Business Letter

Structure of the Textbook:
Unit 1 Basic Knowledge of Business Letter Writing Ⅰ. Form and Structure of Business Letters 1. Form 2. Structure 3. Addressing Envelopes Ⅱ. Writing Principles of Business Letter Exercises
Unit 2 Establishing Business Relations & Inquiring Credit Reference Ⅰ. Letters for Establishing Business Relations 1. Importer Writes to Exporter 2. Self Introduction by Exporter 3. Exporter Writes to Importer 4. Self Introduction by Manufacturer 5. Manufacturer Writes to Importer 6. Letter Referring to a Bank Reference 7. Reply to the Above Ⅱ. Supplement: Some Useful Sentences on Establishing Business Relations Inquiring Credit Reference Exercises
Unit 3 Enquiries and Replies Ⅰ. The Letters of Enquiries and Replies 1. General Enquiry and Reply 2. Specific Enquiry and Reply Ⅱ. Supplement: Some Useful Sentences on Enquiries & Replies Exercises
Unit 4 Quotations, Sales Letters, Firm Offers & Counter Offers Ⅰ. Quotations 1. Quotation and Reply 2. Sending a Quotation 3. Buyer Asks for Quotation and Seller Replies Ⅱ. Sales Letters 1. Ordinary Sales--Promotion of DVD Player 2.Trying to Sell with Samples--Promotion of U, S. Dollar Bank Note Checker Ⅲ. Offers 1. Offer of Electronic Calculators 2. Offer of Refrigerators 3. Offer of Personal Computers Ⅳ. Counter Offers 1. Counter-offer on Price of Refrigerator 2. Counter-offer on Price of Hand-embroidered Silk Scarf 3. Counter-offer on Price of Medical Apparatus and Instruments 4. Buyer Asks for Reduction of Minimum Quantity 5. Counter-offer on Payment Terms 6. Buyer Asks for Earlier Delivery ……
Unit 5 Orders, Acceptances and Rejections
Unit 6 Sales Confirmation and Purchase Contract
Unit 7 Payment
Unit 8 Transport and Insurance
Unit 9 Complaint, Claim and Settlement
Unit 10 Fax & E-mail

Unit 11 Case Study
Unit 12 Letter of Intent, Agreements and Contracts
Unit 13 Invitation for Bids, Bid, Notice of Award & Advertisments
Unit 14 Social Contact Correspondences
附录：商务英语常用缩略语

Establishing business relations

To establish business relations with prospective dealers is very important either for a new firm or an old one. For a newly establish firm, it can serve as the basis fro starting business, while for an old one, it can help to expand business and increase the turnover. In international business, owing to the geographic distance which separates the seller from his buyer, businessmen usually approach the foreign merchants through communication in writing. Of course, there are some other channels such as attendance at trade fairs and exhibitions held both at home and abroad and mutual visits by trade delegations and groups.

To facilitate the establishment of business relations, a business man should first get to know the necessary information about the prospective dealers. He can obtain such information form various sources, including the advertisements in newspapers and periodicals, his business connections, banks and chambers of commerce, etc.

Steps of writing the letter:
1. The source of information (how you learned of his company)
2. Brief introduction to your own company (the scope of your business, little advertising in your products or service)
3. The intention of writing this letter (what kind of business you want to do with them, e.g. to purchase their products, to sell your own products, to enter into a joint venture with them, etc.)
4. Expressing the expectation of cooperation and early reply.

Sample letters:

Dear Mr. Ewing:

I met your business associate, Manuel Arroyo, at the oil Club last Thursday and he suggested that I contact you regarding the services and products of my agency, China Resources Mining and Recovery Corporation. Ewing Properties is, of course, known world-wide in the international oil exploration and extracting industry. Our company is contracting you in hopes that you might be interested in new suppliers of high-quality, field-tested oil equipment and related services.

Specially, we are the office in charge of sales of Chinese exploration equipment. As you know, China has been operating the extraction of the considerable oil reserves in its western provinces for over 30 years. We are thus able to apply considerable technology and know-how to the design and manufacturing or today’s most efficient oil field equipment.

Our latest catalogue, sent under separate cover, is designed to give you a rough idea of our company’s history and new product developments. Should you be further interested, please contact us at any time.

Very truly yours,
William Hanson, General Manager

Cc: Manual Arroyo

Dear Sirs:

Through the courtesy of your embassy in China, we learn that your firm is interested in establishing business relations with a Chinese firm to sell various light industrial products of your company to China.

We have been engaged in import business for many years and are well connected with all the major dealers here. We, therefore, feel sure that we can sell large quantities of your goods if your offers are favorable.

We would like you to send us a catalogue and pricelist, and possibly some samples of the goods that you are principally interested in selling, so that we can study the sales possibility in our market.

As to our standing, please refer to bank of China, Beijing.
We looking forward to the pleasure of doing business with you.

Exercise
Yours is a company exporting leather products. You learned from the recent issue of International Business that ABC Company is want to buy Chinese leather products. Please write a letter showing the intention of establishing business relation with ABC Company. You should emphasizing the strength of your company and the advantages of your products.

Gentlemen and Ladies:

From the recent insure of International Business, we learn that you are in the market for Chinese leather products.

As we are one of the leading exporters of this line of business and have handled various kinds of leather products for about 10 years, we would like to establish business with you.

Our leather products are made of superb materials and in traditional skills. They are very popular both at home and aboard. We enclose a copy of our illustrated catalogue covering the main items available at present. If you are interested in any of these items, please let us know. We will give you our lowest quotations and try our best to comply with your requirements.

Useful expressions:
1. We learn through the Commercial Counselor’s Office of our Embassy in your country that you are interested in Chinese-made toy animals. Enclosed are our illustrated catalogue and price list for your study.
2. In the next few days, you should receive a catalogue describing our products so that you can choose the ones you want to buy for your office in China.
3. We are willing to enter into business relations with your firm on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and to exchange what one has with what one needs.
4. We received your name from Mr. Miles who has informed us that you are in the market for photocopiers.
5. To acquaint you with the products we have available from stock, we are sending you separately by airmail an illustrated catalogue and five samples at your request.
6. Your letter of May 12 addressed to your Shanghai Branch has been passed on to us for our attention and reply.
7. Since we specialize in the export of Chinese arts and crafts, we would be pleased to trade with you in this line.
8. Through the courtesy of Japan External Trade Organization, we have your name as a firm who is interested in doing business with us in this market.
9. We have a long experience in the import and export trade and a wide knowledge of commodities was well as of the best sources of supply of these materials.
10. Our company is contacting you in hopes of importing high-technology data processors at completive prices.
11. We wish to introduce ourselves to you as a professional corporation specializing in all kinds of woven garments and are interested in establishing mutually beneficial business relations with you.