Rules of business correspondence. Email Correspondence Rules

Quite often, the first contact in the business world begins with written communications - business letters. But if it is written without following the rules of business letter etiquette, then the contacts that have just begun can be interrupted, and you will lose a client or business partner. Therefore, you probably won’t have to convince anyone how important it is to be able to write business letters that will help create a favorable impression about you personally and about your company as a whole.

Basic rules of business correspondence. Modern forms of correspondence developed over 150 years ago. It is generally accepted that their homeland is England, where the rules for compiling business correspondence were first introduced.

General rules of correspondence

1. Before you start writing letters to a business partner, you should understand the following points for yourself:

Type of letter (covering letter, letter of order, letter of notice, letter of reminder, letter of presentation, letter of refusal, letter of guarantee, etc.);

Is a response to your letter expected (there are conditions when a response to a letter is not expected, for example, a presentation letter);

Will the content of the letter be clearly understood by your addressee, will it leave any ambiguities regarding the issue of correspondence;

Are you sure that the letter sent by mail will arrive on time (if not, it is better to use telefax, DHL services or send a letter via the Internet).

2. The tone of the letter should always remain correct.

3. It is necessary to carefully select vocabulary, avoiding inaccuracies, ambiguity, excessive use of professional words. The text of the letter should be easy to understand.

4. A business letter should be written only on the letterhead of the organization on behalf of which you are speaking. Since the appearance of a letterhead is a kind of business card for your company, the design of an official letterhead should be treated with particular care. The more formal the letterhead, the more formal the tone of the letter should be.

When preparing documents, it is recommended to use text Microsoft editor Word (software product of Microsoft Corporation) using Times New Roman Cyr font size No. 12 (for tabular materials), 13, 14, 15, Times DL size No. 12, 13, 14 with 1-2 intervals.

When writing a business letter, page numbers are affixed at the bottom with right side page, and when drawing up other business documents - in the middle of the top margin of the sheet.

The text of the letter itself is recommended to be printed on A4 forms at 1.5-2 line spacing, on A5 and smaller forms - at one line spacing. Details of the document (except text), consisting of several lines, are printed with one line spacing.

Written requests must be answered within 10 days of receipt.

Faxes and e-mails must be answered within 48 hours, excluding weekends

Rules for writing a business letter in Russia

In Russia, the design of official forms is regulated normative documents and, first of all, GOST 6.30-2003 “Unified Documentation Systems. Unified system of organizational and administrative documentation. Documentation Requirements.

GOST established two standard formats for document forms - A4 (210 x 297 mm) and A5 (148 x 210 mm). Each sheet of a document, drawn up both on a form and not on it, must have margins of at least 20 mm - left; 10 mm - right; 20 mm - top; 20 mm - lower.

These requirements for paperwork are enshrined in Russian law, but the author recommends using them when compiling a business letter to a foreign partner.

Depending on the degree of closeness with your correspondent, the appeal may begin with the words “Dear + surname (first name, patronymic)” or “Dear + first name and patronymic (first name)”. Words such as "Dear", "Mr", "Madam", "Deputy Director", "Head of Department", etc. under no circumstances should it be reduced. Otherwise, the recipient has the right to think that you do not really respect him very much. And the letter should end with words of gratitude for cooperation. And then before your signature is put the expression: "Respectfully, ..." or "Sincerely yours ...".

It is unacceptable to use “you” in official letters, even if in life you and this person are not only in business, but also on friendly terms.

Typically, a business or service letter consists of several typical structural elements:

1. Header area.
In this part of the letter, on the left, a corner stamp of the organization is placed indicating the name of the organization, its postal and other details, as well as registration number and the date of registration of the letter as an outgoing document. If the service letter is a response letter, then it also indicates to which document this letter responds.
The details of the addressee are placed on the right side of the header.

Below the corner stamp is a title to the text of the document. The heading language structure may look like:

ü preposition "O" + noun. in the prepositional case: "On the supply of cars";

ü on the question "About" + noun. in the prepositional case: "On the issue of the supply of spare parts";

ü concerning + noun. in the genitive case: "Concerning the purchase order", etc.

