1. The
Business
Letter

2. What is a Business Letter?
Definition
Parts
Uses

3. Definition A business letter is:
- a letter written for formal or professional purposes.
- similar to a friendly letter, except for one extra part.
- should be short, courteous, and to the point.

4. Parts of the Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation Body
Complimentary Closing
Signature
Printed Name

5. Heading It is the same as a friendly letter.
It contains, the writer’s name, address, city, state, zip, and date.
Do not abbreviate in a business letter
It is written slightly to the right of the center of the paper, about one inch from the top.

6. Notice that the street, city, and state are not abbreviated.
Cindy Jones
1234 Main Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
April 25, 2003
Notice that the street, city, and state are not abbreviated.

7. Parts of the Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation Body
Complimentary Closing
Signature
Printed Name

8. Inside Address
Should begin on the left-hand margin, below the heading.
Consists of the FULL name and address of the business or organization to which the letter is being sent.
Do not abbreviate.
Make sure that the address is the same as the address on the envelope.

9. Cindy Jones
1234 Main Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
April 25, 2003
Keystone Automobile Association
2040 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Notice that this is the address of the company you are writing to. Also see that the street, city, and state are not abbreviated.

10. Parts of the Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation Body
Complimentary Closing
Signature
Printed Name

11. Salutation It is more formal than that of a friendly letter.
It is followed by a colon ~ :

12. Cindy Jones
1234 Main Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
April 25, 2003
Keystone Automobile Association
2040 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
If you do not know who to address the letter to, use Dear Sir or Madam. You could also use To Whom It May Concern. Remember use a COLON after the Salutation.
Dear Sir or Madam:

13. Parts of the Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation Body
Complimentary Closing
Signature
Printed Name

14. The Body It should be brief and courteous.
It should only mention the purpose of the letter.
The reader should be able to pick out of your letter all that is needed as quickly as possible.

15. Remember this is business, not a social letter.
Cindy Jones
1234 Main Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
April 25, 2003
Remember this is business, not a social letter.
Keystone Automobile Association
2040 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Dear Sir or Madam:
It is the wish of our principal that a safety squad be organized in the Park School during the coming semester.
Will you kindly send a representative to our classroom to give us the necessary directions. Please let us know the date on which we may expect your agent.
We thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention.

16. Parts of the Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation Body
Complimentary Closing
Signature
Printed Name

17. Complimentary Closing
It is more formal than a friendly letter.
It is written under the same margin as the heading.
Consists of a short phrase indicating respect for the person addressed and followed by a comma.
Yours truly, Sincerely,
Very truly yours, Respectfully,

18. The first word should be capitalized.
Cindy Jones
1234 Main Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
April 25, 2003
Keystone Automobile Association
2040 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Dear Sir or Madam:
It is the wish of our principal that a safety squad be organized in the Park School during the coming semester.
Will you kindly send a representative to our classroom to give us the necessary directions. Please let us know the date on which we may expect your agent.
We thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention.
The first word should be capitalized.
Sincerely,

19. Parts of the Letter Heading Inside Address Salutation Body
Complimentary Closing
Signature
Printed Name

20. Signature and Printed Name
Signature contains the full name of the writer.
The writer’s name is usually printed under the signature.

21. Cindy Jones
1234 Main Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
April 25, 2003
Keystone Automobile Association
2040 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Dear Sir or Madam:
It is the wish of our principal that a safety squad be organized in the Park School during the coming semester.
Will you kindly send a representative to our classroom to give us the necessary directions. Please let us know the date on which we may expect your agent.
We thank you for your cooperation and prompt attention.
Always sign your name and print it underneath.
Sincerely,
Cindy Jones
Cindy Jones

22. Uses Business letters are written for the following reasons:
Order a product
Make a request
Complain about a product or service
Cover letter- request that the writer be considered for a job

23. YOUR ASSIGNMENT: You will write a business letter to a CD company.
Your letter will be a complaint about a CD that you received in the mail.
When you received it, it was scratched.
You are returning the CD and requesting a refund.
Here is the address:
Music-by-Mail
1728 Maple Ave.
New York City, New York

24. Now check your work!
Do you have your FULL street address, city, and state in the heading? No abbreviations
Did you remember to write the date?
Did you write the inside address? No abbreviations
Is there a colon after your salutation?
Did you indent in the body?
Is your letter short and to the point?
Did you end with a formal closing?
Is your letter signed?
Did you remember to print your name under the signature?
If you answered YES to all these questions, then your letter should look like this:

25. Miss K. Checchia
3040 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19149
March 25, 2004
Music-by-Mail
1728 Maple Street
New York City, New York
Dear Sir or Madam:
I have recently ordered and received a CD from your mail catalog. When I received it, I was saddened to notice that the CD had been damaged. I opened the case and found that it was scratched. It will not play in my CD player.
Along with this letter, I am returning the CD. I would like a refund in the amount of the purchase. I thank you in advance for your prompt and courteous service.
Sincerely,
Miss K. Checchia

26. You can now write a Business Letter!
Congratulations!
You can now write a Business Letter!