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Purpose of a Business Letter


A formal way of communicating between two or more parties Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional. There are many reasons for writing business letters.
Maybe you would like to write to your local council asking them to provide a skate park, or you might be applying for a job to earn some money during the school holidays. It is also used for correspondence between organizations, firms and companies, institutions and various boards and committees. They are documents frequently used in all levels of government. Students planning to correspond formally in any walk of life need to learn how to write a business letter. Perhaps you could write a letter to the Editor of your local paper.

Whatever the reason, your message should be clear, to the point and courteous.

Keep in mind that an effective business letter always communicates with a person first and a business second. If your letter is a first-time correspondence and you do not know, or are unsure of whom to address, do your best to find out. Addressing your letter to a person improves the likelihood of receiving a reply. It is perfectly acceptable to make a phone call asking for the name of a contact person.

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Difference in writing style: Formal, Semiformal and Informal Business letters


If you're writing to a government official, prospective employer, dignitary, academic official or anyone else with whom you hope to have a professional relationship, the letter should be formal. If you're writing to your current employer, a co-worker you don't see socially, a distant or elderly relative, or someone you don't know very well, the letter should probably be semiformal. If you're writing to a close friend, a close family member, or someone you known socially, the letter can be informal. Letter should be planned and contain a beginning, middle and an end.

We need to be clear on: Who you are targeting. The purpose of the letter. What you want the reader to do.

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Handwritten letter or an email.


Most formal letters should be handwritten and sent through the post. The exception is if your letter is extremely time-sensitive, or if you know the recipient prefers email. For informal letters, an email or handwritten letter is acceptable. For a semiformal letter, you'll have to make the call. If the other person has chosen to communicate with you primarily through email, then email is probably a safe bet. If you're not sure, go with the handwritten letter.

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Elements of a Good Letter


Step 1: Letterhead, or write your address at the top of the letter (formal only) The return address of the sender so the recipient can easily find out where to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date. (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company letterhead already on it.) Step 2: Write the date (all letters) Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e. August 30, 2003. Skip a line between the date and the inside address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date). Step 3: Inside Address (Recipient's Address in a Business Letter) The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a title, i.e. "Director of Human Resources". Skip a line between the date and the salutation.

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Elements of a Good Letter


Step 4: Salutation in a Business Letter Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or To Whom It May Concern: if recipient's name is unknown. Note that there is a colon after the salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject line or body. Step 5: Subject Line (optional) Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about. Skip a line between the subject line and the body. Step 6: Body of the business letter The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs should be single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between the end of the body and the closing.

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Elements of a Good Letter


Step 7: Closing of the business letter Let's the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name, so that there is room for the signature.

Step 8: Signature Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a pen.
Step 9: Printed Name on the business letter The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure.

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Elements of a Good Letter


Step 10 : Notice of Dictation, Enclosure, Reference Initials or Copies If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter will include the word "Enclosure." If there is more than one you would type, "Enclosures (#)" with the # being the number of other documents enclosed, not including the letter itself. 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.

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Step 1: Letterhead, or write your address at the top of the letter (formal only)
If you're writing a business letter and company letterhead is available, make use of it. If you simply want your letter to look more professional, you can design a letterhead on a word processing program. Otherwise, begin your letter by writing your name and address in the top righthand corner of the page. This will identify you to the recipient and provide them with an address to answer your letter. Your name should be on the first line, your street address on the second line and your suburb / town and your state / territory (all in capital letters) and postcode on the last line. (See an example below)

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Step 1: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


The traditional format of a business letter is very important: those who receive business letters expect them to be set out in a particular way. Your address, but not your name, usually goes in the top right hand corner. You would not usually include your telephone number or email address here, but this would be permissible.

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Why put your


address? Even if the recipient
has your details in their address book, you want it to be as hassle-free as possible for them to reply youre likely to receive a speedier response.

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Step 2: Write the date (all letters)


If you've written your address first, make a two hard returns or leave a few spaces, then write the date. Otherwise, start with the date first, justified to the left. Write out the full date. "9 September 2012" (British) or "September 9, 2012" (American) are both preferable to "Sept. 9, 2012" or "9/9/12.

If you're sending a semiformal or informal letter via email, there's no need to add the date the email will be timestamped.

