How to write a good business letter

Purpose of a Business Letter
• A formal way of communicating between two or more parties

• Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional.

• There are many reasons for writing business letters.
 Maybe you would like to write to your local council asking them to provide a skate park, or
 you might be applying for a job to earn some money during the school holidays.
 It is also used for correspondence between organizations, firms and companies, institutions and various
boards and committees.
 They are documents frequently used in all levels of government.
 Students planning to correspond formally in any walk of life need to learn how to write a business letter.
 Perhaps you could write a letter to the Editor of your local paper.
Whatever the reason, your message should be clear, to the point and
courteous.

• 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.

CREATED BY @SUKHSANDHU 3

Difference in writing style: Formal, Semiformal and Informal Business letters

• If you're writing to a government official, prospective employer, dignitary,
academic official or anyone else with whom you hope to have a professional
relationship, the letter should be formal.

• If you're writing to your current employer, a co-worker you don't see socially, a
distant or elderly relative, or someone you don't know very well, the letter should
probably be semiformal.

• If you're writing to a close friend, a close family member, or someone you known
socially, the letter can be informal.

• Letter should be planned and contain a beginning, middle and an end.

• We need to be clear on:-
 Who you are targeting.
 The purpose of the letter.
 What you want the reader to do.


Handwritten letter or an email.

• Most formal letters should be handwritten and sent through the post. The
exception is if your letter is extremely time-sensitive, or if you know the recipient
prefers email.

• For informal letters, an email or handwritten letter is acceptable.

• For a semiformal letter, you'll have to make the call. If the other person has
chosen to communicate with you primarily through email, then email is probably
a safe bet. If you're not sure, go with the handwritten letter.


Elements of a Good Letter

Step 1: Letterhead, or write your address at the top of the letter (formal only)
The return address of the sender so the recipient can easily find out where to send
a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date. (Not needed if the letter
is printed on paper with the company letterhead already on it.)

Step 2: Write the date (all letters)
Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e.
August 30, 2003. Skip a line between the date and the inside address (some
people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date).

Step 3: Inside Address (Recipient's Address in a Business Letter)
The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient,
their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter should be
addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a title, i.e. "Director of Human
Resources". Skip a line between the date and the salutation.



Step 4: Salutation in a Business Letter
Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or To Whom It
May Concern: if recipient's name is unknown. Note that there is a colon after the
salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject line or body.

Step 5: Subject Line (optional)
Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about. Skip a line
between the subject line and the body.

Step 6: Body of the business letter
The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs should be
single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between the
end of the body and the closing.



Step 7: Closing of the business letter
Let's the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends with
Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma after
the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4
lines between the closing and the printed name, so that there is room for the
signature.

Step 8: Signature
Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a pen.

Step 9: Printed Name on the business letter
The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or position on
the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure.



Step 10 : Notice of Dictation, Enclosure, Reference Initials or Copies
If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter will include
the word "Enclosure." If there is more than one you would type, "Enclosures (#)" with
the # being the number of other documents enclosed, not including the letter itself.

If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your initials in capital
letters followed by the typist's initials in lower case in the following format; AG/gs or
AG:gs.


Step 1: Letterhead, or write your address at the top of the letter (formal only)

• If you're writing a business letter and company letterhead is available, make use
of it.

• If you simply want your letter to look more professional, you can design a
letterhead on a word processing program.

• Otherwise, begin your letter by writing your name and address in the top right-
hand corner of the page. This will identify you to the recipient and provide them
with an address to answer your letter. Your name should be on the first line, your
street address on the second line and your suburb / town and your state /
territory (all in capital letters) and postcode on the last line. (See an example
below)


Step 1: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :

• The traditional format of a business letter is very important: those who receive
business letters expect them to be set out in a particular way.

• Your address, but not your name, usually goes in the top right hand corner. You
would not usually include your telephone number or email address here, but this
would be permissible.


Why put your
address? Even if the recipient
has your details in their address book, you
want it to be as hassle-free as possible for
them to reply – you’re likely to receive a
speedier response.


Step 2: Write the date (all letters)

• If you've written your address first, make a two hard returns or leave a few
spaces, then write the date. Otherwise, start with the date first, justified to the
left.

• Write out the full date. "9 September 2012" (British) or "September 9, 2012"
(American) are both preferable to "Sept. 9, 2012" or "9/9/12.“

• If you're sending a semiformal or informal letter via email, there's no need to
add the date — the email will be timestamped.



• The position of the date is more flexible. It can go on the left or the right, usually
below the addressee details.

