Creating a Business Letter

2

What is a Business Letter? Why write one? To Whom is one written? What should be in one? What is proper format?

3

What are the types of Business Letters?

Personal Business Not on Letterhead Contains your typed Return Address

Formal Business Typed on Letterhead Letterhead

• Already contains your return address • You don’t retype it

4

What are the Required Parts of a Business Letter?

Heading Inside Address Salutation Body Complimentary Closing Signature Optional:

Enclosure Typists Initials

5

What’s in The Heading (your information)

Single Spaced – followed by four lines Always includes the date

As the last entry Personal Business Letter (no letterhead)

Your return address• Only abbreviation is Postal Code - NJ

May include Phone#, Fax#, Email@ Date

Formal Business Letter (on letterhead) Date only

6

What is the Inside Address (addressee’s information) Person’s Name, Title Company Name/Department Company Address Single Spaced

Followed by one blank line (Enter Key twice)

7

What is the Salutation? (a greeting)

Dear Mr. Soandso, Dear Dr. Smith, Dear Ms. Jones, To Whom it May Concern, Dear Sir or Madam,

8

What is the Body? (The actual letter)

Brief and to the point! Strictly Business

Guideline – 3 paragraphs Brief Introduction Contents - What I want Conclusion and Thank you

Each paragraph: Single Spaced Followed by one blank line (Enter Key twice)

9

Complimentary Close Sincerely, Yours truly, Respectfully yours, Followed by three lines (Enter Key 4 times)

After printing you will sign the letter here

10

Signature Your Full Name

Mrs.(optional) Liisa Gilbert Your Title (if appropriate)

Computer Club Moderator Followed by one lines (Enter Key twice)

If optional parts are required

11

Optional Parts Typist Initials

If your secretary typed this for you RES/js

Enclosure If something else is in the letter or

package Followed by one line (Enter Key twice)

12

What is the spacing for aBusiness Letter?

All Parts are Single Spaced Skip a line (Enter key twice)

after most Parts and Paragraphs Skip 3 Lines (Enter key 4 times) after:

Heading Complimentary Closing

13

What are acceptable formats for a Business Letter?

Block All parts are Left Justified to the margin

Modified Block All parts Left Justified Heading, Close, Signature at

tab position 3 Indentation – choose either

• No paragraph indentation• All paragraphs first line indent .5

14

What are acceptable punctuation styles for a Business Letter?

Open No punctuation after

• Salutation or Complimentary Closing• Dear Mrs. Smith,• Respectfully yours,

Mixed Punctuation after

• Colon (:) after Salutation• Dear Sir:

• Comma (,) after Complimentary Closing• Sincerely,

15

Understand that parameters can be mixed and matched –8 Possibilities

Personal vs. Formal Format Style Punctuation Style

MixedBlock

OpenPersonal Business

MixedModified

OpenLetter

MixedBlock

OpenFormal Business

MixedModified

Open