[dropcap]Y[/dropcap]ou have to know how to write business letters, not only because your grade depends on it, but because it is one of those truly important skills which will come in handy in almost any business situation. Even if your ideas are super engaging and your command of the English language is excellent, you have to follow some specific rules which make your business letter shine to the recipient’s eyes. If you need some timely professional help with custom business letter writing, here are some efficient tips:
Define Your Goals
Every letter should start with a goal. Think about why you write it? What do you want the addressee to understand from this letter?
Having determined the answers to these questions, all the contents of the letter must be subordinated to this goal. If there are several goals, it is probably better to write several letters.
Check The Headline
Even before the addressee opens the letter, he or she sees the title, which defines whether he or she will read your letter or it will immediately go to spam or directly to a trash folder.
To avoid this – adhere to the following rules:
- Headings should be informative (instead of “question” it is better to write “the issue of delivery time”, there should not be empty headings, “RE”, etc.)
- The headings should be short, preferably a maximum of 7 + 2 words.
- Headings should have the same form for the same type of situations (for example, if you send weekly reports, then the headlines “Weekly Report X”, “Week X + 1”, “Progress Report” will only annoy. It is much better to use the headings like “Weekly Report X “,” Weekly Report X + 1 “,” Report for the Week X + 2 “…)
State the Recipient Correctly
When sending letters, specify the recipients correctly.
- TO: is the direct recipient of the letter to be informed or who should provide the answer.
- CC: those to whom the letter is sent for information.
- BCC: those whose addresses must be hidden from the other recipients.
Structure Your Content
How well your information is perceived largely depends on how clearly your letter will be structured. Use the following rules:
- It is recommended to adhere to the length of the letter not more than 1 page, and if there is more information to share — to attach it to the attached files.
- It is convenient when the letter is subject to the logic of “Introduction – Substantial Part – Conclusion.” The most important points should be emphasized both at the beginning and at the conclusion of the letter.
- Try to be as laconic as possible, the fewer letters — the better the perception.
- In the first sentence formulate the key purpose of the letter: you answer, appoint a meeting or express your thoughts regarding with something (for example: “I send you the requested information regarding our previous…”).
- If you expect any reaction from the addressee — at the end of the letter, add a motivation for action (for example, “Please tell me the ABC information”).
- If you provide the addressee with some information, it will not be superfluous to request confirmation of the letter (for example, “Please acknowledge receipt of this letter”).
- If attachments are attached to the letter — write about it in the letter itself. If there is more than one file, explain what it is.
Make It Look Professional
The design of the letter is also very important, since it is an additional aspect, which, unlike content, often affects the recipient at a subconscious level. When completing your correspondence, it is recommended to consider the following rules.
Keep in mind that you do not know the settings of your recipient’s mail service and the letter can come in Plain Text, so when creating it, make sure that it looks good in this format.
Large letters and red color are perceived as a sign of aggression, they should be avoided.
Lots of great ideas has gone in vain because the business letters they were presented in were not written well-enough. Use these tips and you will never have such problems. Practice before you start sending real business letters and you definitely will succeed!
