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Business Letters

Purpose:
The business letter is the basic means of communication between two companies or between a business and a third party (such as a customer or job applicant). Although usually sent externally, business letters can also be internal. They are formal in tone and may serve as a permanent record that the information enclosed was sent. These letters include formal salutations and closings, and usually some kind of header. Business letters inform others of specific information. They are often used for the purpose of promotion or advertisement, but can function in an assortment of ways. A cover letter for a job application is an example of a business letter; it communicates intent to compete for a job and acts as an advertisement for the applicant. Business letters, like other forms of business communications, adapt to the audience. Many people do not have time to read everything they receive; a well-written, highly targeted business letter has a better chance of being read. Audience analysis is essential before writing a business letter. Questions to consider include: What is the audience's level of knowledge? Is the audience familiar with you or the topic you are addressing? Keep the reader in mind.

The content of a business letter can take many forms, but the layout usually follows the following set of conventions; style, however, is flexible. A law firm may use an official looking letter while a liberal arts organization may take an artistic approach, but both will use the same layout principles. The Letterhead: This section includes return mailing and contact information, including name, address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and any other pertinent company information. The form of the letterhead can vary widely, from an artistic, fancy design with a company logo to a simple block of text containing the return mailing information. The main point of the letterhead is so that the reader can quickly locate return information. Inside Address: This is the address of the person or party the letter is going to. It will state their name, position, and company, along with their address. This goes underneath the letterhead. If the letter is not being addressed to one person, one should address it to a specific audience using the "Attention" statement in place of the name and position. (Example: "Attention: Human Resources Department"). Some letters place the date underneath this section while others place it under the letterhead; either format can be used. The Subject Line:

The Layout of a Business Letter:

Placed after the Inside Address, the Subject Line is a brief statement or keyword to describe the content of the letter. The subject line is not always needed. Only the first page of the letter includes the letterhead, inside address, and subject line. Subsequent pages should be on blank paper. The Salutation: The choice of salutation is very important, as it adds a personal touch to a business letter. Traditionally, when one person is being addressed, the format "Dear Mr. Smith:" is used. Whenever possible, a person's name should be used as it is more personal than "Sir" or "Madam". A business letter writer may even want to call the company to see whose name should be used in the letter. If the letter is addressing more than one person, "Ladies & Gentlemen:" is an acceptable salutation. If the audience is all women, or all men, just "Ladies:" or "Gentlemen:" is necessary. "Dear" is an optional part of this salutation. These formats are used most often for addressing committees or governing boards, for example. The greeting "To Whom It May Concern" is generic, impersonal, and even considered offensive by some. This greeting should be avoided altogether! The Body: A business letter is generally single spaced and can use three or more paragraphs. The letter should always have an introductory paragraph, middle (body) paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. The body of a business letter is similar to a thesis: a main idea is introduced and then supported. This idea is then concluded upon (business letters also include contact instructions in the concluding paragraph as well). Sales or promotional letters are similar in this regard, as they introduce a product or service, and then convince the reader by supporting it with positive attributes. Lists, with bullets or in point form, are an acceptable part of the body of a business letter, especially if the letter has multiple paragraphs of text. The point form notation highlights key points and breaks the monotony of multiple paragraphs. Lists can be numbered, and can be used for a range of purposes, such as conveying steps, years, phases or decisions. Complimentary Close & Signature: After the concluding paragraph is the close. Variations can be used. Examples of complimentary closures include: "Kind regards", "Yours very truly", "Best wishes", and "Cordially". A comma follows the close. Underneath the close must be a signature. Below the signature, the name of the writer should be typed out. End Notations: If one person has written the letter and another person has typed it, this will be noted. The writer's initials are capitalized and the typist's initials are in lowercase. The notation follows this format: If June Cleaver wrote a letter

that Wilson Phillips typed, it would appear as "JC/wp". Notation is not needed if the writer also typed the letter. The end notations also cite enclosures if the letter has any, usually by stating "Enclosed" or "Enclosure", and the number of documents. The copy line is used to let the reader know that other people are receiving a copy of the document. These symbols are used: "c:" for copy, "pc:" for photocopy, and "bc:" for blind copy. The symbol is followed with the names of the other recipients, listed either alphabetically or according to organizational rank. If you do not want your reader to know about the other copies, type bc on the copies only, not the original.

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