Business Letter

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Business Letter

• Definition Of Business Letter.

Business letters are formal letters used for business-to-business, business-to-client, or client-to-business correspondence. There are a number of elements to a business letter.

• Types Of Business Letter.

The most important element you need to ensure in any business letter is accuracy. One of the aspects of writing a business letter that requires the most accuracy is knowing which type of business letter you are writing. A number of options are available for those looking to trade in business correspondence, and you will significantly increase your odds for getting a reply if you know the form you need to send. There are 10 types of business letter :

        

·         Letter of Complaint.

A letter of complaint will almost certainly result in an official response if you approach it from a businesslike perspective. Make the complaint brief, to the point and polite. Politeness pays off regardless of the extent of anger you are actually feeling while composing this type of business letter

·         Resume Cover Letter.

A cover letter that accompanies a resume should revel in its brevity. You should take as little time and as few words as possible to accomplish one task: persuading the reader to anticipate reading your resume. Mention the title of the job for which you are applying, as well or one or two of your strongest selling points.

·         Letter of Recommendation.

A recommendation letter allows you to use a few well-chosen words to the effect of letting someone else know how highly you value a third party. Resist the temptation to go overboard; approach your recommendation in a straightforward manner that still allows you to get the point across.

·         Letter of Resignation.

An official letter of resignation is a business letter that should be fair and tactful. Be wary of burning any bridges that you may need to cross again in the future. Offer a valid reason for your resignation and avoid self-praise.

·         Job Applicant Not Hired.

In some cases you may be required to write a business letter that informs a job applicant that he was not chosen for an open position. Offer an opening note of thanks for his time, compliment him on his experience or education and explain that he was just not what the company is looking for at the present time.

·         Declining Dinner Invitation.

Declining a dinner invitation is a topic for a business letter that, if not done tactfully, may result in a social disadvantage. Extend your appreciation for the invitation and mention that you already have an engagement for that date. Do not go into detail about what the engagement is.

·         Reception of Gift.

It is very polite to return a formal business response letting someone know that you have received her gift. Extend a personalized thanks to let her know that you are exactly aware of the contents of the gift. If possible, it is a good idea to include a sentiment suggesting that you have put the gift to use.

·         Notification of Error.

When sending a business letter that lets the receiving party know that an error has been corrected, it is good business sense to include a copy of the error in question if there is paperwork evidence of it. Make the offer of additional copies of material involved in the error if necessary.

·         Thanks for Job Recommendation.

A letter of thanks for a party that helped you get a job should be professional and courteous. Above all else, avoid the temptation to go overboard in offering your thanks. Be aware that your skills also helped you land the job and it was likely not handed to you as a result of the third party.

·         Information Request.

A business letter that requests information should make the request specific and perfectly understandable. It is also a good idea to state the reason for the information request. Extend advance appreciation for the expected cooperation of the recipient.

·         Parts Of Business Letter.

Writing a professional business letter could be the difference between having your letter read or buried on someone's desk underneath piles of other unread letters. Block style, where the entire letter is single-spaced and left justified, if the most popular letter format. Other acceptable formats include modified block and the semi-block formal. There is a parts of business letter :

·         Letterhead or Sender's Address.

Many companies have an established letterhead on all company correspondence with the company logo. If your company does not have a letterhead, include the sender's address just below the date.

·         Date.

Include the date you write or mail the letter. Place the date just below the letterhead or above the sender's address if no letterhead is used.

·         Inside Address.

Include the name, address and the title of the person you are writing to, along with the address. If you do not know the person's title, typing Ms. or Mr. is appropriate.

·         Reference.

A reference line is optional. If it is essential that the reader know from the beginning what the topic is, then you should include. If you include a reference, precede it with "Re:" and place it one line before the salutation

·         Salutation.

This is the opening greeting of your letter and first and best chance to make a good impression on your reader. Unless you are a close associate of the recipient, it is not appropriate to address him or her by his or her first name. This flags your letter as unprofessional. Typing, "Dear" and then Mr. or Ms. and last name are always professional sounding openings.

·         Body.

Clearly state your message. Avoid unnecessary words. Your goal is to write a concise letter that is informative and professional. Maintain a civil and friendly tone, even if you have a negative message to deliver. Your tone has much to do with how your reader will respond. Make sure you make appropriate paragraph breaks. Each new subject should begin a new paragraph. It is a common practice to include as a last paragraph a call to action. This is an instruction to the recipient about any response you expect. You leave this as your final thought.

·         Styles Of Business Letter.

A business letter contains six diverse sections that each tells the reader something different. This letter is meant to be more formal than a personal letter because it pertains to a business matter that requires communication between parties. Learn the different parts and styles of a business letter so that you will understand it and be able to write a professional business letter yourself. There is a styles of business letter :

·         Letterhead or Heading.

When using letterhead stationery, an address heading is not required. A letterhead generally contains the sender's information already. Only include the sender's address in the "header" section of the document if you are not using letterhead stationery and are writing a business letter in a word processing program.

In this header area, include the company name, phone number, fax number or e-mail address. Exit the header area, skip down several paragraphs and enter the current date. It is important to include the date.

·         Inside Address.

For the recipient's address, each segment of the address appears on its own line, such as it appears on an envelope. Write the inside address as complete as possible including titles and appropriate name. Again skip two lines and if you are adding a subject line, insert it here by typing "Re:" and then tab over and type in the subject matter. Hit enter and skip two paragraphs before entering the greeting.

·         Greeting.

The greeting of a business style letter is also called the salutation. Start the greeting by entering "Dear" and the person's first name, depending on the formality of the relationship, or enter a title such as "Mr.," "Ms.," "Mrs.," or "Dr." and the recipient's last name. Enter a colon after their name and skip one line to begin the body of the letter.

·         Body.

Type the body of the letter as text in blocks of paragraphs. After each paragraph, skip a line between them. After completing the body of the letter, hit enter and skip one line.

·         Closing.

Write a short and polite closing in the left margin or the left side of the paper center such as cordially, sincerely or respectfully with a comma after it.

·         Signature Line.

The signature line includes the signature of the person writing the letter. Skip three to four lines for the wet signature between the closing of the letter and type out the sender's name. When signing the letter use blue or black ink.

·         Block and Modified Block Style.

To complete a business letter in the "modified block style," ensure the recipient's address, subject line, greeting and the letter body aligns with the left margin. Tab over to just past the center of the document when inputting the close and signature line so that it aligns closely to the right side of the letter.

Align all elements of the business letter along the left margin to complete the letter in the "block style."

Source : www.ehow.com