English Unlimited HAK/HUM 3, Schulbuch mit Audio-CD und CD-ROM (mit Handelskorrespondenz)

154 Business communication 11 LANGUAGE SKILLS EXPLORE LOOK AGAIN EXTRAS How to write an email Read Richard Ford’s memo to his boss Rosalyn Milford to brief her for their company visit to Austria. To: Rosalyn Milford From: Richard Ford Date: 12 January 20___ Subject: Visit BioSchoko in Wels Our company visit to BioSchoko in Wels, Austria has been finalised as follows: flight 7.15 am 17 January Heathrow Terminal 1. We’ll be met at Linz airport, then we get a guided tour by Mr Mühlbacher (company owner), followed by lunch and meeting with head of sales in the afternoon. Quick visit to Ars Electronica if time allows. Return flight 20.30 from Linz airport. Hope that’s OK with you. Richard Opening: say what the memo is about Body of memo: main message Close: instructions, recommendation, requests Signature or initials Cover the memo and say what these names, dates and other details refer to. Rosalyn Milford is happy with the arrangements for the company visit her PA has made, but she would like to give a twenty-minute presentation about UK Foods during their visit. Imagine you are Ms Milford and write a memo (30–40 words) to your PA. You should: thank Richard for the arrangements. ask him to pass your request to BioSchoko. tell him to inform you about their reply. 10 a 1 Linz airport is … 2 BioSchoko is … 3 17 January is … 4 7.15 am is … 5 Wels is … 6 12 January is … 7 Mr Mühlbacher is … 8 20.30 is … What it is: Emails are the most common form of business communication. Sending emails is quick and cheap, saving paper and postage. Many companies send emails rather than letters for all forms of external written business communication, so some of these emails are really business letters sent electronically. They use standard phrases usually found in business letters, as well as formal openings and closes, salutation lines and complimentary closes. (for this kind of email see also How to write a formal or business letter , p. 156). Depending on the purpose and addressee, emails can also be quite informal messages, once a business relationship has been established. These may start with no greeting at all or Hi and close with best or best wishes . As it is difficult for non-native speakers to assess which style is appropriate, it is better to be too formal rather than too casual and informal. Language: Register varies according to the recipient and the relationship between sender and recipient. Write short simple sentences. No jokes, personal comments or emoticons. Don’t write words in capital letters because this is interpreted as shouting. TIP: Structure your email into paragraphs to make it easy to read. Use a short clear subject line. Use correct spelling and grammar (it’s not a text message). Stick to standard fonts as the recipient might be using different software. b 11 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv