国际贸易商务信函写作技巧.docx

第一章 外贸函电写作的一般技巧

一．外贸函电写作文法技巧

1.主客分明、意思清晰
例子: Deciding to rescind the earlier estimate, our report was updated to include $40,000 for new equipment.” 应改为 Deciding to rescind our earlier estimate, we have updated our report to include $40,000 for new equipment. (We决定呀, 不是report.)

2.表达明确，决无模棱两可
例子: He decided not to audit the last ten contracts. Because of our previous objections about compliance. 应该连在一起.

3.结构对称,易于理解.
例子: The owner questioned the occupants lease intentions and the fact that the contract had been altered with ink markings. 应改为: The owner questioned the occupants lease intentions and ink alterations of the contract.

4.单复数不乱,不然会好刺眼,看不舒服. 例如: An authorized person must show that they have security clearance.

5.动词主谓要呼应.
A.This is one of the public-relations functions that is underbudgeted.
B. This is one of the public-relations functions, which are underbudgeted.

6.时态和语气不要转变太多

7.标点要准确. 例如: He did not make repairs, however, he continued to monitor the equipment. 改为: He did not make repairs; however, he continued to monitor the equipment.

8.拼字正确. 有电脑拼字检查功能后,也需要认真检查.

9.大小写.非必要不要整个字都是大写:,例如: MUST change to OS immediately. 外国人就觉得不礼貌和喝令人一样. 要强调的话,用底线,斜字,粗体就可以了。

二、外贸函电写作文体技巧

1.可读性.对象是大学程度的话,用高中的英文就行.多用短句(15-20字为佳), 技术性的字,就更加要简单易明2.注意段落的开头.一般来说,重要或强调的事情都放在信件或段落的开头,而句子就放在最尾. 例如: 1. Because he was unable to attend the meeting personally, he forwarded his congratulations on cassette tape. 2. He forwarded his congratulations on cassette tape because he was unable to attend the meeting personally. 两者强调的事情就有分别了.

3.轻重有分. 等同重要的用and来连接,较轻放在次要的句子里.

4.意思转接词要留神. 例如: but (相反), therefore (结论), also (增添), for example (阐明). furthermore和moreover

5.句子开头不要含糊不清的主词. 例子: These decisions have been a big disappointment to the committee members. They have delayed further action. They是指什么呀????开头少用this, that, it, they, 或 which.

6.修饰词的位置要小心,例如: He could only reimburse the cost after July 15. 应为 He could reimburse the cost only after July 15.

7.用语要肯定准确.切忌含糊. 例如:The figures show a significant increase.” Significant十分不明确, 改为: The figures show an increase of 19%.

8.立场观点一致. 少用被动语. 例如: Partial data should be submitted by April. 改为: You should submit partial data by April.就很好了.

三、外贸函电写作格调技巧

1.式样和句子长度不要太单调. 千篇一律的subject-verb-object太单调乏味，有时短句与长句可以相互搭配.

2.弱软的词(e.g. was, were, is, are...)可以加强一点. 例如: Prunton products are highly effective in ... 改为: Prunton products excel in ...就有力很多了.

3.亲切,口语化是比较受欢迎! 用宾词和主动的词,让人觉得受冷落. 例如: 1. This information will be sincerely appreciated.” 2. We sincerely appreciate your information. 明显地,我们会喜欢第2句.

四、外贸函电写信提示技巧

1.人家的名字、头衔或学位千万不要错.以下是一样的:

Howard E. Wyatt, D.D.SPhD.

Dr. Howard E. Hyatt
2.多过一个男人,用Messrs,就是Misters的意思,不过不要跟名字,跟姓
例如:

Messrs. Smith, Wyatt, and Fury

女人呢? 用Mesdames, Mmes., or Mses. 同样不要跟名字. 例子:

Mses. Farb, Lionel, and Gray

男女一齐呢? 弄清楚称呼就行.例如:

Dr. and Mrs. Harold Wright

Mr. Harold Wright and Dr. Margaret Wright

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Adams-Quinn
3.有人有自己头衔就要跟紧,例如有人有荣誉学位就不喜欢用一般的头衔，有时大头不知道对方头衔,干脆用Ms.算了.

Ms. Sarah Gray
4.地址要低，日期至少两行.写名时,职衔短可以一行过,长就两行.例如:

Ken Green, President

Ken Green

Vice President of International Operations

但下面的写法就显得不妥：

Ken Green

Vice President of Unicom China

正确应为:

Ken Green

Vice President, Unicom China
5.老外的名字有时有Jr. 或 Sr.,之前的逗点是随你喜欢的,以下都是正确,不要笑人:

Michael J. Smith Jr.

Michael J. Smith Sr.

6.外国国名尽量用大写.是为尊重,也方便邮.

