The Components of Business Letters
商务书信的构成要素
商务书信就是公司写给其他公司、客户、顾客或合作伙伴的信件,其使用的语言比一般朋友之间的书信语言要正式,并以商业流程或商业交易等为主要内容。
商务书信由以下几部分构成:
(1)信头
信头是指信纸上印刷或打印的企业名称、地址、电话号码、传真挂号、电子邮件、公司网址等。
(2)日期
日期通常打印在信头的右下方位置,或在寄信人姓名和地址的下方位置。日期的英式写法是日、月、年;美式写法是月、日、年。为了避免误解,日期、年份用数字表示,月份则用英文表示,第一个字母要大写,也可用缩写。比如May 1,1998(美式写法);1,May,1998(英式写法)。
(3)收信人的名称及地址
书写收信单位名称时,应特别尊重对方的习惯,不能随意增删公司名称前的冠词The,也不能随意改用繁写及缩写,如Company与Co.之间不能互换,否则会被认为是不礼貌的行为。如果收信人是个人,就应在收信人姓名之前加称谓,如Mr.(先生),Mrs.(夫人),Miss(小姐),Hon(用于称呼市长、部长、大使等),Pres.(总经理、会长、总统等),Prof.(教授)等等。收信人地址的书写格式与信封相同。
(4)称谓
在英文信函中,相同于“阁下”、“先生”等类礼貌性称谓,常用Dear sirs;称呼企业,公司的妇女组织常用Madams,Ladies;无具体收信人姓名用Dear Sir称呼收信者。
(5)正文
正文的地位和内容与中文书信相同。在英文商业信函中,信文从称谓下两行起书写,行间相距一行,段落间空两行。信文以占信纸的四分之三为宜,四周留出一定空白,每一行左起第一字要取齐,右起第一字不必一律取齐,但尽量要考虑到整齐美观。
(6)结尾
英文商业信函的结尾是写信人的谦称,相当于“敬上”的意思。若收信者为公司,谦称则常用:Yours Truly,Truly Yours,Yours faithfully等;若收信者为个人,则常用:Yours sincerely,Sincerely yours等。需要注意的是,结尾的谦称后必须加逗号。
读书笔记
Making an Appointment
预约
Dear Mr. Cole,
Our sales manager will be in New York for five days from June 12 to 17, and would like to come and see you to discuss our contract dispute on June 14 at 10:00 a.m. Please let us know if you are convenient. If not, what time you would suggest.
Yours sincerely,
CH Co.
科尔先生:
我们的销售经理6月12日到17日将在纽约,想在6月14日上午10:00点拜访您,讨论有关我们合约纠纷事宜。请告知这个时间对您是否方便。如不方便,请建议具体时间。
CH公司
谨启
Confirming the Appointment
确定约见
Dear Mr. Li,
As scheduled I will visit China on business next month. I will be in Hangzhou from July 2 to July 15. I would like to ask whether we could meet to discuss the cooperation plan during this period. We would like to hear your opinions before we make any terminal decision.
Please suggest a convenient time for meeting. Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation. Hope to meet you soon.
Yours truly,
Smith
亲爱的李先生,
按计划我下月要出差去中国。7月2日到15日期间我都会在杭州。我想跟您确认这段时间能否见面讨论合作计划。在做出最终决策之前我们想听听您的意见。
请告知方便会面的日期。在此先表示感谢。期待早日见面。
史密斯
谨上
Introducing New Products
介绍新产品
Dear Mr. Burke,
We are pleased to inform you that we have developed our new products. We wonder if you will be interested in importing them.
