Saturday

7 Habits of Highly-Effective Business Writers - #7 - Be Friendly.

7 Habits of Highly-Effective Business Writers
credit: Rosa Dik 009 -- On & Off/flickr.com
Today we kickoff a series about the 7 Habits of Highly-Effective Business Writers.

In the next seven (7) articles, you are going to learn skills and insights to improve your workplace writing.

Business writing is your ticket to both personal and professional success.

Writing is considered a threshold skill for both employment and promotion.

About 2/3 of employees have some writing responsibility.


Today we start with Habit #7 - Be Friendly.


Friendly Business Writing

Be sincere, tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative.

Use words and phrases that set a positive tone.

Make the reply easy. 

Most people respond more readily direct and business-oriented communication while being courteous.

In most situations customers have choices as to where to spend their money and time. 

Creating friendly and respectful communication increases your chances of keeping current customers as well as gaining new ones.
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Learn more. Check out How to Adjust Your Business Writing to the 21st Century to enhance your business writing skills today!

Friday

Importance for Appearance of Business Letters

The look of your business letter is key to make a great first impression on its recipient.

There are three elements contributing to both a powerful and professional presentation of your business message.

Stationery Quality and Size
The standard paper is unruled 20 or 24 pound weight for business correspondence.

US business letters are sized 8.5 inches x 11 inches. 

The paper is textured for professionals and durability. 

The color of stationery is also important. Colored stationery can impact the reader's reaction to your business message. 

Consider:
  • White – popular and conservative color, traditionally used
  • Red or green – to project an image of vigor or to attract attention
  • Pastel – suggest warmth or refinement
Letterhead
Printed company stationery is called letterhead.

Letterhead customarily shows the name, address, and telephone number of the sender’s firm at the top, bottom, or side of the page.

Additional features usually included are:

  • firm’s trademarks or logo 
  • slogan or motto
  • branch addresses, often telephone number, email contact 
The right letterhead is as important as a brand, in that it represents a company and can impart a first impression to its potential customers. 

Letter Format
Most business letters have seven standard elements:

  •  Letterhead
  •  Date
  •  Inside address
  •  Salutation
  •  Body
  •  Complimentary close
  •  Signature 
We discussed letterhead above. The date is self-explanatory.

The inside address is the location of the recipient. 

The salutation is the greeting to the recipient. While there are a plethora of rules for getting your salutation correct, consider:

If you don't know the reader well or if the letter or the relationship is formal, use a title and a last name (Dear Ms. Browne). Otherwise, use the first name (Dear Gila).

The body of the letter is the the most important part of the letter. What is your message to the recipient? Are you writing a sales letter? Are you writing a collection notice? Is your communication a social invitation?

Make sure your points are thought out ahead of time and you effectively communicate your points to the reader.

The complimentary close in US-style business letters is simply: Sincerely. 

The signature is self-explanatory. 

Here is an example of a business letter:


Example: US-style Business Letter

Conclusion

Review these three elements for a winning appearance to your business letters: 1) the quality, color, and weight of your stationery, 2) the letterhead, and 3) the actual letter format.

A business letter is an ambassador for your business. It may be the only opportunity to make a first impression on the reader.

Plan your letter correctly and plan your business success!



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Thursday

10 Common Expressions in #English - #Video

Watch the video and learn 10 English expressions common in every day conversation.

Remember to visit my blog every Thursday for a new video to help you improve your English!





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Wednesday

Confusing #English Words Wednesday Video - who's vs whose

English language learners are often confused by word pairs that are very similar, but have different meanings and spellings like who's and whose.

These types of words are called homonyms.

Business English Aces learn these confusing English words in order to use them correctly in a sentence the first time!

Don't be embarrassed by using the wrong word! 

Learn a new confusing English word pair every Wednesday! Tweet your friends and tell them about the video!




Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Monday

Business #English Ace Vocabulary Video - strategic alliance

Sometimes it is easier to win business by seeking partners to help out. 

You cannot be expected to know everything you need to know about a certain market or offering a type of product.

For this reason, our Business English Ace Vocabulary word is so appropriate.

Remember to increase your Business English vocabulary here every Monday!





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Friday

Features of Business English Letters


Here are some features of a US-style business letter.

The Letterhead

The reader knows who a business letter is from the letterhead. The letterhead contains the name of the organization and its address, telephone number, and email address. . 

The Greeting
Greetings in business letters may vary according to circumstances. Use the personal name of the addressee only when the writer knows the addressee (to whom the letter is written). 

5 Opening Lines


  • We need an opening line in a business letter or professional email:
  • to make reference to previous correspondence; to say how we found the recipient’s name/address; to say why we are writing to the recipient.
  • With reference to your letter of 8 June, I … .
  • I am writing to enquire about … .
  • After having seen your advertisement in … , I would like … .
  • After having received your address from … , I … .