2. The actual text of the letter. The main features of the design of the text of the letter are as follows.

ü The text of a business letter, as a rule, should relate to one issue or multiple questions if they are related and will be considered in one structural unit destination organization.

ü The text of the letter, as a rule, consists of two parts. The first part sets out the reason, basis or justification for compiling the letter, provides links to documents that are the basis for preparing the letter. The second part, starting with a paragraph, contains conclusions, proposals, requests, decisions, etc.

Structure of a business letter

1. Name of the sending organization.

3. Date of writing the letter.

4. Address of the recipient of the letter.

5. An indication of a specific person.

6. Opening address

7. An indication of the general content of the letter, i.e. letter subject.

8. The main text of the letter.

9. The final formula of politeness.

10. Signature.

11. Indication of the application.

When writing a business letter to a Russian partner, there are a few more rules to remember.

The position of the person to whom the document is addressed is indicated in the dative case, for example:

to CEO
JSC "Alfa Business"
V.A. Prokhorov

JSC "Beta Holding"
Chief accountant
V.M. Ivanov

If you put the abbreviations "Mr", "Mrs", then the respondent's surname is written first, followed by initials.

The document should not contain more than four recipients. The word "Copy" before the second, third, fourth addressees is not indicated. With a larger number of recipients, a mailing list of the document is compiled.

When sending a letter to the organization indicate its name, then the postal address.

When submitting a document to an individual indicate the name and initials of the recipient, then the postal address

A mark on the presence of the application named in the text of the letter is made out as follows:

Application: for 5 liters. in 2 copies .

If the letter has an attachment not named in the text, then indicate its name, number of sheets and number of copies; if there are several applications, they are numbered, for example:

If the applications are bound, then the number of sheets is not indicated.

If the application is not sent to all the addresses indicated in the document, then a mark on its presence is made out as follows:

Application: for 3 liters. in 5 copies. only in the first address.

The requisite "Signature" includes the name of the position of the person who signed the document (full if the document is not issued on a letterhead, and abbreviated - on a document issued on the company's official letterhead); personal signature; signature decoding (initials, surname), for example:

Trainings

Business etiquette extends not only to a person's behavior in society during personal communication of people with each other, but also establishes rules that must be observed in written communication. How to conduct business correspondence correctly and in accordance with the requirements is of interest to everyone who is involved in professional activities or actively interacts with various authorities, solving their issues, for example, as a consumer of a service.

Advantages of business correspondence over other types of information transfer

Despite the fact that the preparation of business letters takes time to write, this form of communication has undeniable advantages.

• With their help, important official and confidential information can be transmitted if it cannot be communicated orally.
• Created messages can be saved for a long time, you can return to them and re-examine the content.
• A letter can be sent simultaneously to several recipients with the same text, which can significantly save time on preparing and sending letters on the same topic.

Business correspondence is a type of business communication carried out in writing for the exchange of information of an official business nature.

The very concept of the formality of correspondence means the presence in it of official or other business information, which for some reason cannot be transmitted to the addressee orally or unofficially. By sending an official message, its author emphasizes his businesslike attitude to the topic. At the same time, he must either represent the organization, indicating all the relevant details, or speak on his own behalf, signing with his real surname, name and patronymic, and providing data on his location or contacts for further exchange of information.

Classification of business correspondence

Business communications can be classified in various ways.

Depending on whether the letter goes beyond one organization, allocate its two types:

1. External, directed to a third-party recipient.
2. Internal, used within the same organization.

By purpose business message, correspondence is divided into the following types.

1. Information mail.
2. Letter-message.
3. Application letter.
4. An inquiry.
5. Offer letter.
6. Invitation letter.
7. Advertising letter.
8. Reminder letter.
9. Claim letter.
10. Letter of guarantee.
11. Letter of recommendation.
12. Label letters.

By initiative All business messages are divided into:

• initiative letters.
• Letters are answers.