As we know, fashionable products have a good market opportunity now. Our new product is a kind of snazzy products and is a hit once they were launched into the market. Besides, multifunction is the other strength. I think you have to acknowledge that this two will be more competitive and appeal to many customers. If you would like to take the matter further, please let us know.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours truly,
Tom
亲爱的伯克先生:
很高兴告知贵公司,我公司开发了新产品。不知道贵公司是否对进口我们的新产品感兴趣。
众所周知,现在时髦产品拥有很大的市场。我们推出的新产品正是一种时髦产品,一经投放市场,便一炮打响。此外,多功能性是我们产品的另一大优势。我想您必须承认这两点更有竞争力,并且会吸引更多的顾客。如对产品感兴趣,请赐知。
期待收到贵公司来信。
汤姆
谨上
Product Promotion
产品促销
Dear Mr. Lu,
We are pleased to inform you that we have introduced our new products to the market. Our new brand bathrobes are made of pure cotton. Owing to the carefully selected materials used and the great attention paid to weaving and printing, they possess a very attractive appearance as well as novel designs. They have been generally well-received by customers.
As we guess, you might be interested in our new products, so we attach the latest catalogue and price list. We hope you will take this opportunity for our mutual benefits.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely.
Jim Green
刘先生:
很高兴通知贵方,我方已经向市场推出了新产品。我们的新品浴袍是纯棉制品。选料考究,纺织和印花工艺严格,款式美观新颖。广受消费者好评。
我方猜想,贵公司应该会对我们的新产品感兴趣,特此附上我方最新的产品目录和价格表。希望贵方能够抓住此次机会促成双方互惠互利的合作。
期待收到您的来信。
真诚的,
吉姆·格林
The Buyer Inquiry
买方询价
Dear Mr. Green,
We learn from MA Corporation that you are producing and exporting high-quality machine parts. We are going to buy large quantities of machine parts in all types. We wonder if you would give us a quotation per kilogram Hangzhou, China. We will appreciate if you could supply some samples and your price list to us.
We used to purchase these products from other exporters. Since we know that you could supply larger quantities at more attractive prices, we tend to buy from your company. Besides, we have confidence in the quality of your products.
We look forward to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
John
Import Manager
Machinery Company
格林先生:
我们从MA公司获悉,贵公司生产并出口高质量的机械配件。本公司有意大量购买各型号机械配件,贵公司能否告知每公斤运抵中国杭州的报价。如果贵方能够提供一些样品和报价单,我们将不胜感激。
本公司一向从其他出口商那里购买此等商品,自从得知贵公司能够以更加吸引人的价格提供大批量货物,我方欲从贵公司购买这批商品。此外,我方对贵公司的货品质量很有信心。故欲与贵公司建立合作关系。
期待您的回复。
您真诚的,
约翰
机械公司进口部经理
Dear Mr. Smith,
We were deeply impressed by your new energy-saving lamp exhibited in your stand at the trade fair on July 8, 2013. So we would like to import large quantities of this kind of produces from your company.
Would you please send us your price list and catalogues of your updated energy-saving lamp, with your earliest delivery date, your terms of payment It would help us the most if you could also supply some samples.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Chuck Thomas
AE Company
亲爱的史密斯先生:
贵公司在2013年7月8日交易会上展示的新式节能灯给我方留下了深刻的印象。因此,我方想从贵方那里进口大批此产品。
请贵公司向我方发送一份最新款节能灯的价目表、目录,贵方最早的交货期和付款条件。如果贵公司能够提供一些样品,对我方是最有帮助的。
期待您的回复。
真诚的,
恰克·托马斯
AE公司
Selling Offer
卖方报价
Dear Mr. Blair,
Thank you very much for your inquiry dated July 7, 2013. We are very grateful to you for your interest in our electric bicycles.
Now we send you our price list, catalogue and enclose some samples.
Commodity: electric bicycle
Price: US$ 430 per unit CIF London
Payment: L/C at sight
Our prices are reasonable as compared with those in the international market. We insure that we can ship the goods within two weeks after receipt your orders.
Look forward to your order and long-term cooperation with you,
Sincerely yours,
Dong Bo
QC Corporation
亲爱的布莱尔先生:
十分感谢贵方2013年7月7日的询盘,感谢对我公司电动自行车的浓厚兴趣。
我公司现在向贵方寄送价格清单、产品目录,并寄送一些样品。
商品:电动自行车
价格:伦敦到岸价每辆430美元
支付方式:即期信用证
与国际市场相比,我方的价格是很合理的。我方保证在收到贵方订单两个星期内为贵方发货。