The Reference

Why are you writing? Reference a specific conversation or other contact you have had with the addressee. If this is the first letter in a conversation, you can also provide the reason for writing.

The Language

Business documents need to have at least three (3) elements: clear, brief, and easy to understand. Eliminate unnecessary words. Remove any business jargon and replace it with simpler words.  

The Body or Message

Business letter writers should attempt to use everyday language as
far as is possible except for technical terms essential
in specific trades, industries or professions. Choose appropriate language according to your audience.

5 Closing Lines


  • We need a closing line in a business letter or email:
  • to make a reference to a future event; to repeat an apology; to offer help
  • If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.
  • I look forward to your reply.
  • I look forward to hearing from you.
  • I look forward to seeing you.

The Closing Expression

End a business letter in a formal or familiar manner appropriate for the situation.

US-style business letters are normally closed with simply "Sincerely." 

Conclusion

Writing a business letter is a lost art in a world of instant messaging and emails. 

However, those who can write a business letter are valued for their flair in writing. 

We continue our series about writing solid business letters in our next article about the appearance of the letter. 
***
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Tweetchat Recap - 5 Common Mistakes in #BusinessEnglish Writing

Do you make these errors writing business memos, emails or letters? 

Stop!

Learn how to avoid these errors in my 17-page report, 5 Common Mistakes in Business English Writing.

Download it now by subscribing to my Business English Ace Newsletter. Thank you!
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How to Write an Effective Business English Letter - Lesson #1 - Introduction

Welcome to our series - How to Write an Effective Business English Letter!

Watch this space every Friday for a new article to help you once and for all to master the art of composing a business letter that impresses both colleagues and clients alike.

Today we begin with an Introduction to Business English Letter Writing.

The three follow-on articles are:

  • Lesson #2 - Features of Business English Letters
  • Lesson #3 - Layout of Business English Letters
  • Lesson #4 - Appearance of Business English Letters

Introduction to Writing Effective Business Letters

Writing skills are often the most difficult for students of English as a Second Language to acquire.

Unfortunately, too few teachers (native and non-native) are skilled enough to "teach writing" to their students which compounds the problem.

Writing pointers can be taught, but writing, like in your own language, is "taught" by doing - practice.

Fear no more! 

You are going to learn pointers in the next blog posts to improve your Business English letter writing. 

Why Effective Business English Letter Skills?

 A good business letter is a competitive advantage in the turbulent business world. Again, few can actually write well enough to explain complex ideas or express the key benefits of a product to a client.

You are going to learn the nuts and bolts of Business English letter writing so you may achieve both the personal and professional success you seek and deserve!

What is an Effective Business English Letter?

Business letters are pieces of correspondence written in connection to one's official work duties. 

A member of management or staff may need to write a letter to a colleague in the same office or at least the same organization. 

For example, an executive may write to congratulate someone for a promotion or other accomplishment or the converse, to reprimand someone for adverse behavior.

A letter may be written to a supplier to request materials or to a customer to demand payment.

Four P's to Writing an Effective Business English Letter

Writing is an art, not a science. Every writer has his or her own style and approach to making words come alive on the page.

Business writing is a fairly straightforward matter. A flair for writing is helpful in all cases.

Follow the Four P's of Business Letters and you will produce a solid document every time.

PLAN. Every great endeavor begins with a plan. Who are you writing? What is the issue? Is the document for internal or external use? 

Research the facts of the issue and be well-prepared to write on the topic.

PURPOSE. Create a narrative or story line for your issue. Do you plan to congratulate or criticize? Do you want to persuade customers to buy a product or service? Do you want to inform clients of a new product? How will the product or service help the recipient of the correspondence? 

What action do you want the letter reader to perform?

Your purpose defines the content, length, tone, and wording of the letter. 


PERSUASIVE. The power of persuasion involves creating a win-win situation for both you and the recipient of your letter. 

Persuasive business letters are planned and designed that its Purpose.

Two tactics for writing persuasive letters are 1) repetition and 2) reasoning.

Use persuasion to produce a desired outcome - to get the correct action from the letter reader.

PERFECT.  Perfection is the sign of a serious business professional. You use solid English grammar and appropriate business vocabulary in a formal tone. 

Proofread your document for any mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and use of collocations and phrasal verbs. 

Remember the 7 Elements of Business Writing and its 5 C's in our previous blog articles when you are crafting your business correspondence.

Any mistake weakens your argument and dilutes any impact you desire for the reader to act on your communication.

Conclusion

You completed Lesson #1 in our series How to Write an Effective Business Letter!

