Rules and etiquette of business correspondence. Rules for business correspondence by email

Communication via email is an integral part of the work of any modern office worker. And accountants are no exception. How to conduct correspondence in such a way that business communication is productive, emotionally comfortable and extremely ethical? I offer readers some practical advice.

TIP 1. Do not neglect personal appeal to the addressee in your letters

By doing this, you will demonstrate your attention to the person’s personality. If a letter is written to a specific recipient, then the lack of a personal address in it looks incorrect and impolite.

When you write one of your first letters to the addressee, the question often arises: what is the best way to address him - simply by his first name or by his first and patronymic? In this case, you need to look at what is written in the signature that ends the person’s letter to you. If the name is indicated there (without patronymic), for example "Svetlana Kotova", then feel free to contact me by name. And if the signature says “Svetlana Vasilievna Kotova, chief accountant of Trenzor LLC”, then you need to address the recipient accordingly. In any case, the second option is extremely correct, and therefore a win-win.

I do not recommend relying on the information in the “From” field. After all, it is often initially filled out not by the owner of the email address, but by the company’s IT specialist when setting up email.

By the way, I strongly advise you not to use the short form of the name when addressing a business partner or client (“Sash” instead of “Sasha”, “An” instead of “Anya”), no matter how democratic the writing style and no matter how old your correspondence. What sounds familiar in spoken speech looks too simple in written speech.

TIP 2. Pay special attention to the form of your greeting

You should not use the phrase "Good day!". Even if you have the good intention of matching the recipient's time zone, this phrase sounds tasteless, I would even say vulgar. It is better to use neutral options: "Hello...", "Good afternoon...". And of course, add the recipient's name to the greeting if you know it. Personally, for example, I find it much more pleasant instead of a faceless "Hello!" get personal “Hello, Tamara!”.

Remember that in this way you save the recipient’s time. After all, he will be able to immediately assess the content of the received letter and quickly decide on its priority and importance.

The subject line should be brief, but at the same time accurately reflect the subject of the correspondence. For example, “Agreement, invoice, act from Alpha LLC” instead of "Documents". As aspects of the issue under discussion change, clarify the topic. For example, “Cooperation with Perm” → “Cooperation with Perm. Date of negotiations" → "Cooperation with Perm. Draft agreement".

If during the correspondence you see that the “Subject” field is filled in randomly by your addressee or is not filled in at all, take the initiative and try one of two scenarios.

SCENARIO 1. When replying, fill out the “Subject” field yourself. If the recipient is attentive, perhaps this will already be enough to bring your correspondence into an adequate form.

SCENARIO 2. If the recipient continues to ignore filling out the “Subject” field, write him a letter with something like the following: “Alla, I suggest that you immediately indicate the subject of the letter in the “Subject” field. I think this way we will significantly increase the effectiveness of our communication.”.

TIP 4. Pay attention to the “To” and “Cc” fields

You need to clearly understand the generally accepted purpose of these fields in a business environment:

<если>in the “To” field only you are listed - this means that the sender of the letter is waiting for a reaction from you to his question or request;
<если>there are several recipients in the field - the sender is waiting for a response from each or any of the recipients. In this case, when replying, save the list of recipients set by the sender using the “Reply all” function (of course, provided that you do not deliberately want to respond only to the author of the letter, hiding the essence of your response from the rest of the correspondence participants);
<если>your name appears in the “Copy” field - the sender wants you to be aware of the question, but he does not expect an answer from you. This means that you should not enter into correspondence on this issue. If you still decide to do this, then a sign of good form would be to start the letter with one of the following phrases: “If possible, I would like to join the discussion of this issue...”, “Let me express my opinion...”.

As for the BCC field, from a business ethics perspective, it is the most controversial email tool. Sometimes it is perceived as a tool of almost secret observation and information. After all, recipients placed in BCC are not visible to other recipients. In some, usually large companies, which are particularly scrupulous in matters of ethics, it is strictly forbidden to use this field in corporate correspondence, except for mass mailings. But in most companies they use it, observing the following rules:

sending a letter with the “Bcc” field filled in assumes that the author of the letter has notified the hidden recipients (or is going to do so) about the reason and purpose of this form of message;
the hidden recipient does not need to enter into correspondence.