• The format of the date is also flexible; it could be written 5 April 2003, 5th April
2003, 5/4/03 or 05/04/03.

• Avoid putting the day and month the other way round.

• Use English dates at all times spelling out the month. XX Day XX month XX year.

• 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.

• To avoid any confusion, especially if you are writing to a business abroad, it is
best to put the date in word rather than number form, and you should omit the
“th”.


Date format in British English
Write: 30 October 2010
Position: on the right, one line below the sender's address (in letters with a ready-printed sender's address, the date can also be put in the top left corner)


Date format in American English
Write: October 30, 2010
Position: top left corner (sometimes centred)


Why put your
date? It’s standard practice to
include the date on which the letter was
written. Correspondence is often filed in date
order. It makes it much easier for the
recipient to send a timely reply, and easier for
you to chase up an answer if necessary. E.g.
“In my letter of May 15…”


Step 3: Inside Address (Recipient's Address in a Business Letter)

• Now to add the recipient's details. Directly under the date you need to put the
person's name / title (if you know it) and the business or company name on
separate lines. You must also include the recipient's address which is set out on
separate lines, ie the street or post office box address on one line and the
suburb / town and the state / territory (all in capital letters) and postcode on the
next line.

• Ms / Miss / Mrs / Mr / Dr ... house number, street place area code COUNTRY (in
capital letters)In American English, the area code is usually at the same level as
the place, separated by a comma.

• Position: on the left



• There's no need to do this on emails.

• This also isn't necessary on semi-formal or informal handwritten letters. Writing
the name and address on the envelope is sufficient.

• If you're writing the letter as an inquiry and you have no contact person, simply
name the company or organization and give its address.

• If you don’t have a specific name, always at least try to put some sort of title.
You should always, however, address the letter to a particular person if at all
possible.


Why put Inside
Address? If you’re writing to
someone in an office, it probably won’t be
them who opens the post. An administrator is
likely to do so – and letters may be separated
from their envelopes at this stage.
Particularly if there are multiple departments
within one building, or if you are starting your
letter “Dear Bob”, a name and address
ensures your letter reaches the correct
recipient, In this case Mr./Ms. Bob.


Step 4: Salutation in a Business Letter

• 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.

Business Letter: Dear Mary Santos:
Personal Letter: Dear Mary Santos,

• If you’re writing a letter addressed to no one in particular, use this format:
To Whom It May Concern:

• The salutation, sometimes called the “greetings”,
should always be left-aligned.


Some Salutations for Business Emails

Dear

• If you're trying to get your email noticed, such as when you're applying for a
job, you may think "Dear So-and-So" is too trite. Not so.

• "Dear" is the one of the most appropriate salutations you can use.

• Personalize by using the recipient's most honorable title, such as Ms., Dr.,
Professor, Min., etc.

• If you don't know the recipient's gender, use both the first and last name in
the salutation, such as "Dear Robin Smith."

• Otherwise, use the first name (Dear Gila).



Dear

• If you are writing to colleagues and people with whom you are very familiar,
"Hello [First Name]" could suffice, provided there are no formal rules in your
employee handbook that speak to the issue.

• The standard way to open a business letter is withDear, the person's name
(with or without a title), and a colon, like this:
Dear Donesiur: Dear Ms. Donesiur: Dear Mr. and Dr. Donesiur: Dear Professor Donesiur: Dear Donesiur:

• Unless you are certain that a woman prefers Miss orMrs., use the title Ms.

• If you are writing to two people, use both names in your salutation, like this:
Dear Mr. Trujillo and Ms. Donne: Dear Alex and Drenda:



More Formal

• "Greetings," "Good Morning/Afternoon" or "Good Day" followed by the name
of your recipient are acceptable email openers.

• Don't worry about what time your recipient will read the email. A time peg
tells when you wrote the email and roughly how long you've been waiting for
a response.



Group

• Always use the highest degree of courtesy when addressing a group.

• Some recipients may be familiar or colleagues, while you may only be
marginally acquainted with others. "Greetings All" and "Good Day Team" work
well.

• It's also acceptable to address a group of two to four people by name: "Dear
Mr. Jones and Ms. Evans," for formal cases or "Dear Sarah, Bob, Joe and
Sam," for work colleagues.

• "Ladies" and "Gentleman" represent an acceptable degree of politeness
when everyone in your group is the same gender.



Familiar People

• "Hi" works well when writing to people with whom you're very familiar.

• However, you can simultaneously personalize your salutation to show
appropriate levels of affection and to respect your recipient's time.

