Essentials of Business Correspondence

In businesses, written communication is an important medium for passing information. This form of written communication used for business purposes is termed Business correspondence. The correspondence in business communication can happen within the organization, between different organizations, or between client and organization. 

The importance of business correspondence lies in the fact that it is the formal way of exchanging information by which professional relationships are maintained between organizations, employees, and clients. Since it is in a written form, it can serve as a future reference for the information being communicated.

Business correspondence happens daily in the lives of businessmen in the form of letters to suppliers, letters of inquiry, complaint letters, job application letters, and a few other forms.

Business Correspondence Meaning

Business correspondence is an umbrella term used for any form of written communication that happens in business relationships. It could be with business partners or internal communication within the organization.

Business correspondence is mostly in the form of letters. People related to any business understand the significance of business letters since this correspondence in business communication can be used by them to express themselves, ask a doubt or clarification regarding any uncertainty. 

The Importance of Business Correspondence

Business correspondence is essential in realizing organizational goals. Meeting people personally can be quite a time-consuming job hence business correspondence helps businesses with:

• Maintaining Proper Relationships – The significance of business letters is governed by the fact that it facilitates effective communication which does not cost the business much. It strengthens the business by making communication, within and outside the organization, clear and concise.

• Acts As Evidence – The importance of business correspondence is further solidified as it lets businesses keep records of facts that can serve as evidence at a later point in time.

• Creating Goodwill – A company’s growth increases due to business correspondence. It creates goodwill between business and clients since any letter like a complaint, feedback, or suggestion promotes a healthy relationship.

• Costs Very Less – Business correspondence is an inexpensive mode of communication in terms of money as well as time. This method of correspondence in business communication is very convenient for businesses.

• Removes Ambiguity in Communication – It is a formal correspondence between the involved parties which helps in unambiguous communication.

• Helps Businesses Expand and Grow – A business can have a seamless flow of information regarding any product or resources through business correspondence. This helps in the proper utilization of manpower and time management, which in turn leads to expansion and growth in business.

Types of Business Correspondence

A business typically uses many kinds of business correspondence in its day to day activities. There are six most common kinds of business correspondences in the business community as defined below:

1. Internal Correspondence – The flow of information between employees, departments, branches, and units of the same company is termed internal correspondence. They can be formal or informal. 

1. Some examples of formal internal correspondence are promotion letters, a formal request for approval, a memorandum, etc. They are mostly printed on paper.

2. A routine or informal internal correspondence can be a quick instruction between a manager and subordinate, which are mostly in the form of emails.

2. External Correspondence – The communication between 2 different organizations or between an organization and a client comes under external correspondence. This type of correspondence in business communication is usually made to suppliers, existing and prospective clients, government offices, etc.

3. Sales Correspondence – Any communication related to sales is called sales correspondence. It is not only concerned with the sale of a product or service but encompasses many other activities. It includes marketing letters, invoices, discount letters, statements of accounts, etc.

4. Routine Correspondence – Such correspondence happens routinely like orders, inquiries, invitations, replies, etc.

5. Personalized Correspondence – This involves personal and emotional factors. Some of the examples of this type of correspondence are letters of gratitude, congratulation letters, appreciation notes, letters of request for a recommendation, etc.

6. Circulars – This type of correspondence is used when a business has to convey a common matter to a large audience. A few examples are notices of tenders, change in contact information, etc. 

Qualities of effective business communication can be summed up in the figure below:

(Image will be uploaded soon)

What is Correspondence?

Correspondence is simply written communication from one person to another for various reasons: to report information, convey feelings, or ask questions. It can be verbal or written. The communication may include memos and emails. It can range from formal to informal. In all cases, it is a two-way exchange of information.

The goal of business correspondence is to communicate accurately and effectively. Therefore, it is important to select the most appropriate format for the message and its recipients. Business correspondents can include people or businesses. They may include individuals who are in a position to give or receive business information, such as a president, a vice president, a chief operating officer, and/or a business manager. Businesses are entities, such as a company, a subsidiary, or a joint venture. Businesses may include other groups of people who are in a position to receive or give business information. Such groups may include the human resources department, the finance department, the legal department, and/or the communications department. Finally, they may include businesses. They may include government organizations, non-profit organizations, political campaigns, advocacy groups, and/or social organizations.

Business correspondence can include memos and emails. Memos are typically short (two-page or less) documents that explain information or contain instructions. E-mails are short text documents that can be sent to one or more recipients. Both types of business correspondence contain similar information, such as the purpose, date, author, and recipient.

The format of business correspondence is one of the most important factors in determining its success. The right format will help get your message across and make it appear clear to the intended reader. You can use the information below to help you select the correct format for your message and its intended recipients.

If you are writing to a business person, there are many different ways to send a memo, the most common being to email the document.

In addition, you may use email to send messages to groups, including all the people in your organization. For example, you may email your organization’s president to introduce yourself.

There is also the e-mail address of the chief executive officer or CEO of a business. This may be different from the company’s mailing address and you will need to double-check. Many companies also have their Web sites and frequently post their chief executives' email addresses on their homepage or other areas of the site.

Business Correspondence (or Business Letters) is a form of written communication usually used in the workplace and sent and received as part of the job of a business professional. The form is mainly employed when there is an urgency for a reply to a particular letter or message. It is different from regular communication because it's done via a business-like medium. Business letters are usually written in the style of a formal document; however, they often need to be brief and well-organized. They are usually used in business, especially when communicating with or giving information to clients, vendors, contractors, other businesses, and/or other business people. Business letters are commonly used in the business world, in addition to the more common personal letters.

The letter and the business are often separated by the word 'Correspondence'. 'Business Correspondence' may mean anything from a sales letter or letter sent from one business person to another, to an employee's letter sent from a workplace back to a company, or a personal letter sent to a business.

A business letter is considered a formal letter by many people. However, if there is a need for something in a business letter to be informal, it can be done by using, "I would like to ask...," instead of "I would like to propose..." (i.e. the word 'I' or 'me' is placed at the beginning of the sentence). Sometimes a more informal greeting is used with formal business letters, as a reference to an example above: "Hello", "Dear, _________", "Dear Sir, Mr._________."

In English, the term correspondence (also spelt "correspondence") comes from the Latin corresponses, from cor, "heart" + responsus, "answer". Correspondence is not as common as the English word letter, with which it may be substituted in modern dictionaries (excepting military usage).

Format 

Business letters follow many standard formats. Letters that contain all the information needed to make a decision can be quite short. Sometimes they are only a simple reminder of an action or a request for more information. Business letters are written on business stationery, or as a result of sending a letter in response to an enquiry. A reply letter may follow the action letter, containing information that is in response to the information in the action letter. Alternatively, information may be supplied in a questionnaire. A letter with many details often follows a standard format called a model, or template.

Model 

A model sometimes called an executive letter, is a template or model that provides a style, tone and structure of business letters, with a set format and many sections. Different types of models exist for different purposes, often including a preamble, text, signature block, and response. The model can usually be found in a book, an instruction manual or a software manual. A cover letter is often sent as a model for a business letter or an email.