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Step 2: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


The position of the date is more flexible. It can go on the left or the right, usually below the addressee details. The format of the date is also flexible; it could be written 5 April 2003, 5th April 2003, 5/4/03 or 05/04/03. Avoid putting the day and month the other way round. Use English dates at all times spelling out the month. XX Day XX month XX year. The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. To avoid any confusion, especially if you are writing to a business abroad, it is best to put the date in word rather than number form, and you should omit the th.

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Date format in British English


Write: 30 October 2010 Position: on the right, one line below the sender's address (in letters with a ready-printed sender's address, the date can also be put in the top left corner)

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Date format in American English


Write: October 30, 2010 Position: top left corner (sometimes centred)

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Why put your


date? Its standard practice to
include the date on which the letter was written. Correspondence is often filed in date order. It makes it much easier for the recipient to send a timely reply, and easier for you to chase up an answer if necessary. E.g. In my letter of May 15

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Step 3: Inside Address (Recipient's Address in a Business Letter)


Now to add the recipient's details. Directly under the date you need to put the person's name / title (if you know it) and the business or company name on separate lines. You must also include the recipient's address which is set out on separate lines, ie the street or post office box address on one line and the suburb / town and the state / territory (all in capital letters) and postcode on the next line.

Ms / Miss / Mrs / Mr / Dr ... house number, street place area code COUNTRY (in capital letters)In American English, the area code is usually at the same level as the place, separated by a comma.
Position: on the left

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Step 3: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


There's no need to do this on emails. This also isn't necessary on semi-formal or informal handwritten letters. Writing the name and address on the envelope is sufficient. If you're writing the letter as an inquiry and you have no contact person, simply name the company or organization and give its address. If you dont have a specific name, always at least try to put some sort of title. You should always, however, address the letter to a particular person if at all possible.

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Why put Inside


Address?
If youre writing to someone in an office, it probably wont be them who opens the post. An administrator is likely to do so and letters may be separated from their envelopes at this stage. Particularly if there are multiple departments within one building, or if you are starting your letter Dear Bob, a name and address ensures your letter reaches the correct recipient, In this case Mr./Ms. Bob.

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Step 4: Salutation in a Business Letter


Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and last/family name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.
Business Letter: Personal Letter: Dear Mary Santos: Dear Mary Santos,

If youre writing a letter addressed to no one in particular, use this format:


To Whom It May Concern:

The salutation, sometimes called the greetings, should always be left-aligned.

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Some Salutations for Business Emails Dear If you're trying to get your email noticed, such as when you're applying for a job, you may think "Dear So-and-So" is too trite. Not so. "Dear" is the one of the most appropriate salutations you can use. Personalize by using the recipient's most honorable title, such as Ms., Dr., Professor, Min., etc. If you don't know the recipient's gender, use both the first and last name in the salutation, such as "Dear Robin Smith." Otherwise, use the first name (Dear Gila).

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Some Salutations for Business Emails Dear If you are writing to colleagues and people with whom you are very familiar, "Hello [First Name]" could suffice, provided there are no formal rules in your employee handbook that speak to the issue. The standard way to open a business letter is withDear, the person's name (with or without a title), and a colon, like this:
Dear Donesiur: Dear Ms. Donesiur: Dear Mr. and Dr. Donesiur: Dear Professor Donesiur: Dear Donesiur:

Unless you are certain that a woman prefers Miss orMrs., use the title Ms. If you are writing to two people, use both names in your salutation, like this: Dear Mr. Trujillo and Ms. Donne: Dear Alex and Drenda:

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Some Salutations for Business Emails More Formal "Greetings," "Good Morning/Afternoon" or "Good Day" followed by the name of your recipient are acceptable email openers. Don't worry about what time your recipient will read the email. A time peg tells when you wrote the email and roughly how long you've been waiting for a response.

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Some Salutations for Business Emails Group Always use the highest degree of courtesy when addressing a group. Some recipients may be familiar or colleagues, while you may only be marginally acquainted with others. "Greetings All" and "Good Day Team" work well. It's also acceptable to address a group of two to four people by name: "Dear Mr. Jones and Ms. Evans," for formal cases or "Dear Sarah, Bob, Joe and Sam," for work colleagues. "Ladies" and "Gentleman" represent an acceptable degree of politeness when everyone in your group is the same gender.