During trainings, I am often asked the question: are there any generally accepted standards regarding the time within which it is necessary to respond to a letter from a client or colleague? But you can’t give a universal answer to it.

If we talk about internal correspondence, everything here is determined by the speed and rhythm of life of the company itself. There are companies in which a delay in response of more than an hour and a half is considered bad manners. And somewhere the answer during the day is in the order of things.

As a general rule, the most acceptable response time to a letter is within 2-3 hours. This is the so-called comfortable waiting time, when the sender waits for a response and does not experience internal discomfort from the silence of his addressee.

But what if, having received and read the letter, you realize that you cannot give a full answer to it within 24 hours? Then, according to the rules of good manners, notify the sender of your receipt of the letter and the approximate time frame for responding to it. For example: “Hello, Sergey Vasilievich! I received your letter. I’ll answer in the next couple of days” or “Andrey, I received the letter. Thank you! To answer I need more information. I will try to answer no later...”.

TIP 6. Follow the basic rules for presenting information in a letter

There are not many of them:

when reading a letter, the most comfortable volume fits “on one screen”, maximum - on an A4 page;
The volume of sent attachments should not exceed 3 MB. Larger files may cause mail to freeze at the recipient;
When “packaging” attachments, use the universal zip or rar encoding. Other extensions may be blocked or cut off during transmission and create problems for the recipient;
never start a reply as a new letter (without saving the correspondence history). Otherwise, the recipient will be forced to waste time searching for the original message;
write in a language that is as understandable to the recipient as possible. Many people wonder whether it is appropriate to use professional or internal corporate vocabulary, slang, abbreviations and anglicisms.

This must be decided separately in each specific case.

Thus, internal corporate correspondence in a company is almost always replete with slang and abbreviations: they are familiar and understandable to all participants and save time. But you need to use them carefully in correspondence with counterparties.

There was such a case in my practice. A colleague was preparing materials for a publishing house and in her last letter they wrote to her: “Masha, please send all your materials asap”. Masha decided that this was a designation of a format unknown to her, into which the text needed to be translated. She killed a lot of time, by hook or by crook, figuring out how to satisfy the publisher's request. Imagine the Machine's annoyance when, 2 days later, it learns that the mysterious “asap” is an abbreviation for the widely used English-speaking word “as soon as possible.” But Masha could send materials within half an hour from the moment she received the request!

TIP 7. End each letter with a block of your signature and your contacts

Regardless of how closely you know the recipient and how long your correspondence has been going on, each of your letters should contain a block consisting of a signature and contact information. This is an integral element of the culture of business communication.

The block must contain:

your first and last name. There is no need to use abbreviations. Instead of “T.L. Vorotyntsev" in my signature I indicate "Tamara Leonidovna Vorotyntseva" or "Tamara Vorotyntseva" so that the addressee understands how to contact me in a reply letter;
your position. This gives the recipient the opportunity to understand the boundaries of your authority and professional competence in resolving issues;
contact information (phone, email, company name, website). This way you will provide the recipient with the opportunity for additional operational communication if necessary.

To all that has been said, I want to add: your emails are the very clothes by which you are greeted. In other words, by observing the etiquette of business correspondence, you will make the most pleasant impression on your recipient.

In the modern world, business contact often begins with business correspondence - a written form of business interaction, which includes any type of correspondence (letter, message, etc.) sent by any official on his behalf and by virtue of his position.

An important aspect is compliance with certain etiquette standards. Otherwise, established connections may be severed and a client or business partner may be lost. Well-designed business correspondence contributes to the most favorable impression of you or the company.

Mastering the magic of letters is important for every person. For example, when looking for a new job: compiling and sending a resume, test tasks, cover letters, additional information about yourself, agreeing on a meeting time.

Interestingly, the rules of business correspondence that exist today were developed about 150 years ago in England.

Types of business letters

To decide how to compose a letter, you need to know the differences between its types. This will help you decide on the topic of the message and its correct design. This will help you avoid looking stupid in the eyes of an important opponent.

According to the design structure there are:

Letters of communication

This includes letters of refusal, claims, excuses, and confessions. Everything that an employee uses in the course of his professional activities.