• Get right to the point, with for example, "Congratulations Mary!" or "Good
News John."

• There's no manual to tell you when a recipient crosses the line from formal
to familiar. Only time and relationship guide, but if your recipients tells you
"You can call me" by my first name, your future salutations can be more
informal.



Please AVOID

• With the abundance of information available on the Internet -- or that which
is only a phone call away -- it's poor form to use generic salutations like
"Dear Sir/Madam" or "To Whom It May Concern."

• Using such indicates you didn't take much time to consider the person to
whom you are writing.

• Worse, a common business email salutation crime is to assume "Dear Sirs"
covers it all. Even it if you don't mean it as such, that opening comes across
as sexist.



• 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.

• Correct punctuation in Salutation: a comma for a personal letter, a colon for a
business letter, and either punctuation mark in an email. (The colon is formal.)

• But remember: Dear isn't required (but can be used) in email, even when writing
to a stranger. Try one of these two openings if you want to sound
professional without using Dear:
Hello, Ms. Donesiur Patrick.
Ms. Donesiur-Patrick, I found your website, and . . .
If you want to sound friendly with a stranger, try these:
Hi, Donesiur.
Hi Donesiur, (English teachers don't like this choice. They want a comma between Hi and the
name.)
Hello, Donesiur.
Greetings, Donesiur.
Donesiur, thanks for the . . .



• Never spell out the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr. Do spell out these titles and
similar ones: Professor, Dean, Sister, Rabbi, Imam, Senator, Governor, Captain,
Admiral, Judge

• If you don't know a person's name or gender, avoid "To whom it may concern."
Instead, use the job title or a generic greeting:
Dear Recruiter: Dear Claims Adjustor: Dear Sir or Madam:

• If you are writing to a company rather than any specific individual, use the
company name:
Dear Syntax Training: (This is considered slightly informal.)



• For a simplified business letter, do not use a salutation. Instead use a subject in
all capital letters, followed by the body of the letter, like this:

WAYS TO BEGIN A BUSINESS LETTER

I am writing to share information about standard letter openings to. . . .

Simplified business letters are perfectly acceptable but not common.


Why put
Salutation? Business
letters are a formal type of writing, and it’s
considered polite to start with a greeting.
Although you can get away with starting
emails “Hi” or “Hello”, letters follow more
conservative conventions.


Step 5: Subject Line (Optional)

• It is common now to put the subject of the letter directly below the salutation.

• This would be in bold or underlined.

• The purpose is to give the reader an idea of what the letter is about before
reading it, and to be able to pass it on to a more appropriate person if
necessary.

• If you are replying to a letter which had a reference (or ref.) on it, you should
repeat this on your letter, probably on the same line as the date, but on the
other side of the page. Write Your ref.: xxxx/xx



• A subject line is not really necessary. You may want to use one, however, so that
the reader immediately knows what your letter is about.

• This is becoming more common, perhaps as people have become used to the
subject lines of emails. If you do put a subject line, it should be in uppercase,
directly below the “Dear name:”

• Quote any invoice or other reference number of state the subject of the letter. Be
brief - few words. Use of reference - "Re" i.e. "Re: Incorrect payment invoice
12345" is not necessary. Personal preference.

• There are three common methods to distinguish the subject line from the body
of the letter:
Use "Subject:" or "Re:"
Type the subject in bold letters
Type the subject in capital letters


Step 5: Subject Line in British and American English :
British English
The subject line is usually placed between the salutation and the body of the letter (with a blank line in between).

American English
In American English, the subject line can also be placed between the recipient's address and the salutation (with a blank line in between).


Why put Subject
Line? It’s a good idea to include a
subject so that the recipient can see at a
glance what the letter refers to. Try to be
succinct but include as much information as
possible, eg. “Funding application from Joe
Bloggs, candidate 222-456”.


Step 6: Body of the Business Letter

• The body is where you explain why you’re writing. It’s the main part of the
business letter.

• Capitalise the first word of the text (even if the salutation ends with a comma).
The text is left-justified and a blank line is put after each paragraph. It is not
common to indent the first line of a paragraph.

• Content
1. first paragraph: introduction and reason for writing
2. following paragraphs: explain your reasons for writing in more detail,
provide background information etc.
3. last paragraph: summarise your reason for writing again and make
clear what you want the recipient to do



• Make sure the receiver knows who you are and why you are writing but try to
avoid starting with "I".

• Use a new paragraph when you wish to introduce a new idea or element into
your letter.