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Some Salutations for Business Emails Familiar People "Hi" works well when writing to people with whom you're very familiar. However, you can simultaneously personalize your salutation to show appropriate levels of affection and to respect your recipient's time. Get right to the point, with for example, "Congratulations Mary!" or "Good News John." There's no manual to tell you when a recipient crosses the line from formal to familiar. Only time and relationship guide, but if your recipients tells you "You can call me" by my first name, your future salutations can be more informal.

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Some Salutations for Business Emails Please AVOID With the abundance of information available on the Internet -- or that which is only a phone call away -- it's poor form to use generic salutations like "Dear Sir/Madam" or "To Whom It May Concern." Using such indicates you didn't take much time to consider the person to whom you are writing. Worse, a common business email salutation crime is to assume "Dear Sirs" covers it all. Even it if you don't mean it as such, that opening comes across as sexist.

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Step 4: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


If you don't know a reader's gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver's name. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's gender. Correct punctuation in Salutation: a comma for a personal letter, a colon for a business letter, and either punctuation mark in an email. (The colon is formal.) But remember: Dear isn't required (but can be used) in email, even when writing to a stranger. Try one of these two openings if you want to sound professional without using Dear:
Hello, Ms. Donesiur Patrick. Ms. Donesiur-Patrick, I found your website, and . . . If you want to sound friendly with a stranger, try these: Hi, Donesiur. Hi Donesiur, (English teachers don't like this choice. They want a comma between Hi and the name.) Hello, Donesiur. Greetings, Donesiur. Donesiur, thanks for the . . .

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Step 4: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Never spell out the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr. Do spell out these titles and similar ones: Professor, Dean, Sister, Rabbi, Imam, Senator, Governor, Captain, Admiral, Judge If you don't know a person's name or gender, avoid "To whom it may concern." Instead, use the job title or a generic greeting: Dear Recruiter: Dear Claims Adjustor: Dear Sir or Madam: If you are writing to a company rather than any specific individual, use the company name: Dear Syntax Training: (This is considered slightly informal.)

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Step 4: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


For a simplified business letter, do not use a salutation. Instead use a subject in all capital letters, followed by the body of the letter, like this: WAYS TO BEGIN A BUSINESS LETTER I am writing to share information about standard letter openings to. . . .

Simplified business letters are perfectly acceptable but not common.

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Why put
Salutation?
Business letters are a formal type of writing, and its considered polite to start with a greeting. Although you can get away with starting emails Hi or Hello, letters follow more conservative conventions.

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Step 5: Subject Line (Optional)


It is common now to put the subject of the letter directly below the salutation. This would be in bold or underlined. The purpose is to give the reader an idea of what the letter is about before reading it, and to be able to pass it on to a more appropriate person if necessary. If you are replying to a letter which had a reference (or ref.) on it, you should repeat this on your letter, probably on the same line as the date, but on the other side of the page. Write Your ref.: xxxx/xx

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Step 5: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


A subject line is not really necessary. You may want to use one, however, so that the reader immediately knows what your letter is about. This is becoming more common, perhaps as people have become used to the subject lines of emails. If you do put a subject line, it should be in uppercase, directly below the Dear name:

Quote any invoice or other reference number of state the subject of the letter. Be brief - few words. Use of reference - "Re" i.e. "Re: Incorrect payment invoice 12345" is not necessary. Personal preference.
There are three common methods to distinguish the subject line from the body of the letter: Use "Subject:" or "Re:" Type the subject in bold letters Type the subject in capital letters

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Step 5: Subject Line in British and American English :


British English
The subject line is usually placed between the salutation and the body of the letter (with a blank line in between).

American English
In American English, the subject line can also be placed between the recipient's address and the salutation (with a blank line in between).

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Why put Subject


Line?
Its a good idea to include a subject so that the recipient can see at a glance what the letter refers to. Try to be succinct but include as much information as possible, eg. Funding application from Joe Bloggs, candidate 222-456.

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Step 6: Body of the Business Letter


The body is where you explain why youre writing. Its the main part of the business letter. Capitalise the first word of the text (even if the salutation ends with a comma). The text is left-justified and a blank line is put after each paragraph. It is not common to indent the first line of a paragraph.

