BUSINESS LETTERSReported by:Mems and Vines

INTRODUCTION

A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties.

Business letters can have many types of contents.

A business letter is sometimes useful because it produces a permanent written record, and may be taken more seriously by the recipient than other forms of communication.

BASICS

Introduction - The reason for writing

Details - What you would like to accomplish

Conclusion / Next Steps - What you would like to happen in the future

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER

Has two main styles:1. Full block style: Align all elements on the left margin.2. Modified block style: with other elements on the left page margin.

Margins- Side, top and bottom margins should be 1 to 1 1/4 inches (the typical default in programs such as Microsoft Word). One-page letters and memos should be vertically centered.

CONTINUATION

Font formatting- No special character or font formatting is used, except for the subject line, which is usually underlined.

Punctuation- The salutation/greeting is generally followed by a comma in British style, whereas in the United States a colon is used. The valediction/closing is followed by a comma.

INDENTATION FORMATS

Standard Open Block Semi-block Modified-block Modified Semi-block

SAMPLE

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