Letters of agreement

An important type of writing. Thanks to her, the results of the meeting are summed up, agreements are formed, the time for completing tasks is determined, and both parties are convinced of the correct understanding of the contract.

Business Letter Rules

The way bloggers allow themselves to express themselves is not your choice. There is no excuse for mistakes and typos. You cannot console yourself with the difficulties of learning a language from childhood. You need to be as demanding of yourself as possible. Otherwise, it paints an unfavorable picture of your personality and education.

The peculiarity of business correspondence is that errors in the spelling of professional words are considered an indicator of a person’s incompetence in the chosen field.

Basic Rules:

Avoid using words whose exact definition you do not know. As a last resort, check their meanings in dictionaries.
Avoid using specific terminology. Some words may be unfamiliar to the interlocutor and may be misinterpreted by him. Business correspondence etiquette involves in such cases providing an explanation of terms and abbreviations.
Write in short sentences. Length and floridness of constructions are appropriate when writing a novel, and not during business negotiations.
First type the message not in the body of the letter, but in a document on your computer or online editor. A positive aspect is the automatic spelling and punctuation check of the text. This also prevents the letter from being accidentally sent to the recipient prematurely or lost due to the browser being closed or the Internet being lost. When working in Microsoft word, use autosaving of material at certain intervals.
You should avoid typing a message on your phone or tablet. There is a risk of inappropriate autocorrection.
Before sending, check for errors and the consistency of the text. It is recommended to recheck the typed text again after an hour, temporarily switching to other things and forgetting about writing it. This will help you look at the text from a different perspective, seeing all the inaccuracies.

Formatting a business letter

Particular attention to detail is required when preparing and conducting correspondence. It also shows respect for your opponent and allows you to save time that could be spent on redoing the material.

The following aspects should not be neglected:

Correct filling of the subject line of the letter

If this is the first message, the title may be bright. However, if communication with the opponent already exists, the subject of the letter should be stated briefly and concisely. These are the basics of communication. They help you find the message after a while so that re-reading will be easy for both the sender and the recipient.

Citation

The message you send may contain questions that you must answer. It makes sense to answer them, quoting each one separately. When sending a letter with several forwardings, it is worth using numbering and breaking the text into paragraphs. This way it will be clear to the interlocutor what question you are answering.

Excessive quotation chains create a sense of chaos in communications. However, if there is a need to return to previously sent messages or remind the interlocutor of something, it is worth doing. In particular, when it comes to budget, service package, and time.

Take into account all information received

When composing a letter, you must briefly comment on all documents attached by you or your interlocutor. This way it will be immediately clear to the recipient what contents of the files await him.

Your own signature is an analogy to a business card

Business correspondence requires a signature. It can be made automatic, then it will be present in every letter sent. How to create an informative signature? Use your first and last name, current position, work contacts and company logo.

For example: “With respect, Ivan Ivanov, your project manager, phone number or any other messengers.” Or “Best regards, Ivan Ivanov...”.

The signature can also be catchy and creative, indicating a special connection with the company or cause. For example, employees of a book industry network can use the phrase “I’m currently reading...” when inserting the name of current new products. But it is better to coordinate such things with your superiors.

Mailing address

The rules of business correspondence require the display of a postal address. It would be better if he was purely a worker. The company name, position, first or last name may be displayed there, but not the year of birth or playful nicknames/words. It is better to think about the correct name of the address for many years if you plan to leave it even if you change activities or positions.

Font and spacing

In documentation, the font most often used is Times New Roman, size 12 for tables or 14 for text. 1.5-2 intervals. These are the unspoken basics.

Business communication style

Business correspondence involves a delicate balancing act. Friendly communication is inappropriate here, but emphatically harsh communication is not appropriate either.

Features of communication:

Severity of designs

Diminutive words and slang expressions will be inappropriate.

Using emoticons

Use emoticons carefully or avoid them. The first contact does not allow their presence in principle. In the future, brackets may be present, but only positive ones, in moderate quantities. Niceness and humor are unacceptable in this style of communication. This form is unacceptable if you are subordinate to your interlocutor.

Greetings by name and patronymic

The rules for conducting business correspondence imply respect for the interlocutor, attention and interest in his person. This increases your opponent's interest in you and increases the chance of his leniency. It is advisable to know in advance the name of the person you are addressing, as well as his preferences for address.