• Depending on the letter style you choose, paragraphs may be indented.
Regardless of format, skip a line between paragraphs.

• Your text should have:
• Single-spacing between lines
• A blank line (NOT an indent) before each new paragraph
• And, of course, you should conform to all the usual rules of grammar,
punctuation and spelling: for example, ensuring that you start each
sentence with a capital letter, and finish with a full stop.



• If you're writing a personal letter, start by asking after the recipient's well-being.
This can be as formal as "I hope you are well" or as informal as "How's it going?".

• If you're writing a business or other formal letter, get straight to the point. Time is
money, and you don't want to waste the recipient's time.

• The first paragraph should be short and state the purpose of the letter- to make
an enquiry, complain, request something, etc.

• The paragraph or paragraphs in the middle of the letter should contain the
relevant information behind the writing of the letter. Most letters in English are
not very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on
organising it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much.

• The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the
recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc.



• The content of your letter should be as short as possible, divided into short,
clear paragraphs.

• It is common to end your letter with a phrase such as I look forward to hearing
from you. It’s OK to do this, but it’s a bit meaningless.


Why body of a
letter matters Most
Importantly know what not to write. A letter
written in anger or to solicit pity is probably
not a letter you should send. If you've already
written such a letter and you're unsure about
sending it, let it sit for a few days before you
pop it into the mailbox — you might change
your mind.


Step 7: Closing of a Business Letter

• Professionals must select business letter closings based on who will receive
their letters and e-mails. Choosing the right letter closing is essential for
success.

• This short, polite closing ends always with a comma.

• It is either at the left margin or its left edge is in the center, depending on the
Business Letter Style that you use. It begins at the same column the heading
does.

• The traditional rule of etiquette in Britain is that a formal letter starting "Dear Sir
or Madam" must end "Yours faithfully", while a letter starting "Dear " must end
"Yours sincerely".

• (Note: the second word of the closing is NOT capitalized)



• The safest option is “Yours faithfully” (when you don’t know the name of the
person to whom you are writing, ie. when you began “Dear Sir/Madam”) or
“Yours sincerely” (when you do know their name).

• If you are already acquainted with the recipient, it may be appropriate to use a
phrase such as “Best regards”, “With warmest regards”, or “Kind regards”.

• What you type here also depends on the tone and degree of formality.
For example,
Respectfully yours (very formal)
Sincerely (typical, less formal)
Very truly yours (polite, neutral)
Cordially yours (friendly, informal)

• If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise,
there is no punctuation after the closing.


Golden Rule is:-

• Yours faithfully is used when the person’s name is not known

• Yours sincerely is used when the person’s name is known - always. Both
faithfully and sincerely in lower case

• Note that there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in
the closing is capitalized.

• Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name, so that there is room
for the signature.

• The blank space is so that, when you’ve printed the letter, you can sign it with
your name. This is taken as proof that the letter really is from the person whose
name is typed at the bottom. Sometimes, another person may sign the letter on
your behalf. If this is the case, they should put the letters “p.p.” before their
name, which stands for the Latin per procurationem meaning “by agency”.


Why put proper
closing? Although “Yours
sincerely” and “Yours faithfully” might sound
archaic, they are time-honoured ways to close
a formal letter.


Step 8: Signatures for the Business Letter

• Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a
pen.

• If you want to be known as Mrs or Miss don't put Mrs James, for example. Put in
brackets at the end of the name i.e. Adriana James (Mrs). This can be useful if
your name can be both male and female and also if you are a female, it clarifies
to the reader how to address you when they answer your letter.

• Non native English speakers often call themselves by their title, Mr Jones, for
example. It is too formal and un-Australian or un-American. Brits can do this
occasionally but please don't.



• Leave four blank lines after the Complimentary Close (last step) to sign your
name.

• Sign your name exactly as you type it below your signature.

• You should sign your first and last names.

• The signature line may include a second line for a title, if appropriate.

• The term "By direction" in the second line means that a superior is authorizing
the signer.

• Your handwritten signature (in the case of a mailed letter) should appear
between the closing and your printed name.

• The space where you will sign should be four lines.



• In an email, your handwritten signature may be included as part of your
electronic signature, in which case no spaces are needed.

• Automatic footnote signature should include your contact information, as if it
were letterhead or stationery.

• In a typed and mailed letter, the closing and signature should be either flush left
in line with the left margin, or on the right in alignment with the address at the
top of the page.



• The signature should start directly above the first letter of the signature line in
the space between the close and the signature line.