Content 1. first paragraph: introduction and reason for writing 2. following paragraphs: explain your reasons for writing in more detail, provide background information etc. 3. last paragraph: summarise your reason for writing again and make clear what you want the recipient to do

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Step 6: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Make sure the receiver knows who you are and why you are writing but try to avoid starting with "I". Use a new paragraph when you wish to introduce a new idea or element into your letter. Depending on the letter style you choose, paragraphs may be indented. Regardless of format, skip a line between paragraphs. Your text should have: Single-spacing between lines A blank line (NOT an indent) before each new paragraph And, of course, you should conform to all the usual rules of grammar, punctuation and spelling: for example, ensuring that you start each sentence with a capital letter, and finish with a full stop.

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Step 6: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


If you're writing a personal letter, start by asking after the recipient's well-being. This can be as formal as "I hope you are well" or as informal as "How's it going?". If you're writing a business or other formal letter, get straight to the point. Time is money, and you don't want to waste the recipient's time. The first paragraph should be short and state the purpose of the letter- to make an enquiry, 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 organising it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much. The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc.

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Step 6: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


The content of your letter should be as short as possible, divided into short, clear paragraphs. It is common to end your letter with a phrase such as I look forward to hearing from you. Its OK to do this, but its a bit meaningless.

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Why body of a
letter matters
Most Importantly know what not to write. A letter written in anger or to solicit pity is probably not a letter you should send. If you've already written such a letter and you're unsure about sending it, let it sit for a few days before you pop it into the mailbox you might change your mind.

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Step 7: Closing of a Business Letter


Professionals must select business letter closings based on who will receive their letters and e-mails. Choosing the right letter closing is essential for success. This short, polite closing ends always with a comma. It is either at the left margin or its left edge is in the center, depending on the Business Letter Style that you use. It begins at the same column the heading does. The traditional rule of etiquette in Britain is that a formal letter starting "Dear Sir or Madam" must end "Yours faithfully", while a letter starting "Dear " must end "Yours sincerely". (Note: the second word of the closing is NOT capitalized)

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Step 7: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


The safest option is Yours faithfully (when you dont know the name of the person to whom you are writing, ie. when you began Dear Sir/Madam) or Yours sincerely (when you do know their name). If you are already acquainted with the recipient, it may be appropriate to use a phrase such as Best regards, With warmest regards, or Kind regards.

What you type here also depends on the tone and degree of formality. For example,
Respectfully yours (very formal) Sincerely (typical, less formal) Very truly yours (polite, neutral) Cordially yours (friendly, informal) If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.

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Step 7: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Golden Rule is: Yours faithfully is used when the persons name is not known Yours sincerely is used when the persons name is known - always. Both faithfully and sincerely in lower case Note that there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name, so that there is room for the signature. The blank space is so that, when youve printed the letter, you can sign it with your name. This is taken as proof that the letter really is from the person whose name is typed at the bottom. Sometimes, another person may sign the letter on your behalf. If this is the case, they should put the letters p.p. before their name, which stands for the Latin per procurationem meaning by agency.

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Why put proper


closing?
Although Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully might sound archaic, they are time-honoured ways to close a formal letter.

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Step 8: Signatures for the Business Letter


Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a pen. If you want to be known as Mrs or Miss don't put Mrs James, for example. Put in brackets at the end of the name i.e. Adriana James (Mrs). This can be useful if your name can be both male and female and also if you are a female, it clarifies to the reader how to address you when they answer your letter. Non native English speakers often call themselves by their title, Mr Jones, for example. It is too formal and un-Australian or un-American. Brits can do this occasionally but please don't.

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Step 8: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Leave four blank lines after the Complimentary Close (last step) to sign your name. Sign your name exactly as you type it below your signature. You should sign your first and last names.

The signature line may include a second line for a title, if appropriate.
The term "By direction" in the second line means that a superior is authorizing the signer. Your handwritten signature (in the case of a mailed letter) should appear between the closing and your printed name. The space where you will sign should be four lines.

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Step 8: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


In an email, your handwritten signature may be included as part of your electronic signature, in which case no spaces are needed. Automatic footnote signature should include your contact information, as if it were letterhead or stationery. In a typed and mailed letter, the closing and signature should be either flush left in line with the left margin, or on the right in alignment with the address at the top of the page.

