How to Write a Business Letter

A business letter should convey professionalism, courtesy and a clear message. Just as a dazzling letter can yield tremendous results, a poorly written letter can have a negative impact on the business and reflect poorly on the writer.

Need a Template?  Here You Go:

Your Address
Your city, state, and zip code
Your Phone Number
Your Email Address (optional)

Date

Mr. and Mrs. Palmer-Smyth
Company X
123 Maple Way
Anytown, IL, 12345

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Palmer-Smyth:

The first paragraph should give a brief introduction about why you are writing.

The next paragraph or two should provide more in-depth information and further details about why you are writing your business letter.

The last paragraph should revisit the first paragraph and let the reader know the reason you are writing.  In this paragraph, it is also a good idea to thank the reader for his or her time.

Regards,

Signature

Typed Signature

Enclosures:
Brochure

Now that you have seen what a business letter should look like, let's look at the individual elements so that you will have a better understanding of how a letter is put together.

Grammar, Format, and Font - Typically, business letters are left-aligned, single spaced, with two spaces between each paragraph. The date and closing, on the other hand, are typically aligned either right-aligned or center-aligned.

Font - it is best to choose something easy on the eyes, and professional enough for a business setting. Times New Roman, Times, Arial, and Helvetica are all commonly accepted.

Grammar -  A poorly worded piece of communication, loaded with typos, is not likely to inspire confidence in your reader. The solution is to spell-check with the computer, to catch glaring misspellings, and then give the letter a once over with your eyes.

Date - Typically the date printed on a letter is the date that the letter was written; if your letter was composed over the course of a few days, use the date it was completed, not the date it was started.  Make sure that the date line shows up a few lines (about 1-2 inches) below the top of the page. The date is typically left-justified.

Address of the Sender or Sending Institution - This is an optional portion of the letter, but it is often included in business communications. Why? Because it provides ease of use for those people who need to quickly reference the address from which the letter originated. If you choose to include this, place the address one line below the date, and include only the street address, city, state, and zip code. Don't write the sender's name or title in this field, as it will be included in the closing.

Recipient's Address - If possible, try to direct this towards a specific individual rather than using generic "to whom it may concern" approach. Also, it is a good idea to include personal titles in this section, such as Mr., Ms., Dr.., Rev., or Mrs.  When writing the address, use standard postal formatting:

Mr. and Mrs. Smyth
123 Main Street
Anytown, IL 12345

When using an international address, include the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line (i.e. ICELAND).

The recipient's address begins one line below the date or, if you choose to use it, one inch below the sender's address. The recipient's address is left-justified.

Salutation - Use a colon after the name, and make sure to use the name from the recipient's address, including any personal title. If the person to whom you are writing is on a first name basis with the letter writer, then you can use only the first name for a salutation. If you are at all uncertain about the recipient's gender, you can use the full name without a personal title. The salutation should look something like this:

Miss Mary Jones:

Body - Each paragraph should be single spaced and left-justified.  Leave a blank line between each paragraph.  The first paragraph of your letter should state your main point or ideas in straightforward language. The second paragraph should support the first paragraph, emphasizing the importance of the main points or ideas. In the next few paragraphs, provide supporting details and further reasons why the letter reader should care about what you have written.

Closing - Your closing should be one line below the last paragraph. Only capitalize the first word, and leave 3-5 lines between the closing and the typed signature of the letter writer. Example:

Best regards,

Terry Jones

Enclosures - If you any documents to include with your letter, such as a brochure or resume, indicate this by typing the word "Enclosures" one line below the closing. You can also list documents you are including in the envelope. Example:

Sincerely,

Terry Jones

Enclosures:
Brochure
Press release