7.地址上的数字直接用阿拉伯数字,除了One,例子:

127 Ninth Avenue, North

127 E. 15 Street

5 Park Avenue

One Wingren Plaza

556 - 91 Street

五、外贸函电写作结尾致意——弄清大家的关系才选择用词
例子:

1. Very formal非常正规的(例如给政府官员的)

Respectfully yours,

Yours respectfully,
2. formal正规的(例如客户公司之间啦)

Very truly yours,

Yours very truly,

Yours truly,
3. Less formal不太正规的(例如客户)

Sincerely yours,

Yours sincerely,

Sincerely,

Cordially yours,

Yours cordially,

Cordially,

4. Informal非正规的(例如普通朋友,同事之类)

Regards,

Warm regards,

With kindest regards,

With my best regards,

My best,

Give my best to Mary,

Fondly,

Thanks,

See you next week!

we, I, and you的选用

如果是公司代表联络生意之类,可以用:

We will reimburse you for these legal expenses.

Sinopec will reimburse you for these legal expenses.

如果单纯说你自己,可以用:

I found the brochure very informative.

有时可以一起用啦...:

We are pleased to offer you the position of sales director, and I am looking forward to our Tuesday morning meeting. I和you正确使用.一般来说,收信人的利益比较重要,名义上都要这样想.给人尊重的语气就. 多用you有时会有隔阂的感觉.

You will be pleased to learn that you have been selected to serve on our advisory board. Your prompt response will be appreciated. (好像欠你一样)

I’m pleased that our board has selected you as the best qualified candidate to serve on our advisory board. I hope you’ll agree to serve. (较友善)

Your book was well written and comprehensive.

I thoroughly enjoyed your book and found an answer to every one of my questions about performance appraisals. (客气一点,人家受落)

总之,语气和宾词的运用得当能决定你的礼貌程度.

六、外贸函电写作开头致意

用人家的名字总好过人家的头衔称呼. 如果没有名字,或者是很正规信的信件,可以考虑下面的称呼:

Dear Committee Member:

Dear Meeting Planner:

Dear Colleagues:

To All Sales Reps:

To Whom It May Concern:

Dear Sir or Madam:

Dear Madam or Sir:

Dear Purchasing Agent:
如果是公司

Gentlemen or Ladies:

Ladies or Gentlemen:

如果公司是全男班或全女班

Dear Sirs:

Dear Ladies:

Dear Mesdames:

Gentlemen:

Ladies:

有时见到人家用冒号就说人家错,其实不然

Dear Mr. Jones: (非常正规)

Dear Joan:

Dear Jim,

Jim, (非正规)

七、外贸函电写作签名技巧

用笔亲自签名会比较受欢迎,不要电脑贴图或盖章....不要把Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr.之类一起签

签名也看信件的语气.给朋友或公司客户,签Bill也可以,给陌生人就最好用Gates或者Bill Gates啦.

第二章 业务函件写作

一. 建立业务联系

1、主动跟新买家建立联系
Dear Mr. Jones:
We understand from your information posted on A that you are in the market for textiles. We would like to take this opportunity to introduce our company and products, with the hope that we may work with Bright Ideas Imports in the future.
We are a joint venture specializing in the manufacture and export of textiles. We have enclosed our catalog, which introduces our company in detail and covers the main products we supply at present. You may also visit our online company introduction at Http://********* which includes our latest product line.
Should any of these items be of interest to you, please let us know. We will be happy to give you a quotation upon receipt of your detailed requirements.
We look forward to receiving your enquires soon.
Sincerely,

2、对新买家要求建立业务联系的回复
Dear Mr. Jones:
We have received your letter of 9th April showing your interest in our complete product information.
Our product lines mainly include high quality textile products. To give you a general idea of the various kinds of textiles now available for export, we have enclosed a catalogue and a price list. You may also visit our online company introduction at Http://********* which includes our latest product line. We look forward to your specific enquiries and hope to have the opportunity to work together with you in the future.
Sincerely,.

3、向老客户介绍公司的最新产品信息
Dear Mr. Jones:
We have refreshed our online catalog at http://*********, and now it covers the latest new products, which are now available from stock.
We believe that you will find some attractive additions to our product line. Once you have had time to study the supplement, please let us know if you would like to take the matter further. We would be very happy to send samples to you for close inspection.
We will keep you informed on our progress and look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,

4.回复查询及报价
回复对某个产品的查询
Dear Mr. Jones:
Thank you for your inquiry of 16 March. We are pleased to hear that you are interested in our product "toaster".
We’ve enclosed the photo and detailed information of the product for your reference:
Product: toaster
Specification: ***************
Package: 1pcs/box
Price: 10usd/pcs
Payment: L/C
For purchase quantities over 1,000pcs of individual items we would allow you a discount of 1%. Payment is to be made by irrevocable L.C at sight.
We look forward to receiving your first order.
Sincerely,

无法提供对方查询中所要求的产品时
Dear Mr. Jones:
Thank you for your enquiry of 12 March cate 9 cable.
We appreciate your efforts in marketing our products and regret very much that we are unable to supply the desired goods due to excessive demand.
We would, however, like to take this opportunity to offer the following material as a close substitute: Cate 5, US$__ per meter FOB Shanghai, including your commission 2%.
Please visit our catalog at [url]http://www.[/url]*********.com for more information on this item. If you find the product acceptable, please email us as soon as possible.
Sincerely,

查询对方公司的产品
We know that you are exporters of textile fabrics. We would like you to send us details of your various ranges, including colors and prices, and also samples of the different qualities of material used.
We are volume dealers in textiles and believe there is a promising market in our area for moderately priced goods of this kind mentioned.
When quoting, please state your terms of payment and discount you would allow on purchases of quantities of not less than 1000 meters of individual items. Prices quoted should include insurance and freight to San Francisco.
Sincerely,

5、几种报盘 (a.)

