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- Business Letter
Business letters
are formal paper communications between, to or from businesses and usually sent
through the Post Office or sometimes by courier. Business letters are sometimes
jokingly called snailmail (in contrast to email which is faster).
There are many
different kinds of business letters, each identified by the reason for which it
was written; a sales letter, for example, or a letter of reference. The
hallmark of a well-written business letter is that its objective is clearly
understood by its reader. Successful writers help their readers do this by
limiting the scope, or the amount of information included in their
correspondence.
Keep in mind that
an effective business letter always communicates with a person first and a
business second. If your letter is a first-time correspondence and you do not
know, or are unsure of whom to address, do your best to find out. Addressing
your letter to a person improves the likelihood of receiving a reply. It is perfectly
acceptable to make a phone call asking for the name of a contact person.
Once you have
identified your reader and outlined the contents you intend to include, you can
begin drafting your letter. Here are some points to keep in mind. Your letter
is about business so keep your tone and style businesslike. Friendly, too, but
businesslike. Consider how you would talk if you were sitting across the
conference table instead of writing a letter. Try to imitate, on paper, the
voice with which you normally talk.
Be careful about
your choice of personal pronouns when you write a business letter. Your reader
will interpret its point of view by the choices you make. Since your words will
be on paper the reader will see, rather than hear how you talk, so check your
sentence structure, grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Written words make
an impression, just as spoken words do, so keep in mind this one thing; on
paper words create a record. Be mindful of what you say. Your letter, stored in
someone's file cabinet, can be referenced at any time. Your signature at the
bottom of a letter indicates that you accept responsibility for its contents.
Most people who have an occupation
have to write business letters. Some write many letters each day and others
only write a few letters over the course of a career. Business people also read
letters on a daily basis. Letters are written from a person/group, known
as the sender to a person/group, known in business as the recipient.
Here are some examples of senders and recipients:
- business ⇔ business
- business ⇔ consumer
- job applicant ⇔ company
- citizen ⇔ government official
- employer ⇔ employee
- staff member ⇔ staff member
There are many reasons why you may
need to write business letters or other correspondence:
- to persuade
- to inform
- to request
- to express thanks
- to remind
- to recommend
- to apologize
- to congratulate
- to reject a proposal or offer
- to introduce a person or policy
- to invite or welcome
- to follow up
- to formalize decisions
- Business Letter Formats
There are certain
standards for formatting a business letter, though some variations are
acceptable (for example between European and North American business letters).
Here are some basic guidelines:
- Use A4 (European) or 8.5 x 11 inch (North American) paper or letterhead
- Use 2.5 cm or 1 inch margins on all four sides
- Use a simple font such as Times New Roman or Arial
- Use 10 to 12 point font
- Use a comma after the salutation (Dear Mr Bond,)
- Lay out the letter so that it fits the paper appropriately
- Single space within paragraphs
- Double space between paragraphs
- Double space between last sentence and closing (Sincerely, Best wishes)
- Leave three to fives spaces for a handwritten signature
- cc: (meaning "copies to") comes after the typed name (if necessary)
- enc: (meaning "enclosure") comes next (if necessary)
- Fold in three (horizontally) before placing in the envelope
- Use right ragged formatting (not justified on right side)
- Formatting Business Letters
Block
format is the most common format used in business today. With this format,
nothing is centred. The sender's address, the recipient's address, the date and
all new paragraphs begin at the left margin, like this:
Wicked Wax Co.
Ltd
22 Charlton Way London, SE10 8QY |
SENDER'S ADDRESS
may be printed company logo and address |
11th January,
2016
|
DATE
|
Ms. Maggie Jones
Angel Cosmetics Inc. 110 East 25th Street New York, NY, 10021 USA |
RECIPIENT'S ADDRESS
|
Your ref: 123
Our ref: abc |
RECIPIENT'S REFERENCE (IF ANY)
SENDER'S REFERENCE (IF ANY) |
Dear Ms. Jones,
|
SALUTATION
|
Forthcoming Exhibition
|
SUBJECT
|
First
paragraph...
Second para... Third para... |
BODY OF LETTER
|
Yours sincerely,
|
CLOSING
|
Morris Howard
|
SIGNATURE (HAND-WRITTEN)
|
Morris Howard,
President |
NAME (TYPED),
TITLE |
cc: Brian
Waldorf
|
COPY TO
|
Enc: catalogue
|
ENCLOSURE
|
This are
other, slightly different ways of formatting a business letter, where for
example paragraphs are indented or the date is typed on the right hand side.
You can see examples of these in the sample letters.
- Formatting Envelopes for Business Letters
It is
best to type an envelope for a business letter. Most word document programs
contain an envelope labelling function to help you. All you need to do is
indicate the size of envelope you are using and type the correct information in
the appropriate fields, for example:
Postage
stamp
Ms. Maggie Jones
Angel Cosmetics Inc.
