Writing Business Letters

Writing a business letter is very different compared to writing a letter to friends or family. Business letters involve a formal style with specific headers and format. It is important to present yourself in a professional matter when dealing with businesses. 

What to include in your business letter.

1. Date- Located two inches from the top of the page.
   The date should indicate the day that the letter was written, not the date it will be received.  If it takes a few days for you to write your letter, you should use the date that you finished composing it. The date should be written in the American date format. Write out the month, use numbers for the day and include the whole year.  For example, January 24, 2010. 
2. Your Address- One spaces below the date.
   Your address is optional. 
   For example:
   CMD Electronics
   131 Hill Crest, N.W. 
   Canton, OH 44720
3. Recipients Address- One space below your address.
   The recipient's address, or inside address, is written in the same format as your address.
4. Salutation- One space below the recipient's address.
   If you have met the person you are writing to and know them on a personal level, you may use Dear, and their name.  In most cases you should use their title and their first and last name. If you do not know the sex of the recipient, it is recommended that you use "To whom it may concern." The salutation is followed by a colon.
5. Body- One space below the salutation.
   Your opening paragraph should introduce yourself and state your main objective in writing the letter.
   Your next paragraph(s) should explain and support your main objective.
   Your final paragraph should contain your closing statements, restate the main objective and in some cases include a "call of action," requesting a meeting or appointment of some sort. Tell them how they may reach you, and thank the recipient for their time.
6. Closing- One space below the last paragraph.
   In most cases it is considered professional to simply close with, Thank you, followed by four returns (leaving space for your signature) and your first and last name. If you have a business title, such as Manager, this may be included below your name.
7. Enclosures- One space below your name.
   If you are including any attached or enclosed files, simply write the word "Enclosures" or include a list if more that one enclosure should be noted.
8. Credit to the Typist- One space below enclosures.
   The typist's initial should be included unless the sender is the composer. Leave initials lower-cased with no punctuation.
   For Example: js

How to format your letter.

Business letters are written in block formatting. Most word processing programs have a preset format for business letters. If your word processor does not you can set up a block format by left justifying your entire document.

Business letters are always single spaced with double spaces between paragraphs.

Business letters should be typed in Times New Roman size 12. Other fonts are acceptable, but Times has grown to be the norm.