Business Letters

Business Letters Difference between business and personal business letters is: Business Letters are printed on letterhead paper. No return address is needed. Margins: Top: 2 inches Left, Right Bottom: 1 inch Block Style: No indents: everything typed at the left margin.

Special Parts of a business letter Attention Line. Should be used only when the writer does not know the name of the person who should receive the letter. For example, if a writer wants a letter to go the director of special collections of a library but doesn’t know the name of that person, Attention Special Collections Director or Attention Director of Special Collections could be used. When an attention line is used in a letter addressed to a company, key it as the first line of the letter and envelope addresses. When using an attention line, the correct salutation is Ladies and Gentlemen.

Special parts (CONT.) Subject line. The subject line specifies the tope discussed in the letter. Key the subject line in ALL CAPS, a DS below the salutation. Reference initials. If someone other than the writer of the letter keys it, key the keyboard operator’s initials in lowercase letters at the left margin a DS below the writer’s name, title, or department. DO NOT KEY REFERENCE INITIALS IF YOU TYPED AND CREATED THE LETTER! Attachment/Enclosure notation. If another document is clipped or stapled to a letter, the word “Attachment” is keyed at the left margin a DS below the reference initials. If another document is included but not attached, the word “Enclosure” is used.

Special parts (cont.) 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 DS below the enclosure notation or the reference initials if there is no enclosure: c Mary Wilson, James Mitchell

Special parts (cont.) Blind copy notation USPS Letter Address Style: When a copy of a letter is to be sent to someone without disclosing to the addressee of the letter, a blind copy (bc) notation is used. When used, bc and the name of the person receiving the blind copy are keyed at the left margin a DS below the last letter part on all copies of the letter except the original bc Meagan Margin, Jacob Smith USPS Letter Address Style: The letter address for any letter format may be keyed in uppercase and lowercase letters, or it may be keyed in ALL CAPS with no punctuation (USPS style).

Open and Mixed Punctuation Open: No punctuation follows the salutation or complimentary close. Dear Mrs. Jones Sincerely Mixed Punctuation: There will be a colon after the salutation and a comma after the complimentary close. Dear Mrs. Jones: Sincerely,