Reply within two days

It is correct to send a response to the message within a few business days. Otherwise it is considered disrespectful. If the letter was sent before the weekend or vacation, you don’t have to respond to it if it is not urgent. Otherwise, you need to warn your interlocutor about the temporary absence of your response or briefly unsubscribe about the contents of the letter.

Lack of intrusiveness

Constantly asking about something, asking for confirmation will show you in a bad light. If confirmation from the interlocutor is required, you can remind him of the need to respond in three days. If the matter is urgent, it is better to mention it initially in your first message.

Mirror rule

Business correspondence etiquette often allows you to address your opponent the way he does. This increases the possibility of mutual understanding and communication on the same level. Keep track of what terms, style of communication, and address your interlocutor uses.

Happy holidays

If communication takes place around or during official holidays, it is worth congratulating the interlocutor. These are the rules of business correspondence. It is also useful to know when your opponent's birthday is.

Gratitude

Elementary politeness would be words of gratitude in response to a congratulation, invitation, or explanation.

Taking into account all the above features, it will not be difficult to establish contact with your interlocutor and form a favorable opinion about yourself.

The importance of business writing rules

In fact, any letter sent is a business card, a reflection of our chosen business position. So that she looks decent, inspires respect and trust, and negotiations are accompanied by comfort and efficiency in solving problems, knowledge of the rules of good manners and their constant observance is an unshakable guarantee of success.

With regard to any correspondence, on the Internet or in letters, the same strict standards apply as when communicating by phone or personal negotiations. The principles on which the interaction is built:

mutual respect between opponents for the personality and business position of the other person;
attention to the business interests of the opponent;
maintaining confidentiality;
punctuality in solving important tasks.

Business correspondence is necessary because:

when sending a letter there is no answer, even if it was implied;
letters get lost in the flow of unnecessary information and employees constantly call each other asking to check their mail;
after reading the email it is completely unclear what is needed from you;
Due to the abundance of details and chaos of information in messages, thoughts are confused, and a complex issue is never resolved.

You can save a lot of free time if you implement general rules for conducting business correspondence. This will help avoid the above problems.

Modern forms of business correspondence, now accepted in international communication, developed about 150 years ago. Their homeland is England. This is where the basic rules of etiquette for writing correspondence originate. Abroad, more attention is paid to the formal aspects of business and personal correspondence than here. And therefore, in order not to ignorantly spoil good relationships with partners abroad, correspondence etiquette must be strictly observed.

Today, in the era of e-mail, telefax and computer, well-written personal, recommendation, congratulatory and other letters, various kinds of postcards, telegrams, traditionally and beautifully executed invitations will bring satisfaction to the recipient, and sincere condolences will brighten up the loss.

A significant part of business contacts around the world is carried out through correspondence. Therefore, it is very important to be able to write business letters that give the best impression of you personally and your organization.

In principle, all official letters are drawn up according to a single international standard. In accordance with it, the letter is written not on behalf of a specific person, but on behalf of a collective - legal entity. This form of presentation is determined by the fact that the official letter expresses collective interests and is signed, as a rule, by an official - the director of an enterprise, institution, chairman of a commission, secretary of the organizing committee (or simply the organizing committee, which is not entirely true).

In Russia there is no generally accepted standard for official writing, but there are still certain rules that must be followed.

Business organizations, as a rule, use printed letterhead for business correspondence. Personal business letters are printed on plain paper.

Writing paper should be clean and neatly cut.

Service letters are written on only one issue, and the information must be comprehensive and the letter as short as possible.

Service letters should not contain complex sentences; it is not recommended to use complex methods of motivation.

The volume of a service letter should not exceed one and a half pages of typewritten text. In cases where it is necessary to present more extensive information, certificates, conclusions, etc., a business letter will actually be a letter accompanying these documents (they will be an attachment to the letter). The volume of attachments to the letter and their number are not limited.

You must respond to received emails immediately within 10 days. If it is not possible to provide a detailed response within such a time frame, you must at least indicate receipt of the letter and explain why there was a delay in response.

All participants in business correspondence must be informed of what has been done upon receipt of the letter.

You should thank in writing the person who provided the letter of recommendation. This letter should inform or notify about the results of the business acquaintance.

