THE APPEARANCE AND DESIGN OF BUSINESS MESSAGES NADEEM

THE APPEARANCE AND DESIGN OF BUSINESS MESSAGES NADEEM AHMED 1 1

Letter Styles/Layouts Layout/Style Characteristics • • Every line begins at the left margin, common format & easy to set up • The date, complimentary close & signature section near right-hand margin, attention line/subject line may be indented, centered, or at the left margin. Full-block • Modified-block with paragraph indented • Paragraph indented • AMS (Administrative Management Society)/ Simplified • Sans salutation, sans complimentary close, sans signature, Subject Line in Capital letters 2

The Appearance and Design of Business Messages: Business Letters Standard Parts of the Letter Optional Parts of the Letter 1. Heading – Letterhead and Date 2. Inside Address 3. Salutation 4. Body 5. Complimentary Close 6. Signature area 7. Reference Initials 1. Attention Line 2. Subject Line 3. Enclosure Notation 4. Copy Notation 5. File or Account Number and Mailing Notation 6. Postscript 3

MEMORANDUM • Standard Parts of the Memo 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To From Subject Date Message • Optional Parts of the Memo 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Reference Initials Enclosures File Number Sender’s department Telephone Number 4

Parts of a Business Letterhead Mohammad Ali Jinnah University E-22 Block 6, PECHS, Karachi-75400, Pakistan line 12 or 2 lines below letterhead Dateline September 13, 2011 2 to 10 lines Inside Address Ms. Fauzia Shamim Director Teachers’ Development Centre C-147, PECHS BL-07 Karachi- 75400 1 blank line Salutation Dear Ms. Fauzia Shamim: 5

Parts of a Business Letter (continued) 1 blank line Subject Line Invitation as A Guest Speaker 1 blank line • Body We invite you to speak on the topic of your choice related to business communication on Saturday, 14 February, 2012 from 12: 30 to 13: 20 am. It is the tradition at Mohammad Ali Jinnah University that we invite dignitaries and learned people from industry and academia to share their experience and knowledge with our students so that they could be well prepared to cope up with professional challenges in their career. Your contribution in this regard will be highly appreciated. . 6

Parts of a Business Letter (continued) 100 would be Managerial and We promise you to have an eager audience of comprising students of MBA. Your audience students of Business Communication, Marketing Management. We look forward to having a nice exchange of knowledge and experience with our students 1 blank line Complimentary Sincerely, Close 3 blank lines 7

Parts of a Business Letter (continued) Signature Block Nadeem Ahmed Lecturer Reference Initials NA 1 blank line 8

FULL-BLOCK A-3/33, Royal Apartment Gulshan-e-Iqblal Block-19 Karachi - 75400 May 14, 2011 Mr. Javed Ahmed, Manager Al-Habib Bank (Pvt. ) Ltd. 204, I. I. Chundrigar Road Karachi - 754300 Dear Mr. Ahmed: OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITION Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with your needs for an office assistant and my qualifications for that position. I appreciate your thorough explanation of the objectives of your bank, and Mr. Bashir Ahmed was especially helpful in outlining the details of the job. After visiting with you and Mr. Bashir Ahmed, meeting your office staff, and seeing your facilities, I am even more enthusiastic about working for you bank. I look forward to the possibility of becoming a part of your office team. Yours sincerely, Saleem Ahmed Enclosure 9

MODIFIED BLOCK A-3/33, Royal Apartment Gulshan-e-Iqblal Block-19 Karachi - 75400 May 14, 2011 Mr. Javed Ahmed, Manager Al-Habib Bank (Pvt. ) Ltd. 204, I. I. Chundrigar Road Karachi - 754300 Dear Mr. Javed Ahmed: OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITION Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with your needs for an office assistant and my qualifications for that position. I appreciate your thorough explanation of the objectives of your bank, and Mr. Bashir Ahmed was especially helpful in outlining the details of the job. After visiting with you and Mr. Bashir Ahmed, meeting your office staff, and seeing your facilities, I am even more enthusiastic about working for you bank. I look forward to the possibility of becoming a part of your office team. Yours sincerely, Saleem Ahmed Enclosure 10

MODIFIED BLOCK WITH INDENTED PARAGRAPH A-3/33, Royal Apartment Gulshan-e-Iqblal Block-19 Karachi - 75400 May 14, 2011 Mr. Javed Ahmed, Manager Al-Habib Bank (Pvt. ) Ltd. 204, I. I. Chundrigar Road Karachi - 754300 Dear Mr. Javed Ahmed: OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITION Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with your needs for an office assistant and my qualifications for that position. I appreciate your thorough explanation of the objectives of your bank, and Mr. Bashir Ahmed was especially helpful in outlining the details of the job. After visiting with you and Mr. Bashir Ahmed, meeting your office staff, and seeing your facilities, I am even more enthusiastic about working for you bank. I look forward to the possibility of becoming a part of your office team. Yours sincerely Saleem Ahmed Enclosure 11

MODIFIED BLOCK WITH INDENTED PARAGRAPHS 12

SIMPLIFIED/AMS (ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY) A-3/33, Royal Apartment Gulshan-e-Iqblal Block-19 Karachi - 75400 May 14, 2011 Mr. Javed Ahmed, Manager Al-Habib Bank (Pvt. ) Ltd. 204, I. I. Chundrigar Road Karachi - 754300 OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITION Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with your needs for an office assistant and my qualifications for that position. I appreciate your thorough explanation of the objectives of your bank, and Mr. Bashir Ahmed was especially helpful in outlining the details of the job. After visiting with you and Mr. Bashir Ahmed, meeting your office staff, and seeing your facilities, I am even more enthusiastic about working for you bank. I look forward to the possibility of becoming a part of your office team. Saleem Ahmed Enclosure 13

SIMPLIFIED/AMS (ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY) 14