The AMA Handbook of Business Letters

537 Pages·2002·3.459 MB·English

by  Jeffrey L. Seglin, Edward Coleman

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The
AMA
Handbook of
Business
Letters
T H I R D E D I T I O N
The
AMA
Handbook of
Business
Letters
T H I R D E D I T I O N
J E F F R E Y L . S E G L I N
E D W A R D C O L E M A N
WIT H
American Management Association
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Seglin,JeffreyL.,1956–
TheAMAhandbookofbusinessletters/JeffreyL.SeglinwithEdwardColeman.—3rded.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
@Bookz ISBN 0-8144-0665-3
1. Commercialcorrespondence—Handbooks,manuals,etc. 2. Letterwriting—
Handbooks,manuals,etc. I. Coleman,Edward,1968– II. Amacom. III. Title.
HF5726.S42 2002
651.7(cid:1)5—dc21
2001053995
(cid:1)2002JeffreyL.Seglin
Allrightsreserved.
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Althoughthispublicationissubjecttocopyright,permissionisgrantedfreeof
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Contents
Preface to the Third Edition xiii
Preface to the Second Edition xv
Preface to the First Edition xvii
PART I. The Basics 1
ApproachingThisBook 1
ApproachofThisBook 2
CHAPTER 1. Planning the Letter 3
ResearchingtheFacts 4
AnalyzingtheSubjectandReader 5
KnowingYourObjectivesandHowtoAccomplishThem 6
CHAPTER 2. Components of an Effective Letter 8
Language—Clarityvs.Ambiguity 8
Tone—Personality 11
FocusofAttention—The‘‘YouAttitude’’ 13
Length 15
CHAPTER 3. Structure: The Parts of a Letter 16
Dateline 16
ReferenceLine 17
PersonalorConfidentialNote 17
InsideAddress 18
AttentionNote 20
Salutation 21
SubjectLine 22
Paragraphs 22
ContinuationSheets 23
ComplimentaryClose 24
SignatureBlock 25
vii
viii CONTENTS
IdentificationLine 26
EnclosureandAttachmentNotations 27
DistributionNotation 27
Postscript 28
CHAPTER 4. Appearance of the Letter 29
Stationery 29
VariousFormatsforLetterWriting 31
FullBlock 31
Block 33
Semiblock 34
SimplifiedLetter 34
OfficialStyle 37
HangingIndented 38
Envelopes 40
Memorandums 40
Faxes 42
E-Mail 42
Notes 45
CHAPTER 5. Grammar 46
Grammar 46
WrongPronouns 47
PronounsandAntecedents 49
SubjectandVerbAgreement 49
DanglingModifiers 51
SplitInfinitives 52
ParallelStructure 52
Punctuation 53
Capitalization 53
Spelling 53
Jargon 53
Cliche´s 54
Wordiness 54
CHAPTER 6. Word Processing 56
Word-ProcessingSoftware 56
UsingModelLetters 57
PART II. The Letters 61
CHAPTER 7. Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations Letters 63
LettersofIntroduction(SampleLetters7.1–7.7) 63
SalesLetters(SampleLetters7.8–7.22) 72
LetterAccompanyingRenewalNotice(SampleLetter7.23) 91
LetterAnnouncingaSpecialPresentation(SampleLetter7.24) 92
CatalogLetters(SampleLetters7.25–7.27) 93
SalesInquiryResponse(SampleLetter7.28) 97
AppointmentRequests(SampleLetters7.29–7.32) 98
CONTENTS ix
LettersofInterest(SampleLetters7.33–7.34) 101
LettertoDifficult-to-SeeProspect(SampleLetter7.35) 104
LettertoFindDecisionMaker(SampleLetter7.36) 105
LettersConfirmingProposals(SampleLetters7.37–7.39) 106
Follow-UpLetters(SampleLetters7.40–7.46) 109
LettertoRenewContact(SampleLetter7.47) 117
LetterWelcomingNewClient(SampleLetter7.48) 118
LetterAskingforReferral(SampleLetter7.49) 119
LetterPromotingSpecialSale(SampleLetter7.50) 121
LettertoWishExistingCustomerHolidayGreetings(SampleLetter7.51) 122
LettertoAcknowledgeAnniversaryofaSalesRelationship(Sample
Letter7.52) 122
PublicRelationsLetters(SampleLetters7.53–7.60) 123
CHAPTER 8. Customer Service Letters 134
ComplaintResolutionLetters(SampleLetters8.1–8.9) 134
ApologyLetters(SampleLetters8.10–8.19) 145
LetterAcknowledgingOrder(SampleLetter8.20) 154
LettertoCustomerWhoMistakenlyReturnedMerchandise(Sample
Letter8.21) 155
LettersCorrectingWrongShipment(SampleLetters8.22–8.23) 156
ProductorServiceInformationLetters(SampleLetters8.24–8.29) 158
Thank-YouLetterstoCustomers(SampleLetters8.30–8.34) 163
LettertoLapsedCustomer(SampleLetter8.35) 168
PricingLetters(SampleLetters8.36–8.38) 169
Change-in-LocationLetter(SampleLetter8.39) 172
ProjectStatusLetters(SampleLetters8.40–8.43) 174
Product-HandlingLetter(SampleLetter8.44) 178
LetterExplainingRegulatoryImpactonClient(SampleLetter8.45) 179
SubscriptionResponseLetters(SampleLetters8.46–8.50) 181
LetterstoStockholders(SampleLetters8.51–8.63) 186
CHAPTER 9. Credit and Collection Letters 201
LetterRequestingCommercialCredit(SampleLetter9.1) 201
CreditInformationLetters(SampleLetters9.2–9.3) 202
LettersAnnouncingCreditPolicyChange(SampleLetters9.4–9.5) 204
Returned-CheckLetters(SampleLetters9.6–9.8) 207
CreditBureauComplaint(SampleLetter9.9) 210
CreditReferenceLetters(SampleLetters9.10–9.12) 211
LetterDenyingCredit(SampleLetter9.13) 214
LettersGrantingCredit(SampleLetters9.14–9.16) 215
LetterRaisingCreditLimit(SampleLetter9.17) 219
LetterClearingDisputedItems(SampleLetter9.18) 219
Stop-PaymentLetter(SampleLetter9.19) 220
CollectionLetters(SampleLetters9.20–9.30) 221
Credit-SuspensionLetter(SampleLetter9.31) 231
LetterReinstatingCredit(SampleLetter9.32) 232
LettersAcceptingPartialPayment(SampleLetters9.33–9.35) 233
LetterAcknowledgingPayment(SampleLetter9.36) 236