How To Write A Business Letter – Anytime you need to communicate with another company or share essential news, business letters can tell your message in a classic, polished style. Unlike internal memos, business letters are always written from one company to another, which is why they are so formal and structured. Although, letters are also quite versatile because they can be used for official requests, cover letters, announcements, and much more.
Despite the formality, letters can still feature a friendly tone, especially because they consist of brief introductions before getting to the main point. Irrespective of the tone you implement in your letter, your writing should remain clear, concise, and easy to read.
How To Write A Business Letter
The format of a business letter
The business letter’s precise format is crucial to its look and readability. As you write your letter, you can use the structure below as a guide to creating an effective document.
1. Opening
Put your mailing address, and the full date (for example, June 30, 2012), with the recipient’s name, company, as well as address. Skip one line between your address, the date, and your recipient’s information. Don’t include your address if you’re implementing letterhead that already contains it.
2. Salutation
Address the recipient using “Dear,” with their title and last name, such as “Dear Mr. Nelson” or “Dear Director Fakayode.” If you do not know the recipient’s gender, use their full name, e.g “Dear Samuel Dean.” Finally, ensure to include a colon at the end of the salutation.
3. Body
In the first paragraph of your letter, introduce yourself and the main point of your letter. Following paragraphs must go into the details of your main point, while your final paragraph must restate the letter’s purpose and give a call to action, if necessary.
4. Closing
Recommended formal closings are “Sincerely” or “Yours truly.” For a good personal closing, use “Cordially” or “Best regards.” Irrespective of what you choose, add a comma to the end of it.
5. Signature
Skip four lines after the closing of the letter and type your name. Skip another line and include your job title as well as your company name. If you’re submitting a hard copy letter, sign your name in the empty space using black or blue ink.
6. Enclosures
If you’re putting documents with this letter, highlight them here.
Another essential part of the structure is the layout, which determines how the text is formatted. The most commonly used layout for a business letter is called block format, which makes all text left-justified and single-spaced, apart from double spaces between the paragraphs. This layout makes the letter look clean and easy to read.
7. Revision
As highlighted in Business Writing Essentials, revision is an important part of writing. Review your letter to make it concise, and proofread it for spelling as well as grammar errors. Once you are finished writing, tell someone to read your letter and provide you feedback, as they can locate errors you may have missed. Also, ensure any enclosures are attached to your document and that any hard copies are signed.
After revising the content, make the appearance of your letter presentable. If you are printing a hard copy, ensure to use quality paper. Also, try using letterhead to provide your document with a more official look.
Examples of a business letter
Illustration 1
May 5, 2017
Ngozi Chidinma
HubSpot
19 First Street,
Cambridge, MA 02141
Dear Mr. Chidinma,
When I conclude my freshman year, I was lucky to work as a digital marketing intern at a startup known as SlideBatch. They are working on a new content marketing tool for the market, and my duty was to implement that tool in their client’s social media marketing campaigns and show that SlideBatch was an effective marketing solution. I feel so excited to get to work, but I encounter one small problem. I do not know what content marketing was all about. Therefore, I carry out some research on the Internet and discovered HubSpot’s Marketing blog.
After a year and a half, I am still reading HubSpot’s Marketing blog and going through its insights at my 3rd digital marketing internship. Reading your blogs influenced my life. I entered college with the belief that financial advising was my destiny. But, after gaining knowledge about HubSpot’s inbound marketing philosophy — how supporting people is the best way to increase brand trust and engagement — I was motivated. After some time after my internship with SlideBatch concluded, I make up my mind to start digital marketing instead of financial advising. I haven’t looked back since.
HubSpot’s change in my life is the motive why I am writing to you today. I’m sure if you spoke at my school, Britain University, about your life, HubSpot, and the great marketing philosophy, there would be more than hundreds of undecided students who start digital marketing. I believe this because Britain’s McDermond Speaker Series is one of the excellent platforms for business leaders to display their passion for their industry, company, and work. Bill Rasmussen of ESPN, Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics, and Angie Hicks of Angie’s list, have all successfully implemented the McDermond Speaker Series to motivate the world’s next generation of business leaders, and I believe you could, too.
We would feel honored if you spoke at our school. Thank you for your consideration and time, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Watson Emeka
305 South Locust St.
Greencastle, IN 46136
555-555-5555
Conclusion
The above illustrations will guide you on how to write a business letter. Kindly share this article with people that may need it. Thank you for reading!
Frequently Asked Question(s)
What is a business letter?
A business letter is a formal document often sent from one company to another or from a company to its clients, employees, and stakeholders, for example. Business letters are used for professional correspondence between individuals, as well.
What are the 3 formats of a business letter?
There are three main styles of business letter: block, modified block, and semi-block styles. Each is written in much the same way, including the same information, but the layout varies slightly for each one.
What are the 7 main parts of a business letter?
- The Heading
- The Salutation.
- The Body.
- The Complimentary Close.
- The Signature Line.
- Enclosures.
What are the types of business letter?
- Cover letters.
- Thank you letters.
- Complaint letters.
- Adjustment letters.
- Bad news letters.
- Acknowledgment letters.
- Memos.
- Congratulatory letters.
Reference(s)
- edu.gcfglobal.org – How to write a formal business letter
- blog.hubspot.com – How To Write A Business Letter That Won’t Get Ignored
- indeed.com – Business Letter Format ( With Template and Example )
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