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Step 8: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


The signature should start directly above the first letter of the signature line in the space between the close and the signature line. Title is optional depending on relevancy and the degree of formality. Examples are
John Doe, Manager P. Smith Director, Technical Support R. T. Jones - Sr. Field Engineer

If someone typed the letter for you, he or she would typically include three of your initials in all uppercase characters, then two of his or hers in all lowercase characters. If you typed it, just skip it since your name is already in the Signature Block. Common styles are below.
JAD/cm JAD:cm clm

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Step 8: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Whenever possible, include your title or the name of the position you hold just below your name. For example, "Technical writing student," "Sophomore data processing major," or "Tarrant County Community College Student" are perfectly acceptable.

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Step 8: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


End notations. Just below the signature block are often several abbreviations or phrases that have important functions. Initials. The initials in all capital letters in Figure (on next slide) are those of the writer of the letter, and
the ones in lower case letters just after the colon are those of the typist.

Enclosures. To make sure that the recipient knows that items accompany the letter in the same
envelope, use such indications as "Enclosure," "Encl.," "Enclosures (2)." For example, if you send a resume and writing sample with your application letter, you'd do this: "Encl.: Resume and Writing Sample." If the enclosure is lost, the recipient will know.

Copies. If you send copies of a letter to others, indicate this fact among the end notations also. If, for
example, you were upset by a local merchant's handling of your repair problems and were sending a copy of your letter to the Better Business Bureau, you'd write this: "cc: Better Business Bureau." If you plan to send a copy to your lawyer, write something like this: "cc: Mr. Raymond Mason, Attorney."

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Why put proper


Signatures?
Signatures validate you know what you are sending, and you agree with the content of the letter.

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Step 9: Printed Name in a Business Letter


The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure. Signing a letter may seem simple but depending on the type of letter, the ending conveys your emotion, good will or professionalism.

The ending of a business letter should be professional and indicate distance between the writer and the recipient.
A personal letter's ending will vary depending on how close the writer is to the recipient. There are also formatting and style issues to consider when signing a letter. Position: on the left

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Step 9: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


There's no need to do this on emails. This also isn't necessary on semi-formal or informal handwritten letters. Writing the name and address on the envelope is sufficient. If you're writing the letter as an inquiry and you have no contact person, simply name the company or organization and give its address. If you dont have a specific name, always at least try to put some sort of title. You should always, however, address the letter to a particular person if at all possible. Your "printed" name should be typed underneath as part of your signature block.
Sincere, <your printed signature here> Jane Doe Vice President, Maketing ABC Company

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Step 9: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Sign the letter just above your typed name. Make sure to sign exactly as what you've typed. Unlike a business letter, in a personal letter you do not need to type your name. Simply sign your name by hand directly under the letter closing. Use your first and last name when signing. If you know the person well, it's okay to sign with your first name only.

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Why put printed


version of your Name?
Your printed name should always be last to make your letter look more professional and to aid your recipient in reading who it is from. In some cases, though, you will not want to use your signature, such as when a letter will be sent via email or a companys online communication form. In addition, less formal business letters, like interoffice memos that will be placed in your employees mailboxes, need not always be signed.

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Step 10: Notice of Dictation, Enclosure, Reference Initials or Copies


Identification initials The initials of the typist appear left-justified two spaces below the signature block. Enclosure notation Located with the identification initials or in place of them with the notation enc, encl,enclosures (3), or 3 encs. Copy notation Left-justified two lines below identification initials with the notation cc: person's full name or initials. Postscript Two spaces below the last text on the page. Includes P.S. and then a short sentence. (Usually we dont include postscripts in the business letters) Position: on the left

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Step 10: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


If you have dictated your letter to a secretary or typist, if you are including documents with your letter or if you have copied other recipients, indicate that as the final element of your business letter. If the letter is a dictation, both you and the secretary should initial it, according to Colorado State University. The person who wrote the letter should write her initials in all capitals, while the person who typed or wrote it should write his in all lowercase letters. Use a colon or backslash to separate them.

If you have included other items, write the word Enclosure or Enclosures or use the following abbreviation: Enc.
Next, place a colon and name the enclosures or put the number of enclosures in parenthesis. Finally, if copies of the letter are going to other recipients, write cc: and their names separated with commas as the final item of your business letter.

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Step 10: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


It's no longer considered necessary to type reference initials (the initials of the letter writer and the typist). However, if the company requires identification of this kind for the files, show these on the file copy only, not the original. The writer's initials are typed in capitals, the typist's in lowercase. To separate the two, use a colon or a slash. Many companies require only the typist's initials, since the writer is obvious from the signature of the letter. When using a word processor, write the initials or name of the person dictating the letter on the office file copy.