It is important to thank in writing for written congratulations and good wishes. Letters of gratitude for gifts, services rendered, and anything related to your business can be printed on company letterhead. You should write on plain paper only when you are not speaking on behalf of a company or on your own behalf as a member of that company.

You should sign and send only those letters that are well printed, beautifully laid out on paper, impeccably neat and visually pleasing, that is, letters that immediately make a favorable impression. A letter is a mirror that reflects a person’s appearance, taste and character.

Here are a few tips to ensure your business letter is attractive and well-formatted.

For business correspondence, you need to use the best quality paper.

The envelope must match the form in terms of paper quality and thickness. Everything that is typed or printed on the envelope must match what is printed on the paper.

Stationery should be of good quality and noble taste. You should never use non-standard envelopes or paper used for daily business correspondence.

All business letters should be typed in at least two copies. A copy should be kept in the correspondence folder.

In the upper right corner under the address of the organization sending the letter, the date of sending the letter is indicated. Dates can now be written in different ways: March 23, 1995 corresponds to the traditional British style; it is also possible to write: March 23, 1995; March 23, 1995; March 23, 1995. The following form, which originated in the United States, is now often used in international practice: February 6, 1995. Abbreviations may also be used: Oct. 8. 1995, Dec. 15, 1995.

You can find the date indicated in numbers, but this contains a danger, because;

In British English 4.3.95 means the 4th day of the 3rd month (March);

While in American English the month and 4.3 are indicated first. 95 means April 3rd. The American version of the date will look like this: 3.4.95.

The text of the letter should be beautiful and correctly positioned on paper. Regardless of whether the letter is short or long, the text should be printed evenly and symmetrically.

Wide margins make the letter easier to read and more attractive. Never finish printing a business letter on the reverse side of the page.

Try to keep the sentences and paragraphs in your letter as short as possible. Every new thought or idea must begin with a red line and express this thought as simply and concisely as possible. The letter should not contain spelling errors, typos, incorrectly or awkwardly constructed phrases. Grammar errors, poor spelling, missing or incorrect punctuation can ruin your efforts.

When writing business letters, you should adhere to the rule that the following is written with a capital letter:

Proper nouns, as well as adjectives denoting nationality and state affiliation (Russian, Enqlish);

Words, including abbreviations, in the names of companies and organizations;

Words used to designate the position held (Director, Chief, Enqineer);

Abbreviations indicating the names of cities, republics, streets, roads, etc.;

Full and abbreviated names of months and days of the week;

Names of products, brands.

If this is not the first letter to your partner, it should begin with a polite reference to the last letter you received from him. This is not so much a tribute as a notification that the letter has been received and further dialogue is based on it.

If you are writing a letter to your partner for the first time, you need to start by introducing your company, its goals and objectives that it sets for itself in the field of international activities. Even better, send your partner a booklet with detailed information about the company. However, advertising material should not be voluminous. The text of this material must be in your partner's language or in English.

The letter ends with words of gratitude for the cooperation and an expression of hopes for its continuation. And certainly: “Sincerely yours”, “With respect”, etc.

The signature is placed on the right side of the sheet, under the final politeness formula. The name of the person signing is typed under his handwritten signature.

Recently, fax has been increasingly used in business contacts as a means of communication that can significantly save time.

The general representative of World Resource, Intercorporated (USA), M. Margelov, shares his experience of using faxes by American businessmen 1 .

In the American tradition, it is customary to have a standard first page (Cover paqe) for a fax message.

It is usually done on company letterhead. The form should look like this: at the top of it is the company logo (Trade mark), and at the very bottom, along the entire length of the line, are the addresses, telephone numbers and other coordinates of the company’s offices and branches. A telefax message (Facsimile messaqe) is written under the image of the emblem. The page then looks like this:

First option

Number of paqes including cover_________________________________

If you do not receive all the pages________________________________

please call______________________ or fax____________________,

which means (from left to right): date (day, month, year the message was sent), time the message was sent, to whom (first and last name of the recipient), fax number of the recipient, the company he represents, and the traditional formula “number of pages of the message, including the first page" - a dash is placed here, which is filled in by hand only after the message is completed and signed, and "if you have not received all pages of the message, please call..." (then you enter your phone number) or send by fax" (enter the fax number you are using). After this, write the word Comments: (comments) and then the text.

