Business Correspondence: Professional Business Letters

Business Documents include… In a business environment, people use documents to communicate with others! Business Documents include… Memos Letters Newsletters Resumes Proposals

Essential Letter Elements Date Line Month, Date, Year Inside Address 3 to 8 lines below the date line Addressee's courtesy title plus full name Job title Business affiliation Full geographical address Example: Mr. Paul Smith Personnel Director Juniper Culinary Academy 202 Park Boulevard Juniper, NV 89268

Essential Letter Elements Salutation Two lines below inside address The line at the start of a letter including the greeting and the recipient’s name If you do not know the name, avoid using “To whom it may concern” – Impersonal Instead use recipient's title Example: Dear Personnel Director Message Two lines below salutation Body of the letter Single spaced with one blank line between paragraphs

Essential Letter Elements Complimentary Close Two lines below the last line of message Capitalize only the first word Example: Sincerely yours, Signature Block At least four blank lines below Leave room to sign name

Reference Initials If someone other than the writer keys the letter, place their initials (lower case) a double space below the writer’s name ss

Attachment/Enclosure If there are attachments or enclosures, double space and indicate this under the initials. If multiple enclosures are referred to in the letter , follow the word “Enclosures” with a colon and two spaces and list each enclosure Enclosures: Brochure Membership

Copy Notation A copy notation indicates that a copy of a letter is being sent to someone other than the addressee Use “c” followed by the name of the person(s) to receive a copy. Place a copy notation a double space below the last line of the enclosure notation or the reference line if there is no enclosure: c Robert Anderson Maria Sanchez

Postscript A postscript is additional text that may be added after a letter has been completed. It is the last item in the letter. Key it a DS below the last letter part. The postscript is used to place additional emphasis on the text or to reemphasize a part of the text included in the body. Remember to RSVP by May 15, 2011 for the annual crawfish boil.

Margins TOP 2” LEFT 1” RIGHT 1” BOTTOM 1”

Three Types of Letters: Block Business Letter Modified Block Business Letter Personal Business Letter

Block Letter Style Block All components of letter begin flush with the left margin

Modified Block Letter Style Date, complimentary close, and signature block are positioned approximately one-half inch to the right of center or at the right margin All other components begin flush with left margin

Differences in Personal Business Letters & Business Letters Your street address is typed two inches down Next line has the city, state, and zip The dateline is on the line following the city, state, and zip Business Letters Companies use letterhead which includes their street address, city, state, zip, and phone number Therefore, business letters from companies do not need to have this information keyed in.

Personal Business Letter Personal Business Letter Modified Block Style Your street address is typed two inches down Next line has the city, state, and zip The dateline is on the line following the city, state, and zip

ASSIGNMENT ON BLOG You need to write a professional thank you letter to one of your teachers in the MODIFIED BLOCK LETTER STYLE Handwrite your first draft – then switch with a partner and use the proofreading symbols to check each other’s letters Person proofreading needs to sign the bottom of first draft The body must be three paragraphs: Let the teacher know why you are writing to them Why you chose that teacher Closing paragraph- thanking the teacher for the hard work they do!