How to conduct business correspondence correctly: etiquette requirements. Email Correspondence Policy

A person who is trying to look decent in a business relationship always follows the rules of e-mail correspondence. He remembers not to let the email tarnish the recipient, the reputation of the company he represents, and the business image.

The ability to competently and concisely conduct e-mail correspondence is an important element of the image of a successful manager. This fact testifies to his general cultural level and professionalism. Based on how a person is able to formulate and shape his thoughts, one can understand how he relates to himself and those around him. A carelessly written email will easily ruin the impression of you and undermine your business reputation.

Business email rules

Use your work email address solely for business purposes. When you send a letter from the company's server, it is saved on it, both as outgoing and incoming. Your employer can always look at these letters and understand what you really do. When in the office, use email only for business correspondence.

Understand who you are sending a message to, and to whom the information presented in it may be useful.

Who are you addressing your letter to? Partner? To the client? Colleague? To the head? Subordinate? The addressee must be indicated in the "to" field, those interested - "copy". Extra copies should never be sent, especially to a manager. If the letter concerns third parties, then they are usually also entered in the "copy" field.

Define the purpose of the message for yourself. What do you want to achieve by sending your letter? What should the addressee do when they read it? What kind of reaction do you expect? The addressee should immediately understand what exactly you want from him. What person should you write the letter from?

It depends on the specific case:

• if you want to show your individual view of events - from the first (me, we);
• if your message contains a request or instruction - from the second (you, you);
• if you are sending a letter as an outside observer, you want to inform the addressee about certain events or accomplished facts - from a third person (he, she, them).

Always fill in the subject field. Most people who receive emails look first at the subject field. Based on the information it contains, a decision is made whether to read the letter or not. If there is an awkward phrase that does not carry any information, or the field is empty at all, it is highly likely that the person will not open the letter at all. State the topic briefly, specifically, informatively.
Keep track of the content: greeting and address, body text, summary, signature and contacts. You must follow the etiquette of electronic business communication.

You should not skip certain parts of the traditional content, make out the letter correctly, it testifies to your professionalism.

By addressing and greeting, you express your respect to the addressee. Whenever possible, at the beginning of each letter, use a personalized message and greeting. Addressing your interlocutor by name is also an element of respect. If you want the message to look casual, add a comma after the address. If you want to mark its significance and formality - an exclamation mark.

Follow this rule even with colleagues with whom you often communicate.

Observe the principle of brevity and clarity. Business correspondence should contain a minimum of words with a maximum of useful information. Be specific, concise, consistent, and understandable. Form short sentences, so it will be easier for the addressee to perceive the information. In one letter, cover one topic.

It is better to send several letters, if you need to talk on different topics, this is much better than one long message with different ideas, in no way unrelated to each other.

Don't turn informal conversations into business correspondence. You don't need to use emotions in emails. If you want to emotionally emphasize some points in your message, then try to hide the emotional overtones behind a calm, correct, neutral tone of presentation. It can be achieved not by language, but by content.
Maintain a clear letter body design.

Typically, a letter is divided into three parts:

• Reason for writing (reason, reason). Keep this part as short as possible.
• Consistent disclosure of the essence.
• Decisions, suggestions, conclusions, requests.

The message should have a good look and feel. Make paragraphs of 5-6 lines in the text. We recommend that you separate paragraphs with a blank line. Use one font and color. If this is not necessary, do not use abbreviations, emoticons, cursive elements, exclamation marks.

Write correctly. An illiterate letter speaks of the lack of education of the author. Typos and mistakes can be detrimental to your business reputation. It is recommended that you read it carefully before sending it. Many text editors and e-mail programs have a function for checking punctuation and spelling, if errors are found, they offer corrective options. Be sure to use these features when writing emails.

Think about what documents you need to attach to the letter. You do not need to include detailed data in the text itself, it is better to send them in a separate file. Indicate in the subject that the file was attached, what format it is and what is in it (briefly), otherwise the recipient may mistake it for a virus. Before sending the file, check it with an antivirus program.

Leave your contacts and signature. This is only a plus for your reputation, it reflects your professionalism. Do not make a long signature, maximum five to six lines. It should contain the name of the company, your full name, position held. As a rule, the website address, telephone number and email address are also indicated.

