A business letter is a professional, formal letter that is sent by one company to another. These letters can be used for professional correspondence between business clients, employees, stakeholders as well as individuals.
Business letter Format or Structure:
Step 1: Sender’s Information
If you want a reply, you need to understand how to address a business letter properly.
In this section, you’ve to write your address, contact number, and email address.
Many people include their full name at the top too. However, others think that it’s unnecessary because you are going to sign the letter with your name anyway.
Want to save some time?
Well, if your company has a letterhead, you can use that instead of typing out all the information.
Step 2: Date
Rather than abbreviating with numbers, write the entire date.
When you’re writing to American companies, use the American date format i.e, put the month before the day.
Example: October 20, 2016
Write the date before the month if you’re sending a letter in the U.K. or Australia.
Example: 20 October 2016
Step 3: Recipient’s Address
This is the address where your letter will be delivered.
Step 4: The Salutation
A salutation isn’t just a simple greeting, it’s an indicator of respect. You can choose the salutation based on how well you know the person and the context of your letter.
If you know the person you’re sending the letter to, and you mostly address them with their first name, it’s okay to use their first name in the salutation. (For example, Dear Mike)
However, there are exceptions to this case too.
Let’s take an example.
The dean at XYZ college might be your uncle, but if you’re writing to him regarding an official matter, it would be best if you use the salutation “Dean (Last Name)” or “Dr. (Last Name)” because there’s a chance that other people handle his letters and emails.
If you don’t know someone, always use the personal title and their last name.
If you are not sure of someone’s gender, you can use their full name. (For example, Dear Taylor Brown)
If you don’t know specifically whom you’re sending the letter to, use “to whom it may concern.”
Whatever the situation is, make sure that you end the salutation with a colon. (Not a comma!)
Step 5: The Body
This is the most important part of your letter. The body should contain a few (mostly three) concise paragraphs, each with a clear purpose.
If you want your reader to get the best possible impression, keep your message crystal-clear.
In the opening paragraph, introduce yourself and clarify the point of your letter. You can also mention mutual connections here, in case the recipient doesn’t know who you are.
Not sure how to start?
You can write “I am writing to you regarding…” as the opening line.
In the next paragraph, go into the details of your main point.
In the closing paragraph, briefly summarize your points, restate the letter’s purpose and tell your planned course of action.
Tip: Try to avoid lengthy, meandering sentences and just get straight to the point.
Step 6: Closing
Here, you’ll mention that the recipient can contact you or your team if he has any concerns or questions. You can also thank him or her for reading the letter.
Make sure that the closing isn’t more than two sentences long!
For instance, you can write:
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Kindly email me at (your email) to schedule a meeting. Thank you!
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If you have any queries, don’t hesitate to call me at (your contact number).
Step 7: Complimentary Closing
This is a short remark that marks the end of your letter. You’ve got a lot of options here but choose the one that reflects the formality of your relationship.
Recommended formal closings include “Yours Truly” or “Respectfully” or “Sincerely”.
If your letter is less formal, you can write “All the best” or “Thank you” or “Regards” or “Best”.
Regardless of what you choose, add a comma to the end of it.
Step 8: Signature
Below the complimentary close, sign the letter.
Make sure that you skip at least four lines so that there’s enough room for your signature. After that, type out the name that has to be signed.
You can include your job title below your full name too.
Here’s the format:
Your signature
Typed full name
Title
Step 9: Enclosures (If applicable)
If you plan to send anything along with your business letter, you can indicate this simply by writing Enclosures after the signature.
Consider it the print version of “please find attached” for emails.
If you have included many documents, make a list that tells the recipient what he needs to look for in the envelope.
For example:
Enclosures (5): 2 Brochures & 3 Flyers
When it comes to a business letter, using the right justification and accurate structure isn’t good enough.
You need to strike the right tone.
You need to ensure that your recipient understands your letter’s intent.
Let’s uncover the secrets of writing a business letter that stands out
