A business letter is a formal document that you can use to make contact with someone outside of your company. If you need to write one, it is important to follow a few rules to ensure that your letter looks professional and is easy to read.
Structure of a Business Letter:
The first step in writing a business letter is to determine the purpose for which you are sending the letter. This will help you to determine what information to include. For example, if you are writing to ask for a job, you may want to begin the letter by explaining why you need this position and what you hope to gain from the company’s assistance.
Next, you should write the recipient’s name and address how to do it correctly is shown in this link. This will help to avoid confusion and make the letter more personal for the recipient. For more formal letters, be sure to add a reference number if necessary.
You should also write a date on your business letter. This will help to keep your letter consistent with the time and day it was written, which can be helpful to the recipient if you are writing about a specific event or business situation.
Salutation: This is a formal greeting that begins with “Dear” followed by the recipient’s name and title. Typically, the title is followed by their gender. For male recipients, you may use “Mr.,” for female recipients, you may use “Miss.” If you are not sure of the recipient’s gender or title, use their full name.
Body: The body of your letter should be brief and concise. Begin with a friendly introduction, which can include a short, personal story or anecdote that will help to pique the reader’s interest. Then, use the body to support your main point with background information and supporting details.
Complimentary Close: The closing should be a polite remark that ends the letter. Recommended formal closes include “Sincerely” or “Yours truly.” You can also write “Best regards,” if you prefer a more informal close. The closing should end at the same vertical point as the date and one line after the last body paragraph follow these ones instructions and you’ll be fine.
Signature: The signature is the final part of a business letter and should be typed in the empty space below the complimentary close. The signature should be placed after the recipient’s name and is usually done in blue or black ink. You should also place a line below the signature for an identification mark.
Enclosures: The closing should be followed by a line that lists all documents you are including with your letter. This will allow the recipient to check that they have received all of the items you have included.
It is also a good idea to list your typist’s initials to indicate the person who typed the letter. You can omit the typist’s initials if you have typed it yourself, but it is generally considered more professional to include them.