• Title is optional depending on relevancy and the degree of formality.
Examples are
John Doe, Manager
P. Smith
Director, Technical Support
R. T. Jones - Sr. Field Engineer

• If someone typed the letter for you, he or she would typically include three of
your initials in all uppercase characters, then two of his or hers in all lowercase
characters. If you typed it, just skip it since your name is already in the Signature
Block.
Common styles are below.
JAD/cm
JAD:cm
clm



• Whenever possible, include your title or the name of the position you hold just
below your name. For example, "Technical writing student," "Sophomore data
processing major," or "Tarrant County Community College Student" are perfectly
acceptable.



End notations.

Just below the signature block are often several abbreviations or phrases that have
important functions.

• Initials. The initials in all capital letters in Figure (on next slide) are those of the writer of the letter, and
the ones in lower case letters just after the colon are those of the typist.

• Enclosures. To make sure that the recipient knows that items accompany the letter in the same
envelope, use such indications as "Enclosure," "Encl.," "Enclosures (2)." For example, if you send a resume
and writing sample with your application letter, you'd do this: "Encl.: Resume and Writing Sample." If the
enclosure is lost, the recipient will know.

• Copies. If you send copies of a letter to others, indicate this fact among the end notations also. If, for
example, you were upset by a local merchant's handling of your repair problems and were sending a copy
of your letter to the Better Business Bureau, you'd write this: "cc: Better Business Bureau." If you plan to
send a copy to your lawyer, write something like this: "cc: Mr. Raymond Mason, Attorney."


Why put proper
Signatures? Signatures
validate you know what you are sending, and
you agree with the content of the letter.


Step 9: Printed Name in a Business Letter

• The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or position
on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the
enclosure.

• Signing a letter may seem simple but depending on the type of letter, the ending
conveys your emotion, good will or professionalism.

• The ending of a business letter should be professional and indicate distance
between the writer and the recipient.

• A personal letter's ending will vary depending on how close the writer is to the
recipient. There are also formatting and style issues to consider when signing a
letter.




• There's no need to do this on emails.

• This also isn't necessary on semi-formal or informal handwritten letters. Writing
the name and address on the envelope is sufficient.

• If you're writing the letter as an inquiry and you have no contact person, simply
name the company or organization and give its address.

• If you don’t have a specific name, always at least try to put some sort of title.
You should always, however, address the letter to a particular person if at all
possible.

• Your "printed" name should be typed underneath as part of your signature block.
Sincere,
<your printed signature here>

Jane Doe
Vice President, Maketing
ABC Company



• Sign the letter just above your typed name. Make sure to sign exactly as what
you've typed.

• Unlike a business letter, in a personal letter you do not need to type your name.
Simply sign your name by hand directly under the letter closing.

• Use your first and last name when signing. If you know the person well, it's okay
to sign with your first name only.


Why put printed
version of your
Name? Your printed name should always
be last to make your letter look more professional and to
aid your recipient in reading who it is from. In some cases,
though, you will not want to use your signature, such as
when a letter will be sent via email or a company’s online
communication form. In addition, less formal business
letters, like interoffice memos that will be placed in your
employee’s mailboxes, need not always be signed.


Step 10: Notice of Dictation, Enclosure, Reference Initials or Copies

• Identification initials The initials of the typist appear left-justified two spaces
below the signature block.

• Enclosure notation Located with the identification initials or in place of them
with the notation enc, encl,enclosures (3), or 3 encs.

• Copy notation Left-justified two lines below identification initials with the
notation cc: person's full name or initials.

• Postscript Two spaces below the last text on the page. Includes P.S. and then a
short sentence. (Usually we don’t include postscripts in the business letters)



• If you have dictated your letter to a secretary or typist, if you are including
documents with your letter or if you have copied other recipients, indicate that
as the final element of your business letter.

• If the letter is a dictation, both you and the secretary should initial it, according
to Colorado State University.

• The person who wrote the letter should write her initials in all capitals, while the
person who typed or wrote it should write his in all lowercase letters. Use a colon
or backslash to separate them.

• If you have included other items, write the word “Enclosure” or “Enclosures” or
use the following abbreviation: “Enc.”

• Next, place a colon and name the enclosures or put the number of enclosures in
parenthesis. Finally, if copies of the letter are going to other recipients, write
“cc:” and their names separated with commas as the final item of your business
letter.


• It's no longer considered necessary to type reference initials (the initials of the
letter writer and the typist). However, if the company requires identification of
this kind for the files, show these on the file copy only, not the original.