And finally by way of transmission information:

• Printed, blank letters sent by courier or sent by mail or facsimile.
• Emails.

Information mail

The main purpose of this message is to convey official information, for example, about any change in the activities of the organization, which must be taken into account by the recipient: a change in location, details, an official in charge of resolving any issue. The letter may explain the application of rules, legal requirements, organization regulations. In addition to the actual information part, applications with documents can be added to it.

Letter-message

The content of this type of letter is any information that the addressee needs in order to perform any tasks or functions within the framework of a common cause. The peculiarity of the information sent is that it is equally in demand by both the sender and the recipient. Such a message can also be sent in response to a business communication partner's request. Unlike an information letter, it is always shorter in length.

Application letter

A type of business correspondence that involves sending a request for any service or information, for example, about the opportunity to participate in a business event: an exhibition, conference, seminar. As a rule, the letter initiates the recipient to perform actions to provide the requested information, for example: placing an order or an official application, providing details for issuing an invoice for services.

An inquiry

A message sent with the intent to receive Additional information or documentation with a mandatory justification of the need for the requested information.

Sentence

Type of letter in which the addressee is invited to consider the possibility of cooperation, to get acquainted with the service or product. Commonly used submission form commercial offer. It can be sent proactively or in the form of a response to a letter of inquiry. The peculiarity of such messages is that they can be sent to several recipients at once. If the letter is sent to a potential client for the first time, then, as a rule, it contains general information about the company.

This message invites the recipient to a meeting or event. The peculiarity of the letter is that in its design it is allowed to use less formal forms with additional elements that decorate the message. Also, special attention is paid to detailing the address, date, time and route to the meeting place.

Reminder Letter

The purpose of this message is to remind about the obligations given by the recipient as part of the solution of any business issue: pay off the debt, provide a report, make an appointment.

Claim or complaint

Claims are made in the event that one of the parties involved in the communication either failed to fulfill its obligations or made mistakes in their implementation. Distinctive feature claims are detailed description violated conditions, information on the assessment of damage and claims for its compensation or correction of the identified violation. Often this type of letter contains attachments, for example, photographs of damaged goods, copies of documents: contracts, acceptance certificates.

Warranty

The sender of such a letter guarantees the fulfillment of the conditions given by him at the conclusion of the contract: a promise to return the goods, deliver them on time, pay the bill or complete the work within the agreed time. The letter of guarantee can be used as a response to a complaint.

A special form of a business message in which its author makes a recommendation to a third party or organization, thereby providing its characteristics. Letters of recommendation are especially common when applying for a job or providing a recommendation of the company to other clients, containing a description of the quality of the services it provides and the features of cooperation.

Etiquette

A specific type of business communication sent when specific events occur that are important to the recipient. This category of letters includes letters of congratulations on holidays and significant events, Thanksgiving letters for the performance of work or participation in the project, letters of condolence. Whatever the reason for writing a message, it is always a manifestation of attention to the recipient.

Business letter etiquette defines several basic requirements for the content of messages.

1. Targeting.
2. A clear statement of the purpose of the appeal, which should be clear from the very beginning of the message.
3. Brevity and conciseness. The letter should not be lengthy, otherwise it will not be read to the end, or studied inattentively, or not read at all.
4. Structured and logical presentation of information. There should be no randomness, jumping from topic to topic, all parts of the letter should be connected with each other.
5. The specificity of the information provided, thanks to which the recipient will not need to think of anything and he should not have additional questions that clarify the written text.

• Respectful address to the addressee.
• Formal speech that does not contain vernacular.
• Neutrality and lack of emotional coloring of the information provided.
• Easy-to-read text that does not contain terms incomprehensible to the recipient.
• The ban on the use of emoticons.
• No errors or typos.

Nuances of business correspondence

1. When preparing business letters, it is important to take into account some features of written business communications.

Business correspondence rules allow the use of standard phrases.

For example, you can greet the recipient like this:

• Hello, dear Petr Semenovich!
• Good afternoon, Elena Petrovna!

Finally, you can use phrases such as

• Sincerely…
• With thanks…
• Wishing you success...