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Step 10: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Mention of enclosures should be placed two lines below the reference initials. It may seem to serve no purpose to add 2 encs if the body of the letter mentions the enclosure of two papers. However, the mailing department may find this notation helpful to sort outgoing mail. In addition, as the recipient of such mail, this helps you keep the contents of letters together as you prepare to distribute them without having to read every line.

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Step 10: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Sometimes the letter writer will take advantage of the postscript following the initials, P.S., two spaces below the signature or reference initials to dramatize some bit of information. Never use the postscript to add something that was forgotten during the writing of the letter. Instead, rewrite the letter.

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Step 10: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


FILE NAME NOTATION Press Enter twice. Sometimes people use the area below the signature to indicate the computer filename. Completely optional. ENCLOSURE NOTATION Press Enter once (or twice, if you dont use File Name Notation). Type in the word Enclosure or Encl.if you enclose anything. You might specify the number of enclosures and what they are, e.g., Enclosures2 Check #2343 dated May 13, 2001 for $5,000.00 Certificate of Award

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Step 10: Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


DELIVERY NOTATION Press Enter once. In this area, indicate if you are sending it any way other than regular mail. Example, By Federal Express, or By Facsimile. (Note: when possible, insert the FedEx airbill number and the fax number. Anything that may save time later!) COPY NOTATION Press Enter once, then type cc: You write in the names of those who will receive copies, e.g., cc: Ms. Jane Doe, Veterans Administration Mr. John Doe, American Legion File ALL NOTATIONS are single-spaced and grouped at the bottom of the letter.

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Why put notice of


Dictation, Enclosure or Copies? Provide Information
what is included with the letter and who wrote the letter, who received the correspondence copies of the letter.

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Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter : Abbreviations Never abbreviate part of the company name unless the company's registered name uses an abbreviation (Co., Inc., or &), and such abbreviation is shown on the company's official letterhead. Names of cities are never abbreviated; names of states are also never abbreviated. There is one exception: Use the official U.S. Postal Service postal state abbreviations on the envelope address.

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Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter : Figures Figures are used for all house numbers except "one" (which is spelled out). If there is a numerical street number, separate the house number and street number by a dash: 378087 Street Note that there's no th after "87.

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Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter : "Care of" Never use an abbreviation such as a percentage mark for "care of"; always spell the words out. Never use "care of " before a hotel name if the addressee is a guest there, and never use it before a company name if the addressee is employed there. However, if the addressee is temporarily receiving mail at the office of the company, "care of " may be used before the company name: Mr. Michael Emanuel Care of Contoso Pharmaceuticals 60 Wall Street New York, New York 98052

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Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter : Titles An individual's name is always preceded by a title for example, Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss, Dr., or Col. It's permissible to place honorary initials after the name of an addressee; in that case, always omit the beginning title.

Reverend and Honourable are titles of respect and are preceded by the word "The." Mr. is omitted.

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Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter : Business titles Business titles are never abbreviated.

When you are writing to a person holding more than one office within a company, use the highest title unless you are replying to a specific letter signed by him or her under another title as applying to the subject covered.

When you are writing to a department of a company, rather than to a person within the company, place the company name on the first line and the department on the second line:
A. Datum Corporation Electronics Department 120 Irving Mall Irving, Texas 10022

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Very Important Points to Remember While Writing a Business Letter :


Letters are usually formatted in block style, with no indents, and all lines aligned to the left. Writing that is aligned left is always more legible than justified paragraphs.. The correct tone of a business letter is unassuming but confident. It is unprofessional to write long sentences, or to take a long time to get to the point. Personal items, such as family news or casual felicitations, should be kept out of business letters. It is not wise to use contractions, slang, jargon, or to use a conversational tone. Business letters are serious documents often used as evidence or commercial certification. Lengthy descriptions have no place in a business letter. Sentences must be brief and to the point, without embellishment, flattery or extra phrasing.

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Dos and Donts for a Business Letter :


Dos Do remember to use the correct traditional layout.

Draft and edit many times, until you are happy with the tone, form, and content.
Do check all details. Mistakes in addresses, telephone numbers, or email addresses could mean the letter does not reach its destination, becomes confusing to the recipient, or shows the sender to be negligent or forgetful.

