What is Business Writing?

- Business writing is a type of writing that seeks to elicit a business response. It's a purposeful piece of writing that
provides relevant information to help a reader know something or do something. It must be substantive, clear,
correct, and easy to scan. It is a type of professional communication. Business writing has specific professional
standards. The purpose of writing for business is always to be direct, concise, and uncluttered. As well, grammar
and spelling should always be correct, and jargon should be avoided.
Types of Business Writing
- 1. Instructional Business Writing Instructional business writing provides the reader with the information needed
to complete a task. The task may need be accomplished immediately or it may be for future reference. This type
of document must break down a process into steps that are understandable to the reader. The written record must
account for reader’s knowledge of the area, the scope of the task while integrating variations or potential
problems.
- 2. Informational Business Writing Not all business writing requires action. A large volume of writing is created
for reference or record. This category can include some of the less glamorous but still essential documents.
Recording business information accurately and consistently is important for marking progress, predicting future
work, as well as complying with legal and contractual obligations.
- 3. Persuasive Business Writing When people think of business writing, they often think of the persuasive
writing category. These documents are generally associated with sales. The persuasive writing may be direct, with
focus on a specific item, or indirect, with focus on developing the client relationship. The goal is to two-fold: to
convey information and to convince the reader that the presented information offers the best value. The text is
written to impress the reader and sway their decision.
- 4. Transactional Business Writing Everyday communication falls under transactional business writing. The
majority of this writing is by email, but also includes official letters, forms, and invoices. An easy way to quickly
improve your transactional business writing is to take an online course. These documents are used to progress
general operations. They are also used to convey good and bad news, often associated with human resource
processes.
Types of Letters
- Formal Letter: These letters follow a certain pattern and formality. They are strictly kept professional in nature,
and directly address the issues concerned. Any type of business letter or letter to authorities falls within this given
category.
- Informal Letter: These are personal letters. They need not follow any set pattern or adhere to any formalities.
They contain personal information or are a written conversation. Informal letters are generally written to friends,
acquaintances, relatives etc.
- Business Letter: This letter is written among business correspondents, generally contains commercial
information such as quotations, orders, complaints, claims, letters for collections etc. Such letters are always
strictly formal and follow a structure and pattern of formalities.
- Official Letter: This type of letter is written to inform offices, branches, subordinates of official information. It
usually relays official information like rules, regulations, procedures, events, or any other such information.
Official letters are also formal in nature and follow certain structure and decorum.
- Social Letter: A personal letter written on the occasion of a special event is known as a social letter.
Congratulatory letter, condolence letter, invitation letter etc. are all social letters.
- Circular Letter: A letter that announces information to a large number of people is a circular letter. The same
letter is circulated to a large group of people to correspond some important information like a change of address,
change in management, the retirement of a partner etc.
- Employment Letters: Any letters with respect to the employment process, like joining letter, promotion letter,
application letter etc.
- Apology Letter: An apology letter is a way of expressing regret towards a past action
- Thank You Letter: Used when one person or party wishes to express appreciation to another
 - Congratulatory Letter: A letter that acknowledges the great news and send it with loads of wishes and blessings
for the recipient
- Goodbye Letter: Goodbye letter or Farewell letter is a letter in which someone says goodbye before leaving
- Condolence Letter: is a letter in which you express your sympathy for someone because one of their friends or
relatives has died recently
- Invitation Letter: All invitations will involve requesting the presence of a person, or a group of people, to attend
an event or some sort of visit. Invitation Letters will usually be sent in advance in order to give the recipient time
to plan ahead
Format of Letters
- Full Block Style: Block format features all elements of the letter aligned to the left margin of the page. It has a
neat and simple appearance. Paragraphs are separated by a double line space.
- Semi-Block Style: Semi-block is similar to block but has a more informal appearance. All elements are left-
aligned, except for the beginning of each paragraph, which is indented five spaces. Paragraphs are separated by a
double line space.
- Modified Block Style: Modified block differs from block style in that the date, sign off, and signature lines begin
at the center point of the page line. The beginning of each paragraph is indented five spaces, along with the
subject line, if used. Depending on the length of the letter, paragraphs may be separated by a single or double line
space.
- Modified Semi-Block Style: A modified semi-block letter is a format for formal correspondence. In this format,
the header elements and closing are aligned away from the left margin (generally left of center), the recipient
information and opening are aligned to the left margin, and the body text is left-justified with an indent.
What is Memorandum?
- A memorandum, more commonly known as a memo, is a short message or record used for
internal communication in a business. Once the primary form of internal written communication, memorandums
have declined in use since the introduction of email and other forms of electronic messaging; however, being able
to write clear memos certainly can serve you well in writing internal business emails, as they often serve the same
purpose.
Types of Memorandum
- Request Memo: The objective of a request memo is to gain a favorable response to a request. The memo must be
written in a convincing way.
- Confirmation Memo: A confirmation memo is designed to confirm in writing something that has been agreed to
verbally.
- Periodic Report Memo: Periodic report memos – monthly cost control reports, quarterly sales reports – are
submitted at regular intervals.
- Since these memos are written frequently, they are designed and preprinted so that the writer can complete them
quickly.
- Ideas and Suggestions Memo: Sometimes memos are used to convey ideas or suggestions. Very often managers
ask subordinates for suggestions for tackling certain problems. In such instances, an ideas and suggestions memo
is required.
- Informal Study Results Memo: Organizational personnel are sometimes asked to write the results of an informal
study in a memo. The objective of the message is to present the information in an easy-to-read, understandable
form.