How to write business email in English(2009.6)

HOWTOWRITEABUSINESSEMAILINENGLISHLecturor:WangJingli(TrainingdepartmentofShanghaiMeadvilleScience&TechnologyLtd.)Date:June,2009IntroductionWritingstepsCertainpatternsofmainmessageCONTENTSIntroductionWhyaregoodbusinesswritingskillsimportant?Customersseeyourwritingmorethantheyseeyou.Goodwritingskillsshowthatyoureallycare.Goodwritingskillscontributemoreforcefullytoarguments/persuasion/selling.Goodwritingskillsreduceriskoflosingacustomerordamagingacustomerrelationship,andfostergoodrelationshipswithcolleagues.许多客户虽然通了无数的Email，但彼此可能未曾谋面。因此一份合宜的商业书信不但可帮助你建立正面形象，也可以避免因语言隔阂造成争端而伤及与客户间的友好关系。Subject:helpJack,Mr.Jimintroducedyoutome.IhavesomeproblemsaboutHDIfabrication.Couldyouhelpmetosolvethem?Thanksalot!YoursJohnSubject:RquestinggerberfilesofNO.6789DearMr.Jack,I’mamemberofMEdepartmentofSME.Atpresent,I’minchargeofmanufacturingprocessofNO.6789.CouldyoupleaseofferusthegerberfilesofthistypebeforenextWednesday?Thanksforyoursupporttoourfactoryallthetime.BestregardsJohn,supervisorManufactureengineeringdepartmentTel:021-77788888WhatisaGoodBusinessEmail?ProfessionalConcise&ClearmeaningfulEffective&reasonableKeeprelationship如果是回信，就得越快越好。即使你不能立刻答复发件人，你至少让他们知道你已收到并阅读了邮件。通常情况下，如果在邮件发出后的24小时内回复，发件人知道你已收到邮件，也很注意礼节，就会更耐心的等待答复。Keepemailsshortandtothepoint.It'sokaytobefriendly,buttrynottogoonandon.商业邮件不是电子情书,应明确点名你的来意,客套话能省即省。WritingstepsBusinessemailtypicallyfollowsanumberofsteps,includingthefollowing:SubjectofemailOpeningandclosinggreetingsBeginningsentenceThemainmessageEndingSubjectofemailWhat’stheproblemwiththefollowingsubjects?Subject:[Blank]Subject:“Important!ReadImmediately!!”Subject:“Simplequestion.”Subject:“Follow-upaboutlastFriday”Subject:“Thatfileyourequested.”主题明确才能保证收件人重视该邮件。Whatisimportanttoyoumaynotbeimportanttoyourreader.Writeaninformativeheadlinethatcommunicatesatleastthecoreofwhatyoufeelissoimportant:Emergency:PowersupplywillbecutonPM2thisafternoon!Ifthequestionissimple,whynotjustaskitinthesubjectline?Thissubjectlineishardlyuseful.Follow-upaboutlastFridaytelephoneconferenceThatfileaboutNo.4567manufacturingindicationyourequestedSubjectofemailSomeoftenoverlookistheproperuseofasubjectline.Whenfillinginthesubjectlineyouhavearound25characterspacestogetsomeone’sattention.Thebestwaytodothisistousecapitalsforthemainpointofthemessage,thanfollowedbyashortdescriptionofthenatureofthemainpoint.Forexample:“meetingtoday”“DECISIONNEEDED:Wearechoosingnewproductlinetoday.”OpeningandclosinggreetingsIfyoudon’thaveacontactname:DearsirorMadamYoursfaithfullyIfyouknowthenameoftheperson:DearMr/Mrs/MsJonesYourssincerelyIfyouknowthepersonasafriendorclosebusinesscolleagues:DearJamesBestwishes/regardsIfyouarecontactingacompanynotanindividual:ToWhomItMayConcernIfyouarewritingtosomeoneyoudon'tknow,asimpleHelloisadequate.Whenwritingtosomeoneyouknowwell,callinghis/hernamelike“Hi,Tom”isok!OpeningandclosinggreetingsSomemistakes:1.简(缩)写：Bstrgrds,---对方看到这种结语，只会觉得Youreallylooklikeabusyperson.2.不当大写：REGARDS,BestRegards---对欧美国家字母大写文句通常想强调某事，这种大写结尾会让人感觉你是很生气的结束本文。3.Trulyyours：这通常是LOVER间才会用到。4.Thanksandbestregards：多礼的中国人最常犯的错误Thanks只用于文本，并不适合与regards合用。BeginningsentenceStartingthereferenceatthebeginningoftheemail:①Withreferenceto______②Ithankyouforyouremailofyesterday.③Furthertoourtelephoneconversation,______如果是写信或需要回复，你应直击要点。商务人士一般很忙，通常只是粗略看一下邮件。不要使用修饰文段，快速准确的传达要点。当然不要忘记首先恰当介绍你自己，注明写信目的，了解写信对象。DearMsJohnstonFurthertoourtelephonecallthismorning,Iamwritingtoinformyouofmyavailabilityfortheabovepost.Iamnowfreetotakeupthepostfrom1Aprilthisyear.Ilookforwardtohearingfromyou.YoursfaithfullyEdwardBronsonExampleofBeginningsentenceSubject:Re:OrmetproductsagentinChinaMr.Yang,Nicetohearfromyou.AboutZinterconnecttechnology,youmayconsultwithMr.MasonLaw.Heisourrepresentativeandfamiliarwithit.Hiscontactinformationislistedbelow.Thankyouforyourinterest.AllthebestJamesWangAusterCircuits,Inc.10080WillowCreekRoadSanDiego,[e-mail]connecttechnology,RegardingtoZinterconnecttechnology,allthebest:万事大吉，一路顺风，一路平安，等等表示祝酒或送行的祝福语。EndingisimportantLastly,endyouremailwithaprofessionalsignatureline:whoyouare,yourtitleandcontactinformation.Alsoremembertoreviewyourmessagethoroughlyandbeawarethatiftheemailwillbesenttomanypeople?ifmycorporationoranyotheroutsideagencywouldseethisemailcoulditbeusedagainstmeinaninvestigation?Thismessageisfortheuseoftheintendedrecipient(s)only.Ifyouhavereceivedthismessageinerror,pleasenotifythesenderanddeleteit.Weacceptsnoliabilityforlossordamagecausedbysoftwarevirusesandyouareadvisedtocarryoutaviruscheckonanyattachmentscontainedinthismessage.RequestsFollow-upemailsRemindersApologizingCertainpatternsofmainmessageREQUESTSArequestisamessageaskingthereceivertodosomething.①Iwouldbegratefulifyoucould______②Iwouldappreciateitifyoucould______③Couldyouplease______?（moreinformation)④Iamwritingtoinform/applyfor./request/etc.______1.内容重点除了要求的事情还应该强调对方回复的截止期限：“atyourearliestconvenience”或“assoonaspossible”客套型“beforeThursday”，“intwodays”具体型2.要提供明确的信息让对方知道如何回复：Couldyoupleasegivemeacalltomor