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Business Emailing - Letter-Writing - Writing

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Business Emailing
michelle's notes (2013), including adapted info from Business Communication Strategies, by Scott Smith (ProLingua, 2010)

Email writing is an essential part of communication today, especially in business (at work), so you should pay attention to this topic. Many of the tips included here are also relevant for our private life.

Format issues

From:
To:
Cc: (carbon copy)
Bcc: (blind carbon copy)
Subject: (or Re: - regarding)

Attachment:
Font style – Font size – B I U (bold – italics – underlined)

Beginning
Dear Ms./Mr. Smith: (US) - Dear Ms / Mr Smith: (UK)
colons are very formal

Body
Development – brief, clear, to-the-point, specific info (dates, times, places)

Ending - in a few steps
I appreciate your attention and cooperation.

Best regards,

Mary Jones
Name of Company
Human Resources Manager

Politeness issues

Before writing

While you write

After writing

Useful Language for Emails

Salutations
Hello (semiformal, informal) Hi (informal)
Dear Mr./Ms. Last name (formal)

Thanking

Thank you for getting back to me / Thank you for replying to my email (semiformal, formal)
Thanks so much for your email! (informal)

Apologizing

I apologize for not getting back to you sooner/ yesterday, but I …
I'm sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I've been out of the office. / I've been away this week.
I apologize for my delay in replying to your email.

Referring to attachments
Please find attached the information you requested.
I have attached the … below.
I received your email, but I cannot open the attachment / but did not find the attachment.

Reason for message

I am writing* to you (because) …
The reason (why) I am sending this message is …
I am writing in response to your letter requesting…
I am writing in reply to your inquiry(US) / enquiry(UK) about…
I am writing with regard to our telephone conversation concerning…
I am writing in connection with last week's meeting…
I am writing (to you) on behalf of (en nombre/representación de) the company

* I write sounds too aggressive, so people prefer the present continuous, but some business people like to sound aggressive because they feel is shows they are competent.

Inquiring
- Inquiries (US) / Enquiries (UK)
I would like to know …
Could you (please) tell/send/mail me… (, please)?
Would you mind sending us …?
We need some information…

Responding to inquiries

With referent to …. / Regarding your inquiry …
As requested, I am sending you…

Showing appreciation for assistance

Any information you could give would be helpful.
We appreciate anything you are able to do.
I would like to thank you for your prompt/helpful response to my email.

Requesting

I am writing to request your assistance concerning the matter of…
I am writing to ask if you would be so kind as to (send us)…
I would (greatly) appreciate it if you could (send us the order by + date)
Could you please consider our proposal by …?
Please take a look at … and let me know what you think.
Please look it over and get back to me at your earliest convenience.

Responding to requests

I will* take a look at it when/after I …
I will* look it over and get back to you as soon as I can.
*will = promises

Ending line

I hope that this information will be of some assistance.
I trust that I have been able to answer all of your questions.
I would be pleased to provide you with any additional information.
I look forward to hearing from you (soon).
I look forward to meeting/seeing you …
Please feel free to…
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions.
If you need anything (else), do not hesitate to contact me (formal). / just let me know (semiformal).
Thank(ing) you in advance for your kind cooperation.
I hope that my request will not inconvenience you too much.

Closing

Best regards/Best wishes/All the best (semiformal)
Sincerely (formal)
Yours faithfully (very formal, for when you have never written to the reader and you are using Dear Sir/Madam,)

Create your own collection of Useful Language!