You should not use the postscript unnecessarily in business correspondence. Its presence indicates that you have not thought through the content of the letter enough.

Use read receipts only when absolutely necessary. As a rule, it is needed only in communication with external addressees, and then if the answer is very important.

Also use the "high importance" checkbox only when necessary. If there is really important information in the letter that needs to be considered urgently, check this box. Thanks to this, the letter will stand out in the "inbox". But, do not abuse this function, it can look annoying and annoying.

Be sure to read the email before submitting. Check if everything is clear, specific, concise, if there is anything superfluous and inappropriate, grammatical errors. Have you entered the correct destination data? Check the logic and consistency of the presentation.

Respond to emails you receive in a timely manner. Notify that you have read the letter, so you show respect, show a good tone. If at a particular moment you cannot answer the letter you received, notify the author about this, promise to answer as soon as possible. Answer the questions asked to you in sequence. There is no need to start a reply like a new message.

If you do not answer within two days, the addressee will think that you did not pay attention to his letter, or it got lost.

Usually, the person who initiated it should end the electronic dialogue. Although this rule may sometimes not be observed, based on the specifics of a particular correspondence.
Remember all the named rules of email correspondence. Observe them always, be attentive and judicious.

So you can show yourself as a professional, modern and competent manager, with whom it is pleasant and comfortable to work.

Over the past decades, business correspondence via e-mail has gained immense popularity and has become one of the main methods of business communication. Today it is difficult to find such a person who would not use e-mail in the practice of interpersonal communications. Despite this, many today are asking the question: so that all the rules are observed? How to form a good impression of the sender with the help of a competent letter?

This article describes the rules for business correspondence by e-mail, and the practical tips presented in the article will help you learn the correct business communication when composing emails.

Many people start their day by checking their mailbox for new messages. But, unfortunately, despite the prevalence of this method of exchange of information, many do not know how to correctly use the language of business correspondence, mistaking emails for an informal way of communication.

Due to the speed of delivery, it simplifies the exchange of important official documents, forms, statements, but even here people make mistakes when sending letters. It often happens that when composing an e-mail when exchanging any files, the addressees, for whatever reason, do not draw up accompanying sketches and do not enter the subject, which can complicate the work of the recipients. The purpose of this article is to answer the question: how to send an email and comply with all the rules of business written communication via email?

When composing emails, all the fields provided must be filled in

Business e-mail rules oblige the sender of the letter to fill in all the fields provided in the e-mail, such as the address and name of the recipient and the sender of the letter. A subject must be described that briefly describes the essence of the letter being sent. Very often the fate of the sent letter and the speed of resolving the problem stated in it depends on the correctly described topic. A business email should start with a greeting - this simple show of respect for the recipient is very important in correspondence. The greeting should be followed by the text, which is called "the body of the letter", and at the end the signature is left, for example, "Sincerely, Brisov Petr Ivanovich."

Greetings in business correspondence

It is worth further focusing on this point, since the gesture of respect is very important in any aspect of business communications. The optimal greeting phrase is "Good afternoon" or "Hello". Conducting business correspondence by e-mail limits the sender's use of the phrases "Good evening" or "Good morning", since the recipient may read the letter much later than it was received. It is also not correct to use common expressions used in greetings.

After the word or phrase of greeting, you should contact the recipient by name and patronymic, and if the name is unknown to the sender, you can skip this moment. Then you can move on to setting out the purpose of the letter.

Attached files in business email correspondence

If the main purpose of the letter is not only a written narration and presentation of the essence of the issue, but also sending a file, then it is better to attach the object to be sent first. It often happens that many senders, due to inattention, after setting out the essence of the issue in the body of the letter, forget to attach the necessary attachment. Such negligence can negatively affect the business reputation of the sender of the business letter.

The email address must be recognizable and concise

Business e-mail rules oblige the sender to have a recognizable email name, which must contain truthful information about the sender's name. Official letters and appeals look very incomprehensible and stupid when informal expressions or words are indicated in the e-mail address, for example, the e-mail address "limon_petya". It looks very undignified for an adult. For business correspondence, it is best to create a separate email and follow business email etiquette.