• The writer's initials are typed in capitals, the typist's in lowercase. To separate
the two, use a colon or a slash.

• Many companies require only the typist's initials, since the writer is obvious from
the signature of the letter.

• When using a word processor, write the initials or name of the person dictating
the letter on the office file copy.


• Mention of enclosures should be placed two lines below the reference initials.

• It may seem to serve no purpose to add 2 encs if the body of the letter mentions
the enclosure of two papers. However, the mailing department may find this
notation helpful to sort outgoing mail.

• In addition, as the recipient of such mail, this helps you keep the contents of
letters together as you prepare to distribute them without having to read every
line.


• Sometimes the letter writer will take advantage of the postscript — following the
initials, P.S., two spaces below the signature or reference initials — to dramatize
some bit of information.

• Never use the postscript to add something that was forgotten during the writing
of the letter. Instead, rewrite the letter.


• FILE NAME NOTATION
Press Enter twice. Sometimes people use the area below the signature to indi-
cate the computer filename. Completely optional.

• ENCLOSURE NOTATION
Press Enter once (or twice, if you don’t use File Name Notation). Type in the word
“Enclosure” or “Encl.“if you enclose anything. You might specify the number of
enclosures and what they are, e.g.,
Enclosures — 2 Check #2343 dated May 13, 2001 for $5,000.00
Certificate of Award


• DELIVERY NOTATION
Press Enter once. In this area, indicate if you are sending it any way other than
regular mail. Example, “By Federal Express,” or “By Facsimile.” (Note: when
possible, insert the FedEx airbill number and the fax number. Anything that
may save time later!)

• COPY NOTATION
Press Enter once, then type “cc:” You write in the names of those who will
receive copies, e.g.,
cc: Ms. Jane Doe, Veterans Administration
Mr. John Doe, American Legion
File

• ALL NOTATIONS are single-spaced and grouped at the bottom of the letter.


Why put notice of
Dictation,
Enclosure or
Copies? Provide Information
what is included with the letter and who
wrote the letter, who received the
correspondence copies of the letter.


Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :
Abbreviations

• Never abbreviate part of the company name unless the company's registered name
uses an abbreviation (Co., Inc., or &), and such abbreviation is shown on the company's
official letterhead.

• Names of cities are never abbreviated; names of states are also never abbreviated.
There is one exception: Use the official U.S. Postal Service postal state abbreviations on
the envelope address.


Figures

• Figures are used for all house numbers except "one" (which is spelled out). If there is a
numerical street number, separate the house number and street number by a dash:
3780–87 Street
Note that there's no th after "87.“


"Care of"

• Never use an abbreviation such as a percentage mark for "care of"; always spell the
words out. Never use "care of " before a hotel name if the addressee is a guest there,
and never use it before a company name if the addressee is employed there. However, if
the addressee is temporarily receiving mail at the office of the company, "care of " may
be used before the company name:
Mr. Michael Emanuel
Care of Contoso Pharmaceuticals
60 Wall Street
New York, New York 98052


Titles

• An individual's name is always preceded by a title — for example, Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss,
Dr., or Col. It's permissible to place honorary initials after the name of an addressee; in
that case, always omit the beginning title.

• Reverend and Honourable are titles of respect and are preceded by the word
"The." Mr. is omitted.


Business titles

• Business titles are never abbreviated.

• When you are writing to a person holding more than one office within a company, use
the highest title unless you are replying to a specific letter signed by him or her under
another title as applying to the subject covered.

• When you are writing to a department of a company, rather than to a person within the
company, place the company name on the first line and the department on the second
line:
A. Datum Corporation
Electronics Department
120 Irving Mall
Irving, Texas 10022


• Letters are usually formatted in block style, with no indents, and all lines aligned to the left. Writing
that is aligned left is always more legible than justified paragraphs..

• The correct tone of a business letter is unassuming but confident. It is unprofessional to write long
sentences, or to take a long time to get to the point.

• Personal items, such as family news or casual felicitations, should be kept out of business letters.

• It is not wise to use contractions, slang, jargon, or to use a conversational tone. Business letters are
serious documents often used as evidence or commercial certification.

• Lengthy descriptions have no place in a business letter. Sentences must be brief and to the point,
without embellishment, flattery or extra phrasing.


Dos and Don’ts for a Business Letter :
Do’s

• Do remember to use the correct traditional layout.

• Draft and edit many times, until you are happy with the tone, form, and content.

• Do check all details. Mistakes in addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses could mean
the letter does not reach its destination, becomes confusing to the recipient, or shows the sender
to be negligent or forgetful.

