The essentials of good business writing

In banks, insurance companies and a host of other institutions and businesses, there are often printed formats in use. A company-wide memo about a health insurance change is not the best place to mention your recent fishing trip. Being aware of as many essentials as are relevant in writing a wide range of business letters helps in developing effective letter-writing skills.

There are occasions when one may receive a letter informing the date and the venue of a meeting without an accompanying invitation or request to attend. Many printed letters are bilingual—both in Hindi and English.

Variety adds spice to writing. On the other hand, rushing ill-prepared communication in a dash to be relevant can create an equally sticky situation. If the officer is an unmarried woman add Miss and if married Mrs.

They are often repeated adnauseum. Sloppy writing, poor word choices, or an unearned overly familiar attitude can come back to haunt you. Striving for Excellence: A good letter writer should try to achieve a significantly high standard of letter writing and endeavour to achieve excellence.

When the subject of the message is repetitive in nature, in terms of thoughts and ideas, there may not be much change. As people move up in an organizational hierarchy, their ability to condense messages into brief and focussed letters counts for a lot.