Enclosed please find . . .
Please be advised that . . .
Trusting this will meet with your approval . . .
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation . . .
This will acknowledge receipt of your letter of . . .
According to our records . . .
Pursuant to your letter of . . .
Kindly advise as to the status of this matter . . .
The truth is, terminology like this was
once widely accepted and is still used frequently by business people who have failed to
detect the less formal language of the 21st century. But you can be on the forefront of
the current, more casual style of corresponding with just a few minor changes in the words
you select. Take a look.
Instead of ¡°Enclosed please find..."
Try ¡°Im sending you...¡±
Instead of ¡°Please be advised
that...,¡± just get to the point.
No need to tell your readers you're going
to tell them something. Just tell 'em!
Instead of ¡°Trusting this will meet
with your approval...¡±
Try ¡°I hope you approve...¡± or
something similar.
Instead of ¡°Thanking you in advance for
your cooperation...¡±
Try ¡°Id really appreciate...¡±
Instead of ¡°This will acknowledge
receipt of your letter of...¡±
Try ¡°I received your May 1 letter...¡±
Instead of ¡°According to our
records...,¡± (what records?)
Just tell em what youre referring
to.
Example: Our canceled check shows you
deposited our payment in your checking account on October 31, 1999.
Instead of ¡°Pursuant to your letter
of...¡±
Try ¡°I received your May 1 letter...¡±
just like in example 5, above.
Instead of ¡°Kindly advise as to the status of this matter...¡±
Try ¡°Please let me know...¡±
Example: Please let me know if your
client will accept this settlement offer by July 1, 2000.
See? Its really not that difficult.
Just a few subtle changes in your language can make a world of differencethe difference
between stuffy, old-fashioned correspondence and more casual, modern business
communication.
Eliminate those eight archaic phrases
today and bring your written communication into the 21st century!
Tina L. Miller is a freelance writer
whos been published in Corporate & Incentive Travel and the Milwaukee
Business Journal. Learn how to avoid common grammar and punctuation mistakes in your
writing with her one-on-one refresher course. Stop by http://www.tinalmiller.com/courses/index.htm
today.
Copyright © 2000 by Tina L. Miller. All rights reserved. |