This document provides guidance on writing effective letters for business or contractual communication. It outlines the key elements that should be included in a letter such as identifying the sender and recipient, including a reference number and date, clearly stating the subject or purpose, and having a main body that communicates the key information along with a clear conclusion. The document also discusses styles of address, signatures, attachments and copying other relevant parties. Well-structured letters that follow these guidelines can help formalize important communications and record decisions or issues for traceability.

1. Letter Writing
Ultimate
Communication ?

2. Letters – Written Communication
 Letters are oftentimes required for ‘formal
communication’ for either business or
contractual/legal matters.
 Writing letters is an essential part of
management communication
 There are different styles and rules and this
presentation is one approach which works; at
least for me and projects that I have
managed,

3. Letters - Content
 The sender, recipient and other parties who
may be party to the communication must be
identified and their points of contact.
 The letter must traceable by a unique
reference and a date
 The subject needs to be identified – ideally
one issue/topic per letter to allow progress on
resolution rather than dealing with a melee of
issues

4. Letter – Content (2)
 The letter must communicate the reason for
the letter – initiating an issue or giving
notification, responding to a letter,
clarification, covering the issue of a
document, etc.
 The communication must be made through
the ‘body’ of the letter.
 A counterpoint may be included

5. Letter – Content (3)
 A conclusion or closing point should be made
indicating any required action on the part of
the recipient or a position established by the
sender (even ‘for your infornation and
necessary action’ may suffice)
 Letters must be signed by an authorised
person indicating their name and
appointment title.

6. Letters – Content (4)
 Any enclosures (as referenced in the body of
the letter) must be referenced for quality
check purposes.
 Any copied parties must be indicated (bcc is
‘internal’) to ensure there is effective
communication.

7. Elements of a Letter
 Our Reference
 Your reference
 Date
 Our Address
 Your Address
 Salutation
 Subject / Title
 Introduction
 Main Body I
 Main Body II
 Main Body III
 Counterpoint
 Conclusion
 Signature
 .Name & Appointment Title
 Attachments
 Carbon Copy / Blind Carbon copy

8. Suggested Layout
 The incoming letter needs to be received and
distributed – space is required
 Your outgoing letter will become somebody else’s
incoming.
 Establish rules as part of project communication –
font, margins (holes for filing need space if a hard
copy is used)
 Good layout and structure assists in getting the
message/information / opinion across

10. “Our Reference” (Senders Letter)
 File/Subject /Letter reference or number (keep it
meaningful and short!)
 Required for retrieving, filing, and ease of reference
by other parties.
 Obtained prior to issue from a sequential register
controlled by Project Controls/Administration
 Must include a chronological number
 No need to include a ‘date’ in the letter but some
organisations may include a ‘year’ for business
letters

11. “Your Reference”
 Optional and a reference to the
letter/document to which the sender’s letter
refers (include in ‘introduction’)
 Allows for traceability of closure of incoming
letters.
 Provided by the author of the letter.
 Not useful for multiple references

12. Date
 Day / Month / Year
 Assist in retrieval of correspondence and order sent
 Shows the date of signing / response (although
receipt by other party may be the ruling factor)
 Demonstrates compliance with any time constraints
(retrieval with subject)
 Predating letters is not good practice - notifications
are 'on receipt'. Signing next working date is
allowed.

13. Our Address (Sender)
 Registered address or Official /Legal location
of company
 May be included in the header/footer of
company letterhead.
 Allows recipient to know the address to which
any reply can be sent.

14. Your Address (Intended recipient)
 Registered address Official /Legal location of the
recipient.
 Allows physical delivery.
 Differentiates specific correspondence for
subordiante elements of a company.
 Include for email/facsimile if required to allow
effective communication.
 If wrong address used communication may not be
able to be proved

15. Salutation
 Dear Sir/Madam
 Formality and business (use ‘yours faithfully’)
 Dear Mr Smith . Ms Smith
 Informal , possible seen as casuakl and
‘personal rather than business (use ‘yoir
sincerely’)
 Respectful start…

16. Subject / Title
 The topic of the letter with a title that allows for future
referral and ease of remembering.
 Make the title memorable and as unique as possible
which reflects the issue at hand.
 Use the subject of the initaiting letter for ease of
recovery on a data base.
 If claim/issue use a Ref Number.
 For issue of regular documents use report numder,
or meeting number etc

17. Introduction
 Tells the Reader either:
i) what you are going to tell them. OR
ii) introduces the basis of what they are going
to be told.