When replying to a letter, you can start it like this:

• In response to a message received...
• According to your request…
• Thank you for your interest in our organization.

2. You should not actively use bold or underline text to draw special attention to it, or use this technique in a dosed manner.

3. Emoticons are not used in letters to recipients with whom you have not established trusting relationship, or the period of acquaintance is short. They are excluded if the letter is purely official.

Structure of a business letter

The ethics of writing business letters prescribes the use of a certain structure of a business message.

The main sections of the letter are:

1. Introduction with the statement of the purpose of the appeal.
2. The main part with the information that needs to be conveyed to the addressee.
3. The final part with a conclusion or summary of the text of the letter and information about what result the author of the message expects to receive.
4. Closing phrase and signature.

Design rules

Official correspondence must be formatted in accordance with the requirements for business letters. Today it is a rarity - official messages, written by hand, in most cases they are created using a computer.

Letters must be printed on the official letterhead of the organization, which exists in enterprises as a ready-made template.

At the top of the letter, information about the organization is indicated: name, postal address of the location, phone number, email address, bank account details, website website address, logo and, if available, the slogan of the company. You can place this information either in the left corner of the form, or longitudinally at the very top of the sheet.

On the left side of the form, before the beginning of the main text, the registration number and date of registration of the message are indicated, and on the right - the name of the organization and the surname, initials and title of the person to whom the message is sent.

Example corner placement:

Could be like this:

After the main text part, information about attachments to the letter, if any, is entered. At the end of the entire text block, the signature of the person from whom the information is sent is placed.

If the letter is written on several sheets, they must be numbered.

As a result, the completed form may look like this.

business letter samples

When preparing business letters, you can use ready-made examples in order to get an idea of ​​how different types messages, and minimize the time for their preparation.

Ready-made samples allow you to get information about both the design and the wording used in writing them.

Message reply

According to the requirements of etiquette, each received business letter must be answered. However, it is necessary to take into account not only the requirement to provide a response, but also the need to receive it quickly. Therefore, it is important to choose the right way to send a message. If prompt receipt of response information is required, then the best option will be sent by e-mail or fax.

The standard response time to a business letter according to the rules of business correspondence is from one to three days. If a response is not received within this time period, the sender may get the impression that either his message has not been read by the addressee, or he is not ready for correspondence. In the event of a delayed response, etiquette allows for the possibility of making an additional call in order to make sure that the letter was delivered.

Business correspondence within the organization

Internal correspondence in the organization has its own characteristics and depends on the requirements for the document flow established in the company.

Some of the enterprises conduct official internal correspondence, registering all letters in special journals. In other organizations, only internal orders are taken into account, and the rest of the messages are sent by e-mail without registration.

Regarding internal correspondence, all rules governing the exchange of messages with external recipients are preserved.

Internal communications features include:

• Less rigid enforcement of rules in messages.
• The presence of special forms of letters that are not used in external communications, for example: electronic reports or explanatory notes.

E-mail correspondence: what to look for

In modern reality, most business letters are sent by e-mail, in connection with which the rules business etiquette requirements for conducting electronic business communication are formed.

1. If messages are not sent from corporate servers, you need to be careful about the spelling of the email address. The name of the e-mail box must be official, and it is better not to use all frivolous options, for example: “krasotka_mary”, “supercar” and the like.
2. It is always necessary to fill in the field with the subject of the letter, formulating it as briefly and succinctly as possible.
3. When writing a response, you can quote the original message so that the recipient can see what questions they want answered. This rule is not strict, it is applied depending on the accepted standards of business correspondence at the enterprise or the established rules of communication with a specific recipient.
4. It is acceptable to use the capabilities of email programs to request a read message. It is not always necessary to use this option, especially if the letter is written to appeal outside the organization, since the recipient in this case is obliged to send such a notification, which can annoy him. It is better to use the wording in the text of the message with a request to notify of the receipt of the letter: "Please confirm receipt."
5. The signature in the e-mail has its own characteristics. It should be more detailed than when issued on the letterhead of the organization. In business correspondence, it is customary not only to sign a letter, but also to indicate the name of the organization, position, contact phone number and website of the organization next to the signature. In fact, this format of the signature replaces the heading of the printed form. The capabilities of mail programs allow you to create a signature template and use it with automatic substitution in each message sent.
6. Attachments are sent as attachments to an e-mail message, and the names of the attached files can be listed in the text.