Using the quick Reply (Response) function to reply to previously received emails

The Reply or Response function (abbreviated as Re :) helps the user respond quickly to previously sent messages from the sender. This function also has the universal ability to read the previous correspondence with the interlocutor on a given topic. But the rules of business correspondence by e-mail oblige the sender to rename the subject of the business letter if the essence of the discussion is changed during the correspondence.

Before sending a business letter, proofread for spelling and punctuation errors

E-mail simplifies the exchange of information, but in business correspondence, you should not neglect the rules of the Russian language, since a carelessly made mistake can affect the credibility of the sender. Before sending a letter, you should review the text several times and carefully check it for offographic and punctuation errors. Many e-mail clients have a spell-check feature, so you should pay attention to the words underlined with a red line. If you have doubts about the correct spelling, then you should seek help on the Internet or check the spelling using a spelling dictionary.

The destination field should be completed last

To avoid sending unfinished or unedited letters, the address of the recipient of the business letter should be entered at the very last moment before sending. This rule is also part of the basics of business email correspondence. It happens that when filling out the addressee field, e-mail may offer a list of previously used recipients, here you should also focus your attention in order not to mistakenly send a compiled business letter to a third-party addressee.

Structuring a business letter

The rules for structuring text apply not only to paper media, but also to the rules for business correspondence by e-mail. It is not always convenient for the recipient to read large volumes of the text of letters on the monitor screen. To simplify this point, you should break the text into logically formed small paragraphs and avoid complicated sentences in writing the text of business letters. The optimal length of one sentence in a business letter should be no more than fifteen words.

The essence of a business letter should be stated on the merits

In addition to the specified subject of the business letter, the recipient should also be interested in the clearly formulated first and second sentences of the main text. The task of the sender is to state at the beginning of the letter the essence of the problem or question on which he addresses the recipient. The first sentence should indicate the purpose for which the business letter is sent. Sample: “We inform you that the terms of the obligation under contract No. 45 of 01/02/2017“ On the supply of bulk materials ”are coming to an end. To renew the contract, you must submit a repeated package of documents. " Thanks to the designated goal, the recipient has the opportunity to delve into the main idea of ​​the business letter. If the text of the letter is too large, then it is better to use the function of attaching an object as an attachment in the form of a text document, but at the same time with the field for the text you should leave an accompanying sketch that illuminates the business letter. Sample: “We are sending you an electronic copy of the letter from Mak-Stroy LLC for review. We ask you to inform us of your decision on the extension of contract No. 45 dated 02.01.2017 "On the supply of bulk materials" before the deadline specified in the letter. "

Every business email must be answered

There are negative examples of business correspondence when the recipient ignores the business letter for some reason. Sometimes there really may be cases when an answer cannot be given due to certain situations, for example, the time for solving the problem may take several days or the recipient is in thought and cannot immediately answer the question. In this case, a short commentary should be given on this matter, for example, “Hello, Petr Ivanovich. I received your letter, but today I find it difficult to answer, as I have to consult with the higher management. I will report your problem to the CEO of our company and give an official response by the end of the week. Respectfully yours, manager of the sales department Belov Ivan Gennadievich ".

It is worth remembering that if the answer was not given within three working days, then the fact of silence of the recipient of the business letter can be assessed as ignoring and refusal to communicate with the sender.

When composing response letters, you should answer all the questions posed

If the letter sent to the recipient is interrogative in nature, then when composing the letter, you should answer the questions in the order that is present in the received text of the business letter. If questions have been asked, the sender hopes to receive specific answers to them. When composing a letter, the answers should not be numbered, you just need to state the thought in order. In order to answer all the questions posed, first you need to re-read the received business letter several times, and if there are too many questions, it is better to write them out separately so as not to miss them. If it is impossible to give an answer to some of the questions posed, it is worth pointing out that at the moment, for some reason, the answer cannot be given.

Don't overuse abbreviations, emoji, and capital letters

There are negative examples of business correspondence, when senders dilute it using informal signs in the form of emoticons. Their use is popular when communicating on social networks, however, the rules of business correspondence do not welcome such manifestations of emotions, since the recipient may not know their true meaning and take them for a set of punctuation errors that he does not understand.