Business success hinges on many factors. Written commercial communication is an inescapable fact. 

Thankfully, you have begun the path to improving your Business English correspondence.

Stay tuned to this space for Lesson #2 when we discuss the Features of Business English Letters.


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#Tweetchat at 9AM Today - Your Questions on #BusinessEnglish Writing!

Please join me in our Tweet Chat today at 9 AM (New York).

Send me your questions, doubts, or curiosities about Business English using the Twitter hashtag #AskColby.




Where to Join the Chat


Online: Twitter, Tweet Chat, Twubs.

You may use your Twitterdeck or Hootsuite as well. 

Tweet and tell your friends! Thanks!

See you on Friday with your questions! Participants who send the 5 best questions can choose one copy of my e-books: How to Be a Business English Ace, Top 150 Business English Ace Vocabulary Words, or Top 65 Commonly Confused English Word Pairs

Send me a Tweet now with your question!


Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Thursday

#Tweetchat - Join me on Friday, May 16 - Your Questions on #BusinessEnglish Writing

Please join me in our Tweet Chat this Friday (May 16) at 9 AM (New York).

Send me your questions, doubts, or curiosities about Business English writing using the Twitter hashtag #AskColby.




Where to Join the Chat


Online: Twitter, Tweet Chat, Twubs.

You may use your Twitterdeck or Hootsuite as well. 

Tweet and tell your friends! Thanks!

See you on Friday with your questions! Participants who send the 5 best questions can choose one copy of my ebooks: How to Be a Business English Ace, Top 150 Business English Ace Vocabulary Words, or Top 65 Commonly Confused English Word Pairs


Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Business English Ace Video - Animal #Idioms

Business English Ace Video - #Idiom - Cut to the Chase

A sure-fire way to improve your Business English whether for writing or giving presentations is to increase your vocabulary.

Idioms seem to always confuse my students. Stop being confused!

However, if you take time to learn the meaning of idioms, you will not only boost your Business English vocabulary, but cultural knowledge, too!

Watch the video below to increase your knowledge about animal idioms.



Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Wednesday

#Tweetchat - 5 Common Mistakes in Business #English Writing

Please join me in our Tweet Chat this Friday (May 16) at 9 AM (New York).

Send me your questions, doubts, or curiosities about Business English writing using the Twitter hashtag #AskColby.

Tweet and tell your friends!

See you on Friday with your questions!


Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Confusing #English Words Wednesday - Plain/Plane

English language learners are often confused by word pairs that are very similar, but have different meanings like plain and plane.

These types of words are called homonyms - they sound alike, but have different spellings and meanings. 

Business English Aces learn these confusing English words in order to use them correctly in a sentence the first time!



Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Monday

Business English Writing #TweetChat - May 16 - 9AM-10AM


Business English Writing TweetChat                       


***Please RETWEET to your friends. Thanks! ***

BusinessEnglishWriting_TweetChatJoin me for an exclusive TweetChat on May 16, Friday, from 9am to 10am (New York, Eastern Standard Time). 

Find your local time here

Business Writing is a tough task for many my English students. 

So, on Friday, I will take your questions.

Improve your Business English writing! Join the TweetChat! 

  Plus, enjoy these exciting benefits for participating!
Get weekly Business English tipsRegister for the Business English Ace Newsletter and get a FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace bonus!


***Please RETWEET to your friends. Thanks! ***

Business English Ace Vocabulary - conglomerate

Welcome to the initial new posting of Business English Ace Vocabulary!

You are in the right place to increase your vocabulary. Learn a new word every Monday!

Our word this week is - conglomerate!

As you probably know, a strong vocabulary is one key to both personal and professional success. Learn more about how to increase your Business Vocabulary today.

Enjoy the Business English vocabulary video!

By the way, do you need more Business English vocabulary? Get my Ebook, Top 150 Business English Ace Vocabulary Words







Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Friday

5 C's to Effective Business Writing

Winning Business English writing just does not happen.


Instead, smart writers know there are 5 C's to developing crisp, polished, and persuasive copy. 

Whether an email to a supplier or a memo to the team before a meeting, follow the routine below to produce impressive business copy.

5C's to Effective Business Writing to wow your boss, colleagues, and clients!

1. Clear: As mentioned in our previous article, business writing is clear. You as the writer express your ideas as simple as necessary so the reader understand the text after the first reading. Avoid unfamiliar business jargon or vocabulary which could confuse the reader. 

2. Complete: Did you address the main topics of your document? Are all of the details included for the reader to take action? Consider the 5W-H formulation: who, what, when, where, why, and how. 

3. Concise: Keep your communication short and to the point. Check for any wordiness. Include only information related to your topic.