Dear Mr. Jones:
We thank you for your email enquiry for both groundnuts and Walnut meat CNF Copenhagen dated February, 21.
In reply, we offer firm, subject to your reply reaching us on or before February 26 for 250 metric tons of groundnuts, handpicked, shelled and ungraded at RMB2000 net per metric ton CNF Copenhagen and any other European Main Ports. Shipment to be made within two months after receipt of your order payment by L/C payable by sight draft.
Please note that we have quoted our most favorable price and are unable to entertain any counter offer.
As you are aware that there has lately been a large demand for the above commodities. such growing demand will likely result in increased prices. However you can secure these prices if you send us an immediate reply.
Sincerely,

(b.) Dear Mr. Jones:
We thank you for your letter dated April 8 inquiring about our leather handbags. As requested, we take pleasure in offering you, subject to our final confirmation, 300 dozen deerskin handbags style No.MS190 at $124.00 per dozen CIF Hamburg. Shipment will be effected within 20 days after receipt of the relevant L/C issued by your first class bank in our favor upon signing Sales Contract.
We are manufacturing various kinds of leather purses and waist belts for exportation, and enclosed a brochure of products for your reference. We hope some of them meet your taste and needs.
If we can be of any further help, please feel free to let us know. Customers inquiries are always meet with our careful attention.
Sincerely,

(c.)
Re: SWC Sugar

Dear Sirs,

We are in receipt of your letter of July 17, 2002 asking us to offer 10,000 metric tons of the subject sugar for shipment to Japan and appreciate very much your interest in our product.
To comply with your request, we are offering you the following:
1. Commodity: Qingdao Superior White Crystal Sugar.
2. Packing: To be packed in new gunny bag of 100kgs. each.
3. Quantity: Ten thousand (10000) metric tons.
4. Price: US dollars one hundred and five (US$105.00) per metric ton, FOB Qingdao.
5. Payment: 100% by irrevocable and confirmed letter of credit to be opened in our favor through A1 bank in Qingdao and to be drawn at sight.
6. Shipment: Three or four weeks after receipt of letter of credit by the first available boat sailing to Yokohama direct. Please note that we do not have much ready stock on hand. Therefore, it is important that, in order to enable us to effect early shipment, your letter of credit should be opened in time if our price meets with your approval.
We are awaiting your reply.
Sincerely,

还盘
作为供应商，当对方压价太低
Dear Mr. Jones:
We confirm having received your telex No.LT/531 of May 17, asking us to make a 10% reduction in our price for Mens Shirts. Much to our regret, we are unable to comply with your request because we have given you the lowest possible price. We can assure you that the price quoted reflects the high quality of the products.
We still hope to have the opportunity to work with you and any further enquiry will receive our prompt attention.
Sincerely

作为买家，认为对方报价太高
Dear Mr. Jones,
We acknowledge receipt of both your offer of May 6 and the samples of Mens Shirts, and thank you for these.
While appreciating the good quality of your shirts, we find your price is rather too high for the market we wish to supply.
We have also to point out that the Mens Shirts are available in our market from several European manufacturers, all of whom are at prices from 10% to 15% below the price you quoted.
Such being the case, we have to ask you to consider if you can make reduction in your price, say 10%. As our order would be worth around US$50,000, you may think it worthwhile to make a concession.
We are looking forward to your reply,

Sincerely,

6．关于信用证

要求对方开立信用证
Dear Mr. Jones:
With reference to the 4,000 dozen shirts under our Sales Confirmation No.SX260, we wish to draw your attention to the fact that the date of delivery is approaching but up to the present we have not received the covering L/C. Please do you utmost to expedite its establishment so that we may execute the order within the prescribed time.
In order to avoid subsequent amendments, please see to it that the L/C stipulations are in exact accordance with the terms of the contract.
We look forward to receiving your favorable response at an early date
Sincerely,

因对方未能如期开立信用证而交涉
Dear Mr. Jones:
With reference to our Sales Confirmation No.825 dated August 10, 2002, we regret to say that your letter of credit has not yet reached us up to the time of writing. This has caused us much inconvenience as we have already made preparations for shipment according to the stipulations of the said Sales Confirmation.
You must be aware that the terms and conditions of a contract once signed should be strictly observed, failure to abide by them will mean violation of contract. If you refer to our Sales Confirmat