You should also refuse to write the text in capital letters. On the Internet, a set of words written in capital letters is called "flashy phrases" and more often such phrases carry a negative connotation. The recipient, when reading a business email, may regard such a font negatively, which will adversely affect the perception of meaning. If you need to emphasize the importance of a moment in a business letter, it is better to use introductory phrases, for example, "Please note that you need to provide a package of documents for extending the contract no later than 02/10/2017" or "Please note that the documents for the extension of the contract must be submitted by 10.02.2017 ”.

It is not necessary to transfer sensitive information via e-mail

For the transfer of personal or confidential information, it is better to refuse e-mail boxes, as there is a threat of information interception by cybercriminals for their own mercenary purposes. Such information may include: phone numbers, passwords from bank cards, personal bank accounts, etc. It is important to remember that information is stored on the mail agent's server and can be stolen in case of hacking.

At the end of the letter must be signed by the sender

As mentioned earlier, each letter sent must contain a specific signature. Often, mailbox developers introduce a signature block feature, in which you can enter your title, name and contact phone number. Subsequently, this block will be automatically displayed at the end of each letter, which will simplify the typing. It is important to draw up the signature correctly so that the recipient has the opportunity to correctly contact the sender when replying to the letter. An example of a signature might look like this: "Best regards, Nikolay Alexandrovich Petrov, +79810000000".

Drawing conclusions, it can be noted that in order to understand how to conduct business correspondence by e-mail, you do not need to master additional and complex basics. One has only to adhere to the elementary rules of etiquette and observe the norms of the Russian language.

Business correspondence is an integral part of the image of a company and a business person. Establishing contact, maintaining contacts, discussing business issues in writing is sometimes preferable, and often simply necessary, therefore, the image created in business correspondence should fully correspond to the external image that is formed by live communication. At the same time, in business correspondence, compliance with the rules and requirements is mandatory not only in general principles, but also in trifles and details.

Business Correspondence Principles and Etiquette

Business correspondence etiquette in general does not differ from the general requirements of business communication. Here are its basic principles:

• politeness, respect,
• clarity of goal setting,
• result orientation and contact,
• responsible attitude to other people's time and obligations,
• logical consistency and accuracy,
• factual concreteness,
• literacy,
• neutrality of tone, severity and formality of speech,
• observance of subordination and traditions.

These requirements are not original, but their implementation guarantees constructive interaction with partners and customers.

Letterhead and language formulas

The letterhead of the letter is the face of the company, therefore its mandatory attributes are literacy, accuracy of details, external accuracy and modest originality of design.

Whether it is an angular or longitudinal version of the letterhead, the full name of the organization, postal, actual and official address, telephone, fax, e-mail addresses and the address of the official e-page must be easy to read. The list of details is not strictly regulated, but the completeness of the data always looks more advantageous.

For reference: Information about the registration of correspondence is also desirable - about the date, number in the list, about a specific performer who prepared the document for sending. If this is a response letter, then a reference to the request letter is required.

In a business letter, an indication of the genre is also possible, which simplifies the design of correspondence: information letter, proposal, request, petition, apology, condolence, gratitude.

Letter on the official letterhead of the organization

The first part of the letter is an appeal, the formula of which contains the name and patronymic of the addressee, or a more official version - the word "master":

• Dear Fedor Fedorovich!
• Dear Mr. Smirnov!
• Dear Mr. Director!

The main part of the letter - informative - contains a short, understandable and succinct message and clear tasks: to provide information, clarify information, resolve the issue with supplies, and more. If the letter contains a refusal, then it is correct to start the first half with a clear and evidential justification. Language formulas can be different, depending on the selected tone:

• The company asks to consider the issue ...
• The President and the Board of Directors are requested to inform about ...
• Please consider the possibility ...
• Please reply as soon as possible ...

The final part of the letter is gratitude, apology, assurances of a speedy resolution of the issue, hope for further cooperation.

Business letters require compliance with the official order: if the letter requires the signature of the head, then it must be signed by the head (in extreme cases, by his deputy).

Netiquette and business emails

E-mails, like paper ones, consist of several important elements that need to be filled out correctly, not at all because of speculative rules, but precisely because these elements can be informative and very convenient from a utilitarian and practical point of view. A correct letter guarantees a correct and prompt answer, as well as a constructive solution to the issue.