Knowledge of the rules and their application in a business letter allows the sender to create a reputation as a business person and a reliable partner who is attentive to the information sent to his addressees.

Anyone who strives in business circles to look decent always uses. And always remember the main thing - email should not tarnish either the addressee, or the reputation of the company he represents, or the business image.

The ability to correctly and competently conduct business e-mail correspondence is the main component of the image of a modern manager. This is both a sign of a general cultural level and an indicator of personal professionalism. In accordance with how a person is able to formulate and formalize his thoughts, one can confidently judge his attitude towards others and towards himself personally. An e-mail, carelessly written, can easily ruin the author's business reputation in the eyes of partners and colleagues.

Business Email Rules

1. Use your work email address for business purposes only. If you send a letter from a working server while at work, it is saved, both outgoing and incoming mail. At any time, your employer can read the letter. Only conduct business correspondence within the walls of the office.

2. Clearly understand to whom your message is addressed and to whom the information contained in it may be useful. To whom is your letter addressed? Client? Partner? Colleague? Subordinate? boss? The addressee is indicated in the column "to whom", those interested - "copy". Never send extra copies, especially to your boss. If third parties are mentioned in the e-mail, then they, as a rule, are also entered in the “copy” column.

3. For yourself, formulate the purpose of the message. What is your goal: what are you trying to achieve from the reader of your letter? What reaction do you expect? The recipient, after reading your message, should immediately understand what you need from him. Rules for conducting electronic correspondence:

If you want to bring an individual look to events - from the first person (we, I)
If your message is of a request or instructive nature - from the 2nd person (you, you)
If you are writing a letter as an outside observer and want to inform the addressee about past facts or events - from the 3rd person (they, she, he).

4. Do not leave the "subject" field empty. Most people who receive e-mail begin their study of correspondence by looking at the "subject" field. A person takes a decision to read a letter in a few seconds, so the content of the letter should be reflected in the subject line. The topic should be short, specific and informative.

5. Follow a clear content: appeal and greeting, main part, summary, signature, contacts. Every letter must contain email etiquette. Do not be lazy and do not skip any of the parts of the accepted content, a correctly designed letter is an indicator of your professionalism.

6. Appeal and greeting to the addressee - an indicator of your respect for him. Begin each letter with a personal message and greeting, if possible. It is polite to address someone by their first name. After the appeal, put a comma if you want to give the message an everyday character. And if you want to emphasize officiality and significance, then an exclamation mark, even if this letter is addressed to a colleague with whom you often communicate.

7. Stick to the principle: short and clear (KJ). One of the main rules of business e-mail correspondence is “minimum words – maximum information”. State your thoughts specifically (clearly), consistently, concisely and understandably. Sentences should be short, so it is easier for the addressee to convey the necessary information. There is one email golden rule- portioned, one topic - one letter. It's better to send multiple emails (each on the same topic) than one big email with a few unrelated ideas.

8. Do not make business correspondence out of informal communication. No emotion in an email! If you want to emphasize the points stated in your e-mail emotionally, the emotional subtext must be hidden behind a neutral, outwardly calm and correct tone of presentation. It is achieved by content, not by language.

9. Stick to a clear structure for building the main text of the letter. Most often, the letter consists of three parts:

The reason for writing the letter (reason, grounds). This part is usually as short as possible.
Sequential presentation of the essence of the issue
Decisions, requests, suggestions, conclusions

10. Appearance messages should be extremely easy to understand. Divide the text into paragraphs, in which there should be no more than five to six lines. It is better to separate paragraphs from each other with an empty line. Choose one color and one font, so the text will be better perceived. Best not to use unless absolutely necessary. exclamation points, emoticons, abbreviations, cursive elements.

