WRITING A BUSINESS LETTER
What is a business letter?
A business letter is any sort of formal letter with the purpose of giving information or requesting action
Business Writing is Different
Writing a business letter is quite different than writing any other sort of letter. Business letters aim to be short and to the point. They do not try to be creative or to try and make you feel a particular way. The emphasis in a business letter is on being precise and acurate.
Things to Keep in Mind
When you write a business letter you must assume that your audience has short time in which to read it, and even then your letter will probably only be skimmed. Your reader will want They want you to get to the bottom line:
is your point? How should they respond?
What
Writing that is too formal can alienate some readers, while being too casual may come across as insincere or unprofessional
First Impressions
In most cases, the business letter will be the first impression that you make on someone. Though business writing is less formal than it used to be, you should still try to make sure that letter's content is clear and that you have proofread it carefully.
Watch Out for Misunderstandings
The best business letters are clearly written with messages that cannot be misunderstood Business letters should be clear and to the point, but should not to be too blunt or have too many short choppy sentences in a row
‘I’, ‘You’and ‘We’
In business letters it is okay to refer to yourself as ‘I’ and the reader as ‘you’. Be careful using the term ‘we’ in a business letter that if it is written on company stationery because it commits your company to what you have written, not just you.
When
stating your opinion, use ‘I’ When stating company policy, use ‘we’
Where to begin?
Determine the purpose of your business letter. Is it to answer a question? To request something? To respond to something? Make a list of what your letter will request/ respond to. Try to make this list thorough because it can be used as an outline for your letter. Think about how you would like the reader of your letter to respond. Write this down as well.
Parts of a Business Letter
The Heading (includes your address and the date) The Inside Address (includes the name, title and address of whom you are writing to) The Salutation/Greeting The Body (include your reason for writing and any important information, and a request for action; a positive statement at the end of the body does not hurt!) The Closing Example
Example