Do fold the sheet of paper in thirds, to fit into the right size envelope.
Do use the best paper and sharp black ink. Do start and finish with an interesting phrase, without being too flowery. Do make sure the date on the letter is the same as the mailing date. That is, a letter should be posted the day the final draft is written.

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Dos and Donts for a Business Letter :


Dos An effective business letter should call the recipient to action. Be clear with the message without being demanding or rude. A polite message is always more effective. Make sure the tone matches the occasion and the establishment you are addressing. Spacing is very important, and wide margins are vital. There should be two line spaces between paragraphs.

If the letter is being emailed, it should be word-processed, laid out properly in an A4 portrait document, and attached.
Sometimes writers forget to make a call for future action. It is vital to ask for an interview, or require a phone call, request a follow-up letter, or some other response. Make a clear indication of what you would like the person reading your business letter to do next.

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Dos and Donts for a Business Letter :


Donts Dont use a personal style business letters are impersonal and formal.

Dont include details unless they are relevant to the main reason for sending the letter.
Dont use clichs or hackneyed phrases. Make sure your idiom is correct. Avoid long paragraphs. Write the introduction last.

Dont forget that grammar, punctuation, syntax and word choice affect meaning, and must impress the recipient with your language skills and abilities.
Dont neglect the very important steps of drafting, editing, checking, and proofing your business letter. Dont use all caps or emphasize too much in italics.

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Dos and Donts for a Business Letter :


Donts Avoid colloquialisms and slang. Complex terminology too is to be avoided.

A business letter should never have more than two folds in the paper.
Be careful not to switch from singular to plural mid-sentence, or vice versa. "Tenant" is singular and calls for the singular "its." "Tenants" corresponds with the plural "their." Words like "its" and "their" need to agree with the words such as "tenant" and "tenants" to which they refer.

Use an apostrophe in "it's" only when you mean "it is." "Its" without an apostrophe describes ownership, such as "its bond offering".
One trick to help you decide which word to use is to substitute "he" for "who" and "him" for "whom." Just rearrange the part of the sentence in question all the words following "employee" and say it aloud with "he" or "him" to figure out whether to use "who" or "whom. Avoid "is because.

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Mistakes to avoid in business writing :


Dont use acronyms, technical jargon or industry buzzwords that the reader may not know. Theres nothing more frustrating than receiving a letter, report or proposal that is full of language that you dont understand.

Dont use vague, sweeping or ambiguous statements. Be as clear as possible in your business writing. Avoid phrases like This would suggest, or It is advisable, and similar preambles that avoid taking responsibility for a statement or recommendation. Youll be perceived as a much more confident and knowledgeable professional if you take ownership of your analysis and recommendations. Also avoid statements that could leave the reader wondering who or what youre talking about. For example. They want us to or "Mike said that was a bad idea..." These statements beg the questions: Who are they? and What is that?
Avoid jokes, humor, sarcasm and anecdotes. Using humor or sarcasm in your writing sets your tone, and you may come off as sounding unprofessional, uninformed, or just plain ridiculous. Anecdotes on the other hand, while interesting, are best saved for verbal communication because they waste the time of a business audience who just wants to get to the point.

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Mistakes to avoid in business writing :


Avoid clichs. While it is tempting to use the current, trendy phrases in your communication, dont do it. Youll just end up sounding clumsy and even insincere. When youre done writing a letter or other communication, read it back to yourself out load. When you hear the words you've written, it will be easier to pick out the clichs and clumsy language. Dont use slang or language that may be offensive to the reader. This mistake is unprofessional and can even be insulting. Dont send any communication without proofreading and running a spelling and grammar check. This should also include making sure that you are using the correct word for your meaning. Dont pad your writing with unnecessary or flowery words that dont add anything to the point you are trying to make. Two things happen when written communications are padded with unneeded words. First, the writer sounds like he's trying to embellish the facts; and second, the readers valuable time is wasted because he has to sift through frivolous words to get to the point the writer was trying to make.

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Mistakes to avoid in business writing :


Dont use acronyms, technical jargon or industry buzzwords that the reader may not know. Theres nothing more frustrating than receiving a letter, report or proposal that is full of language that you dont understand.

