useful for business administration and communication

1. LETTER WRITING Presented By: Farzana Shah (BS-IT, MBA-HRM) Friday, September 23, 2011 1

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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 letter 4

6. 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

7. Essential Components of a Letter 7

8. LETTERHEAD / HEADING Company’s name Address Telephone Fax Email / Website Postal Code Kind of Business 8

9. Personal Address Street address City State Zip Code Company Address Company’s name Street address City State Zip Code 9 Writer’s Address

10. Full Calendar Date May 31,2009 31May 2009 2-4 spaces 10 Date

11. Address of the reader Reader’s Name Reader’s Title Company Name Company Street Address Company City Company State Company Zip Code 2-4 spaces 11 Reader's Address

12. 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 12 Salutation

13. 13 Letter Body Includes Introductory Paragraph Discussion Paragraph Concluding Paragraph 2 spaces below salutation 2 spaces b/w paragraphs

14. 14 Complimentary Close Place a comma after complimentary close Preferred close is Sincerely, 2 spaces below body

15. 15 Signed Name Sign your name legibly

16. 16 Typed Name Type your name Mention your title /Desgination 4 spaces below complimentary close

17. Optional Components of a Letter 17

18. 18 Subject Line Must have a topic & focus Can be used instead of salutation All CAPS 2 spaces below inside address

19. 19 Writer's and Typist's Initials 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

20. 20 Enclosure Notation Enclose information as Enc.; OR Enclosure; OR Enclosures(2); OR Enclosure: August Report 2 spaces below writer’s and typist’s initials

21. 21 Copy Notation 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

22. Difference B/W Formal & Informal Letters Formal 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) 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 22

23. 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 23

24. 24 Full Block Format

25. Simplified Format 25

26. 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Closing (Sincerely...), 7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title Enclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11 26

27. 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Closing (Sincerely...),7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title Enclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11 27

28. 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Closing (Sincerely...), 7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title Enclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11 28

29. 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. 29

30. Types of Letters Letters of Inquiry Sales Letters Good-News Letters Bad-News Letters Complaint Letters Adjustment Letters Cover Letters 30

31. QUESTIONS & aNSWERS

32. THANK YOU