110 East 25th Street
New York
NY 10021
USA
Angel Cosmetics Inc.
110 East 25th Street
New York
NY 10021
USA
- Formatting Business Memos
Memos are
short internal business letters, sent to other staff within the same company. A
memo (or memorandum) may also be posted somewhere inside a company for all to
see. Memos are becoming less common as electronic mail becomes more common. In
contrast to letters, memos do not usually contain salutations or closings, and
may be typed or hand-written. The text portion of the memo is generally in
block format. Memos should include "From", "To",
"Date", "Subject" and the message itself, like this:
Company logo
MEMORANDUM
From: [name or initials]
To: [name or initials]
Date:
Subject: [short description]
Message starts here...
MEMORANDUM
From: [name or initials]
To: [name or initials]
Date:
Subject: [short description]
Message starts here...
- often
- with
- bullet
- points
- Formatting Business Email
When using email
in business, most of the guidelines for standard formatting in business letters
apply.
Here are a few differences:
- Choose a subject line that is simple and straightforward. Refrain from using key words that might cause an email to go into another person's trash box.
- Repeat the subject line in the body of the email, beneath the salutation (as with a letter).
- Use the "cc" address line to copy more than one person with your correspondence.
- You can request a receipt for important letters. The system will automatically let you know when someone has opened your email.
- Instead of a signature, include your typed name, and below it include your email address, business name and address, phone and fax number, and website if appropriate.
- Remember that people often print out emails, so your own email address and the subject line would be lost if you had not included them in the body of the email.
- Internal electronic mail may be formatted more like a memo than a formal letter.
- Writing a Business Letter
The term business
letter makes some people nervous. Many people with English as a second
language worry that their writing is not advanced enough for business writing.
This is not the case. An effective letter in business uses short, simple
sentences and straightforward vocabulary. The easier a letter is to read, the
better. You will need to use smooth transitions so that your sentences do not
appear too choppy.
- Salutation
First and
foremost, make sure that you spell the recipient's name correctly. You should
also confirm the gender and proper title. Use Ms. for women and Mr. for men.
Use Mrs. if you are 100% sure that a woman is married. Under less formal
circumstances, or after a long period of correspondence it may be acceptable to
address a person by his or her first name. When you don't know the name of a
person and cannot find this information out you may write, "To Whom It May
Concern". It is standard to use a comma (colon in North America) after the
salutation. It is also possible to use no punctuation mark at all. Here are
some common ways to address the recipient:
- Dear Mr Powell,
- Dear Ms Mackenzie,
- Dear Frederick Hanson:
- Dear Editor-in-Chief:
- Dear Valued Customer
- Dear Sir or Madam:
- Dear Madam
- Dear Sir,
- Dear Sirs
- Gentlemen:
- First paragraph
In most
types of business letter it is common to use a friendly greeting in the first
sentence of the letter. Here are some examples:
- I hope you are enjoying a fine summer.
- Thank you for your kind letter of January 5th.
- I came across an ad for your company in The Star today.
- It was a pleasure meeting you at the conference this month.
- I appreciate your patience in waiting for a response.
After your short opening, state the main
point of your letter in one or two sentences:
- I'm writing to enquire about...
- I'm interested in the job opening posted on your company website.
- We'd like to invite you to a members only luncheon on April 5th.
- Second and third paragraphs
Use a few
short paragraphs to go into greater detail about your main point. If one
paragraph is all you need, don't write an extra paragraph just to make your
letter look longer. If you are including sensitive material, such as rejecting
an offer or informing an employee of a layoff period, embed this sentence in
the second paragraph rather than opening with it. Here are some common ways to
express unpleasant facts:
- We regret to inform you...
- It is with great sadness that we...
- After careful consideration we have decided...
- Final paragraph
Your last
paragraph should include requests, reminders, and notes on enclosures. If
necessary, your contact information should also be in this paragraph. Here are
some common phrases used when closing a business letter:
- I look forward to...
- Please respond at your earliest convenience.
- I should also remind you that the next board meeting is on February 5th.
- For further details...
- If you require more information...
- Thank you for taking this into consideration.
- I appreciate any feedback you may have.
- Enclosed you will find...
- Feel free to contact me by phone or email.
- Closing
Here are
some common ways to close a letter. Use a comma between the closing and your
handwritten name (or typed in an email). If you do not use a comma or colon in
your salutation, leave out the comma after the closing phrase:
- Yours truly,
- Yours sincerely,
- Sincerely,
- Sincerely yours
- Thank you,
- Best wishes
- All the best,
- Best of luck
- Warm regards,
- Writing Tips
- Use a conversational tone.
- Ask direct questions.
- Double-check gender and spelling of names.
- Use active voice whenever possible.
- Use polite modals (would in favour of will).
- Always refer to yourself as "I".
- Don't use "we" unless it is clear exactly who the pronoun refers to.
- Rewrite any sentence or request that sounds vague.
