The document provides guidance on writing effective business letters, including the purpose, audience, form, and typical parts of a business letter. It discusses the key components of a business letter such as the heading, inside address, salutation, body, complimentary close, signature, and enclosures. Specific tips are provided, such as using an easy to read font, one to one and a half inch margins, avoiding abbreviations, and keeping the letter to one page or less. Common business letter styles like block and modified block format are also outlined.

1. BUSINESS LETTERS MADE SIMPLE Keyboarding

2. PURPOSE What do I want the reader to know? What kind of business letter am I writing? Letter of inquiry Letter of application Letter of complaint Letter of regret Thank you letter

3. AUDIENCE How well do I know them? How much do they know about my subject? How will they feel about my message? What vocabulary will set the tone?

4. FORM Choose a font that is easy to read . 1 to 1½ inch left and right margins. 1 to 1½ inch top and bottom margins. Present information completely concisely professionally Be consistent – block or modified block.

5. PARTS OF A PERSONAL-BUSINESS LETTER Heading Writer’s complete address (Return Address) Current date Inside Address Receiver’s complete name, title, company and address (Letter Address) Return Address Inside Address 1” - 1 1/2” QUAD

6. If you have a letterhead, you don’t need the Return Address… However… Garden Center 123 Pine Street Oak Ridge, NJ 07438

7. PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER (continued)… Salutation Begin with Dear: Use Mr. or Ms. before the receiver’s name Use Dear or Attention followed by an appropriate title, such as Customer Service Department or Sales Manager. Use Dear Sir or Madame or Ladies and Gentlemen . Include BOTH genders for a general audience.

8. RULES OF THUMB… AVOID ABBREVIATIONS EXCEPT FOR STATES AND TITLES. (Mr., Mrs., Ms., etc. – FL, NJ, OH) PLACE A SINGLE WORD TITLE AFTER THE NAME SEPARATED BY A COMMA. Mrs. G. DeGraw, President PLACE A LONGER TITLE ON A SEPARATE LINE. Mrs. G. DeGraw Executive Director of Safety

9. PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER (continued)… Body Single-space paragraphs, double-space between paragraphs. Two paragraphs. Avoid long phrases. Avoid making business letters longer than one page. Heading on Page 2. Ms. Moss 2 or Ms. Moss Page 2 Return Address Inside Address 1” - 1 1/2” QUAD DS Salutation: DS Body

10. PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER (continued)… Complimentary closing Use Sincerely, Sincerely yours, or Yours truly . Capitalize only the first word; end with a comma. Yours truly, Very truly yours, Sincerely, Sincerely yours,

11. PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER (continued)… Signature lines Leave four lines (QS) for your handwritten signature Type your name and title below the signature line. Type the words Enclosure(s) two lines below the typed signature. Sending a copy of the letter elsewhere? cc: PLUS the person or department name. This line goes beneath the enclosure line.

12. PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER (continued)… Reference initials… Double spaced after the typed signature line Lowercase initials Examples: /ged HE:ged GED Sincerely, Mrs. G. DeGraw Mrs. G. DeGraw, President /ged

13. R E V I E W PARTS OF A PERSONAL-BUSINESS LETTER: Return Address (includes DATE) Inside Address Salutation Body Complimentary Close Reference Initials Enclosures (if any)

14. 123 Pine Street Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 October 30, 2005 ABC Company 345 Spruce Street Whatever, IL 01233 Dear Mr. Brown: Insert the part of the body of the letter here. The body of the letter should tell something about what you hope to convey. It should also have a closing paragraph in it. There should be at least two sentences per paragraph. Sincerely, Mrs. DeGraw Mrs. DeGraw, Chairperson /ged Enclosure Return Address Inside Address Salutation Body Complimentary Close Reference Initials Enclosure(s)

15. BLOCK versus MODIFIED BLOCK BLOCK All parts of the letter begin at the left margin. Paragraphs are NOT indented. MODIFIED BLOCK The heading and complimentary close begin at the center of the page. Paragraphs ARE indented.