Do you need to write a good, flawless professional letter? Most business letters follow a fixed, easy-to-learn format that you can apply to any type of content. A business letter should always contain the date, sender and recipient information, and a few paragraphs of body. Follow the steps below and make modifications according to your company's standards.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Starting a Letter
Step 1. Know the format
Whatever the content of your letter, there are some standard business letter presentations to follow. Business letters should be typed and drafted in a common font, such as Arial or Times New Roman. Use block paragraphs. That is, you start a new paragraph by pressing Enter twice. In block paragraphs, don't make the first line indent.
- Use a 2.54 cm margin on all sides.
- Business letters sent by email should also be typed in a common font. Don't use scripts or colors other than black and white in business emails.
Step 2. Choose the right paper type
Letters must be printed on A4 paper measuring 21 x 29.7 cm or A4s measuring 21.5 x 29.7 cm. Several long letters or contracts can be printed on F4 paper or 21 x 33 cm Folio.
If the letter will be sent by post, consider printing it on company letterhead. The use of letterhead will reinforce a professional impression and provide the company's logo and contact information
Step 3. Include information about your company
Type the name and address of the company, and use a new line to mark each part of the address. If you are self-employed or an independent contractor, put your name in place of the company name, or above your company name
- If your company already has letterhead, you can use it instead of having to type in the company name and address.
- If the address does need to be typed, it should be aligned to the right or left of the top of the page, depending on your preference and that of the company.
- If the letter is sent overseas, type the name of your country in capital letters.
Step 4. Enter the date
Writing down the full date is the most professional option. For example, write "April 1, 2012". The date should be left aligned, a few lines above the recipient information.
If you are writing the letter over several days, use the date when you completed it
Step 5. Add recipient information
Write the recipient information in the following order: full name, title (if any), company name, and address. Use a new line for each piece of information. If necessary, include a reference number. Recipient information should be left aligned, a few lines below the date.
We recommend that you address the letter to a specific person. This way, the person concerned will be able to respond to your letter. If you don't know the name of the person you're addressing, do a little research. Call the recipient company's phone number for their name and title
Step 6. Choose a greeting
A greeting is an important indicator of respect, and the greeting you use will depend on who is receiving it, whether you know the recipient well, and also how formal your relationship with them is. Consider the following options:
- Use "To whom it may concern", only if you do not know exactly who you are addressing.
- If you don't know the recipient, "Dear Sir/Madam" is a safe option.
- You can also use the recipient's full name and title, for example, "Dear Dr. Dewi Sari".
- If you know the recipient well and have an informal relationship with the recipient, you might consider using a first name, for example, "Dear Susan."
- If you are not sure what the gender of the recipient is, simply write down the full name, for example, "Dear Kris Damanik"
- Don't forget to put a comma after the greeting or a semicolon if you use "To whom it may concern".
Part 2 of 4: Composing the Body of the Letter
Step 1. Use the right writing style
According to the proverb, time is money, and most business people don't like to waste time. Therefore, your letter writing style should be concise and professional. Arrange your letter so that it can be read quickly, straight to the point and only includes brief personal comments in the first paragraph. For example, you could start with "With regards to…" and continue from there.
- Don't think too much about beautiful transitions, difficult words, or long, tortuous sentences. The purpose of your letter is to communicate what needs to be said as quickly and clearly as possible.
- Use a persuasive tone. Most likely the purpose of your letter is to persuade the reader to do something, such as change their mind, fix a problem, send money, or take action. So, convey your request and reasons in the right tone.
Step 2. Use personal pronouns
Using the pronouns “I”, “we”, and “you” in business letters is perfectly acceptable. Define yourself as “me” and the reader as “you”.
Be careful if you are writing a letter on behalf of an organization. If you're trying to convey the company's views, you should use “we” so readers know that the company is behind your statement. If you are expressing a personal opinion, use "I"
Step 3. Write clearly and concisely
Make sure the reader really understands what you are writing. Readers will only respond quickly if the intent of your letter is clear. In particular, if there is an outcome or action you would like the reader to take upon receiving the letter, make it clear. Describe your position in as few words as possible.
Step 4. Use active sentences
When describing a situation or making a request, make sure you choose the active voice, not the passive voice. The passive voice will make your writing ambiguous or general. In addition, the active voice is more efficient and straight to the heart of the problem. For example:
- Passive: The sunglasses are not designed or manufactured with durability in mind.
- Active: Your company designs and manufactures sunglasses regardless of their durability,
Step 5. Use conversational language if it feels appropriate
Letters are written by and for humans. Avoid copying letters whenever possible. You can't build relationships by copying standard letters. However, don't use non-standard language or slang, such as "you know," "I mean," or "want." Apply the style of writing a business letter, but write words that are friendly and polite.
- If you know the recipient well, you can add a one-liner greeting.
- Use your intuition to judge how much personality the letter will bring out. Sometimes a little humor can help on a business level, but think carefully before using it.
Step 6. Stay polite
Even if you send a letter of complaint or complaint, you can still be polite. Consider the recipient's position and offer as much help as you can to accommodate the situation.
