Basic Steps to Writing a Business Letter

Busy is the keyword: Get to the point when writing a business letter.

Business letters are similar to formal letters, except you usually include your title after your signature. For example, if you are an organization's chief financial officer, you type your title on the line directly underneath your name. As with all other letters, clarity of content is key. You are a busy businessperson, and whoever is reading your letter is, too. Don't waste time. Be polite, but also be direct and clear in the purpose of your letter.

Audience

Consider the audience to whom you are directing your business letter. This will determine how formal your style of greeting, closing and everything in between will be. For example, if you are sending a letter to a typesetting business asking for estimates on items you wish to print, and you have never used the company before, keep it formal. On the other hand, if you are writing to a business colleague whom you see at industry conferences regularly and know by first name, a less formal approach is warranted.

Format

The format of a business letter depends on personal preference, as well as whether you are using company letterhead. When using company letterhead, do not include your business address at the top of the letter. Left-justify the receiver's address, greeting and body of the letter. Use your personal preference to left-justify, center or right-justify the sender's address, the date, closing and signature, but keep all of these parts justified the same way on a single letter.

If not using letterhead, type your company's address at the top of the letter. Two lines down, follow it with today's date. Always type the month out rather than using numerals. It looks more professional and avoids cross-cultural confusion in dating and filing. Two lines down, type the name and address of the person to whom you are sending the letter. Two lines down, type your greeting, followed by the body of your letter, your closing and your signature. Note any enclosures at the bottom with a simple "Enclosure(s)," even if you mention them specifically in the body.

Body

Greet the person to whom you are writing the letter cordially, then get to the point in the first paragraph. Offer evidence and supporting information to explain your point in the second paragraph, as well as any others that follow. In the final paragraph, restate your purpose and thank the person reading for his time and consideration. If you are well-acquainted with the person to whom you have written the letter, you can be less formal. However, it is always a good idea to err on the side of caution and formality in business letter writing, if you have any doubt.

Consistency

Maintain a consistent tone throughout the letter, because mixing tones can be jarring. For example, you would never start a letter with the very formal "Dear Dr. Smith, I wish to cordially invite you to [big industry event]" and end with the much less formal "Have a nice day, [your name]." When you have finished writing the letter, read it aloud to make sure that it flows well, has a consistent tone and makes sense. Sometimes you can spot flaws better when speaking and listening to the words than when writing them.

Proofreading

Even though most people use word processing programs that include spell check functions, read through your letter once or twice after writing to check for errors. Some spell checks are programmed to be smarter than others and can identify context. Others won't care if you've accidentally misused "they're" in place of "their," because you've spelled "they're" correctly. Don't leave the professional perception of your business in the hands of a computer. It doesn't have a stake in the success of your business, unlike you.

References

• Purdue Online Writing Lab, "Basic Business Letters"; Elizabeth Angeli et al.
• Business Knowledge Source: Steps For Writing A Business Letter
• Write 101: How To Write A Business Letter