11. Write well. An illiterate letter indicates that the author is not sufficiently educated. Your business reputation is discredited by typos and errors in the text. Before sending a letter email etiquette recommends that you read the letter carefully. Many mail programs and text editors can check punctuation and spelling, and when they find errors, they offer correction options. This service is required for writing emails.

12. Think about what documentation you need to transfer to attachments. The text of the letter should not include detailed information, it is better to send it as a separate file. Be sure to indicate in the subject line which file you are inserting, otherwise the recipient may regard it as a virus. All files must be checked with anti-virus software before sending.

13. Always write contact information and subscribe. This will show you from the good side and demonstrate your professional quality. The signature should not be more than five or six lines. It should consist of the name of the company, your first name and the last name of your position. Usually, for external recipients, your email address, phone number, and company website address are also indicated.

14. Postscript is rarely used in business correspondence. If you use a postscript in your message, this is an indicator that you did not think enough about the content of the letter.

15. Only in special cases is a read receipt posted. Usually, a read receipt should be set only for external recipients and only when a response is expected from the recipient.

16. Use the "high importance" flag only when it is really necessary. If the email contains important information that needs urgent consideration, set the importance to "high". This will highlight your email in your inbox. But it is not recommended to abuse this function in vain.

17. Reread the letter before sending it. Is everything concise, specific, clear, is there any inappropriate information and grammatical errors. Is the destination information correct? Check the consistency and logic of the presentation.

18. Respond to emails promptly. Notification of receipt of a letter is a manifestation of respect for colleagues or partners, a sign of good taste. If at the moment you cannot answer the letter, then the author must be informed and promise that you will answer immediately as soon as possible. Answer all questions in sequence. Do not start your reply as a new letter. If the letter is not answered within 48 hours, then the addressee may think that his letter has been ignored or lost.

19. The one who initiated the correspondence ends the electronic dialogue.

20. Remember that email communication rules, or rather, their observance is an indicator of a modern professional manager.

The activity of any organization - industrial or commercial - is unthinkable without internal document management. The adoption of informed management decisions directly depends on how fully the collection and analysis of information from various sources on the state of affairs in the organization is carried out. And the most important place in the flow of business information is occupied by the so-called. information and reference documents: summaries, acts, certificates, reports, explanatory and memos, etc.
Probably more than once in the process labor activity you were a witness or even a participant in unpleasant clarifications like “I told you! Why didn't you do it?!" or “It should have been done by the first number! Ivan Stepanych should have told you about this on the phone!” It is practically impossible to prove that the mentioned instructions were or were not given. So, in order not to work on fairy tales, not to get into such situations and not to prove in a day that you are not a two-humped animal from the African continent, there is a whole family of information and reference documents called notes.
In the process of production, commercial or other activities, as a rule, the following types of notes are distributed:
1) report;
2) official;
3) explanatory;
4) explanatory.
Let's consider them in more detail.

memorandum

Our dictionary
memorandum- this is an information and reference document addressed to the head of the organization, structural unit or a higher organization, containing a detailed and detailed statement of any issue or problem, containing the conclusions and proposals of the compiler on the issue set out in the note.

By a memorandum, as a rule, employees inform management about the events that have taken place, facts and phenomena that require a decision. In office slang, memos are not in vain called "mortgages" - usually by writing a memorandum, employees of the organization inform management about various misconduct and violations.
The memorandum can be created both on the personal initiative of the employee, and on behalf of the head.
The memorandum can be:

• external (if the memorandum is sent outside the organization, for example, to a higher organization);
• internal (if it does not leave the organization).

An external memorandum is drawn up on the general letterhead of the organization and contains the following details:

• name of company;
• name of the type of document (MEMORY);
• document date;
• registration number of the document;
• place of compilation or publication of the document;
• destination;
• title to the text;
• document text;
• signature (head of the organization);
• mark about the performer (the so-called GUIDE).