• Do fold the sheet of paper in thirds, to fit into the right size envelope.

• Do use the best paper and sharp black ink.

• Do start and finish with an interesting phrase, without being too flowery.

• Do make sure the date on the letter is the same as the mailing date. That is, a letter should be
posted the day the final draft is written.


Do’s

• An effective business letter should call the recipient to action. Be clear with the message without
being demanding or rude. A polite message is always more effective.

• Make sure the tone matches the occasion and the establishment you are addressing.

• Spacing is very important, and wide margins are vital. There should be two line spaces between
paragraphs.

• If the letter is being emailed, it should be word-processed, laid out properly in an A4 portrait
document, and attached.

• Sometimes writers forget to make a call for future action. It is vital to ask for an interview, or require
a phone call, request a follow-up letter, or some other response. Make a clear indication of what
you would like the person reading your business letter to do next.


Don’ts

• Don’t use a personal style – business letters are impersonal and formal.

• Don’t include details unless they are relevant to the main reason for sending the letter.

• Don’t use clichés or hackneyed phrases. Make sure your idiom is correct.

• Avoid long paragraphs. Write the introduction last.

• Don’t forget that grammar, punctuation, syntax and word choice affect meaning, and must impress
the recipient with your language skills and abilities.

• Don’t neglect the very important steps of drafting, editing, checking, and proofing your business
letter.
• Don’t use all caps or emphasize too much in italics.


Don’ts

• Avoid colloquialisms and slang. Complex terminology too is to be avoided.

• A business letter should never have more than two folds in the paper.

• Be careful not to switch from singular to plural mid-sentence, or vice versa. "Tenant" is singular and
calls for the singular "its." "Tenants" corresponds with the plural "their." Words like "its" and "their"
need to agree with the words such as "tenant" and "tenants" to which they refer.

• Use an apostrophe in "it's" only when you mean "it is." "Its" without an apostrophe describes
ownership, such as "its bond offering".

• One trick to help you decide which word to use is to substitute "he" for "who" and "him" for "whom."
Just rearrange the part of the sentence in question — all the words following "employee" — and say
it aloud with "he" or "him" to figure out whether to use "who" or "whom.“

• Avoid "is because.“


Mistakes to avoid in business writing :
• Don’t use acronyms, technical jargon or industry buzzwords that the reader may not know. There’s
nothing more frustrating than receiving a letter, report or proposal that is full of language that you
don’t understand.

• Don’t use vague, sweeping or ambiguous statements. Be as clear as possible in your business
writing. Avoid phrases like “This would suggest,” or “It is advisable,” and similar preambles that
avoid taking responsibility for a statement or recommendation. You’ll be perceived as a much more
confident and knowledgeable professional if you take ownership of your analysis and
recommendations. Also avoid statements that could leave the reader wondering who or what you’re
talking about. For example. “They want us to…” or "Mike said that was a bad idea..." These
statements beg the questions: “Who are they?” and “What is ‘that’?”

• Avoid jokes, humor, sarcasm and anecdotes. Using humor or sarcasm in your writing sets your tone,
and you may come off as sounding unprofessional, uninformed, or just plain ridiculous. Anecdotes
on the other hand, while interesting, are best saved for verbal communication because they waste
the time of a business audience who just wants to get to the point.


• Avoid clichés. While it is tempting to use the current, trendy phrases in your communication, don’t
do it. You’ll just end up sounding clumsy and even insincere. When you’re done writing a letter or
other communication, read it back to yourself out load. When you hear the words you've written, it
will be easier to pick out the clichés and clumsy language.

• Don’t use slang or language that may be offensive to the reader. This mistake is unprofessional and
can even be insulting.

• Don’t send any communication without proofreading and running a spelling and grammar check.
This should also include making sure that you are using the correct word for your meaning.

• Don’t pad your writing with unnecessary or flowery words that don’t add anything to the point you
are trying to make. Two things happen when written communications are padded with unneeded
words. First, the writer sounds like he's trying to embellish the facts; and second, the reader’s
valuable time is wasted because he has to sift through frivolous words to get to the point the writer
was trying to make.


• Don’t use acronyms, technical jargon or industry buzzwords that the reader may not know. There’s
nothing more frustrating than receiving a letter, report or proposal that is full of language that you
don’t understand.

