Tips and Tricks for Better Letter

Following the proper formatting is only the first part of writing a letter that gets action. The content of a poorly formatted letter is unlikely to be read – in one study of HR (Human Resources) personnel, more than 80% said they’d throw out a resume if there were only one or two errors in the cover letter – but even a well-formed letter is unlikely to be acted on unless the content is powerful and engaging.

There’s an old copywriting formula that can be very helpful in letter-writing: AIDA. AIDA stands for attention, interest, desire, and action. First you get the reader’s attention, then you get them interested, then you arouse their desire, and then you tell them what action to take.

Consider, for example, the typical opening of a business letter: “Attached please find a resume for your consideration for…”; “ I am writing to inform you that…”.

None of them give the reader’s mind much to “stick” on. Some attention-grabbing strategies include:

Flattery: “I have been a fan of your work for a long time…”; “It has always been my dream to work for your company…”

A question: “Did you know that…”; “Have you ever had this problem…”

Surprise: “In the last three years, I’ve tracked down and brought to justice 8 of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted criminals”.

Once you have their attention, you need to create interest in whatever you’re offering. Promise to solve their problems – with a great product, with your services, with a partnership, with whatever it is you’re writing about. You arouse their interest by telling them that you’re the right person for the position and by promising to help them achieve their mission.

Then you arouse their desire by explaining how you can do this – for instance, by showing how successful you’ve been in other positions, or by explaining the specialized training you have relevant to the job. Avoid jargon here – explain clearly and concisely the benefits of the solution you offer.

For example, if you are proposing a new business process, you might say something like: I designed a system similar to this at my former position, and worker productivity jumped 20%, and profits increased even more.

Learn an important lesson: nobody buys anything based on features (and “buy” is used in its loosest possible sense, like you “buy” an idea). You have to explain exactly how those features will benefit the potential buyer.

If you’ve done that well, they’re going to be asking themselves “How can I make this happen?”, which you answer in the last section of your letter by proposing an action they can take. “Call me at (212) 555-1212 to arrange an interview” or “Let’s meet next Thursday to discuss this proposal” or “Order your copy today”.

Don’t leave the action for your recipient to figure out. I think a lot of time we lack the confidence to ask for the action we want, and we give ourselves an “out” by leaving it unsaid, hoping they’ll figure it out themselves.

Consider the daily life of whomever you’re sending a letter to – how many other things might they have on their mind when they read your letter. Maybe they have a meeting in five minutes. Maybe yours is one of 200 letters they have to wade through. Maybe it’s the end of the day and they’re worn out. Giving them a concrete action to take makes it all the more likely that it will “stick” – they’ll add it to their todo list or their calendar, they’ll pick up the phone, they’ll check out your website, or they’ll respond.

In the end, this is all about respect for your recipient. If you’re offering a real solution to a real problem, people want to know about it.By following proper and well-understood formats and keeping your writing clear and engaging, you’re making it easier for them to solve their problem. Provided that you’re honest and have the skills and talents to back up your claims, writing a good, solid letter makes it more likely that both you and your reader will be satisfied. Try it the next time you have to write an important letter.

Exercise 9.Choose the right answer.

1. What letter is unlikely to be read?

a) poorly formatted; b) business; c) well-formed; d) commercial business.

2. What does AIDA mean in this very text?

a) Advanced Instructional Design Advisor; b) Advanced Interface Database Application;

c) Attention Interest Desire Action; d) Another Insulting Deceptive Announcement.

3. What strategies give the reader’s mind much to “stick” on?

a) powerful; b) attention-grabbing; c) explaining; d) typical.

4. What do not attention-grabbing strategies include?

a) surprise; b) question; c) answer; d) flattery.

5. What can you arouse in the employer by explaining how you can do this?

a) anger; b) wish; c) attention; d) desire.

6. What does nobody buy?

a) things based on features; b) goods; c) funds and resources; d) ideas.

7. What should you propose in the last section of your letter?

a) call; b) action; c) position; d) business process.

8. What will the employers do if you give them a concrete action to make?

a) wade through your letter; b) throw out your letter;

c) read your letter; d) add to their todo list.

9. Why is a well-formed letter unlikely to be acted?

a) because of salutation; b) because of enclosures;

c) because of content; d) because of typist initials.

10. What should you avoid in letters?

a) jargon; b) business style; c) proper formatting; d) parts of letter.

Exercise 10.Translate the following terms into Russian. Give your own definition to them (in English) and learn these terms by heart.

1. a content; 2. a copywriter; 3. to stick on; 4. a recipient; 5. to avoid; 6. to benefit; 7. to propose; 8. todo list; 9. a solution; 10. a former position.

Exercise 11. Write an outline of the text.

COMPREHENSION

Exercise 12.Fill in the table. Add two more categories for comparison.

