Business Letter

A business letter is a formal way of

communication between two or more parties.

Importance of a Business Letter

A business letter represents a companys

public image and its competence.

It is more personal than a report, yet
formal than memos or e-mails.
It constitutes an official legal record of an
agreement.
It provides a wide range of corporate
(business) information.

Rules for Writing a Business

Letter
A business letter should be simple and clear.
It should be formal.
It should not be longer than necessary.
Avoid using highly technical terms.

Elements of a Good Business

Letter
First and the most important element of

writing a good letter is the writers ability to

identify his audience.
The next element is that the objective of the
business letter should be clear and concise.
Another important element is to remain
professional. Even if you are writing a
complaint letter, remain polite and courteous.

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Simply state the problem along with any other

relevant information and be sure to avoid

threats and slanders.

Parts of a Business Letter

1. Return Address
2. Date
3. Inside Address
4. Salutation
5. Subject Line (optional)
6. Text of the Letter (body)
7. Complementary Close

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8. Signature
9. Enclosure Line

Address
1. Return Address: (your address)
It is written on the top left hand of the letter.
2. Inside Address: (the address of the person you
are writing to)
It is written after the date.

Date
Date: (December 31,2013)
It is written after the return address.
Write the month as a word.

Subject
Subject is optional.
It can be written after the inside address or

after the salutation.

Salutation
Salutation or Greeting: (Dear sir:)
If you do not know the name of the person you

are writing to, use this. (Dear sir:)

It is always advisable to try to find out the
name of the person you are writing to.

Body
First Paragraph:
The first paragraph should be short.
It should state the purpose of the letter.

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Middle Paragraph(s):
The paragraph(s) in the middle of the letter

should contain relevant information behind the

writing of the letter.

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Last Paragraph:
The last paragraph should state what action

you expect the recipient to take.

Complementary Closing
Yours faithfully
If you do not know the name of the person,

end the letter in this way.

Yours sincerely
If you know the name of the person, end the
letter in this way.

Signature
Sign your name then print it underneath the

signature.
If you think the person you are writing to
might not know whether you are a male or
female, put your title in brackets after your
name.