PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

April 17 20__ April 17, 20__ 17 April 20__ 17 th April 20__ The most common used

Mr. Alfred McKenna, Treasurer Finance and Accounting Department Warren, Hanson & Associates 459 Third Avenue New York, New York USA The name, the title Company department (if any) Company name Mailing address Zip code Country

When you need to address more than one person in a company, list their names in alphabetical order on separate lines. Ms. Joan Sample Mr. Norm Zuefle

Suite, room, or apartment numbers follow the street address. They appear on the same line, separated by a comma. If you need to list both the street address and the post office box. Numbered streets ten and below are written out. Above ten, they are typed in figures Insert a hyphen between building and street numbers when both are written as figures Duluth, Suite 407 Michigan City, Michigan West Ontario, Apt. 14 Miami, Florida Ace Hardware 260 Central Avenue P.O. Box 117 Rosemont, Illinois Ace Hardware P.O. Box Central Avenue Rosemont, Illinois Sixth Avenue 33 rd Street 1435 – 33 rd Street

Personal and Confidential (Personal or Confidential) is typed in initial capitals and underscored before the inside address Personal and Confidential Ms. Jane Purdy, Vice President Trust Department First National Bank of Atlanta 900 Grove Street Atlanta, Georgia Attention is typed below the inside address. It is followed by a colon and are not underscored. Personnel Department Western Utilities, Inc. 817 West Main Street Denver, Colorado Attention: Reena Culver, Data Processor

Subject summarizes the topic of the letter in a few words. It is centered about two lines below the salutation, or in Simplified format, which has no salutation, it is typed three lines below inside address. Mr. Earl Jacobs, Sales Manager Merchants Restaurant 633 South Dearborn Leland, Kansas Subject: Delivery of red snapper catch Some letters have a reference lines for use in further correspondence about the subject discussed in the letter. Type the reference number cited about four lines below the date and flush with the right margin. If a company also uses file reference numbers, type this number one line below the incoming reference. Such lines are often used to refer to documents, purchase orders, and other numbered items. Letterhead February 4, 200__ Reference: P.O. # Our File Ref: Invoice #701

Dear Ms. (or Miss or Mrs.) Culver: Dear Mr. Jacobs: Dear Frank: Dear Sir or Madam: Dear Sir (Sirs): Dear Madam: Ladies and Gentlemen: If you know the name If you don't know whether the recipient is a man or woman If you dont know the name

Dear Personnel Director: To Whom It May Concern: If you know the title If you dont know readers gender, use a nonsexist salutation

IT IS BEST, EVEN FOR A SHORT LETTER, TO DIVIDE THE BODY INTO AT LEAST TWO OR THREE PARAGRAPHS. PARAGRAPH ONE PARAGRAPH TWO This part is usually a short paragraph. Anything too long will cause the reader to lose patience. Begin with information that catches the readers attention and refers to some need or interest of the reader. Refer to a previous letter, contact or document. Put the you into the letter. State your purpose Explain what you want to happen or explain the information you have It explains the information you are giving, or it explains what you want the recipient to do. It doesnt need to be elaborate, but it does need to include all of the information the recipient needs. If you have a lot of information, break it into short paragraphs, make a list or refer to an attachment. Underlining essential information is one way to highlight key points for your reader. Your letter should be organized to help the recipient understand what to know or what to do.

PARAGRAPH THREE It is usually a short paragraph. Depending on the purpose of the letter, it will do one of three things: Request a dated action, conclude or thank the reader for his response Conclude. In an informational letter, this allows you to point out the most important item or draw all your key points into one statement. Request action. In letters that require a response, such as collection letters, you define the action you want the recipient to take. In this part, you tell the reader what to do and when to do it. Being vague gets vague results. Be specific. Thank the reader. In some letters, this part is simply a thank you for the recipients attention, response or concern.

Capital Supplies 8995 Camden Rd. Williamsburg, WI October 2, 20XX Lance Smith, Director Terrance Trucking P.O. Box 4440 Houston, TX Dear Mr. Smith: Thank you for your conscientious service. All 15 of your last shipments have arrived undamaged. We have never contracted with a supplier with as fine a record as yours. We appreciate the extra effort it takes to ship our order intact and on time. Ted McCracken and Bob Smiley have delivered these shipments to our loading dock supervisor. I have attached copies of logs for your review. Note that the unloading time is approximately half of that from other shippers for a similar load. Ted and Bob frequently help our crew unload the crates. This additional service always comes with an exchange of jokes. Our crew collects laughs to compete with your drivers! Doing business with your organization is a pleasure. You save us money by eliminating shipping waste and time by providing efficient drivers. Please accept the enclosed certificates of merit to Terrance Trucking, Ted and Bob, with our appreciation. We are confident in referring our customers and vendors to Terrance Trucking for their shipping needs. Sincerely, Cala Reginald CLR:mjk Enc. (10) State Your Purpose Explain What You Want to Happen or Explain the Information You Have Explain What You Want to Happen or Explain the Information You Have Request a Dated Action, Conclude, Thank the Reader Request a Dated Action, Conclude, Thank the Reader

If you refer to the recipient by his/her name the letter should be ended Sincerely yoursYours sincerely If you do not know the recipients name and refer to him/her Dear Sir/Madam, write Yours faithfully

Enclosure line is used as a reference check by both the recipient and sender to make sure everything included in the with the letter was actually sent. Enclosures or Encl. is typed two lines below the signature and flush with the left margin. If more than one item is enclosed, list the items or type the number of items in the parentheses. If you wish the reader to return any of the enclosures, type (please return) after the item. Sincerely, Josef T. Crane Encl: (3) Sincerely, Josef T. Crane Encl: (3) If you wish to know the reader who else is receiving a copy of the letter, type Copy to, Copies to or cc (carbon copy), followed by names of persons receiving the copies. If you do not want the recipient to know you have sent copies of the letter to others, enter a blind copy notation ( bcc: ) on the copies only. Yours truly, Helen C. LeFleur Manager cc: Ms. Alice Walker Mr. Hanley Edwards Yours truly, Helen C. LeFleur Manager cc: Ms. Alice Walker Mr. Hanley Edwards