For reference: Companies often have their own mail servers and programs, as well as develop a corporate style of e-mail design and internal rules of correspondence, which usually do not contradict the standard ones, but supplement them.

1. Addressee: it is customary to specify one address in the addressee line.

This indicates not only a respectful attitude towards the interlocutor, but also saves him.e— mailfrom spam, unnecessary mailings and prying eyes.

1. A copy of the addressee's letter is filled in for a specific purpose.

By sending a letter to the main addressee and specifying another in the "copy" section, the addressee informs the second interlocutor about what is happening, but does not require him to answer and directly participate in the correspondence.

1. Email subject: concreteness and uniqueness.

The utmost concreteness of the topic should help both the addressee and the addressee navigate the discussion topic and distinguish many problems and tasks: not just "Report from Katya", but "Report for May 2015. Draft version". Please note: the name in this case is useless, since the addressee is already clear to the addressee from the name of the e-mail box.

1. The body of the email should contain 3 key elements.

First, a greeting (if this is the first letter of the day, for example) and an appeal (in each letter). Secondly, the statement of the issue: presentation of yourself (if the letter is the first), a reminder of the tasks to be solved, a description of the problem or its solution. Third, a request or motivation for action.

1. The email read alert feature requires delicacy.

It should be used if the letter is really important, but there is no way to ask about receiving it by phone, for example. On the addressee, this function usually imposes vague, vaguely formulated psychological obligations, so it should not be abused. A correct and not so categorical option is a polite request at the end of the letter to inform about reading.

1. Signature requires conciseness and at the same time capacity.

The wording may contain the standard formula "Sincerely" or be limited to the last name and first name. The signature, including name, title, organization name and contact details, should not exceed 7 lines. It is advisable to indicate alternative contact information, in addition to the mailbox: phone number,Skype, ICQ, other popular messengers.

1. Attachments: the main thing is to warn and name the files correctly.

Netiquette requires you to report about the document in the file attached to the letter: about the format, its volume and content. The attachment should not be more than 3-5Mb... Its title, like the subject line of the letter, should be as short, specific and unique as possible.

The usual kind of email

The reaction time of a letter in netiquette differs from the time inoff— line... Two to three hours is a comfortable waiting time for a response to an urgent letter. In response to urgent or important emails, sometimes it is enough to warn thate— mailreceived and information noted. If the problem requires a long consideration, then the addressee must inform his interlocutor about the time it will take to answer the question.

For reference: One day is a comfortable time to reply to emails. If there is no response within 3 days, the rules of etiquette allow you to send a second letter or contact the addressee using an alternative source of communication - telephone,Skype, ICQ... Silence for 5-7 days or in response to a repeated request can be regarded as unwillingness to continue business correspondence.

The reputation of a business person and a company is formed not only from the efficiency and effectiveness of the business, but also from the details and nuances of any stage of business negotiations. Compliance with the principles of business correspondence is required from every representative of the company: from a minor clerk to a public relations specialist and a company leader.

Video: How to write business letters clearly, clearly and understandably

In contact with

Modern forms of business correspondence, which are now accepted in international communication, took shape about 150 years ago. Their homeland is England. It is from there that the basic rules of correspondence etiquette originate. Abroad, more attention is paid to the formal aspects of business and personal correspondence than we do. And therefore, in order not to ruin good relationships with partners abroad through ignorance, correspondence etiquette must be strictly observed.

Today, in the era of e-mail, telefax and computers, 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 provide the most beneficial representation of you personally and of 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 one. This form of presentation is determined by the fact that collective interests are expressed in an official letter and it is signed, as a rule, by an official - the director of an enterprise, institution, chairman of the commission, secretary of the organizing committee (or simply by the organizing committee, which is not entirely true).

In Russia there is no generally accepted standard of service letter, but still there are certain rules that must be followed.

Businesses typically use typographic letterhead for business correspondence. Personal business letters are printed on plain paper.

The writing paper should be clean, neatly cut.

Service letters are written only on one issue, while the information should be comprehensive, and the letter should be 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., in fact, a business letter will 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 should respond to emails received immediately, within 10 days. If it is not possible to give a detailed answer within such a period, it is necessary at least to inform about the receipt of the letter and explain why there was a delay in the reply.

