A Guide to Writing Business Letter Writing

April 17, 2024

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Introduction

The concept of business letters might seem old to you. You might wonder if people even send letters anymore or if they are replaced by messages and emails. Let us tell you that printed letters are a significant part of the business world. A well-written business letter is valuable whether you want to collaborate with another company, invite someone to attend an event, or send a thank you note.

What Does it Mean by a Business Letter?

A business letter is a formal and professional letter sent by one company to another for any purpose. These letters are used for professional communication with employees, business clients, stakeholders, and other individuals. They demonstrate a level of professionalism. Writing them can be a difficult task when you are unfamiliar with the writing style and concept.

There are four important components of a business letter:

Heading
Salutation
Body
Ending

Common Business Letter Types

You can use the format of business letters for different professional communications requirements. There are several types of business letters you may encounter:

Complaint Letters

These are those letters sent by customers to businesses when consumers are unhappy with the product or services.

Sales Letters

Sales letters are written by companies when soliciting business from organizations or individual customers occasionally.

Order Letters

Order letters are sent by businesses when they place an order for any service or product. These letters may include the order specifics and sometimes the payment.

Inquiry Letters

Inquiry letters are written to ask a query. It can be used for several professional purposes.

Adjustment Letters

Adjustment letters are sent by companies as a response to complaint letters. These letters usually give a solution to the problem stated in the original complaint letter.

Follow-up Letters

After the initial contact, a follow-up letter is sent to the second communication sent.

Acknowledgment Letters

Acknowledgment letters are used by businesses to indicate that they received a request or communication but have not yet decided to act.

Letters of Recommendation

A recommendation letter is written by the previous employer of prospective employees when the candidates are applying for a job at any company.

Resignation Letters

When employees are planning to leave their jobs, they send letters of resignation to their employers.

Cover Letters

Both job seekers and businesses use cover letters to tell what is included in the collection of documents.

Steps of Writing a Business Letter

There is a proper format for writing business letters. For writing a professional business letter you must know the do’s and don’ts of business letter writing. Here are a few simple steps that may help you understand the concept and art of writing professional and authentic business letters.

Information of Sender

You must know how to address a business letter if you want to give a reply to the letter.
You must write your address, contact number, and email address in this section of the letter.
If any company has a letterhead, they can use it instead of typing all the sender information.
Many people write their full name at the top. However, some think that it is not necessary because you will sign the letter with your name at the end.

Date Format

Write the entire date rather than abbreviating it with numbers.
Keep the style of date in mind while writing to the companies of different regions.
If you are sending a letter in the U.K. or Australia, write the date first then the month. For Example, 16 April 2024.
Use the American format of writing a date when you are writing a business letter to American companies. For instance, April 16, 2024.

Address of Recipient

This is the address of the receiver where your letter will be dropped.
Write the name of the recipient with their title such as Ms./Mrs./Mr./Dr etc.
Write their address. Make sure to write the exact address so that your letter reaches its right destination.
This section will look like this. For instance:

Mr. Carlisle Cullen

Deputy Director

Name of corporation

Address of Recipient

If you do not know about the preferences of the women you are addressing, use Ms.
You can address people by their titles like Dr, professor, etc. Some people like to be addressed this way.

The Salutation

A salutation is a greeting before starting what you have to say. It is to show respect to the receiver.
You may select a salutation based on the context of your letter or how well you know the person.
You can use the first name of the person if you know the person and mostly address them by their first name. For instance, Dear Carlisle.
If you are not sure about the receiver’s gender, you may use their full name. For instance, Dear Carlisle Cullen.
Use the receiver’s last name with personal title if you do not properly know the person.
If you are not sure to whom you are sending the letter, then write “to whom it may concern.”
End the salutation with a colon and not with a comma.

The Body of the Letter

This is an essential part of a business letter. The body should contain short paragraphs with a clear purpose of writing.
Keep your message short and clear if you want your reader to get the best impression.
In the first paragraph i.e., the opening paragraph, introduce yourself and tell the main point of your letter.
If the recipient does not know you, you can mention mutual connections here. This is to help them know who you are.
In the next paragraph, give the details of your main point.
Summarize your points in the last paragraph, restate the purpose of your letter, and tell your action plan.
Do not use lengthy and complicated sentences. Just write about the main purpose of writing and get straight to the point.

Closing of Letter

In closing, you mention that the recipient can get in touch with your team or you in case of any queries or concerns.
Keep the closing short, it should not be more than two sentences.
For instance, do not hesitate to call me in case of any queries.

Complimentary Closing

This is a short remark which you add at the end of your letter.
The formal closings that are mostly recommended include “Respectfully” or “Sincerely”.
For a less formal letter, you can write “Thank you”, “All the best” or “Regards”.
Whichever you choose to use in your letter, you must add a comma at the end of it.

Signature

Add your signature below the complimentary closing in the letter.
Make sure to leave enough room for your signature. Type the name of who must sign the letter.
You may type your job title below your full name.
Here is what it looks like:

Your Signature

Full name

Title

Tips to Customize Your Business Letter

Here are a few additional tips to customize your business letter to look more attractive and professional.

Format of the Business Letter

The standard block format is usually used, but you can adjust to a modified block format or the more traditional format like a semi-block format.

Font Used in Business Letter Writing

Use a more casual digital business messaging font. For a more formal look, you can use the traditional Times New Roman style or Calibri font.

Contact Information of Recipient

Add the contact information of the recipient so that it may help take your letter to the right place.

Date

Must add the date of sending a business letter. It is not necessary to add the date when you started writing the draft.

Enclosures

You can exclude this part if you are not enclosing any type of additional documents with the business letter.

Proofread and Edit

You must proofread and edit your business letter before sending it. Ensure the spelling of each word is correct and there are no grammatical errors. Carefully enter the contact and address of the recipient.

Ending Words

This guide will help you write a professional and effective business letter. Sending an e-mail might be the most convenient way to carry out business conversations. But a printed business letter will never lose its importance. With this guide, you know the way of writing business letters so it will be an easy task for you.

What People Want to Know

1. What is common layout for business letter?

You need to pay attention to the format when writing a business letter. Block format is the most common layout for writing a professional business letter.

2. Why correct format of business letter is important?

It is important to use the correct format because it shows professionalism to the reader, and you have more chances of receiving a positive response.

3. What matters the most in business letter writing?

Business letters need to be clear and concise. The too-wordy letter is less attractive. Avoid overuse of adjectives and adverbs.

4. Does a business letter count in academic writing?

Business writing is less formal and can be about any point of view while academic writing is formal written using a third person.

5. Is it mandatory to write a subject line in a business letter?

It is not mandatory to write the subject line in a business letter, this is optional.