Points to Be Considered in Writing Business Letters

A well-planned business letter can make a great first impression.

Being able to write a good business letter is a necessity in many different kinds of situations. You may be applying for a job, and writing a cover letter that will convince the employer to take a second look at your resume. You may be an employer or educator writing a letter of recommendation for someone else. Or you could be writing a request or complaint to a corporation. Whatever the situation, there are things to consider to write an impressive business letter.

Objective

Respect your reader's time and be concise.

Know what your purpose is. Your point should be as concise and clear as possible. The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill offers this advice: "When you write a business document, you must assume that your audience has limited time in which to read it and is likely to skim." Be respectful of your reader's time and take that into consideration when you are writing. State your purpose as early as you can in the letter and as clearly as possible, while still keeping your tone professional and conversational.

Audience

Personalizing your letter increases your chances of getting a response.

Know exactly who your reader is. Try to avoid addressing business letters to "To Whom It May Concern" or similarly unnamed recipients. Research and find the exact name and title of the person at the company that the letter should be addressed to. This improves your chances of getting a response.

Grammar

Always double check your letter for errors and mistakes.

Avoid using passive voice when possible. Active voice is more clear and comes across as more personal than passive voice.

Example of passive voice: "The budget reports were reviewed for errors."
Example of active voice: "The accounting department reviewed the budget reports for errors."

Reread a business letter at least twice before sending to check for errors. Poor spelling and grammar can make a shining list of qualifications less impressive.

Format

Templates and examples of business letters can be found online.

Always type business letters and be sure to use proper format. Block format is the most common format used for business letters, with paragraphs single spaced and left justified with a single blank line between each paragraph. All letters should include a date line, the sender's address and recipient's address. For more information on business letter format and style, and to view samples of business letters, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab (see Resources).

References

• Business Letter
• Writing Guide: Business Letters

Resources

• Purdue OWL