Second option

From__________________________ Date_________________________

Location our fax

Number of paqes (includinq cover sheet) ___________________________

To:__________________________________________________________

Company/Department_________________________________________

Messaqe:______________________________________________________________,

which means: from whom (first and last name), date of transmission of the message, location (address), our fax (your fax number), number of pages of the message, including the first page (everything is the same here as in the first option), to whom (name and the addressee's last name), the company (institution), then the message itself.

The text is typed on a typewriter or computer and signed by hand. It is better to number each page, starting from the second - it will be easier to navigate if the message did not go through the first time and you have to repeat it. There is no need to put a stamp on the message, if it is not a document.

If you are sending a reply message, first thank the recipient - one phrase is enough. If you haven’t responded to the previous fax, you should wait, but in no case should you persistently repeat in the next one, “I’m looking forward to your answer.”

We exchanged faxes with our partners and got them interested. They proposed concluding your first joint document - a Protocol of Intent. This is just a written reflection of the desires of both parties, non-binding, so there is no need to create any illusions. The text of the protocol should be as short as possible; at the end there must be the phrase: “This protocol itself cannot serve as a legal basis for the commercial obligations of the signatories.”

The protocol must be executed on the letterhead of one of the parties, either in four copies - two in each language, or in two - bilingual, on each page there are two parallel columns in two languages, but in this case, signatures will have to be placed 2 times on the last sheet - under both columns.

Under the text (before the signatures) the validity period of this protocol is indicated - as a rule, no more than a year.

As already mentioned, legally no one will force you to follow the protocol, but this is required by the honor of a businessman, which can suffer greatly if the agreement is violated.

And finally, always answer letters or faxes, even if you find it difficult to answer the questions asked. In the business world, someone who does not respond to correspondence is considered irresponsible and is not trusted.

Business correspondence– an important element of doing business. The light in which the company appears to its clients or business partners depends on its features. , whom you can trust and with whom you can do business, you need to have an idea of the norms and rules of business correspondence etiquette. Compliance with such norms and rules will certainly contribute to the success of the business as a whole.

Language of business correspondence

The norm of business correspondence etiquette is considered to be a certain style of language, which differs:

Frequent repetition, uniformity of speech patterns.

This type of explanation allows you to express yourself more specifically and clearly. This eliminates different understandings of the text of the letter. It is advisable to have a set of certain phrases on hand, which will allow, firstly, to write a clear business message, and secondly, to save time on preparing the next letter, even a sales letter.

Neutrality of tone.

It is important to present information logically. Emotional assessment of facts in business correspondence is inappropriate. It is unacceptable to mention colloquial, dialect expressions, words, or any interjections. During the correspondence process, it is important to ensure the objectivity of the facts presented and to arrange them in a clear logical sequence.

Semantic accuracy.

The meaningful content of business letters provides them with practical and even legal value. Therefore, it is important to choose the right words so that the recipient can understand the sender. It is better not to include words with ambiguity in the text. In this case, it may turn out that the addressee will understand the content of the letter differently, in his own way.

Selection of factual material.

Data and facts in a business letter must be informative and, most importantly, carefully verified. In this case, facts should be carefully selected, indicating only those that are relevant to a particular case. It is unacceptable to list the same type of data or indicate unimportant facts.

Types of business letters

Business letters are usually classified according to their features:

By functionality - answer to a question, request, appeal, proposal, etc.;
In terms of structure – standard (solving typical business issues and situations), unregulated (author’s, based on a formal logical presentation or etiquette standards);
By topic - business (solving economic, legal, other issues related to the company’s activities) or commercial, related to supply, sales;
By type of addressee - regular (to one addressee), circular (sent to several addresses at once);
By composition – 1-aspect (reflecting 1 problem), multi-aspect (describing several problems).

Types of business letters by content:

Perform a communication role (refusal, claim, justification, recognition);
Be a form of agreement (based on the results of business meetings, with deadlines for completing tasks, fulfilling various obligations);
Be in the form of a request - to obtain the necessary information;
Be an offer (often a response to a previously received letter of request).

