Writing and Composing Business Letters

Skill-Set: Real World Information Technology Business Skill

Category: Communication

Definition of a Business Letter
The business letter is the basic means of communication between two companies. It is estimated that close to 100 million Business Letters are written each workday. It is a document typically sent externally to those outside a company but is also sent internally to those within a company. Most business letters have a formal tone. You should write a business letter whenever you need a permanent record that you sent the information enclosed. Because you generally send business letters to other professionals, always include a formal salutation and closing.

Purpose
You will write business letters to inform readers of specific information. However, you might also write a business letter to persuade others to take action or to propose your ideas. business letters even function as advertisements at times. Consider the letters long-distance phone companies send to those not signed up for their services or the cover letter to your resume. Both of these serve to promote or advertise. Business letters can be challenging to write, because you have to consider how to keep your readers' attention. This is particularly the case if your readers receive large amounts of mail and have little time to read. Writing Business Letters is like any other document: First you must analyze your audience and determine your purpose. Then you gather information, create an outline, write a draft, and revise it. The key to writing business letters is to get to the point as quickly as possible and to present your information clearly.

Audience
Writing a Business Letter is like any other type of technical communication. First you have to analyze your audience and determine your purpose. The typical audience is other professionals. However, you might also write business letters to your co-workers. These audiences generally require you provide a detailed background about your purpose. As a student, you may have to write business letters to your instructor or classmates. When composing academic Business Letters, consider what this audience already knows about the subject. For example, if you are writing a Business Letter to accompany a paper, does your audience already know what the paper is about? What further information do they require? What do you require from them as a result? Because a business letter is a communication from one person to another, a letter must convey a courteous, positive tone. Look at the situation from your reader's point of view and adjust the content and tone to meet the audience's needs.
 

General Format
When you write a Business Letter, you will follow a general format. However, your instructor or your company may have specific requirements that you must use. For instance, a company might have a particular way of presenting a salutation or may even use a specific type of letterhead. Because a business letter is an effective way to communicate a message, its format should allow readers to quickly grasp information. Information should stand out to readers as they scan the document. Remember, a business letter reflects your professionalism. To read more about a business letter's format, choose any of the links below, in the order that they normally appear in a business letter:
 

 

[Letter Example]  [Communication Examples]  [Communication Home]