, you won’t have to revisit it each time someone wants a business letter typed. The issue of writing professional letters with literally evaporate!

By: Peter Kirkham

Technorati Tags: business letters, personal business letter format, sample business letter

Strange as it might seem, there are very few resources on the web about writing business correspondence as a whole. There are a lot of sites about business letters and maybe even more about email, with good advice on how to write both. Web pages about memos are not so common, and you would need to look real hard to find sites about writing faxes. You could argue that faxes are dying a slow death and that is almost true, they are also merging with email, but nowadays they are still used by a lot of businesses and individuals.

So, there are four distinct types of business correspondence:
letters,
emails,
memos and
faxes

And those of us who write business correspondence (and that’s practically anyone who works in a contemporary office), whether every day or from time to time, would really like to have a comprehensive resource with recommendations on writing all types of business correspondence, samples, formats and such.

Each type of business correspondence has its own place and role, and its own peculiarities.

Business letters are the most formal of all, there are quite a few rules that you need to remember or at least be aware of in writing business letters. They have a few distinctive formats and business letter formats are slightly different in the US and the UK. They can also be subdivided into two huge groups, business-to-business and business-to-customer letters (or customer-to-business, though we usually don’t distinguish those). There’s also such thing as an envelope… And since business letters are now less common than about ten years ago it would be great to just have at hand a reference resource that would outline all those small but important issues.

Writing a business email message is easier than writing a business letter. The email message is formatted for you, so there are much fewer format related peculiarities to take into consideration. But on the other hand, email is a relatively new means of communication and it is sent instantly, those are probably the major reasons for so many email blunders. Email’s inherent ability to pile up is also something everyone of us needs to learn how to deal with, and this problem is becoming more and more serious.

Memos are now often sent by email, but they are still a separate type of business correspondence. They are usually printed out and filed, which is less common in dealing with email (though it happens to email messages, too). Memos have also preserved their format and are mostly sent as email attachments, not email messages as such.

Faxes… They resemble memos a lot, but mostly in format. Faxes have a cover page which makes them different from other types of business correspondence. They also include page count, and somehow we often wonder whether the cover page needs to be included in the fax page count (oh yes!). Faxes are still very good for transmitting hand written forms, signed pages, newspaper clips, handwritten notes, etc.

There’s nothing complicated about writing any and all types of business correspondence. But there are some little things that people don’t really like to remember and would prefer to look up just as they need to write a letter, an email message, a memo or a fax.

By: Alya Leuca

Technorati Tags: correspondence, sample of business letter, writing business letters