	Letters	E-mails
Greeting
Topic
Request
Apology
Documentation
Bad news
Good news
Conclusion
Closing

Exercise 13. Fill in the gaps using the words given below, and translate the sentences into Russian.

format signature electronic greeting recipient

unsigned stick to closing addressing resolve

1. It is no longer a surprise to receive a(n) … business message from an unknown person. 2. The most common form of … is Dear Sir. 3. When writing business letters, you must pay special attention to the … used. 4. It looks unprofessional, cold and somewhat lazy if a letter is left … . 5. … the facts and the merits of the case and don’t allow emotions to become involved. 6. The … normally begins with the word “Dear” and always includes the person’s last name. 7. The first rule is to know that your … accepts or prefers email correspondence. 8. Do not use an email to … a business issue that should be handled in person. 9. Make the … professional with “Thank you” or “Sincerely.” 10. A scanned or otherwise electronically formatted … is acceptable.

Exercise 14.Replace the underlined words with the synonymous terms from the texts.

1. It also urges all sides to take the necessary measures to allow humanitarian organizations secure and unimpeded access to the people in need. 2. Improper or poor documentation makes this tool much less helpful. 3. The mailer can demonstrate that a letter was mailed to a legal business address by showing that the complete, correct address appears on the letter itself. 4. In British English, the receiver’s address starts on the same line as the date or one line below the date. 5. The formal greeting always starts with “Dear” followed by the person’s title and last name. 6. The first paragraph of the letter will define the framework, providing a clear statement of the letter’s topic and purpose. 7. The autograph on a business letter functions as a legal testimony. 8. The address on the letter should be the same as the address on the cover. 9. Don’t leave your reader in mid-air, but use the final paragraph to explain or repeat what you want your reader to do. 10. The first paragraph of the letter will define the context, providing a clear statement of the letter’s topic and intention.

Exercise 15.a)Match the verbs on the left with the nouns on the right.

1. to address	a) professional status;
2. to avoid	b) the documents;
3. to check	c) level of professionalism;
4. to sign	d) the purpose of the letter;
5. to reflect	e) formal and stuffy expressions;
6. to show off	f) the interest;
7. to file in	g) the reader;
8. to arouse	h) date order;
9. to restate	i) text;
10. to enclose	j) the letter.

b) In the sentences below replace the Russian expressions with the phrases you have got. Use these expressions in the necessary form.

1. (Подписывайте письмо) with your formal name and title if you are less familiar with the recipient. 2. A properly formatted business letter not only (отражает/показывает ваш уровень профессионализма), it also shows character, tact, and maturity. 3. It’s important to (повторить цель письма) if you want your letter to get result. 4. (Обратитесь к читателю) by name punctuated with a colon. 5. (Проверьте текст) for clarity, completeness, and readability, and don’t ever forget to proofread. 6. The correspondence is frequently (регистрируется согласно формату даты). 7. If you (прикрепили много документов) and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of each document, it may be a good idea to list the names. 8. (Избегайте формальных и избитых фраз) like “thanking you in advance”, “as per”, “be advised”, or “enclosed herewith”. 9. You may (привлечь интерес) by telling an employer that you can do the job well and help the organization achieve its mission. 10. Your address and the subject line should be identifiable and (отражать ваш профессиональный статус).

WRITING AND COMMUNICATION

Exercise 16.Write an essay on one of the given topics and discuss it with your partner.

1. Letter of Recommendation.

2. Letter of Resignation.

3. Thank-You Letter.

4. Acceptance and Denial Letters.

5. Letter of Intent.

Exercise 17.Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1. Это уменьшит ваши расходы и увеличит вашу прибыль. 2. Спасибо, что сообщили нам о допущенной ошибке. 3. Надеюсь, я ответил на все ваши вопросы, но если вы хотите узнать еще какие-либо детали, пожалуйста, пишите нам. 4. В ответ на ваше письмо-запрос мы высылаем вам один экземпляр и надеемся, что он окажется полезным для вас. 5. Буду рад, если вы примете во внимание то, что мои навыки и умения (описанные в приложенном резюме) соответствуют вашим требованиям. 6. Просим выслать ориентировочную счет-фактуру для таможенного контроля. 7. Мы, возможно, сможем постоянно заказывать вашу продукцию, если ваши образцы удовлетворяют нашим требованиям. 8. После того как вы написали письмо, еще раз прочитайте его внимательно, убедитесь, что вы указали всю информацию, которую намеревались. 9. Написание писем является неотъемлемой частью бизнеса. 10. Так как цель письма привлечь интерес читателя, то письмо следует начинать с предложений, в которых представлена суть дела.

PROJECT WORK

As you know there are different types of business letters. Choose one of them and write a business letter. Don’t forget about language and parts of the letter.

Unit 7.

Tax and Duties

Warm up

Exercise 1.You know that there are many kinds of duties and taxes. Do you or your relatives pay any? Do you know any kinds of duties which are paid in Russia? Are there international customs duties or does each country have its own certain duties?

Exercise 2.Match the English words on the left with their Russian equivalents on the right. Learn the words by heart.

1. a bonded warehouse	a) продукт, товар;
2. a force of law	b) подлежащий обложению (налогом);
3. due to	c) финансовая операция;
4. in the same vein	d) таможенный склад;
5. assessable	e) груз, партия товара;
6. a commodity	f) идентификационный номер (код);
7. a consignment	g) сила закона;
8. an identification code	h) в зависимости от;
9. a financial transaction	i) потребительский налог;
10. a consumption tax	j) подобным же образом, в том же духе.

READING

Exercise 3.Read and translate the following text. Use the dictionary when necessary.