Formatting business letters

Despite the widespread use of electronic correspondence, the practice of sending business letters printed on paper still exists. And in this case, it is very important what the letter itself looks like, since the appearance of a business letter can affect the recipient’s idea of the sending company. Therefore, you must adhere to the following design standards:

Business letters should be printed on letterhead, preferably from high-quality paper, indicating the full details of the sender, and they should be easy to read;
The sender's details in a letter addressed to foreign partners and clients must be written in English;
The letter in the envelope should be folded once, if possible, with the text facing inward. For very important letters, it is better to use a large, thick enough envelope so that the sheet of the letter does not need to be folded;
It is allowed to indicate all the details on the envelope, as in the letter itself, and even the company logo;
The recipient's address is indicated only on the envelope. When using an envelope with a transparent window, the recipient's address is written on the letter itself in the upper right corner. The letter is then folded so that the address is visible in the transparent window;
The sender's address is written both on the envelope and on the letter sheet.

Rules for conducting business correspondence

No. 1 – sending a letter to one addressee. In this case, correspondence will become personalized, which is important, especially when establishing business connections.

No. 2 – . You need to respond to all letters, and on time, if the goal is to create an image of a company that is always ready to cooperate, one that treats recipients with respect. It is important to remember that you should not write a poem. Clear and concise - this is how the response style should be. In this case, you need to adhere to the “1 letter – 1 answer” scheme.

No. 3 – if it is necessary for the contents of the email to be conveyed to several addressees, then their addresses are added to the “copy” line. In this case, the person who received the letter, whose address is indicated in the “copy” line, may not respond. The main thing is that he is informed on this or that matter.

No. 4 – sending an electronic business letter to several recipients at once is acceptable, but!!! only if no response to the message is expected. Such letters include sending out price lists, messages about changes in work schedule, etc.

No. 5 – the subject is required to be indicated in a business letter. The subject line will allow the recipient to immediately understand what the message is about.

No. 6 – the “first greeting, then addressing the addressee” scheme is used. In business correspondence, it is customary to address people by first name and patronymic.

No. 7 – the text of the letter should be based on 3 key points: greeting + appeal, statement of the question, request or encouragement to action.

No. 8 – you need to carefully use the notification function. In this case, at the end of the message there is a request in the most polite tone that the addressee informs the sender that the letter has been read.

No. 9 – with a signature should be as concise as possible. At the same time, it is important not only to enter certain words, for example, “With respect,” but also to indicate, in the case of business correspondence using e-mail, after the full name and position of the person who wrote the letter, his main contact information.

No. 10 – mandatory indication that additional materials are attached to the letter, if any are sent along with the letter. In the case of an ordinary letter on paper, in most cases, an indication of the attachment on such and such a number of sheets is enough. If we are talking about electronic business correspondence, then information about the application should include data on attached files, in particular, their format, volume, and content. The weight of the files should not exceed 5 MB.

Features of business correspondence

“Dear, dear, respected” is the most common form of address in general business letters.
“Dear” is an emotional form of address used in letters containing congratulations.
Addressing by first name and patronymic only is used in informal letters.
A letter between business partners is structured according to the scheme “justification for the decision/the decision itself” or “the decision itself/justification for the decision.” The first option is better to use in refusal letters, the second - in case of a positive decision.
Official procedures must be observed. Example: to a letter signed by a manager, a response should be sent signed by a person holding a similar position. In this case, an option is possible when the director himself can respond to a letter signed by the deputy.
The request letter must contain certain words. Examples: I ask, we ask, asks, etc. At the same time, the response to such a letter should clearly state whether the request will be fulfilled or its execution will be refused.

IMPORTANT! Remember, this is not just a set of rules and regulations, it is a kind of art that should be learned from professionals with multifaceted knowledge in the field of business communication.

Pay attention to correspondence trainings:

E-mail correspondence in business. Manage business relationships
E-mail correspondence with partners. Difficult situations (advanced level)

Articles

A business letter is a kind of psychological portrait of the sender, his business card, as well as part of the company’s image and reputation. How to protect yourself from the prospect of giving up on all this is in our article.

Tatiana Nikolaeva,

leading expert on business etiquette at the Negotiation Training Center, Moscow

Rules for email correspondence for business people, it is a kind of tool that allows you to “hold the face” of the company and reflect its image in communication with partners. What are the key rules of business email correspondence that merchants need to take into account? Let's take a closer look, because this really plays a huge role.