Our advice
According to clause 3.18 of GOST R 6.30-2003 “Unified Documentation Systems. Unified system of organizational and administrative documentation. Requirements for paperwork” title can answer the questions “about what (about whom)?”. We advise you to use just such a form of heading. Refrain from constructions like "Regarding ..." and "Regarding ..." - they look tongue-tied and ponderous.

An external memo is shown in Example 1.

In fairness, I note that in practice I have never met external reports. Letters are usually used for this purpose.
The internal memorandum is used very widely. It is addressed to the head in the order of direct subordination and is drawn up on a standard sheet of A4 paper. This means that you can omit the details contained on the main form: “Organization emblem or trademark (service mark)”; "Code of the organization", "Main state registration number (OGRN) legal entity»; “Taxpayer Identification Number / Registration Reason Code (TIN/KPP)”; “Reference data about the organization; "Place of compilation or publication of the document." All necessary details should be indicated, located in accordance with GOST R 6.30-2003.
“To the head in direct subordination” means that an employee of the unit can write a memorandum addressed to his immediate superior or to the name of a higher manager, but in this case, the immediate superior must first read the memorandum and put his visa. You can’t “jump over the head” of your immediate supervisor (unless, of course, this is your last working day in this organization, and tomorrow you fly away to live and work in New York or Mars forever). This is the observance of subordination, do not neglect it.
An internal memorandum is provided in Example 1.

The text of the memorandum usually has the following structure:
a) a preamble, or introductory part, which sets out the reasons or facts that gave rise to the creation of the document;
b) analysis of the current situation;
c) conclusions and suggestions on what actions should be taken, given the circumstances.

Internal memorandum is used very widely. It is addressed to the head in the order of direct subordination and is drawn up on a standard sheet of A4 paper. This means that you can omit the details contained on the main form:

• company logo or trademark (service mark);
• organization code;
• main state registration number (OGRN) of a legal entity;
• taxpayer identification number/registration reason code (TIN/KPP);
• reference data about the organization;
• place of compilation or publication of the document.

You should specify all the necessary details in accordance with GOST R 6.30-2003.

“To the head in direct subordination” means that an employee of the unit can write a memorandum addressed to his immediate superior or to the name of a higher manager, but in this case, the immediate superior must first read the memorandum and put his visa. You can’t “jump over the head” of your immediate supervisor (unless, of course, this is your last working day in this organization, and tomorrow you fly away to live and work in New York or Mars forever). This is the observance of subordination, do not neglect it.

An internal memorandum is provided in Example 2.

L.A. Nazarova,
head of the office

The material is published in part. You can read it in full in the magazine.

Over the past decades, business correspondence via e-mail has gained immense popularity and has become one of the main ways of business communication. Today it is difficult to find 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 followed? How to create a good impression of the sender with the help of a competent letter?

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

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

Due to the speed of delivery, it simplifies the exchange of important official documents, forms, applications, but even here people make mistakes when sending letters. It often happens that when composing an email when exchanging any files, for some reason, addressees do not compose cover essays and do not enter topics, which can complicate the work of recipients. The purpose of this article is to answer the question: how to send an e-mail and follow all the rules of business written communication by e-mail?

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

Business e-mail correspondence 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. Be sure to describe the subject, which briefly describes the essence of the letter being sent. Very often, the fate of the sent letter and the speed of resolving the problem set out in it depend on the correctly described topic. A business email should begin with a salutation - this simple act of respect for the recipient is very important in correspondence. After the greeting, a text should follow, which is called the "body of the letter", and at the end a signature is left, for example, "Respectfully, Brisov Petr Ivanovich."

Greetings in business correspondence

At this point, it is worth further focusing your attention, 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 restricts the sender from using the phrases "Good evening" or " Good morning”, since the recipient may read the letter much later than receiving it. It is also not correct to use colloquial expressions used in greeting in greeting.

After a word or phrase of greeting, you should address the recipient by name and patronymic, and if the name is unknown to the sender, this moment can be skipped. After that, you can proceed to the presentation of the purpose of the letter.

