Business Writing How to Write Business Letters

44 Tanglewood Trail Norton, CT May 25, 2005 Commercial Objects, Inc. 500 W. Maple St. Franchise, NC Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing to thank you for the quality of the Tune Tote 2000 CD carrying case I got for my birthday. I’ve had it for two weeks, and I have already been able to take my CDs on an airplane and keep them safe by storing them in your case. The teeth that hold the center of the CD in place are very strong! I am able to get my CDs back out again without their snapping in two, and I am very happy about that. I have been a fan of your products in the past, so I was very happy when I unwrapped the Tune Tote. I hope that you will continue to carry many useful products like the Tune Tote, and I look forward to purchasing them in the future. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Tom Taylor

Definition A business letter is Formal correspondence about a business- related matter. Writing a business letter is an essential skill in the business world.

Business Letters are used to… Order a product or service Complain about a product or service “Sell” yourself to a college admissions committee, job interviewer, or manager Set up a meeting Respond to someone else’s idea (to name a few!)

A business letter must… Have an appropriate tone Use appropriate language for its intended audience State the purpose clearly in the opening paragraph Use precise words and avoid wordiness Present only essential information Present details in a logical order Conclude with a summary of important points Include a call to action Be readable (appropriate format, fonts, and spacing)

Planning your letter Use block form. All six parts of the letter align at the left margin. No indenting. Address your audience appropriately. Your tone must be respectful and formal. Use proper grammar and vocabulary. At the opening of the letter, clearly state your reason for writing. People are busy! Get to your point right away. In the body of the letter, state your main ideas. Provide necessary information the reader will need. Close the letter formally. Use a phrase such as “Respectfully yours” or “Sincerely”.

1234 Any Street (Your street address) Hometown, OH (City, State ZIP) July 12, 2007 (Current Date) Ms. Sandra Garcia (Name of recipient) Any Company (Business/Institution name, if applicable) 5678 Not Here Avenue (Street Address) Another Town, NY (City, State ZIP) Dear Ms. Garcia: (Notice the use of a colon after the greeting) Introductory Paragraph: Use this paragraph to explain your purpose for writing. This paragraph should probably include three or four sentences. Second Paragraph: Notice the spacing and lack of indentations in this format. This modern business letter style is called block format. Use single- spacing for paragraphs, and leave an extra space between paragraphs. This second paragraph can include supporting details or additional information about why you are writing. A length of 3–5 sentences is a good guide for a second paragraph. Concluding Paragraph: Summarize your earlier statements. Provide any additional contact information. Thank the recipient for his or her time. Two to three sentences is a good length for a concluding paragraph. Sincerely, (Other possible closings include Respectfully or Truly Yours) (Leave 3–4 spaces so you have room to sign your name) Any Student (Type your name) Notice the… block formatting and easy to read font

44 Tanglewood Trail Norton, CT May 25, 2005 Commercial Objects, Inc. 500 W. Maple St. Franchise, NC Dear Sir or Madam: I am writing to thank you for the quality of the Tune Tote 2000 CD carrying case I got for my birthday. I’ve had it for two weeks, and I have already been able to take my CDs on an airplane and keep them safe by storing them in your case. The teeth that hold the center of the CD in place are very strong! I am able to get my CDs back out again without their snapping in two, and I am very happy about that. I have been a fan of your products in the past, so I was very happy when I unwrapped the Tune Tote. I hope that you will continue to carry many useful products like the Tune Tote, and I look forward to purchasing them in the future. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Tom Taylor

Your Assignment Incorporate 3-5 of this week’s vocabulary words as you write a properly formatted business letter to Atticus. It is 10 years after the events of the novel. Write a business letter from either Mayella Ewell or Boo Radley detailing their involvements in the Tom Robinson case and in Bob Ewell’s death, respectively. Use proper tone and language Use proper format

From Mayella’s perspective It is 10 years after the events of the novel, and Mayella feels guilty about having accused an innocent man of rape, leading to his death. What is her life like now? Why has she had a change of heart? What happened to the family after her father's death? Write a letter from Mayella to Mr. Finch explaining why she did what she did, describing what is going on in her life now, and asking forgiveness for her responsibility in what happened with Tom Robinson and Atticus' children. (Reread chapters for her testimony—what her life was like, how she feels treated by others— and Tom’s testimony—what really happened the day of the beating—in giving specific details of what happened and in thinking about how/why she may have changed her mind). Incorporate 3-5 of this week’s vocabulary words in your business letter to Atticus.

From Boo’s Perspective It is 10 years after the events of the novel, and the issues surrounding his responsibility in the death of Bob Ewell weigh heavily on Boo Radley's conscience. How did he know Bob was attacking the children? Did he do the right thing in covering up the truth and not taking responsibility for his actions? Write a letter from Boo Radley to Atticus detailing his involvement in Bob Ewell's death, and asking forgiveness for having placed such a heavy burden of covering up the truth on Atticus. (Reread chapters 28—the actual attack, 29—Piecing events together from Atticus’ and Scout’s retelling, 30—Heck Tate’s conclusions, and 31—Boo’s perspective of events from the whole novel through Scout’s eyes). Incorporate 3-5 of this week’s vocabulary words in your business letter to Atticus.

Any Questions?