Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Drawing up a business letter
• Part 2 of 2: Writing the business letter
• Tips

When you run a business, you probably have to write letters to your customers. You may need to tell them about new events or special offers, or you may need to respond to a customer who has a complaint on behalf of your business. Whatever the reason for your letter, always use a professional tone.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Drawing up a business letter

1. Use a professional letterhead. A business letter represents your company. So it must look distinctive and be of high quality. The company logo or brand must also be on it.
   • You can make a letterhead with the layouts in Microsoft Word. Make sure to use your existing logo or brand in the letterhead.
2. Open a word processing program. You should always create a business letter on a computer.
   • Create a new document and set the margins of the document to 1 inch.
   • Use a serif font such as Times New Roman, Georgia, or Ariel. Make sure to use a font size no larger than 12, but no smaller than 10. The letter should not be difficult to read due to incorrect font or size.
   • Make sure to use a single spacing.
3. Use the block shape. The block form is the most common format for business letters. It is also the easiest to work with. Each heading must be against the left margin and there will be a space after each heading. Starting from top to bottom, your business letter should have the following headings:
   • The current date, or the date on which you send the letter. The date is important as it can be used for your records and those of the addressee. It can then also be legally used. So make sure the date is correct.
   • The sender's address. This is your address, formatted in a standard address format. If your address is already on the letterhead, you can skip this step.
   • The addressee's address. This consists of the name and address of the person to whom you are writing the letter. Using Mr. / Mrs. is optional. So if you write to Nina de Vries, for example, you can omit the Mevrouw part.
   • The preamble. This can be "Dear Mrs. de Vries" or "Dear Nina de Vries". If you are not sure who will read the letter, use "Dear Sir or Madam". You can also use "L.S.," but only as a last resort if you have no idea who will be reading your letter.
   • The body of the letter. We will focus on this more later in this article.
   • The closing of the letter, with signature. This can be "Sincerely" or "Sincerely".

Part 2 of 2: Writing the business letter

1. Determine who your target audience is. The tone of the letter should always be professional, regardless of your target audience. But you may have to change your language or choice of words depending on the recipient. If you are writing to the human resources department of another company, you should be more formal in your language. But if you're writing to a specific client, you can use a bit more casual or casual language.
   • Determining your target group also means that you can be clear towards your target group. Avoid using terminology that your reader does not understand. For example, a customer probably doesn't know the abbreviations used for your company's space program, so don't use those in the letter.
   • The golden rule of writing a good business letter is to be clear, concise, and polite.
2. Indicate the purpose of the letter in the first sentence. Consider the purpose of the letter. Is it to inform your customers about your new location? Is it to remind a customer about an unpaid bill or outstanding balance? Or to respond to a customer's complaint? With this goal in mind, create a draft for the first sentence that will immediately let your reader know what the letter is about. Don't be vague about the purpose of your letter. Be straightforward.
   • Start with "Me" if you want to voice your opinion as a business owner. Use "We" when writing on behalf of a company or organization.
   • Focus on a direct statement such as: "With this letter we want to inform you" or "With this letter we want to request you". You can also use an "I" statement if you are writing the letter as a business owner. Such as: "I'm contacting you because of" or "I recently heard that ... and would like to know more about ..."
   • For example, if you (as a business owner) write a letter to Nina de Vries about an unpaid account from last month, you can start with: "I am contacting you through this letter because of an outstanding balance in your account from March 2015."
   • Or, as an employee of a company, if you respond to a customer's complaint about the company's space program, you can start the letter with, "We received your complaint about our space program to Mars."
   • Maybe you write the letter to let a customer know that they have won a competition or a place in a training course. Start with a sentence such as: "I am happy to inform you ..." or "We would like to inform you that ..."
   • If you have to deliver bad news, start with a sentence such as, "We are sorry to inform you that ..." or "After careful consideration, I decided not to ..."
3. Use the active voice instead of the passive voice. In general language we often use the passive form. But the passive form makes what you write boring and confusing. The active form is much more effective in a business letter because it sets a more assertive tone.
   • An example of a passive form is, for example: `` What specific complaints can I resolve for you? '' The subject of the sentence, the customer ('you') is at the end of the sentence, instead of at the beginning of the sentence .
   • An example of the active form is, for example, "What can I do to resolve your complaints?" This version of the sentence, in the active form, is much clearer and easier for the reader to understand.
   • Using the passive form can be a great way to get your message across without paying attention to a mistake or questionable point. But only use this then. In general, the active form is much more effective in business letters.
4. Point out a previous event or conversation with the reader, if applicable. You may have contacted Nina de Vries earlier this month with a warning about her unpaid bill. Or perhaps a customer expressed frustration with the space program at a conference last month. If you've already interacted with the reader, acknowledge this. It reminds the reader of your previous contact and makes the business letter seem more urgent and important.
   • Use a phrase such as: "Continuing from my letter about your unpaid bill" or "Thank you for your payment in March". Or "It was very helpful to hear about your position on the space program at the May conference."
5. Make a request or offer help. Set a positive tone with the reader by making a polite request or offering them help in the form of a collaborative relationship.
   • Say you're a business owner asking a customer to pay a bill. Use a phrase such as, "I appreciate if you settle your unpaid bill as soon as possible."
   • Say you are writing on behalf of your company. Use a sentence such as: "We would be happy to arrange a face-to-face meeting between you and our Human Resources Officer."
   • You can also offer to answer any questions or concerns your readers may have. Use a phrase such as: "I'll be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have regarding your account." Or, "Would you like us to provide you with more details about the program?"
6. Close the letter. Add a call to action, for yourself and for the reader. This could be a request for payment before a specific date or a note about making a formal appointment with the reader.
   • Add a sentence where you address the addressee in the future. "I look forward to seeing you at the budget meeting next week." Or "I look forward to discussing this further with you during our visit to headquarters."
   • Pay attention to any documents you want to add to your letter. Add a sentence such as "In the attachments you will find the outstanding invoice" or "Attached you will find a copy of our space program."
   • End the letter with a closing sentence. Use "Sincerely" for customers or clients.
   • Use "Sincerely" in formal letters to people you do not know.
   • Only use "Best Regards" or "Best Regards" when writing to someone you know well or work with.
7. Read the letter again. All your accurate formatting and words will be in vain if the letter is full of spelling mistakes!
   • Note any use of the passive form, and try to change the sentence to the active form.
   • Pay attention to any long, unclear, and complicated sentences. In a business letter, less is usually more, so shorten the length of your sentences if possible.

Tips

• When you print the letter, use a blank A4. When you send the letter, fold it in thirds and send it in a standard envelope.