CYPRUS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Making Business Letters and Documents Look Attractive On Paper and On the Computer Screen

IS APPEARANCE OF LETTERS IMPORTANT? First impressions will make or break a document! Appropriate Content or Appropriate Appearance? Before readers begin to read, they will react to the feel of the paper, the design of the letter, the letter arrangement, and the appearance. Some expectations must be met so that a message is seriously considered! The appearance of your message should simplify communication Ch.7 describes the Characteristics of stationery and the basic elements found on any letterhead

STATIONERY Size 8x11 inches (in the US, Canada, and Mexico) A4 - the ISO Standard - (in most other countries) half A4 for brief internal messages, e.g. memos, notes Weight pound paper (if less: too fragile, if heavier: too bulky) Colour White (the standard colour) / Coloured paper used for sales docs Personalised stationery Watermark: identifies the company (a faint design when you hold the paper up to the light) Logo: the paper manufacturer imprints the company logo or other identifying symbols on the paper during production.

LETTERHEAD Companies use it to legitimize their business organisation A powerful means of portraying your organisation’s image Occupies the top 2 inches of the stationery Basic Elements: company name, company address, and postcode Additional Elements: telephone number, mobile phone numbers, addresses, company symbol, picture, slogan, website

LAYOUT OF THE LETTER Plan your layout - a pleasing appearance Balance your letter on the page (doc more attractive) Achieve a picture-frame effect (by surrounding your message with ample margins) - > letter with eye appeal Set up your letter (See Table 7.1., p.157 Guidelines for establishing line lengths using the picture-frame method )

STANDARD PARTS OF THE LETTER Diversity in stylistic features A letter should contain 7 basic parts: Letterhead Date Inside Address Attention Line Salutation Body Signature Block

STANDARD PARTS OF THE LETTER Letterhead (company name, address, fax no.) Date 15 th Oct > NO! October 12, 20XX July 4, 20XX 11 November 20XX Inside Address (receiver’s name, courtesy title, address, fax no.) (single space this info at the left margin) - Several persons – different location (see p.158) Mr. John T. Matlik 75 Corfu Street Athens Greece

STANDARD PARTS OF THE LETTER Attention Line (names the specific person who should read the letter) (between Inside Address and Salutation) Salutation - Most frequent: Dear Mr, Ms, or Mrs - Leave off Dear if uncomfortable - Informal or Formal? - Recipients’ Titles (see p.159) - When you write to a company, partnership, or a group, use the salutation “Gentlemen and Ladies” – OR omit the salutation and use a Subject Line Optimum Co. 75 Corfu Street Athens Greece Attention: Mr. John T. Matlik Dear Mr. Matlik

STANDARD PARTS OF THE LETTER Body (contains the main message of the letter) - Begin two lines after the salutation / or/ Subject Line - Single space between lines, Double space between paragraphs - Don’t leave significant questions unanswered – Be concise! - Paragraphing (unity + development of ideas) - Paragraph Length (short paragraphs vs longer ones) - Don’t get too near the bottom of the page - Don’t squeeze in the signature - Use a 2 nd page and carry over AT LEAST a full paragraph of text, not just the complimentary close and signature Signature Block - Name + Title on separate lines (4, 5 lines below the complimentary close)

OPTIONAL PARTS OF THE LETTER A letter can also contain some optional parts: Subject Line Complimentary Close Reference Initials Enclosures Copies Postscripts

OPTIONAL PARTS OF THE LETTER Subject Line (explains the major issue of your document) - Left margin (if Block Style and Simplified Style) - Left or centre (if Modified Block Style) Complimentary Close - 2 lines below the last line of the letter - Capitalise only the first letter of the first word - Left margin (if Block Style) - Centre (if Modified Block Style) - No Complimentary close (if Simplified Style) - Common Closings: Sincerely, Respectfully, Cordially

OPTIONAL PARTS OF THE LETTER Reference Initials (initials of the person who keyboards your documents) - Left margin (double-space below the last line of Signature Block ) - Usually in small letters rather than capital Enclosures (when you have sth to enclose with a letter, place an enclosure notation) - Left margin (a double-space below the Reference Initials) Enclosure: Cheque No to be returned? Enclosure: Proof of Payment – Please return - how many? Enclosures (2)

OPTIONAL PARTS OF THE LETTER Copies (if sb other than your intended audience receives a copy, identify them) - one or two spaces below the Signature Block, Reference Initials, or Enclosure Notation C: G. Athanasiou c : G. Athanasiou Postscripts (an afterthought) - After the Reference Initials, Enclosure notations, or Copy notations. - Attention: it may indicate you haven’t organised your thoughts - Use it as a reminder in a persuasive document (its position can make the reader notice it) - Do not label postscripts as PS or P.S

IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF FORMAT Punctuation Style (2 styles to punctuate the salutation and the close of the letter) Open : no punctuation follows the salutation or the close Dear Mrs. WilliamsSincerely Mixed : a colon after salutation, a comma after close Dear Mrs. Williams :Sincerely, Second-Page Heading - When more than a single page is required, use a 2 nd page heading - 3 common headings (See Box 7.1, p.161) - Leave at least 1 inch at the bottom of the 1 st page – do not start a paragraph - Do not carry over a partial line (widow) - Have at least one complete paragraph plus the complimentary close and the signature block on a second page.

IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF FORMAT Second-Page Heading (3 common headings) Optimum Co. -2- April 14, 2003 Mr. John Matlik, April 14, 2003, page 2 Mr. John Matlik April 14, 2003 Page 2

LETTER STYLES Full Block Style (see Box 7.2, p.162, Full Block Format) - Date, closing, signature begin at the LEFT margin Semiblock Style - Date, closing, signature begin to the right of centre - Paragraphs are indented 5 spaces Modified Block Style (see Box 7.3, p.164, Modified Block Format) - Date, closing, signature begin at the centre of the page - all other parts stay the same as in full block style Simplified Block Style - No Salutation (SUBJECT LINE instead), No Close - all lines begin at the left margin

TEMPLATES AND WIZARDS - Companies often adapt these standardized formats and make one of their own. - Be careful when using templates: check if correct or outdated - Consistency is the for communication with customers and clients

FOLDING AND INSERTING ENCLOSURES (see Exhibit 7.1, p.166, Letter Folds) 2a  Fold horizontally about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom 3a  Fold the upper third down from the top (leaving 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch uncovered)

ADDRESSING ENVELOPES - 1 st line : to the right of the centre of the envelope - Long addresses: start farther to the left - Foreign countries – keyboard the name of country in capitals, last line - Keyboard the sender’s name above the return address - Spell out Company and Corporation or Ιnc. or Ltd. - See Exhibit 7.2., p.167 Envelope Formats

INTERNATIONAL LETTERS Formal Tone Include maximum punctuation Avoid use of first name in salutation You must do some research regarding the receiver’s country International format for telephone numbers ( …) (plus sign, country code, area code, local number) Include your country in the letterhead

FORMAT PRINCIPLES FOR ONLINE DOCUMENTS TIPS Web readers don’t read a page from start to finish on the PC screen Web readers scan a site, look for relevant items, then print Use of headings, bullets, lists can guide a Web reader!!! Coloured text – yes, but not blue words (reserved for hyperlinks) maximum punctuation MORE TIPS Use a headline Split into Different Pages Bold or highlight text to make it stand out Use italics for emphasis (see Box 7.6, p.171 Illustration of Chunking)

Coming-up next class!!! Learning to Write Directly Electronically and on Paper