An example of an impolite complaint: “I think your sunglasses suck and I will never buy your product again”. An example of a polite complaint would be: “I am disappointed with the construction of your sunglasses, in the future I plan to buy another brand of sunglasses”
Step 7. Use a “second” letterhead for additional pages
Most business letters are concise enough to fit on one page. However, if you have to write a longer letter, such as a contract or legal decision, additional pages may be needed. Use a “second” letterhead, which usually contains a short address and is made of the same type of paper as the main letterhead.
Include the page number on the second and subsequent pages, at the top of the page. You will also need to include the recipient's name and date
Step 8. End your letter
In the last paragraph, summarize your points and underline the action you will take or what you expect from the recipient. Keep in mind that the recipient may contact you with questions or concerns regarding the letter, then thank them for their attention to the letter you sent.
Part 3 of 4: Closing the Letter
Step 1. Choose a closing greeting
A closing greeting, like an opening greeting, is an indicator of respect and formality. "Sincerely" or "Sincerely" are the safest closing greetings. You might also consider "Best regards", or "Greetings". Greetings that are not too formal but still have a professional tone are “Greetings of success”, “Greetings”, and “Thank you”. Use a comma after the closing greeting.
Step 2. Put your signature
Leave four lines blank for your signature. Sign after the letter is printed, or if you sent it via email, scan the image of your signature and paste it into the signature section. The choice of ink for the signature is blue or black.
If you are signing a letter in someone's name, write "pp:" before your signature. “pp” stands for per procurationem, which means “representative” or “on behalf of”
Step 3. Enter your name and contact information by typing
Below your signature, include your information including your name, title, phone number, email address and other appropriate means of contact. Use a new line for each type of information.
Step 4. Add the typist's initials
If the person typing the letter and the author is a different person, you must add the typist's initials below the signature block. Sometimes, the initials of the author of the letter are also included. Thus, who worked on the letter will be clear.
- If you only include the typist's initials, write them in lowercase, for example, mj.
- If you also include the author's initials, write them in uppercase with the typist's initials in lowercase, for example, RW:mj. Other styles add a slash between the initials, such as, RW/mj.
Step 5. Include attachment information
If you are attaching additional documents for recipient review, make a note a few lines below the contact information stating the number and type of documents attached. For example, write: “Appendix (2): resume, brochure.” Or, in the traditional style, write the attachment description at the top of the letter, below the date.
You can also abbreviate “Attachment” with “Lamp.”
Step 6. Include a copy of the information
If you are sending a copy of the letter to someone else, you must include this in the letter. This is stated by typing “cc:” or “Copy” under the “Attachment” line, together with the name and title of the recipient of the copy (“cc” stands for courtesy copy, but in the past it meant carbon copy when letters were still being typed on a typewriter and copied with carbon paper).
- For example, write: “cc: Mari Santi, Deputy Director of Marketing”
- If you add more than one name, align the second name under the first, but without the “cc:”
Part 4 of 4: Completing Letters
Step 1. Make edits
Presentation is a key element of professionalism. Make sure that the recipient can easily view you as a capable and responsible person by editing your letter and checking for errors. Use the spell checker in your word processor, but don't forget to read it carefully before submitting.
- Ask yourself, is the letter clear and concise? Are there paragraphs longer than 3-4 sentences? If so, determine whether you can remove unnecessary statements.
- If the letter is very important, you may need to have a friend or coworker read it. Sometimes other people can help spot language errors or awkwardness that you may not be aware of.
Step 2. Do not hold the pages together with a stapler
If your letter consists of several pages, a stapler should not be used. If you want to make sure the pages are in order, clip them together with a paper clip in the upper left corner.
Step 3. Submit
If you're sending the letter in the mail, use a business envelope. If available, use an envelope with your company logo. Write the return address and recipient address neatly. Fold the letter in thirds so that the recipient unfolds the top first before opening the bottom. Make sure you stick enough stamps, then send it.
- If you feel that your handwriting isn't great and doesn't match your professional persona, type the address in your word processor and print it on the envelope.
- If the letter is urgent and/or rushed, consider sending it via courier.
- If you want to send it via email, first convert it to HTML or save it as a PDF so the format doesn't change. However, it would be nice if the letter was sent physically.
Tips
- Use a quality pen to sign letters.
- Respond to letters quickly. If you can't reply within a week, pass it on to the recipient and tell him when he can wait for your reply.
- Emphasize the positive side. Talk about what you can do, not what you can't. For example, if a product is not in stock, don't tell the customer that you can't fulfill their order. Instead, say that the product is very popular and has sold out. Then tell them when you can fulfill their order.
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If you are writing a complex letter, write the outline first.
- Write down any topic you want to cover, no need to think about the order.
- For each topic, make a list of keywords, examples, arguments, and facts.
- Note the relevance of each topic on the list to the purpose and recipient of the letter.
- Discard the parts that are not needed.
- Sort the information in the order that is best for the reader.
Warning
- Don't use flattering language. Sincere praise is acceptable, but too much praise means that at work, you depend on praise, not competence.
- Don't use blunt or pushy language. Remember, you are trying to repair or start a business relationship through this letter.
