Key Terms
Traditional written business communication
Letters, memos, brochures — all on paper.
Modern written business communication
Same formats plus digital — email, instant messaging, texting, posting, chatting.
BAD
"New Promotional Materials"
BETTER
"Spring 2018 Housewares Promotion"
SIMILARITIES
Both include To, From, a meaningful subject line, state purpose immediately, require organized body, and end with a call
CC LINE
Lists others receiving copies. Can appear in the heading, beside it, or at the bottom.
Email chain
Same as thread; avoided due to association with spam.
Definition
Mailing list software created to manage large numbers of email subscribers for commercial and organizational purposes.
Short Message Service (SMS)
Used for broadcasting short information bursts to mobile devices, including emergency alerts and one-way notifications.
Examples of IM platforms cited
Google Talk (Google Chat), Slack, Jabber, Spark.
Additional IM use case
Interactive customer support — live chat with a specialist while visiting a support website or on hold by phone.
Four most common types of external business emails
1. Requests 2.
STRUCTURE RULE FOR ALL FOUR TYPES
State the main point immediately. Direct subject line.
Purpose
Respond to a complaint or claim — typically granting the requested correction.
Example close
"Please respond to us by December 9 so that we can finalize the invitations."