Model Business Letters, E-mails & Other Business DocumentsDescription |
This book is the ultimate, single-source guide for writing clear, effective business documents. A comprehensive, easy-to-use reference book packed with valuable information, useful techniques, practical tips and guidelines.  |
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Features |
| Exceptional writing skills are vital in today's business environment - speed is often the key to successful business negotiations and this means that managers often have to construct their own business documents on their desktop or laptop. This book speaks for itself as a bestselling title with all time sales of the 5th edition currently totalling over 77,000. Shirley Taylor is author of several popular, best-selling books; Communication for Business, Essential Communication Skills andPocket Business Communicator. |
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Table of Contents |
| Preface to the first edition (Leonard Gartside)Preface to the sixth edition (Shirley Taylor)Introduction Unit 1 Written communication - an overview1. Presentation of business documentsPrinted stationery Fully-blocked style with open punctuationContinuation pagesParts of a business letterOpen punctuationMemosFax messagesChecklist 2. Structuring your communications4-point planChecklist 3. Language and toneThe weakest link in your business writingTen steps to good business writingChecklist 4. E-mailThe explosive growth of e-mailSeven deadly sins of working with e-mailThe good, the bad and the ugly of e-mailThe weakest link in your e-mailsHow can you make e-mail work for you?Customer care and e-mailCreating electronic rapportE-mail @ workNetiquetteChecklist 5. Enquiries and repliesRequests for catalogues and price listsGeneral enquiries and repliesRequests for goods on approvaVisits by travellersRequests for concessionsUseful expressions 6. Quotations, estimates and tendersTerminologyRoutine quotationsQuotations subject to conditions of acceptanceTabulated quotationsEstimates and specificationsTendersQuotations not accepted or amendedFollow-up lettersUseful expressions 7. Orders and their fulfilmentPlacing ordersRoutine ordersAcknowledging orders Declining ordersCounter-offers from suppliersPacking and despatchUseful expressions 8. Invoicing and settlement of accountsInvoices and adjustmentsPro forma invoicesDebit and credit notesStatements of accountVarying the terms of paymentMethods of paymentUseful expressions 9. Letters requesting paymentToneLate paymentsCollection letters:- First applications for payment- Second application letters- Third application letters- Final collection lettersChecklist Useful expressions 10. Credit and status enquiriesReasons for creditDisadvantages of creditRequests for creditBusiness referencesStatus enquiriesReplies to status enquiriesUseful expressions 11. A typical business transactionRequest for quotationSupplier's quotationRequest for permission to quote company as a referencePermission grantedOrderSupplier's acknowledgementAdvice noteConsignment noteDelivery note Invoice Debit and credit notesStatement of accountPaymentReceipt Unit 3 Creative and persuasive documents12. Complaints and adjustmentsHandling complaintsComplaints concerning goodsComplaints concerning deliveryCancelling ordersPersonal complaintsChecklist Useful expressions 13. Goodwill messagesGeneral goodwill lettersLetters of apologyLetters in which tone is particularly importantLetters of thanksLetters of congratulationLetters of condolence and sympathyChecklist 14. Reports and proposalsIntroduction to reports and proposalsThe Plain English Guide to Writing Reports- Defining the purpose- Investigating the topic- Organising the report into sections- Order of presentation- Order of writing- Numbering sections and paragraphs- Planning the writing- RevisionChecklist 15. Notices, advertisements and information sheetsNotices AdvertisementsLeaflets and information sheetsDesign skillsChecklist 16. CircularsCirculars announcing changes in business organisationCirculars announcing changes in business partnershipsLetters announcing change of representativesInternal circulars to staffCirculars with reply formsChecklists 17. Sales letters and voluntary offersThe weakest link in your sales lettersSuccessful sales lettersSpecimen sales lettersVoluntary offersChecklistUseful expressions 18. Publicity materialPress releasesNewslettersWriting SkillsChecklist 19. Marketing mattersIdentifying your audiencesWhy is customer care so important?Customer care through Internet and e-mailMarketing through the Web 20. Business PlansComponents of a business planChecklist 21. Meetings documentationNotice and agendaMinutes of meetingsTypes of minutesChecklist 22. PersonnelLetters of application Testimonials Favourable referencesUnfavourable referencesInterview LettersOffers of appointmentTermination of employmentSundry personnel mattersUseful expressions 23. Travel and hotelsPassports VisasTravel by sea/airHotel accommodation and itinerariesUseful expressions 24. Secretarial and administrative correspondenceRequesting appointmentsInviting speakers to conferenceConference accommodationProgrammeBoard meetingDiary datesInvitations and replies Unit 4 Classified business letters 25. AgenciesFinding an agentApplications for agenciesOffers of agenciesFormal agency agreementsAppointment an agent - typical procedureCorrespondence with agentsUseful expressions 26. International tradeImport/export flow chartCommission agentsGoods of consignmentIndentsBills of ladingImportant documentation and procedureBonded warehousesUseful expressions 27. Banking (home business)Kinds of bank accountCorrespondence with banksCurrent accountsBank loans and overdraftsUseful expressions 28. Banking (international business)Bankers' draftsBankers' transfersBills of exchangeDocumentary billsBankers' commercial creditsUseful expressions 29. TransportCarriage by seaCarriage by airCarriage by roadCarriage by railUseful expressions 30. InsuranceThe insurance contractInsurance brokersInsurance premiumsHouseholders' policiesHoliday insuranceFidelity insuranceTemporary coverClaimsMarine insuranceFloating and open-cover policiesAverageMotor insuranceUseful expressions Appendix Useful Web sitesSpoken and written forms of address Index |
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Back Cover |
| The global best-selling companion to the fundamentals of business correspondence. Over 350,000 copies sold!
In business, communication counts. Clear and well-structured letters, documents and e-mails can deliver better results, with speed and accuracy. The words that you use, and the way that you present them, also send important signals about you and your business to your customers, colleagues and business partners. So make sure you’re sending the right ones. Model Business Letters is a practical and comprehensive guide to help you get more value from your business communication. In this book you will find over 500 sample documents for a wide range of business situations, easy to use examples and practical advice on content, language and style. Model Business letters will help you to put the key rules of good business writing into action, and a framework for creating clear and effective business communication, including: - How to present business documents correctly and clearly
- how to structure your communication for maximum results
- how to make your email work for you
- model examples for a range of business communication needs
- 100 top-tips for better business writing
If you want your business to be a model of successful communication,Model Business Letters will be a valuable companion. |
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Author |
Shirley is a trained teacher from the UK and has spent several years as a Training Consultant and Lecturer teaching on secretarial and business studies courses in Singapore. She has also worked as Head of Department and Senior Lecturer in Bahrain and Toronto. She has recently set up her own business Shirley Taylor Training and Consultancy,and conducts her popular training programmes, workshops and seminars all over Asia. |
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