18. Introduction
 Tells the reader the reason for writing and reference
documents. Indicates the nature of "WHAT" they will be told.
 Reason for writing the letter; Approving / rejecting / reminding /
giving notice / advising
 May be a single statement or a series of bullet points
addressed in body of letter.
 Make a reference to an earlier letter or the communication
prompting the letter such as a meeting.
Eg.
 "We refer to your letter X dated y and are writing to draw your
attention to / remind you of obligations under Clause X..;
 "We refer to your proposal x under cover of letter y dated and
note your assumptions, in particular

19. Main Body I
 Telling the Reader:
 i) what you want them to know.
 ii) item(s) being addressed

20. Main Body 1
 Describe the situation / the concern / the
contract requirements and any non-
compliance / the 'facts' that are to be
transmitted.
 Logical explanation with reference to the
Contract or other approved documents or
codes etc.
 Simple sentences in a logical sequence.
Interim conclusions may be arrived at.

21. Main Body II (if required)
 Further reasoning / Counter-point /argumnet
 Reference to other supporting documents.
 Auxiliary argument presented.
 Ensuring issues are not escalated in isolation to
previous decisions.
 "Nipping' issues in the bud.
 ‘Paraphrased sentences from earlier
correspondence or contract clauses or meetings----
 Eg " Notwithstanding the above we refer to our
letter..." "

22. Main Body III (if appropriate)
 Reinforce statements
 Introducing a supporting argument.
 Reinforcing one's position.
 Reference to other documents/decisions and
may start with "Furthermore…"

23. Counterpoint (as needed)
 Major point of argument debunking letter/ voiding
argument/ stating the contrary
 Refer to previous communication/information that
may have been ignored / overlooked
 Beware overcomplicating an issue and entering into
a written debate – use ‘facts’ and agreed points with
reference to meetings/reports.
 A separate letter may be more effective so as to
keep issues manageable.

24. Conclusion
 Tells the reader what you've said & what
needs to be done or is required from them

25. Conclusion
 Summary of what has been stated (if required).
 Possibly in bullet-point form
 The Reader should have no doubt as to what is the
action / non-compliance / departure from spec /
delay etc
 Eg "For your necessary information and action.“
 MUST BE FOLLOWED UP IF ACTIONS REQUIRED

26. Complimentary Close
 Respectful close
 Indicates close of letter
 Dera Sir – Yours faithfully
 Dear Mr/Miss Yours sincerely

27. Signature
 Authorised person to sign
 Authorised Person If ‘pp’ per procurationem
means 'through the agency of‘”
 Demonstrates letter is issued formally and
officially / consciously
 May be electronic depending on accepted
protocols

28. Name / Appointment Title
 As per contract / business rules
 Signature may not be readily readable /
legible

29. Attachments
 For clarity if referenced within the letter.
 Allows for issuing / receiving document
controllers to know attachments are present.

30. “cc” - Carbon Copy
 Other other concerned parties are aware og
the communication
 All parties aware of who is ‘officially’ “in the
loop”
 “cc’d” parties addresses required

31. “bcc” - Blind Carbon copy
 Recipients only known to sender
 Confidential communication.
 The ‘file copy’ indicates who is ‘bcc’.

32. Concluding Remarks
 Letters are essential in recording decisions, events,
issuing information to formalise communication.
 Many contracts require notifications etc and the
fomal letter is often a prescribed method.
 Meetings’ records are not accepted as notifications
in many jurisdictions and meetings are often
ambiguous.
 Letters must be precise and, hopefully concise
allowing decisions to be recorded, issues to be
closed, or disputes to be rigorously defined.