Dont use vague, sweeping or ambiguous statements. Be as clear as possible in your business writing. Avoid phrases like This would suggest, or It is advisable, and similar preambles that avoid taking responsibility for a statement or recommendation. Youll be perceived as a much more confident and knowledgeable professional if you take ownership of your analysis and recommendations. Also avoid statements that could leave the reader wondering who or what youre talking about. For example. They want us to or "Mike said that was a bad idea..." These statements beg the questions: Who are they? and What is that?
Avoid jokes, humor, sarcasm and anecdotes. Using humor or sarcasm in your writing sets your tone, and you may come off as sounding unprofessional, uninformed, or just plain ridiculous. Anecdotes on the other hand, while interesting, are best saved for verbal communication because they waste the time of a business audience who just wants to get to the point.

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Mistakes to avoid in business writing :


Avoid the use of uncommonly used words. While using an extensive vocabulary in writing may make you sound highly educated, its frustrating for the reader to have to figure out what it is youre trying to say, especially if he has a more limited vocabulary.

Use passive voice wisely. In business writing, the use of passive voice is frequently used to avoid specifically naming a person or group of people. This is okay as long it doesnt matter to the reader who specifically did something. For example: The reports were reviewed and recommendations were provided. (Passive) -versusKate reviewed the reports and provided the recommendations. (Active) Dont be overly casual in email communications. Make sure to use a clear subject line and start the email with the persons name and end it by signing yours, just as you would a formal letter. Also, try to avoid the jargon thats been developed for texting unless you know youre reader will understand.
Dont use fonts that are hard to read, or may not be compatible with another persons computer equipment. With the wide variety of fonts available, its tempting to use one that you think is particularly attractive. Many
seemingly attractive fonts can be hard to read, or your reader wont have access to the font on their equipment so the computer will substitute a font that can alter your formatting and make your communication difficult to read. Just about every computer has Arial and Times New Roman, making either of these wise choices.

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Mistakes to avoid in business writing :


Dont use multiple fonts or typefaces. In addition to making sure your chosen font is easy to read, you should also avoid the use of too many typefaces. The most common reason that people use multiple fonts is to differentiate between points or to make a particular statement stand out. However, what ends up happening is the reader doesnt know where to look or what to pay attention to. A better practice is to use the italic, bold or underline styles of a standard, easy-toread font. Dont use type that is too small or too large. In general, you should always use a font size between 10 and 12 point. Anything smaller can be difficult to read and anything larger makes it look like youre trying to fill up a page and conveys an unprofessional image. Never hand-write a business letter. As casual as society has become, it is still proper and presents a much more professional image to write business communications using a computer. On the other hand, it is perfectly acceptable to hand-write a quick thank you note or other acknowledgment. Dont skip proofreading. Even professional writers need editors to ensure that their writing is understandable and conveys
its intended meeting. By asking someone to read over your work, youll increase the chance that embarrassing errors will be caught and your business communication achieves its intended purpose.

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Types of Business Letters:


There are different types of business letters. They can include:

Recommendation You would write this letter if you were recommending someone for a particular position, placement or award. If one of your friends was being considered for election to the student council, you might write a letter to your principal describing why they would be suited to a leadership position. Acknowledgement In an acknowledgement letter you might be expressing thanks for something that someone has done, achieved or contributed. Appreciation An appreciation letter is a formal version of a thank you letter. You would send a letter of appreciation to someone in a senior position, such as your principal or the chairperson of a company.

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Types of Business Letters:


There are different types of business letters. They can include:

Enquiry You might also call this type of letter a letter of interest. Perhaps you have heard about a fun holiday program and would like to find out more about it. Application If you were writing a job application, you might describe your personal qualities, your educational qualifications and why you would be suited to the position. Reference In a reference letter you describe someone's characteristics or skills in order to help them get a job, placement or position.

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Types of Business Letters:


There are different types of business letters. They can include:

Announcement You write this type of letter to announce something. You might receive one saying that a teacher is leaving your school, a new teacher is arriving, or perhaps announcing an engagement, wedding or birth. Political campaign or lobbying These are likely to arrive in the period leading up to election times. Politicians release statements and leaflets describing why you should vote for them. Your household might sometimes receive letters from your local council alerting you to something happening in your suburb or community.

Lastly,

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Write to: Sukh Sandhu me@sukh.co


@sukhsandhu

About the writer: Sukh is a qualified BCA, PGDCA, MSC (IT) and Masters in Information Technology from
University of Ballarat (Australia) and also pursuing PhD in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services and MBA from Amity University. He started his career at age of 15 as Web designer & developer with a USA based organization.

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