Writing The Basic Business Letter - Instructions printable pdf download

Writing The Basic Business Letter - Instructions

Writing the Basic Business Letter

Parts of a Business Letter

Date

The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is

completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When

writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. (The

United States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day.

For example: June 11, 2001. ) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the

top of the page. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justify

the date or center it horizontally.

Sender's Address

Including the address of the sender is optional. If you choose to include it, place the

address one line below the date. Do not write the sender's name or title, as it is included

in the letter's closing. Include only the street address, city and zip code. Another option

is to include the sender's address directly after the closing signature.

Inside Address

The inside address is the recipient's address. It is always best to write to a specific

individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do not have the person's name, do

some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company.

Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman's preference in

being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman's preference in

being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are

writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind being

addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. To write the address, use the U.S.

Post Office Format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-

capital letters on the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender's

address or one inch below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format

you are using.

Salutation

Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the

person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the

Writing The Basic Business Letter - Instructions