In the business and professional world, a variety of communication tools and formats are commonly used within and between organizations. This chapter covers those most frequently utilized, as well as the etiquette and netiquette of professional communication.

TEXT MESSAGING

Texting is a wildly popular form of online communication and has to a degree replaced the phone call as a primary means of making contact with friends and family in the twenty-first century. It has also become a frequently used method of written business communication. Texting is not useful for long or complicated messages, and careful consideration should be given to the audience. You should be aware of several principles that can guide your writing in this context.

When texting, always consider your audience and your company. Choose words, terms and  abbreviations that will deliver your message appropriately and effectively.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE BUSINESS TEXTING

• Know your recipient. “? % dsct” may be an understandable way to ask a close associate what the proper discount is to offer a certain customer, but if you are writing a text to your boss, it might be wiser to write, “What % discount does Murray get on $1K order?”

• Anticipate unintentional misinterpretation. Texting often uses symbols and codes to represent thoughts, ideas, and emotions. Given the complexity of communication, and the useful but limited tool of texting, be aware of its limitation and prevent misinterpretation with brief messages.

• Contacting someone too frequently can border on harassment. Texting is a tool. Use it when appropriate but don’t abuse it.
• Never text while driving.

EMAIL

Email has become the default method of communication in business. Few organizations are truly paperless, but email has to a degree replaced hard copy letters and memos for both internal and external business communication. Though the emails themselves are usually brief communications, they often contain attachments: electronic versions of memos, letters, notices, reports, invoices, and other business documents.

While personal emails exchanged outside of the office may be informal, business emails require a professional tone and careful consideration of content. Remember that emails can be forwarded to a larger audience than just the initial recipient. When used for business purposes, emails should contain content that is respectful and professional in tone.

WRITING EFFECTIVE EMAILS

Below are some tips for writing professional emails. The procedures listed here should be followed when you are writing while on the job; they are also useful when you are communicating for other professional purposes, such as in an academic setting or when applying for a job.

The first rule of business email is: do not send unnecessary emails. Try not to add clutter to your colleagues’ inboxes. They will appreciate it.

Use a specific subject line. Email inboxes are often filled with incoming mail. A clear, concise and brief subject line will tell your recipient what the email is about or what documents are attached. Examples: “Revised Meeting Schedule Attached” or “Research Proposal Topic Question.”

Open with a standard salutation. Demonstrate professionalism and respect by using a proper greeting such as “Dear Ms. X” (external communications) or “Hi Jennifer” (in-house communications). Avoid using the term “Mrs.” unless you are certain the person you are writing to is a married woman and prefers to be addressed this way. “Ms.” is a better option. If the gender of your recipient is unknown or not evident, use the recipient’s full name: “Dear Morgan Sanders.” Some individuals list their pronoun preferences beneath their signature lines.  If someone lists their preferred pronouns as “he/him/his,” address that individual as Mr. in your correspondence. If the preference is “she/her/hers,” use Ms. in the salutation. Some individuals prefer a genderless option, and wish to be referred to by the plural pronouns “they/them/their”; the singular “they” is gaining acceptance as a legitimate usage. It’s not a terrible stretch. I used a singular subject and plural pronoun earlier in this paragraph. Did you stumble over it? Did it leap out at you as a pronoun agreement error? Always respect individual preferences.

Keep the body text brief and to the point. Use paragraphs to organize your writing. An email should not be longer than two or three paragraphs. The shorter it is, the more likely it will be thoroughly read. You may have seen the term “TL;DR” (Too Long; Didn’t Read) in your online excursions. You don’t want that acronym applied to your emails.

Avoid using all capital letters. Text written in all caps makes it look like you are yelling at your reader and can often seem rude or obnoxious.

Test all links. If you include links in your text, take a moment to make sure they work before you send the email. This saves time and eliminates aggravation.

Avoid using “Reply All” unless it is absolutely necessary. Unless your response needs to be read by everyone in a group email, reply only to the sender. Check your email settings to make sure “Reply All” is not the default setting for your replies. Your colleagues will appreciate it.

Use a complimentary close and provide your contact info beneath your signature line. End your email with a standard complimentary close, such as “Sincerely,” or “Best Regards,” or any similarly polite closing line. This should be against the left margin of the email, not indented. The signature line (your name) should also be against the left margin. Figure 1, below, displays correct email formatting.

Figure 1. Example Business Email

Though emails and text messages are the primary forms of business communication today, letters and memos remain common forms of communication. They are often delivered as attachments to emails. Although similar, each form has specific formatting elements and is used for certain purposes. Letters are primarily used for external communication, sent to recipients outside of an organization (business-to-business, or B2B), while memos are used for internal communication in an organization.

LETTERS

Letters are usually a page or two long, and are delivered on letterhead stationary (paper or electronic). The most common form of business letter in use today is the block form. Everything goes against the left margin of the document, including the complimentary close and signature. A blank line separates paragraphs. There is no indentation of any lines in a block form letter.

Letters include the following elements (in order of appearance):

1. Letterhead (heading): includes the sender’s name or company name, return address, phone number, and sometimes the email address of the sender. The letterhead may also include a graphic image or company logo.

2. Date: allow space above and below the date to make it visually pleasing.

3. Inside Address: the name and address of the letter recipient

4. Salutation: a formal greeting and the name of the recipient (Dear Ms. Simpson,)

5. Body text: the actual message of the letter. The body should include an introduction, main message, and conclusion, which may include a call to action. Keep it concise and to the point. Use paragraphs to organize the text in segments: the introduction, main message, and conclusion.

6. Complimentary close: this is the “Sincerely yours,” line.

7. Signature block: the sender’s name and, directly beneath that, the sender’s title or position. Usually there is a triple space between the complimentary close and the signature line to allow the sender to sign the letter above the signature line. If the letter will be emailed instead of sent on paper, a double space will suffice. Figure 1, below, shows an example of basic block letter style.

Figure 1. Example block letter.

Click the link to view the Example Block Letter_Annotated

MEMOS

Memos serve a similar purpose to letters, but are generally used for internal communication in an organization. Ideally, memos are as brief and concise as possible. Like letters, they are often sent as email attachments, but memos differ from letters in format. Various memo templates are available online and within word processing programs, but it’s best to avoid or adjust the font formatting on memo templates that utilize a font size smaller than 12-point. Your memo won’t be useful if the text is too small to be easily read.

Memos contain specific information in the header: To, From, Subject, and Date. Figure 2, below, shows a simple memo header.

Figure 2. Typical Memo Header

There is no salutation in a memo. The body text begins beneath the date line and should get to the main point right from the start. Memos are not the place for chat or conversation; their purpose is to communicate necessary information and, sometimes, request that the reader take an action or make a decision. Memos may also be used to update employees on a change in company policy or procedure. On occasion, longer correspondence, such as a proposal, may be sent using memo format.

Memos do not contain a complimentary close or signature line. Click on the link below to view an annotated memo document.

Example Memo_Annotated

Whichever document type you are writing, always take time to run a quick spelling and grammar check and do a human proofread of your document. We all make typos and grammar errors, but a few moments spent proofreading your documents before sending them out can save time and energy later.