Business Letter

1.
The Heading or Letterhead
It usually contains the name and the address of the business or an organization. It can also have an
email address, contact number, fax number, trademark or logo of the business.
2. Date
We write the date on the right-hand side corner of the letter below the heading.
3. Reference
It shows the department of the organization sending the letter. The letter-number can also be used
as a reference
4. The Inside Address
It includes the name, address, postal code, and job title of the recipient. It must be mentioned after
the reference. One must write inside address on the left-hand side of the sheet.
5. Subject
It is a brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter. It should be clear, eye catchy, short,
simple, and easily understandable.
6. The Greeting
It contains the words to greet the recipient. It is also known as the salutation. The type of salutation
depends upon the relationship with the recipient.
It generally includes words like Dear, Respected, or just Sir/Madam. A comma (,) usually follow the
salutation.
7. The Body Paragraphs
This is the main part of the letter. It contains the actual message of the sender. The main body of the
mail must be clear and simple to understand. A body of the letter is basically divided into three main
categories.
 Opening Part: The first paragraph of the mail writing must state the introduction of the writer.
It also contains the previous correspondence if any.
 Main Part: This paragraph states the main idea or the reason for writing. It must be clear,
concise, complete, and to the point.
 Concluding Part: It is the conclusion of the business letter. It shows the suggestions or the
need of the action. The closing of the letter shows the expectation of the sender from the
recipient. Always end your mail by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look
forward to hearing from your side etc.
8. The Complimentary Close
It is a humble way of ending a letter. It is written in accordance with the salutation. The most generally
used complimentary close are Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, and Thanks & Regards.
9. Signature and Writer’s Identification
It includes signature, name, and designation of the sender. It can also include other details like
contact number, address etc. The signature is handwritten just above the name of the sender.
10. Enclosures
Enclosures show the documents attached to the letter. The documents can be anything like cheque,
draft, bills, receipts, invoices etc. It is listed one by one.
11. Copy Circulation
It is needed when the copies of the letter are sent to other persons. It is denoted as C.C.
12. PostScript
The sender can mention it when he wants to add something other than the message in the body of
the letter. It is written as P.S.
10 Types of Business Letters
The term “business letters” refers to any written communication that begins with a salutation, ends
with a signature and whose contents are professional in nature. Historically, business letters were
sent via postal mail or courier, although the internet is rapidly changing the way businesses
communicate. There are many standard types of business letters, and each of them has a specific
focus.
Sales Letters
Typical sales letters start off with a very strong statement to capture the interest of the reader.
Since the purpose is to get the reader to do something, these letters include strong calls to action,
detail the benefit to the reader of taking the action and include information to help the reader to
act, such as including a telephone number or website link.
Order Letters
Order letters are sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to

order goods or services. These letters must contain specific information such as model number,
name of the product, the quantity desired and expected price. Payment is sometimes included
with the letter.
Complaint Letters
The words and tone you choose to use in a letter complaining to a business may be the deciding
factor on whether your complaint is satisfied. Be direct but tactful and always use a professional
tone if you want the company to listen to you.
Adjustment Letters
An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in

the customer’s favor, begin the letter with that news. If not, keep your tone factual and let the
customer know that you understand the complaint.
Inquiry Letters
Inquiry letters ask a question or elicit information from the recipient. When composing this type of
letter, keep it clear and succinct and list exactly what information you need. Be sure to include
your contact information so that it is easy for the reader to respond.
Follow-Up Letters
Follow-up letters are usually sent after some type of initial communication. This could be a sales
department thanking a customer for an order, a businessman reviewing the outcome of a meeting
or a job seeker inquiring about the status of his application. In many cases, these letters are a
combination thank-you note and sales letter.
Letters of Recommendation
Prospective employers often ask job applicants for letters of recommendation before they hire
them. This type of letter is usually from a previous employer or professor, and it describes the
sender’s relationship with and opinion of the job seeker.
Acknowledgment Letters
Acknowledgment letters act as simple receipts. Businesses send them to let others know that
they have received a prior communication, but action may or may not have taken place.
Cover Letters
Cover letters usually accompany a package, report or other merchandise. They are used to
describe what is enclosed, why it is being sent and what the recipient should do with it, if there is
any action that needs to be taken. These types of letters are generally very short and succinct.
Letters of Resignation
When an employee plans to leave his job, a letter of resignation is usually sent to his immediate
manager giving him notice and letting him know when the last day of employment will be. In many
cases, the employee also will detail his reason for leaving the company.
The following are the standard rules that should be adhered to when formatting the page
of a formal letter:
1. Alignment:All proper business letters should be left-aligned, any other type of alignment
is considered unacceptable in most professional settings.
2. Spacing:Your letter should be single-spaced. In addition, there should be a space between

the date, address, salutation, and each paragraph. Include four line breaks between the closing
and your printed name to leave space for your signature.
3. Font:The standard font style is Times New Roman, size 12. However, you can use other
sans-serif fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Courier, or Geneva, also at size 12. Sans-serif fonts
have been credited with increased readability because of their balanced typeface.
4. Lines:When using a letterhead, be sure to add a horizontal line underneath it. You can refer
to our letters above to see some examples.
5. Margins:Keep your margins between 1 to 1.5 inches. 1-inch margins are the most widely
accepted format for professionals.

Business Letter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Business Letter

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Business Letter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1.

The Heading or Letterhead

4. The Inside Address

7. The Body Paragraphs

9. Signature and Writer’s Identification

11. Copy Circulation

10 Types of Business Letters

Order letters are sent by consumers or businesses to a manufacturer, retailer or wholesaler to

An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in

2. Spacing:Your letter should be single-spaced. In addition, there should be a space between

You might also like