How to write a business letter?

Writing business letters is very important for normal business activity. Nowadays business letters serve to order a product, to provide or request information, to complain about something, etc.

 In business people prefer to use email than telephone communication, because it takes a lot of time to deal with the huge number of personal contacts. Besides, email helps to work with foreign colleagues or international companies. Although email has taken over as the most common form of correspondence, printed-out business letters are still used for many important and serious types of correspondence. Sometimes business letters are written on printed company forms.

So, today in the lesson we will:

● learn the definition of the term “a business letter”;

● discuss how to write a business letter;

And

● put the knowledge into practice.

First, let’s answer the question:

What is a business letter?

A business letter is a professional, formal document that is sent from one company to another or from a company to its clients, customers, employees and so on. These letters can be used for professional correspondence between individuals as well.

The typical business letter consists of the following standard parts:

● the sender’s contact information

● the date

● the receiver’s contact information

● the greeting

● the body of the letter

● the closing

● the sender’s signature

All these parts are separated with a double space. This way of typing letter on a computer is called the block format.

Now let’s answer the question:

How to write a business letter?

1. You should choose the right kind of paper!

A business letter should be printed on “letter size” paper.

If you are printing the letter to send, consider printing this letter on company letterhead. This lends it a more professional air and provides your company’s logo and contact information.

2. You should include information about your company!

List your company name and the company address. Each part of the address should be written on a different line. If you’re self-employed or an independent contractor, add your full name and position above the name of the company.

If your company has a pre-designed letterhead, you can use this instead of typing out your company and address.

If you’re sending the letter to an international location, type out the country in capital letters.

3. You should include the date!

Writing out the full date is the most professional choice. For example, you can write either “12 April 2022” or “April 12, 2022”. The date should be written a few lines below the sender’s address.

4. You should add the receiver’s contact information!

Write out the receiver’s full name, position in the company, company name and address in that order. Each piece of information should be written on a separate line. If it’s necessary, include a reference number. The receiver’s information should be left-justified a few lines below the date.

It is best to address the letter to a specific person. This way, an actual person will be able to respond to your letter. If you don’t know the name of the person to whom you should send the letter, do a bit of research. Call the company to find out the person’s full name and the position he or she holds.

5. You should choose a greeting!

A greeting is an important indicator of respect. Choosing the greeting depends on whether you know the person to whom you are writing, how well you know this person and the level of formality in your relationship.

For example:

Dear Mr. Kwilly,

Don’t forget to put a comma or a colon after your greeting!

6. You should compose the body of your business letter!

Strike the right tone. Time is money, as the saying goes, and most business people hate to waste time. The tone of your letter, therefore, should be brief and professional. Make your letter a quick read by diving straight into the matter and keeping your comments brief in the first paragraph.

Use personal pronouns. It’s perfectly fine to use “I”, “we” and “you” in your business letter. Be aware if you’re writing the letter on behalf of the organization. If you’re stating the company’s perspective, you should use “we”, so that the reader knows that the company stands behind your statement. If you’re writing your own opinion, stick with “I”.

Write clearly and concisely. Let your reader know exactly what you’re trying to say. Your reader will only respond quickly if your meaning is crystal clear. In particular, if there is some result or action you want to be taken because of your letter, state what it is. Explain your position in as few words as possible.

Use the active voice. When describing a situation or making a request, make sure to choose the active voice rather than the passive voice. The passive voice can make your writing ambiguous or impersonal. In addition, the active voice is more streamlined and straight to the point.

Be polite. Even if you’re writing with a complaint or concern, you should be polite. Consider the receiver’s position and offer to do whatever you can within reason to be accommodating and helpful.

For example:

I’m writing to complain about the service that I have received from your sales department.

I ordered a new photocopier and was promised that it would be delivered within seven days. That was three weeks ago! When I phoned your Customer Service Department yesterday, the receptionist was very rude and unhelpful. She refused to take my name and then eventually she told me that she would ask you to phone me back. You never did! As you can imagine, I’m very unhappy with the quality of service that I have received from your company. I have been a customer of yours for ten years and have never had cause to complain.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

7. You should write the closing!

The closing is an indicator of respect and formality. You can write such words as “Yours sincerely”, “Sincerely”, “Respectfully”, “Regards” and so on. Slightly less formal but still professional closings include “All the best”, “Best wishes”, “Warm regards”, “Thank you”, etc. Use a comma after your closing.

8. You should sign your letter!

Write your full name and contact information. You can write your position in the company, telephone number and email. Give each piece of information its line.

9. You should check your letter for mistakes and send it off!

Once you finish writing your business letter, don’t forget to check your spelling and grammar. If everything is fine, you can put your letter into a business envelope and send it off.

We’ve learnt the definition of the term “a business letter” and discussed how to write it. Now…

Complete the sentences below with the missing words!

Check yourselves!

The right answer is:

A business letter is a professional, formal document that is sent from one company to another or from a company to its clients, customers, employees and so on. These letters can be used for professional correspondence between individuals as well.

Now…

Look through the business letter and fill in the gaps with the words from the box!

Let’s check the right answers!

1. The sender’s contact information

2. The date

3. The receiver’s contact information

4. The greeting

5. The body of the letter

6. The closing

7. The sender’s signature

That’s all for now! In conclusion, I would like to say that business letters are very important, because they serve as a formal method of communication between people. They also provide valuable information on subjects connected with business and serve a legal purpose.