上外 外贸函电02+Business+Letters

nullTrade Related Business CommunicationTrade Related Business CommunicationLesson 2 Business LettersClassification of Business Letters Classification of Business Letters General Communication: “Let it be!” attitude Sending News: the POSITIVE & negative side Complaining: Never write in anger B2B V.S. B2CModern business English is... Modern business English is... "The writing of information in a way that gives a reader a good chance of understanding the document at the first reading." Martin Cutts, The Plain English Guide, Oxford ,1995 The Reader's ExpectationsThe Reader's Expectationsclear and easy to read short and "to the point" polite and respectful action-oriented（国际快递） In summary, they want to receive documents that are "reader-friendly". How?How?State why he (or she) is writing and what he (or she) wants the reader to do. Separate the information into short paragraphs. Use short sentences. Use simple and clear words. Use polite expressions. Busy → BusinessBusy → BusinessRemember, most readers are busy people. They want to know the main points of your message quickly.Your readers expect to find：Your readers expect to find：a clear statement of your purpose for writing all necessary information (maybe more than that) for them to take action the specific action to take To meet your reader's expectations and get results, your reader needs to:To meet your reader's expectations and get results, your reader needs to: Understand your document easily and correctly. Respond to your document appropriately. The 5Cs Principle The 5Cs Principle Complete Cohesive Clear Concise CourteousGrammar Guide Grammar Guide Active voice Modern words Fewer (noun) Phrases Brief SentencesLanguage StyleLanguage StyleYou-attitude Positive Emphasis Reader’s Benefit Tone, Power and PolitenessHow to Create You-attitudeHow to Create You-attitudeTalk about the reader, not about yourself. Refer to the reader’s request or order specifically. Don’t talk about feelings, except to congratulate or offer sympathy. In positive situations, use you more often than I. Use we only when it includes the reader. In negative situations, avoid the word you.Reader FocusReader FocusI have negotiated an agreement with Apex Rent-a-Car that gives you a discount on rental cars. As our VIP customer, you can now get a 20% discount when you rent a car from Apex. We are shipping your order of September 21 this afternoon. The two dozen Corning Ware starter sets you ordered will be shipped this afternoon (and should reach you by September 28).Reader’s ConcernReader’s ConcernYour order… To individual: The desk chair you ordered… To a Company: Your invoice #783329Your FeelingsYour FeelingsWe are happy to extend you a credit line of ¥500. You can now charge up to ¥500 on your ICBC student credit card. Congratulations! Your application for ICBC student credit card is approved.The Reader’s FeelingThe Reader’s FeelingYou’ll be happy to hear that our products meet OSHA requirements. Our products meet OSHA requirements. OSHA—the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a U.S. federal agency You’ll be happy to hear that your scholarship has been renewed. Good news! Your scholarship has been renewed.You, I and WeYou, I and WeWe provide insurance to all students. You receive health insurance as a full-time SISU student. Avoid “We” when it excludes the reader.Negative SituationsNegative SituationsYou must get approval from the adviser for your private affair leave. Students must get approval from the adviser for their private affair leave. You made no allowance for inflation in your estimate. No allowance for inflation has been made in this estimate. This estimate makes no allowance for inflation.Beyond Sentence LevelBeyond Sentence LevelBe complete, prepare an appendix for details the reader may need. Anticipate and answer questions the reader is likely to have. If you include information the reader didn’t ask for, show why it is necessary. Show readers how this subject affects them.You-attitude in Structural OrganizationYou-attitude in Structural OrganizationPut information readers are most interested in first. Arrange information to meet your reader’s needs, not yours. Use headings and lists to help the reader find key points quickly.Positive EmphasisPositive EmphasisAvoid negative words and words with negative connotations. Focus what the reader can do. Justify negative information by giving a reason or linking it to a reader benefit. Omit the truly unimportant negative. Put the negative information in the middle and present it compactly.Negative Words to AvoidNegative Words to AvoidDerogatory Terms Some dis- words Many in- words Some mis- words Many un- wordsOptionsOptionsSubstitute two negatives with one positive term: Never fail to back up your data. Always back up your data. Use the least negative word that is accurate if necessary: Your balance of ¥500 is delinquent. Your balance of ¥500 is past due.Hidden NegativesHidden NegativesI hope this is the information you want. Enclosed is a brochure about the teapots you want. The new flavor of our biscuit tastes better. The new flavor of our biscuit tastes even better. I hope that you are satisfied enough to place future orders. Call Mercury whenever you need computer chips.AccuracyAccuracyThe exercycle is not guaranteed for life. The exercycle is guaranteed for life. The exercycle is guaranteed for 10 years. Customers under 60 are not eligible for the Prime Time discount. You must be over 60 to be eligible for the Prime Time discount. If you’re 60 or older, you can save 10% on all your purchases with Prime Time discount.Can-do Focus Can-do Focus State what you (or the reader) can do rather than what you cannot do. A. Our office closes at 4:00 pm. B. Our office stays open until 4:00 pm. Use the "if-contract", which states what you (or the reader) can do if a specific condition is met. The "if-contract" emphasizes what is possible.PracticePracticeYou need a reference before you can open an account. If you give us a reference, you can open an account. Settle payment immediately or you will be charged an additional $15. If you pay immediately, you will not incur any additional charges.Reason & Reader BenefitReason & Reader BenefitWe cannot sell computer disks in lots of less than 10. Compare: To keep down packaging costs and to help you save on shipping and handling costs, we sell computer disks in lots of 10 or more. We sell computer disks only in lots of 10 or more.Omit negatives only when:Omit negatives only when:The reader does not need the information to make a decision. You have already given the reader the information and he or she has access to the previous communication. The information is trivial. The negatives will fade away with time goes by.Negative Treatment in OrganizationNegative Treatment in OrganizationPut negative information in the middle of the message. Give negative information only once in the message. Start to talk about negative information from the middle of a paragraph. Avoid to put negative information at the bottom of the first page.Good Reader BenefitsGood Reader BenefitsAdapt reader benefits to the audience. Stress intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivators. Prove reader benefits with clear logic and explain them in adequate detail. Phrase reader benefits in you-attitude.Create Reader BenefitsCreate Reader BenefitsIdentify the feelings, fears, and needs that may motivate your reader. Identify the features of your product or policy that could meet the needs you’ve identified. Show how the reader can meet his or her needs with the features of the policy or product.Cultural Difference: Chinese V.S. EnglishCultural Difference: Chinese V.S. EnglishSample Inquiry 3-2, p62 V.S. Sample Inquiry 3-3, p63Filing of Business LettersFiling of Business Letters Physical copies Digital copies Management of files Classification and Indexation Classification and Indexation Criteria: Ref code. Principle: Neither too many nor too few in one file Both for in-coming and out-going lettersReference CodeReference CodeKeep every incoming and outgoing letter in a file composition Properly coded: e.g.. Transaction code/No. eg. 2004年向威廉父子公司出口茶壶的第七封去信/第三封来信 I. TP/W-2004/O7 TP/W-2004/I3 I. -W/TP2004/O7 W/TP-2004/I3File and Find File and Find Put in order preservation Paper standardization Supplementary materials Samples Fax paperDigital Files Digital Files E-mails: Use of “reply” button Preservation Other files (name & directory design) The “latest version” For filing’s sake---make your digital materials easy to be filed Management of Files Management of Files Actual possession Rules and framework of filing Accessibility of files Place Entry code Personnel adjustment HomeworkHomework Read the letters replying to the complain of garden plants and make comments.