- Don't forget to include the date. Day-Month-Year is conventional in many countries; however, to avoid confusion, write out the month instead of using numbers (e.g. July 5th, 2007)
- Proofreading a Business Letter
To proofread
means to read a text carefully to check it for errors and general tone. You
should always proofread a business letter before sending it.
The most
important thing when proofreading any document is to read the text out loud.
Print the letter rather than read it on your computer screen. Make notes where
your letter sounds awkward. If possible allow one day between writing and
sending your letter. You are more likely to spot any typos or other errors with
a fresh eye. (If you have to respond to an important email on the same day,
write it in the morning and proofread it after lunch.) Use a spell-check
function on your computer program if possible. Computer programs are useful for
pointing out passive sentences, subject-verb agreement problems etc. However,
be careful when using grammar-check programs. Sometimes they will highlight a
phrase that is not actually an error. If you are in doubt, try to simplify the
sentence by using a sentence structure that you are more comfortable with.
If
possible, ask another person to double-check your letter. You could offer to
return the favour for your colleague and become proofreading partners. You can
even use standard proofreading marks to make it easier to explain necessary
changes. Type "proofreading marks" into an internet search engine,
and send the list to your fellow proofreader.
- Parts of a Style Business Letter
This resource is organized in the order in
which you should write a business letter, starting with the sender's address if
the letter is not written on letterhead.
· Sender's
Address
The sender's address usually is included in
letterhead. If you are not using letterhead, include the sender's address at
the top of the letter one line above the date. Do not write the sender's name
or title, as it is included in the letter's closing. Include only the street
address, city, and zip code.
· Date
The date line is used to indicate the date
the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of
days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When writing to companies
within the United States, use the American date format. (The United
States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day.
For example: June 11, 2001. ) Write out the month, day and year two inches from
the top of the page. Depending which format you are using for your letter,
either left justify the date or tab to the center point and type the date.
· Inside
Address
The inside address is the recipient's
address. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to
which you are writing. If you do not have the person's name, do some research
by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a
personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman's preference in being
addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman's preference in
being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you
are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people
will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. To
write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. For international
addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last
line. The inside address begins one line below the sender's address or one inch
below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are
using.
· Salutation
Use the same name as the inside address,
including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them
by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the
salutation (for example: Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the
personal title and last/family name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank
after the salutation.
If you don't know a reader's gender, use a
nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver's name.
It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot
determine gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure
of Chris's gender.
· Body
For block and modified block formats, single
space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a
blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful
to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph,
consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next
paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next
few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and
supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the
letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.
· Closing
The closing begins at the same vertical point
as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first
word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and
the sender's name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma
should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.
· Enclosures
If you have enclosed any documents along with
the letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing Enclosures one
line below the closing. As an option, you may list the name of each document
you are including in the envelope. For instance, if you have included many
documents and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of each document, it
may be a good idea to list the names.
· Typist
initials
Typist initials are used to indicate the
person who typed the letter. If you typed the letter yourself, omit the typist
initials.
Note About Format and Font
- Block Format
When writing business letters, you must pay
special attention to the format and font used. The most common layout of a
business letter is known as block format. Using this format, the entire letter
is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between
paragraphs.
- Modified Block
Another widely utilized format is known as
modified block format. In this type, the body of the letter and the sender's and
recipient's addresses are left justified and single-spaced. However, for the
date and closing, tab to the center point and begin to type.
- Semi-Block
The final, and least used, style is
semi-block. It is much like the modified block style except that each paragraph
is indented instead of left justified.
Keep in mind that different organizations
have different format requirements for their professional communication. While
the examples provided by the OWL contain common elements for the basic business
letter (genre expectations), the format of your business letter may need to be
flexible to reflect variables like letterheads and templates. Our examples are
merely guides.
If your computer is equipped with Microsoft
Office 2000, the Letter Wizard can be used to take much of the guesswork out of
formatting business letters. To access the Letter Wizard, click on the Tools
menu and then choose Letter Wizard. The Wizard will present the three styles
mentioned here and input the date, sender address and recipient address into
the selected format. Letter Wizard should only be used if you have a basic
understand of how to write a business letter. Its templates are not applicable
in every setting. Therefore, you should consult a business writing handbook if
you have any questions or doubt the accuracy of the Letter Wizard.
- Font
Another important factor in the readability
of a letter is the font. The generally accepted font is Times New Roman, size
12, although other fonts such as Arial may be used. When choosing a font,
always consider your audience. If you are writing to a conservative company,
you may want to use Times New Roman. However, if you are writing to a more
liberal company, you have a little more freedom when choosing fonts.
- Punctuation
Punctuation after the salutation and closing
- use a colon (:) after the salutation (never a comma) and a comma (,) after
the closing. In some circumstances, you may also use a less common format,
known as open punctuation. For this style, punctuation is excluded after the salutation
and the closing.
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