4. Cohesive: Is your document organized? Or do you ramble from topic to topic without any purpose? Your document should address one or two points. Every line in your paragraphs should relate to these two points. If not, delete them!

5. Concrete: Use specific dates and figures. Use vivid "picture-painting" words that form images in the mind of the reader to better understand the meeting of your communication. Avoid any abstract words. Activate the senses of the reader with your exact copy. 


CONCLUSION

After reading this and our previous articleyou should have a better understanding of writing documents in solid Business English.  

Practice these 5 C's of Business English Writing the next time you prepare a document!

***
Professor Colby, author of How to Be a Business English Ace, has been helping students achieve their English goals for many years.

Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Thursday

Business English Ace Video - #Idiom - Cut to the Chase

A sure-fire way to improve your Business English is to increase your vocabulary.

Idioms seem to always confuse my students.

However, if you take time to learn the meaning of idioms, you will not only boost your Business English vocabulary, but cultural knowledge, too!

So, let's cut to the chase. Watch the video below.



Increase your Business English Vocabulary today! 

Wednesday

Confusing English Words Wednesday - Quiet vs Quite

There are a lot of words in English that look or sound alike but have very different meanings, like quiet and quite

These types of words are called homonyms - they sound alike, but have different spellings and meanings. 

Business English Aces learn these confusing English words in order to use them correctly in a sentence the first time!




Stop being confused! Learn about Confusing English Word Pairs today!

Monday

Business English Ace Vocabulary - above board

Welcome to the initial new posting of Business English Ace Vocabulary!

Our word this week is - above board!

As you probably know, a strong vocabulary is one key to both personal and professional success. Learn more about how to increase your Business Vocabulary today.

Enjoy the slidecast!

By the way, do you need more Business English vocabulary? Get my Ebook, Top 150 Business English Ace Vocabulary Words




Improve your Business English Vocabulary today!

Friday

7 Elements of Business Writing

Unfortunately writing in Business English classes is not a priority for many instructors. 

However, as you know, when you need to produce a memo before lunch or dash off a late email to the boss before escaping home at the end of the day, you need sharp writing skills.

Here are 7 Elements of Business Writing to follow to make sure you communicate your thoughts and ideas precisely the first time!

1.  Be thoughtful. Answer these four questions before writing your document: 

a) Who is my audience?
b) What is the issue?
c) What is my proposed solution?
d)  How will I know the message was communicated correctly?

2. Be specific. State exactly the information the reader needs to take action. When the reader does not act according to your expectations, normally the message was not communicated accurately. 

3. Be positive..and nice and fair. Avoid stating bad news in a negative way. 

For Example:

Instead of writing: You did not send the check with your bill.

Write: We were unable to locate your check to credit your account. 

Business writing is inherently firm, but courteous. Let your writing reflect politeness. One way is to address the reader correctly depending on your relationship with the person. Mr., Mrs. or Ms. are always sure winners.


In our culturally diverse business world, it is important to avoid sexist language or any language that may offend anyone based on their age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. 

4. "Brevity is the soul of wit." If it was good enough for Shakespeare, it is good enough for you! 

Delete redundancies like "free gift" or "personal opinion."

Write with nouns and verbs. Avoid adverbs if possible. 

5. Write just the facts.  Keep your opinion to yourself. Just include the dates, numbers, and statistics as necessary. Emphasize positive facts. 

6. Write perfect English.  Part of clarity is being brief. Vary the lengths of your sentences. Use correct grammar, especially verb and noun agreement. Good writing comes from good practice. If you need to review your grammar, vocabulary, idioms, phrasal verbs or confusing terms, get assistance from a teacher or co-worker. The reader will judge you by your level of English competence and thus your message may suffer.

7. Edit ruthlessly.  The final step after writing your masterpiece is proofread! Check for spelling and grammar errors. Read the text aloud. Does it sound right? Did you use a commonly confused English term?  Any mistakes will reduce the effectiveness of your message.

CONCLUSION

Learning to write well is good business! You can produce persuasive and cogent copy to convince both colleagues and clients to follow your lead.

Stay tuned to this blog for a new Business English article every Friday to help you grow and achieve the success you seek and deserve!

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Professor Colby, author of How to Be a Business English Ace, has been helping students achieve their English goals for many years.

Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.

Thursday

Increase Your Business #English #Vocabulary (Playlist)

Enjoy these videos to Build Your Business Vocabulary! (playlist).

A strong vocabulary is the key to both personal and professional success. 

You need a systematic plan to study vocabulary to increase your lexicon faster and efficiently.

Please watch these videos to get some strategies to help you!

***

Please sign up for my weekly newsletter and get the FREE ebook 5 Traits of a Business English Ace.