Spring 2006: ENC 5236: Advanced Business Writing for Accounting
Reassurance Letter Assignment Details
Paper copy Due Jan 23 in class; along with either email or paper copy
of complaint letter
(Also submit electronic copy by 6 pm same day.)
Your firm owes a payment to a supplier, Brawny Paper,
Incorporated. The company’s representative, Mr. Hyper
Sensitive, whom you met at a recent corporate-sponsored
“mountain retreat weekend,” has written to inquire why
the invoice has not been paid yet, as it is now well past the due
date. You know that, because of a short-term “cash
crunch,” your firm cannot afford to pay the account for
another two weeks.
Compose a letter to reassure this valued
supplier that your firm will make payment soon, but avoid divulging
too many details about your firm’s cash shortages.
Write a letter about 1-2 pages in length, single-spaced, in a standard business letter format. You may “invent” a company letterhead and title for yourself if you choose.
Remember to consider purpose, audience, and voice before composing
your response. Use your knowledge of rhetorical appeals to help you develop
a persuasive, subtle, and informative approach.