Business Letters Mr. Blaugrund

Why do you need to write business letters? The key to communication Business to Business Individual to Business Business to Individual Accomplish a goal Earn a business’ respect Get what you want!

Reasons for writing letters I am writing to… inquire about … apologize for … ask you to… ask you if…

Reasons for writing letters Requests Could you possibly… I would be grateful if you could…

Reasons for writing letters Agreeing to Requests I would be delighted to …

Reasons for writing letters Giving Bad News Unfortunately … I am afraid that …

Step 1 – Letterhead or Typed Heading Company Letterhead Includes logo, slogan, or other identifying items Address, phone number, and other contact information Use a 2 inch top margin and 1 inch side margins TYPED HEADING Consists of a typed return address/ /phone Should also include the name of the sender Times New Roman, 12 pt. Single spacing Use a 1 inch top margin and 1 inch side margins

Step 1 - Typed Heading Type your name and press Enter Type your address below (Notice the format of the address. You should ALWAYS format addresses like this.) Press Enter twice Fred Smith¶ Canyon High School¶ W. Nadal St. ¶ Canyon Country, CA 91351¶ (661) ¶ ¶

Step 2 - Date Type today’s date Then press Enter four times Fred Smith¶ Canyon High School¶ W. Nadal St. ¶ Canyon Country, CA 91351¶ (661) ¶ ¶ February 20, 2014 ¶ ¶

Step 3 – Inside Address Inside Address is whom the letter is TO Type the name and address of the person the letter is to Include formal title, position and company name Press Enter twice February 20, 2014 ¶ ¶ Mr. Pete Schmenderman¶ Sales Manager ¶ Top-Notch Skateboards ¶ 456 Sacramitlo Ln.¶ Rockville, IL 63831¶ ¶

Step 4 – Salutation or Greeting After the Inside Address and a double space Type the Salutation or Greeting Press Enter twice Mr. Pete Schmenderman¶ Sales Manager ¶ Top-Notch Skateboards ¶ 456 Sacramitlo Ln.¶ Rockville, IL 63831¶ ¶ Dear Mr. Schmenderman:¶ ¶

Step 5 - Body After the Salutation and a double space Type the body of the letter Paragraph one: introduce yourself Paragraph two: demonstrate knowledge of the industry/company and make your request Paragraph three: Conclude and show appreciation Press enter twice between paragraphs Press enter twice at the end Dear Mr. Schmenderman:¶ ¶ I am a student at Canyon High School who is…. ¶ ¶ Top-Notch skateboards have led the industry since 1995…I would really appreciate it if…¶ ¶ Thank you so much for… ¶ ¶

First Body Paragraph The first paragraph of a typical business letter is used to state the main point of the letter. Begin with a friendly opening; then quickly transition into the purpose of the letter. Use a couple of sentences to explain the purpose, but do not go into detail until the next paragraph.

Second Body Paragraph Beginning with the second paragraph, state the supporting details to justify your purpose. This is where you demonstrate that you have done some research about where you’re writing. This paragraph may take the form of background information, questions, a request, and/or your reasons for asking the questions. This paragraph should be enough to ask your question(s) and explain why your are asking the question and how the answer will help you.

Third Body Paragraph Finally, in the closing paragraph, briefly restate your purpose and why it is important. If the purpose of your letter is applying to a school or for a scholarship, consider ending your letter with your contact information. However, if the purpose is informational, think about closing with gratitude for the reader’s time.

Dear Mr. Schmenderman:¶ ¶ I am a student at Canyon High School who is…¶ ¶ Top-Notch skateboards have led the industry since 1995…I would really appreciate it if…¶ ¶ Thank you so much for… ¶ ¶

Part 6 – Complimentary Close Type the Complimentary Closing Press Enter four times Thank you so much for…¶ ¶ Yours Sincerely, ¶ ¶

Part 7 – Writer’s Identification Make sure there are four spaces after the Complimentary Close Sign your name in black ink and add one space Type the Writer’s Identification including position Make sure your letter sits in the middle of the page. Yours sincerely, ¶ ¶ Fred Smith (black ink signature)¶ Fred Smith Student¶ Canyon High School

Review Typed heading Two spaces Date Four spaces Inside address Two spaces Fred Smith¶ Canyon High School¶ W. Nadal St. ¶ Canyon Country, CA 91351¶ (661) ¶ ¶ February 20, 2014 ¶ ¶ Mr. Pete Schmenderman Sales Manager Top-Notch Skateboards 456 Sacramitlo Ln. Rockville, IL 63831¶ ¶

Review Salutation Two spaces Body Paragraph 1 Two spaces Body Paragraph 2 Two spaces Body Paragraph 3 Two spaces Dear Mr. Schmenderman:¶ ¶ I am a student at Canyon High School who is…. ¶ ¶ Top-Notch skateboards have led the industry since 1995…I would really appreciate it if…. ¶ ¶ Thank you so much for… ¶ ¶

Review Complimentary Close Four spaces Writers Signature Writers Identification Yours Sincerely, ¶ ¶ Fred Smith (black ink signature) Fred Smith Student Canyon High School

Block Style Block Style with mixed punctuation Block Style: All letter parts are aligned on the left margin Punctuation: Colon follows the salutation Comma follows the Complimentary close Fred Smith¶ Canyon High School¶ W. Nadal St. ¶ Canyon Country, CA 91351¶ (661) ¶ ¶ February 20, 2014 ¶ ¶ Mr. Pete Schmenderman¶ Sales Manager¶ Top-Notch Skateboards¶ 456 Sacramitlo Ln. ¶ Rockville, IL 63831¶ ¶ Dear Mr. Schmenderman:¶ ¶ I am a student at Canyon High School who is…. ¶ ¶ Top-Notch skateboards have led the industry since 1995…I would really appreciate it if…. ¶ ¶ Thank you so much for… ¶ ¶ Yours Sincerely, ¶ ¶ Fred Smith (black ink signature) ¶ Fred Smith¶ Student Canyon High School

DO’S AND DON’TS OF LETTER WRITING STYLE: (sentence structure and vocabulary) Do use plain English. Do write in active voice and use short sentences when possible. Do use everyday words and avoid technical jargon. Do select the words you use very carefully. Do use a strong organizational strategy. Do use a reader-friendly tone. Do use a business like, conversational tone.

DO’S AND DON’TS OF LETTER WRITING TONE: Don't make grammar or usage errors. Don't use clichés or worn out phrases. Don't use obsolete and/or pompous language because it "seems" more professional. Don't be too familiar with your audience. Remember to keep some distance, this is a business relationship. Don't use humor unless you know exactly what you are doing. What is funny to you might be an issue of the highest seriousness with other people. Don't preach. If you have to tell your audience obvious info, put it in the middle of a paragraph and watch how you word the message. Don't brag. It’s good to be confident, but don't carry it to an excess.