MemoTo: From: Date: Subject: Five important rules to follow in writing a Business Letter

A primary goal in communicating in the corporate world is to have knowledge in writing business letters. To accomplish this goal successfully, we need to follow rules or procedures. These rules are derived from the PowerPoint presentations we have about writing business letters.

Identify your Aims.Clearly establish what you want to achieve from the letter. Whatever the aim, create your letter from these goals.

Establish the facts.Make sure you have the relevant accurate facts available.

Know the recipient of the letter.Write in the language of your recipient. Try to put yourself in the position of the recipient. Read it from his point of view. Is the letter clear or open to misinterpretation. If you know the recipient, use this knowledge to phrase the letter to generate your desired response. (Active or passive voice)

Create a sample Copy.Having established your aims, amassed the relevant facts with a conscious view of the recipient- write down the main points of your letter and proof-read.

Decide on Physical layout of letter.The physical appearance of a letter consists of the paper and the envelope; ensure that the final output is of the right format.

Using the rules as guidelines, I hope that writing a business letter will be easier to do.