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

The person who gave the recommendation letter should be thanked in writing. This letter should inform or notify about the results of a 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 only write on plain paper when you are not speaking on behalf of a firm or as a member of that firm.

Only those letters should be signed and sent that are well typed, beautifully arranged on paper, impeccably neat and outwardly pleasing — that is, letters that immediately make a favorable impression. Letter is a mirror reflecting the appearance, taste and character of a person.

Here are some tips for making an attractive and well-formed business letter.

Better quality paper should be used for business correspondence.

The envelope should match the letterhead in terms of the quality and weight of the paper. Everything that is printed on an envelope on a typewriter or by typographic method must match what is printed on paper.

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

All business letters should be typewritten 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 the letter was sent is put. Dates can now be written in different ways: March 23, 1995 follows 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: 8 Oct. 1995, Dec. 15, 1995.

You can find the indication of the date and numbers, but this contains a danger, because;

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

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

Wide margins make writing easier to read and more attractive. Never preprint a business letter on the back of a sheet.

Try to keep sentences and paragraphs in your letter as short as possible. Each new thought or idea should start 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 mistakes, poor spelling, missing punctuation marks, or misusing them can undermine your efforts.

When writing business letters, you should adhere to the rule according to which they are written with a capital letter:

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

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

Position words (Director, Chief, Enqineer);

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

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

Names of goods, trade marks.

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

If a letter is being written to your partner for the first time, you need to start by introducing your company, its goals and objectives that it sets itself in the field of international activity. Better yet, send your partner a brochure with detailed information about the company. However, the 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 by all means: "Sincerely yours", "Sincerely", etc.

The signature is placed on the right side of the sheet, under the final courtesy formula. The surname of the signatory is typed under his handwritten signature.

Recently, more and more business contacts are using fax as a means of communication, which can significantly save time.

General Representative of World Resources, Intercorporated (USA) M. Margelov shares his experience of using fax by American businessmen 1.

It is customary in American tradition to have a standard cover paqe for faxing.

It is done, as a rule, on the letterhead of the company. The form should look like this: in the upper part of it there is the logo of the company (Trade mark), and at the very bottom along the entire length of the line - the addresses, telephones and other coordinates of the offices and departments of the company. A facsimile messaqe is written under the emblem. Then the page 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 of sending the message), time of sending the message, to whom (first and last name of the addressee), fax number of the addressee, the company he represents, and the traditional formula "the number of pages of the message, including the first page "- a dash is put here, which is filled in by hand only after the message has been drawn up in full and signed, and" if you have not received all the pages of the message, please call ... "(then you enter your phone number) or fax "(enter the fax number you are using). After that, 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 (name and surname), date of transmission of the message, location (address), our fax (your telefax number), the number of pages of the message, including the first page (here everything is the same as in the first version), to whom (name and the addressee's surname), company (institution), then the message itself.

The text is typed on a typewriter or computer, 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 seal on the message, if it is not a document.

If you are sending a response message, first thank the addressee - one phrase is enough. If you did not answer the previous fax, you should wait, but in no case should you persistently repeat in the next one, they say, "I look forward to your answer."

We exchanged faxes with partners and interested them. They offered to conclude your first joint document - the Protocol of Intent. This is just a written reflection of the desires of both parties, not binding, so there is no need to build any illusions. The text of the protocol should be as short as possible, at the end of it there must be the phrase: "This protocol by itself cannot serve as a legal basis for the commercial obligations of the signatories to it."

The protocol must be executed on the letterhead of one of the parties, either in four copies - two in each language, or in two copies - bilingual, on each page there are two parallel columns in two languages, but in this case, on the last sheet of signature you will have to put 2 times - 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 to follow the protocol, but this is required by the honor of the businessman, who can suffer very much if the agreement is violated.

And in conclusion - always answer letters or faxes, even if you find it difficult to answer the questions posed. In the business world, someone who does not respond to correspondence is considered irresponsible and distrusted.

There is nowhere in business without business correspondence. It doesn't matter if you write on behalf of a company or on behalf of yourself as a private entrepreneur - business correspondence will always play an important role. Or rather, how you follow its rules. Your potential business partners or clients will largely judge you and how you communicate with them. A business letter is, one might say, the "face" of a businessman. And in order not to lose this "face", it is important to know about the golden rules of business correspondence.