Attachments in business email correspondence

If the main purpose of the letter is not only a written narrative and presentation of the essence of the issue, but also the sending of a file, then it is better to attach the forwarded object in the first place. It often happens that many senders, due to inattention, having stated the essence of the issue in the text of the letter, forget to attach the necessary attachment. Such negligence can adversely affect the business reputation of the sender of a business letter.

The email address should be recognizable and concise.

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

Using the Quick Reply (Response) Function to Reply to Previously Received Emails

The Reply or Response function (abbreviated as Re:) helps the user fast way reply to previously sent messages from the sender. This function also has universal opportunity read the previous correspondence with the interlocutor on a given topic. But the rules of business e-mail correspondence oblige the sender to rename the subject of a 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 authority of the sender. Before sending a letter, you should review the text several times and carefully check it for spelling and punctuation errors. Many email clients have a spell checker, so pay attention to words underlined in red. If you have any doubts about the correct spelling, then you should seek help on the Internet or check the spelling using a spelling dictionary.

The address field must be filled in last.

To avoid sending unfinished or unedited letters, the address of the recipient of a business letter should be entered at the very last moment before sending. This rule is also included in the basics of business e-mail correspondence. It happens that when filling in the addressee field, e-mail can 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 text structuring rules apply not only to paper media, but also to the rules of business correspondence by e-mail. It is not always convenient for the recipient to read large volumes of text messages 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 a clearly articulated first and second sentence of the body text. The sender's task is to state at the beginning of the letter the essence of the problem or issue 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 dated 02.01.2017 “On the supply of bulk materials” are coming to an end. To extend the contract, you should submit a new package of documents. Thanks to the designated purpose, the recipient has the opportunity to delve into the main idea of ​​a 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, a cover essay should be left in the text field that illuminates the business letter. Sample: “We are sending you an electronic copy of the letter from Mak-Stroy LLC for review. We kindly ask you to inform us of your decision regarding the extension of Contract No. 45 dated January 2, 2017 “On the supply of bulk materials” until the deadline specified in the letter.”

Every business email must be answered.

Exists negative examples business correspondence, when the recipient ignores the business letter for any reason. Sometimes there may indeed be cases when an answer cannot be given due to certain situations, for example, the term for solving a problem may take several days or the recipient is in thought and cannot immediately answer the question posed. In such a case, it must be given short comment on this occasion, for example, “Hello, Pyotr Ivanovich. I have received your letter, but today I find it difficult to answer, as I must consult with higher management. I will report your problem to CEO our company and will give an official answer by the end of the week. Sincerely yours, Sales Manager Belov Ivan Gennadievich.

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

When writing response letters, you should answer all the questions posed.

If the letter sent to the recipient is of an interrogative nature, then when composing the letter, answers to the questions should be given in the order that is present in the received text of the business letter. If questions have been asked, the sender hopes to receive concrete 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. If it is impossible to answer some of the questions posed, it is worth indicating that at the moment, for some reason, an answer cannot be given.

Do not abuse abbreviations, emotional design 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 in communication in in 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.

It is also worth refusing to write the text in capital letters. On the Internet, a set of words written in capital letters is called “shouting 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 in a business letter it is necessary to emphasize the importance of any moment, it is better to use introductory phrases, for example, “Please note that you need to provide a package of documents to extend the contract no later than 02/10/2017” or “Please note that the documents to extend the contract must be submitted before February 10, 2017.

Do not send sensitive information via email

For the transfer of personal or confidential information, it is better to refuse electronic mailboxes, as there is a threat of interception of information by malefactors for use in 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 server of the mail agent and, in case of hacking, can be stolen.

The sender's signature must be at the end of the letter.

As mentioned earlier, each email sent must contain a specific signature. Often, mailbox developers introduce the function of a signature block, in which you can enter your data about the position, name and contact phone number. Subsequently, this block will be automatically displayed at the end of each letter, which will make typing easier. It is important to write a signature correctly so that the recipient has the opportunity to correctly address the sender when answering the letter. An example of a signature might look like this: "Respectfully, Nikolay Aleksandrovich 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.