• Don’t use vague, sweeping or ambiguous statements. Be as clear as possible in your business
writing. Avoid phrases like “This would suggest,” or “It is advisable,” and similar preambles that
avoid taking responsibility for a statement or recommendation. You’ll be perceived as a much more
confident and knowledgeable professional if you take ownership of your analysis and
recommendations. Also avoid statements that could leave the reader wondering who or what you’re
talking about. For example. “They want us to…” or "Mike said that was a bad idea..." These
statements beg the questions: “Who are they?” and “What is ‘that’?”

• Avoid jokes, humor, sarcasm and anecdotes. Using humor or sarcasm in your writing sets your tone,
and you may come off as sounding unprofessional, uninformed, or just plain ridiculous. Anecdotes
on the other hand, while interesting, are best saved for verbal communication because they waste
the time of a business audience who just wants to get to the point.


• Avoid the use of uncommonly used words. While using an extensive vocabulary in writing may
make you sound highly educated, it’s frustrating for the reader to have to figure out what it is you’re
trying to say, especially if he has a more limited vocabulary.

• Use passive voice wisely. In business writing, the use of passive voice is frequently used to avoid
specifically naming a person or group of people. This is okay as long it doesn’t matter to the reader
who specifically did something.
For example: The reports were reviewed and recommendations were provided. (Passive) -versus-
Kate reviewed the reports and provided the recommendations. (Active)

• Don’t be overly casual in email communications. Make sure to use a clear subject line and start the
email with the person’s name and end it by signing yours, just as you would a formal letter. Also, try
to avoid the jargon that’s been developed for texting unless you know you’re reader will understand.

• Don’t use fonts that are hard to read, or may not be compatible with another person’s computer
equipment. With the wide variety of fonts available, it’s tempting to use one that you think is particularly attractive. Many
seemingly attractive fonts can be hard to read, or your reader won’t have access to the font on their equipment so the computer will
substitute a font that can alter your formatting and make your communication difficult to read. Just about every computer has Arial
and Times New Roman, making either of these wise choices.


• Don’t use multiple fonts or typefaces. In addition to making sure your chosen font is easy to read,
you should also avoid the use of too many typefaces. The most common reason that people use
multiple fonts is to differentiate between points or to make a particular statement stand out.
However, what ends up happening is the reader doesn’t know where to look or what to pay
attention to. A better practice is to use the italic, bold or underline styles of a standard, easy-to-
read font.

• Don’t use type that is too small or too large. In general, you should always use a font size between
10 and 12 point. Anything smaller can be difficult to read and anything larger makes it look like
you’re trying to fill up a page and conveys an unprofessional image.

• Never hand-write a business letter. As casual as society has become, it is still proper and presents
a much more professional image to write business communications using a computer. On the
other hand, it is perfectly acceptable to hand-write a quick thank you note or other
acknowledgment.

• Don’t skip proofreading. Even professional writers need editors to ensure that their writing is understandable and conveys
its intended meeting. By asking someone to read over your work, you’ll increase the chance that embarrassing errors will be caught
and your business communication achieves its intended purpose.


Types of Business Letters:
There are different types of business letters. They can include:

Recommendation
You would write this letter if you were recommending someone for a particular position, placement or
award. If one of your friends was being considered for election to the student council, you might write a
letter to your principal describing why they would be suited to a leadership position.

Acknowledgement
In an acknowledgement letter you might be expressing thanks for something that someone has done,
achieved or contributed.

Appreciation
An appreciation letter is a formal version of a thank you letter. You would send a letter of appreciation to
someone in a senior position, such as your principal or the chairperson of a company.



Enquiry
You might also call this type of letter a letter of interest. Perhaps you have heard about a fun holiday
program and would like to find out more about it.

Application
If you were writing a job application, you might describe your personal qualities, your educational
qualifications and why you would be suited to the position.

Reference
In a reference letter you describe someone's characteristics or skills in order to help them get a job,
placement or position.



Announcement
You write this type of letter to announce something. You might receive one saying that a teacher is
leaving your school, a new teacher is arriving, or perhaps announcing an engagement, wedding or birth.

Political campaign or lobbying
These are likely to arrive in the period leading up to election times. Politicians release statements and
leaflets describing why you should vote for them. Your household might sometimes receive letters from
your local council alerting you to something happening in your suburb or community.

Lastly,


Write to:
Sukh Sandhu
me@sukh.co

@sukhsandhu

About the writer: Sukh is a qualified BCA, PGDCA, MSC (IT) and Masters in Information Technology from
University of Ballarat (Australia) and also pursuing PhD in Computer and Information Sciences and Support
Services and MBA from Amity University. He started his career at age of 15 as Web designer & developer with
a USA based organization.


How to write a good business letter

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