Business Email Policy

Since now e-mail is used much more often than usual, we decided to pay attention to how to properly conduct business correspondence on the Internet. Here are some recommendations for you, the observance of which will not allow you to lose face in front of your interlocutor.

Mailbox name

The first thing that catches our eye when we open a new email is the address from which it was sent. Many people underestimate the importance of this moment, and send business letters from their personal email accounts. It's okay if the email address only contains your name in a readable format. But if there are various nicknames like "kissa1988" or "pupsik-26", then sending a business letter from such a mailbox is simply unacceptable. Imagine what emotions a person will have when he receives a business proposal from a "baby doll" or "sun".

Also, mailing addresses that start with [email protected], [email protected] etc. Such addresses are simply not taken seriously, and there is a high probability that the letter will not even be opened. The best option is to conduct business correspondence from your mailbox. [email protected] where name is your first and last name and company is your company name.

Recipients

In e-mail correspondence it is possible to send a letter to a direct recipient and put other recipients in a copy. It is assumed that the recipients in the copy of the letter should not reply to it. They are like invited observers. Therefore, in advance, before sending the letter, determine from whom exactly you want to receive a response to the letter, and correctly arrange the addressees. However, if possible, do not put several people in the direct recipients of the letter. A situation may happen that none of them will answer you, if each mentally decides to "shift" this responsibility to another addressee.

If you yourself are in a copy of a business letter, then, as you already understood, the sender does not wait for your reply. But if there is a need to answer exactly to you, then you can do it, but it will be polite to apologize at the beginning of the letter for “interfering”.

Letter design

Formal and business style. In business correspondence, of course, the official writing style is used. This style is characterized by the absence of descriptive adjectives, unnecessary clarifications and details. Only specifics, clarity and logic. After writing a business letter, it is useful to read it again and remove all phrases that do not carry a special semantic load and do not change the essence of what was written. Only when you are convinced that all such words and phrases are removed, then we can say that this rule of writing a business letter has been followed.

Literacy. Saying that a business letter should be written correctly and without mistakes is like saying "a snowman should be made of snow." However, this rule cannot be ignored. Literacy is a fundamental element of any writing. A person who writes a misspelled business letter is unlikely to be taken seriously by anyone.

Letter subject. It is necessary to write it. Moreover, try to write it short, but succinctly - so that the recipient at one glance immediately becomes clear what the letter will be about. The topic should never consist of one word. "Information", "Question", etc. - Incorrect subject lines of a business letter. "Selling Proposition from Company X" is the right topic. If the information in your letter is especially important, then you can mark it with a special "importance" flag, which is available in almost all e-mail services.

Font. The text of the letter should be, first of all, readable. Therefore, use the font Arial or Times New Roman, select the medium size (for example, in mail.ru mail, the optimal font size is 3). Don't experiment with fonts or colors. In business correspondence, this is inappropriate. Do not use Caps Lock, exclamation marks, and various special characters (including emoticons). The only allowed is the highlighting of some phrases in italics or bold. But try to use this only when necessary.

For ease of reading and better communication of ideas, you can use subheadings in the text of the letter. But there should not be too many of them - no more than 3-4.

One paragraph of the letter should not be longer than 4 lines of text. When we read very long paragraphs, the text merges and the main point may be lost.

Any enumerations and lists should be drawn up using special markers.

Corporate template. It will be great if you design a branded email template in your corporate style. And you will send all business emails only with this template. This will allow you to stand out from the rest, but keep the formality required by the business letter. However, do not overdo it with "brand" - excessive creativity will only harm the letter. Still, we are talking about business communication, not entertainment. Do not forget also that recipients can read your letters not only on a computer, but also on mobile devices. Therefore, the template should be optimized for different screen resolutions.

One letter should contain only one informational occasion. And accordingly, only one targeted action should be implied from the recipient. It is considered incorrect to contain several questions, suggestions or requests to the recipient in one letter.

Any business letter should be broken down into the following parts:
- introduction;
- main part;
- conclusion.

In the introduction, briefly state the purpose of the letter and the reasons for writing it. The main part is the very essence of the letter. In conclusion, you need to summarize the above - these can be conclusions, requests, instructions, suggestions, and so on. It is highly undesirable to use any "postscripts" in business correspondence. The letter should not contain aphorisms, metaphors, proverbs, and so on.

