Business Letters

Why do we need to write business

letters?

• The key to communication

• Business to Business

• Individual to Business

• Business to Individual

• Accomplish a goal

• Get what we want!

Reasons for writing letters

• request or give

information

• give thanks…

• inquire about …

• apologize for …

• giving bad news

• Unfortunately…

• I am afraid that…

• or giving good news

• Congratulations!

All lines

begin

at the left

Margin –

no

indenting

Standard Parts of a Business Letter

Heading - gives the mailing

address of the writer.

•Spell out the name of the city and

words such as Street and Avenue

•Use two-letter abbreviations for

states

•The writer’s name is not part of the

heading

Date - do not abbreviate the month.

•Key the date below the heading

•Enter 3 blank lines (quarter space)

Inside Address - gives the mailing

address of the reader.

•Include name, title, department,

company name, and address.

Salutation - called the greeting.

•The first name is not included, just

the title and last name. (Miss, Mrs.,

or Mr.)

Body - the body is the message

part of the letter.

•Use single spacing (SS) within

paragraphs; double spacing is used

between paragraphs.

Complimentary Close - is a word

or phrase used to end the message.

Examples:

•Sincerely,

•Yours truly

•Respectfully,

•Best wishes,

•Capitalize only the first letter of the

first word.

Signature Block - includes your

keyed (typed) name below your

handwritten name.

•Keyed name is in case the reader

cannot read your signature

•Sign using BLUE or BLACK ink

Letterhead - printed stationary

from an organization with the

heading information

•Includes company name,

address and perhaps a phone

number, website, and logo

and/or design

•You can also create your own

personal letterhead

•include your address, phone

number, and email

•When using letterhead, start your

letter with the date.

***Do not use your employer’s

letterhead for letters relating to

personal business.

Attention Line - used when you

know the name of the receiver of

the letter

•Key the word “Attention”

followed by a title or the

name of the department

•Key the Attention line as the

first line of the inside

address

Subject Line - it tells the reader

at a glance what the letter is

about.

•Key it two lines below the

salutation

•Key in all capital letters

Reference Initials - are the initials of the

person who keyed the letter

•Use only when you key letter for

someone else

•Place two lines below the keyed

signature

•Key in lowercase -- no capital letters

Enclosure Notation - an enclosure is

anything in the envelope besides the

letter, ie: a check.

•Key two lines below the reference initials

•Key the word Enclosure or Enclosures

•Add the number of Enclosures this way:

Enclosures (2)

Copy Notation - lets the readers know

that another person received a copy of the

letter.

•Key the copy notation two lines below the

enclosure notation.

•Key c, followed by the name or names of

those receiving a copy

QS

• Quarter-space

after the date

and

complimentary

close.

• All other parts

have a double

space in

between.

Margins and spacing