BUSINESS LETTER

Business letter is a formal way of communicating between two or more parties. There are several different common types of business letter. They are letter of order, request, application, and recommendation.

A business letter is written in formal language. The letter is written for official correspondence between two organizations and organizations and customers, clients, etc.

All business letters have the following components :

Your Address 1

The return address of the sender so the recipient can easily find out where to send a reply to.

•       British English

Position          : In the top right corner of the letter.

•          American English

Position          : In the top left corner, below the date, or at the end of the letter (below the signature)

Sender's address below the date :

Sender's address below the signature :

Date 2
Put the date on which the letter was written in the format

•       British English

Write             : 30 October 2003

Position           : On the right, one line below the sender's address

•       American English

Write             : October 30, 2003

Position           : Top left corner

Inside Address 3

The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient, their title and company name.

British English Ms /Miss/Mrs/Mr/Dr... Company Name(optional) house number and the street place area code COUNTRY (in capital letters)

American English Ms/Miss/Mrs/Mr/Dr... Company Name(optional) house number and th street place, area code COUNTRY (in capital letters)

Salutation 4

•            If you know the person's name:

a.       In British English, don't use any punctuation  mark or use a comma.

Dear Ms / Miss / Mrs / Mr + last name,

Example: Dear Mr Miller or Dear Mr Miller,

Dear + surname,

Example: Dear Chris Miller or Dear Chris Miller,

b.       In American English, use a colon (:)

Dear Ms. / Miss. / Mrs. / Mr. + last name:

Example: Dear Mr. Miller:

Dear + surname:

Example: Dear Chris Miller:

c.       To Whom It May Concern/Dear Sir or Madam: if recipient's name is unknown. Or maybe there are several possibilities to address people that you don't know by name :

Salutation	It used when
Dear Sir / Dear Sirs	male addressee (esp. in British English)
Gentlemen	male addressee (esp. in American English)
Dear Madam	female addressee (esp. in British English)
Ladies	female addressee (esp. in American English)
Dear Sir or Madam	gender unknown (esp. in British English)
Ladies and Gentlemen	gender unknown (esp. in American English)
To whom it may concern	gender unknown (esp. in American English)

Ms, Miss or Mrs? Mrs – to address a married woman Miss – to address an unmarried woman (rarely used now) Ms – to address a woman whose marital status you don't know; also used to address an unmarried woman.

Subject Line (optional) 5 

Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about.

•            British English

The subject line is usually placed between the salutation and the body of the letter.

•            American English

In American English, the subject line can also be placed between the recipient's address and the salutation.

Body 6

The body is where you write the content of the letter.

Body of  Letter Should Be:

•          In the correct format

•          Short and to the point

•          Relevant

•          Free of spelling mistakes

•          Polite, even if you’re complaining

•          Well presented

Business letter has to be brief, concise, and well stated. The language and tone in a formal letter should be polite and formal. The purpose of writing the letter should give enough information about the main idea but be specific. Business letters, therefore, must be succinct and to the point.

First paragraph

The first paragraph should be short and state the purpose of the letter- to make an inquiry  complain, request something, etc.

The paragraph or paragraphs in the middle of the letter should contain the relevant information behind the writing of the letter. Most letters in English are not very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organizing it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much.

Last Paragraph 

The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc.

Closing 7

Complimentary Close
Yours faithfully,
If you do not know the name of the person

Yours sincerely,
If you know the name of the person

§  Sincerely, §  Sincerely yours, §  Respectfully yours, §  Yours truly, §  Yours respectfully, §  Very truly yours , §  Cordially yours ,

Signature 8

Printed Name 9

The printed version of  writer/sender, and if desired writer/sender can put a title or position, then print it underneath the signature.

Enclosure(optional) 10

If you wish to enclose documents, you can write the word 'Enclosure' below the printed name. Type "Enclosures (#)" with the # being the number of other documents enclosed.

Reference Initials(optional) 11

If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your initials in capital letters followed by the typist's initials in lower case in the following format; AG/gs or AG:gs.

http://www.letterwritingguide.com/businessletterformat.htm

The following abbreviations are widely used in letters :

• asap = as soon as possible
• cc = carbon copy (when you send a copy of a letter to more than one person, you use this abbreviation to let them know)
• enc. = enclosure (when you include other papers with your letter)
• pp = per procurationem (A Latin phrase meaning that you are signing the letter on somebody else's behalf; if they are not there to sign it themselves, etc)
• ps = postscript (when you want to add something after you've finished and signed it)
• pto (informal) = please turn over (to make sure that the other person knows the letter continues on the other side of the page)
• RSVP = please reply

Types of Business Letter :

Letter of Order

Probably the most common use of the business letter is to order goods and materials. It is important that the letter clearly state the exact name of the merchandise, the price, and the amount of payment being sent.

Letter of Recommendation

Often people are called on the write letters of recommendation for friends or colleagues. It is always best to address the letter to a specific individual, but, if is a general recommendation, it is correct to use the expression To whom it my concern in place of a more specific salutation.

Letter of Request

It is often necessary to write letters asking for information or advice.

Letter of Application

Usually, business and professional people are hired on the basis of letters of application and personal interviews. Quite often an appointment is made for a personal interview only after a letter of application has been receiver.

Structure of  Application  Letter :

§  Explain the purpose of your letter in the opening paragraph. Mention the position you are applying for and where you heard about it or where it was advertised. 

§  In the next paragraph, show you can do the job and do it well. You should summaries your qualifications, skills, abilities and experience. State what makes you perfect for the job advertised.

§  Next, state that you are keen to work for the company and why. Try to give some information about what type of person you are. Keep in mind what you know about the employer. Mention your personal qualities which you think they are looking for.

§  Before finishing, thank them for taking the time to review your application. Also mention any attachments including your resume and any work examples.