Letter writing essentials

LETTER WRITING

Presented By: Farzana Shah(BS-IT, MBA-HRM)

Saturday, April 8, 2023

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The Importance of Letters

• Represent your company’s public image and your competenceMore personal than a report, yet more formal than memos or e-mail

• More permanent than e-mail• Constitute an official legal record of an

agreement• Letter writing is a very effective way of

communication.• You need to write a letter when you are applying

for job or for business dealing. • There are many types of letter like professional

letters and personal letters. 2

Purpose of a Business Letter

• A business letter (or formal letter) is a formal way of communicating between two or more parties. There are many different uses and business letters. Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional. Business letters should be typed and printed out on standard 8.5" x 11" white paper.

• Business letter is a letter written in formal language, usually used when writing from one business organization to another, or for correspondence between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties. The overall style of letter will depend on the relationship between the parties concerned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_(message)

Writing Effective Letter• Analyze Your reader:

– Who is Your reader?– Will my reader be favorably or unfavorably disposed to

what I am going to say?– What kinds of information will Your reader expect you

to supply?– How will Your reader use the information I am

sending?– What impression do I want my letter to make on

readers?

• Have a clear sense of your purpose and theirs

• Select the best communication strategy

• Draft, revise, and edit your letter4

Writing Effective Letter

• Consider The Following Points To Write Effective Business Letter:– in the correct format– short and to the point– relevant– free of any grammatical or spelling mistakes– polite, even if you’re complaining– well presented

• Consider 7Cs of Communication:– Clear– Concise– Correct– Courteous– Conversational– Convincing– Complete

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Letter Components

• Essential Components– Letterhead (Business

Organization)– Writer’s Address– Date– Inside Address– Salutation– Letter Body– Complimentary Close– Signed Name/ Signature

Area– Typed Name

• Optional Components– Subject Line– New Page Notations– Writer’s and Typist’s

Initials– Enclosure Notation– Copy Notation 6

Essential Components of a

Letter

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– Company’s name – Address – Telephone – Fax – Email / Website– Postal Code– Kind of Business

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LETTERHEAD / HEADING

• Personal Address– Street address– City– State– Zip Code

• Company Address– Company’s name– Street address– City– State– Zip Code

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• Full Calendar Date– May 31,2009– 31May 2009

• 2-4 spaces

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• Address of the reader– Reader’s Name– Reader’s Title– Company Name– Company Street

Address– Company City– Company State– Company Zip Code

• 2-4 spaces11

• IF you know the reader’s name, salutation will be– First / Last Name– Followed by Colon– For example

• Dear Mr. Smith:• Dear Ms. Jones:• Dear Miss / Mrs.

Jones:• Dear Chris Evans:

• OTHERWISE– Use title

• Dear Vice President:– Use department’s name

• Accounting Department:

• 2 spaces

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• Includes– Introductory Paragraph– Discussion Paragraph– Concluding Paragraph

• 2 spaces below salutation

• 2 spaces b/w paragraphs

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• Place a comma after complimentary close

• Preferred close is Sincerely,

• 2 spaces below body

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• Sign your name legibly

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• Type your name• Mention your title

/Desgination

• 4 spaces below complimentary close

Optional Components of a

Letter

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• Must have a topic & focus

• Can be used instead of salutation

• All CAPS

• 2 spaces below inside address

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• If writer and typist are two different persons– Writer’s initials- ALL

CAPS– Typist’s initials-

LOWERCASE

• Separate both initials with a colon

• 2 spaces below typed signature

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• Enclose information as– Enc.; OR– Enclosure; OR– Enclosures(2); OR– Enclosure: August Report

• 2 spaces below writer’s and typist’s initials

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• For a copy of letter, write– cc (complimentary copy)– pc (photocopy)

• For copies sent to other readers, write– pc: Reader Ma,e

• 2 spaces below enclosure notation

Difference B/W Formal & Informal Letters

Formal Letters

• A formal letter is a letter written to a business, a college, or any professional that are not considered friends or family.

• Name Address Phone number Email

• Example of layout: • Dear (Name), • (Body of letter) • Sincerely, (Name) (Sign in

pen under typed name)

Informal Letters

• An informal letter is a letter you would write to a friend of family member. It doesn't necessarily need a format, but there is a standard.

• Example of layout: • Dear (Name), • Body of letter • Sincerely, (Name)

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Letter Formats

• Full-block format– All text typed on left margin– Spaces between paragraphs

• Simplified format– Same as full block format except

• No Salutations• Subject Line introduced• No Complimentary Close

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Full Block Format

Simplified Format

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Semi-Block

• In a Semi-Block format letter, (1) all text is aligned to the left margin, (2) paragraphs are indented.

Return Address Line 1 Return Address Line 2 Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4 Subject: Title of Subject 5 Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Closing (Sincerely...), 7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9Your Title

Enclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11

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Modified Block• In a Modified Block

format letter, (1) all text is aligned to the left margin, except for the author's address, date, and closing; and (2) paragraphs are not indented. The author's address, date, and closing are usually indented three inches from the left margin, but can be set anywhere to the right of the middle of the page, as long as all three elements are indented to the same position.

• Return Address Line 1 1 Return Address Line 2

• Date (Month Day, Year) 2

• Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2

• Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4 • Subject: Title of Subject 5 • body• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Closing (Sincerely...),7

• Signature 8

• Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title


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Modified Semi-Block

• In a Modified Semi-Block format letter, (1) all text is aligned to the left margin, except for the author's address, date, and closing; and (2) paragraphs are indented. The author's address, date, and closing are usually indented in same position

• Return Address Line 1 1 Return Address Line 2

• Date (Month Day, Year) 2

• Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2

• Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4 • Subject: Title of Subject 5 • Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . • Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . • Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Closing (Sincerely...), 7

• Signature 8

• Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title


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Classifications of business letters

• Positive– Customer relations letters responding

favorably to a writer’s request or complaint– Sales letters promoting a product

• Neutral– Letters requesting information about a

product or service, placing an order, or responding to some action or question

• Negative– Customer relations letters refusing a request,

saying no to an adjustment, etc.

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Types of Letters

• Letters of Inquiry• Sales Letters• Good-News Letters• Bad-News Letters• Complaint Letters• Adjustment Letters• Cover Letters

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QUESTIONS &

ANSWERS

THANK YOU