If you need to submit a graphic image in a letter, then do not insert it into the text of the letter itself, but attach it as a separate file. Images may be displayed incorrectly on different devices or be completely disabled in the recipient's email program interface. In the body of the letter, where necessary, simply indicate “the information is in the attached file”. If there are several such files, be sure to write their names.

If you use acronyms and abbreviations for words, you must be 100% sure that the recipient will understand what you mean. In general, it is better to play it safe and not use such things.

Lack of emotion. Business letters should not contain any emotional connotation. Generally. Even if you are writing a complaint and you really want to show the full extent of your indignation, or, on the contrary, you sincerely thank your partner for a successful deal. A business letter should be restrained and even somewhat cold-blooded. Each person values ​​their individuality, but business correspondence is not the best way to show it. The formal letter of a cheerful or sad person, cleaner, or CEO should be the same.

Use of business vocabulary. To link proposals in business correspondence, the following fixed expressions are used:

1) for that reason;
2) on the basis of what;
3) by virtue of (something);
4) in accordance with;
5) proceeding from;
6) taking into account;
7) considering;
what served.

Etc. Also, in business letters, the use of abbreviations and abbreviations that are generally accepted in the industry in which the letter is written is allowed. If you doubt whether the addressee will understand a specific abbreviation, then it is better to write the phrase in full.

Greetings. Please, never use the hackneyed "Good day" cliché. This, one might say, is bad form not only in business correspondence, but also in e-mails in general. The best greeting option is “Hello, First Name / First Name Patronymic”. By the way, it is good to refer to the recipient of the letter by name, not only in the greeting, but also further along the text. If you are writing a letter to a person you are not personally acquainted with, you must definitely indicate at the very beginning of the letter where you got the recipient's address.

Letter size. A business letter is not a work of art or your own personal reflections on the topic. The letter should be as short as possible to convey the full information in it. It is optimal if the text of the letter fits into one "screen". Reading long letters is tedious and annoying for many.

Answers to letters. When you reply to a received letter, always click the "Reply" button, not the "Write a letter". With the first option, the entire history of the correspondence will be automatically pulled into your reply. This is correct, because a person may not immediately remember who you are and what you want from him, if he does not see the background. Especially if more than 5 days have passed since the last letter. You can absolutely boldly quote your interlocutor when answering his letter. This will give him the opportunity to remember what was discussed in the previous letter.

Always thank the other person where appropriate. For example, you can write "Vladimir, thank you for your letter" or "Irina Alekseevna, thank you for such a quick response." Such nuances will show your respect for the interlocutor and soften the mood of electronic communication.

If the interlocutor sent you a letter in which he expressed his dissatisfaction or even frankly rude to you, try not to answer him in the same way, no matter how much you would like it. Situations vary, but always respond with courtesy and restraint.

Of course, the sooner you reply to the email, the better. Great if you can answer within a few hours. This period is optimal. But let's say the answer is within a few days. Psychologists say that the most comfortable time for a person to wait for a response to an e-mail is 48 hours, that is, two days. If you have to wait longer, then this can already be perceived as disrespect or ignorance. If the question raised in the letter requires more time from you to answer, then be sure to write that you received the letter, took it into consideration and answer within a certain time. That way, the sender at least doesn't feel ignored.

Conclusion of the letter. At the end of the letter, you should not write phrases that can be perceived as an attempt at manipulation: “I really hope for beneficial cooperation”, “Thanks in advance for the answer” and so on. It is better to say goodbye in electronic business correspondence with the phrases "Sincerely", "My sincere wishes" and the like. Yes, such phrases are stereotyped, but they are the best fit for business communication. Write your name, surname, position and company name in the signature. Also leave the contacts by which you can be contacted, except for e-mail.

The time the letter was sent. Of course, emails are not meant to be read immediately upon receipt. However, business e-mail ethics consider it inappropriate to send emails on weekends and holidays, as well as late at night or at night. Try to stick to standard working hours.

And of course, before clicking the "send" button, carefully check the spelling of the recipient's name and email address, and also re-read the entire text of the letter and check it for typos or incorrect phrases.