Rule 1: Indicate the subject of the email

It is by this criterion that a busy person decides which letter to open first. In addition, this rule of electronic correspondence allows the interlocutor to find the desired letter among the flow of correspondence. For example, it is convenient to receive emails whose subject lines reflect different organizational aspects of the same process.

For example: “Package of participant documents”, “Invoice for payment for participation in the exhibition”, “Memo to the exhibition participant”, “Layout diagram of exhibition pavilions”, etc. If all correspondence was conducted with the subject “Participation in the exhibition”, find the required letter in extensive correspondence it would be much more difficult.

Rule 2. Don’t forget about address and greeting

This is where the letter should begin. It is better to do this in the following form: “Good afternoon, first name (patronymic) of the addressee.” The bulky design of “Good day!” It's better not to use it. It is also incorrect to indicate the following wording: “Hello, Mr. Ivanov.” In the business environment, they don't talk about health. If the letter is addressed to a group of people, you can use a collective word: “Dear sirs!” or “Colleagues!” You can do without contacting only in case of intensive correspondence in question-answer mode, as when communicating on Skype.

Phrases that should not be used in correspondence

If email is an important lead generation channel for your organization, here's 11 phrases, which the editors of the “Commercial Director” magazine recommend urgently getting rid of.

Rule 3. Remember that brevity is the sister of talent

If the subject of the letter requires explanation and detail, indicate the necessary parameters. However, do not pour too much water on this; write specifically. The ideal option would be a short letter in which you agree with the addressee about a telephone conversation or a meeting at which you can discuss all the details.

Rule 4. Writing style – business, tone – neutral

Unlike face-to-face communication and telephone conversations, where you have a script, your recipient not only does not see you, but also does not hear you. You cannot supplement your words with facial expressions, intonation, or other nonverbal signals. Therefore, strictly adhere to this rule of business email correspondence. For example, in a conversation, the phrase “what else do you need from me?”, pronounced with a certain intonation, will express a desire to know the entire list of responsibilities or actions. And in written form it can be read like this: “How much can you load me with? Have a conscience!”

Therefore, if you are ready for further action, it is better to always use this rule of email correspondence. Write it like this: “how else can I be useful/useful?” If you have no desire to participate in the further process, you need to say so correctly. For example, like this: “Colleagues, in view of my high workload on another project, I would be grateful if you ...” and then describe your wishes: “free me from further work on this project,” “describe to me the full range of responsibilities so that I could plan my work." At the same time, it is important to take into account the subordination: if you correspond with your manager, check with him the priority of this work.

Rule 5. Dose the number of emoticons in the text

This is a fundamental rule of electronic correspondence between business people. Some companies strictly prohibit the use of emoticons. If your organization is not one of them, use these icons, but very carefully. After all, “emoticons” are symbols of emotions that need to be dosed in a business environment. One icon in a letter is enough to let the interlocutor understand your emotions. This rule for email correspondence also applies to business communication on Skype and ICQ.

Rule 6. Don’t forget about the electronic signature

At the end of any (not just the first) letter there must be a signature containing the name and position of the sender, his work contacts, and the company logo. This is good form and an indicator of the presence of a corporate culture.

Rule 7. Re-read the letter before sending. Correct errors and typos

Carelessness is not the best quality for a business person.

Rule 8. Reply to correspondence within 24 hours

If you need more time, you should write about it within 24 hours. After sending, it would be a good idea to contact the recipient of the letter and make sure that he received it and when to expect a response from him.

Rule 9. Confirm receipt of emails with attachments

Check if they open correctly. Please note that company executives should not send any promotional offers or links to them (unless they are the subject of the discussion).

It is better to send such letters on behalf of the sales manager with the appropriate notification in the body of the letter.

Rule 10. Correspondence ends with the one who started it

The last letter is sent by the initiator of the correspondence. Even if all the issues have already been discussed, write to your partner words of gratitude for effective cooperation and prompt responses. At the end, you can wish you a good mood and a productive week. However, only if you have a close and long-term relationship with the recipient. In all other cases, it is better to indicate: “With best wishes.”