1. Writing Business Letters

2. Six parts of the Business letter
The heading
The inside address
The salutation
The body
The closing
The signature

3. The Heading Your street address Your city, state, and ZIP code
The date the letter was written

4. Example:
4561 Easy Street
Agoura, CA 99303
April 15, 2008

5. The Inside Address Name of the person you are writing
(Use a courtesy title such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss) or a professional title (such as Dr. or Professor) in front of the person’s name.
After the person’s name include the person’s address.

6. Example: 4561 Easy Street Agoura, CA 99303 April 15, 2008
Dr. Christian
101 Memorial Pkwy.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

7. The Salutation
This is your greeting! If you are writing to a specific person, begin with dear followed by a courtesy title or a professional title and the person’s name. End the salutation with a colon.
If you don’t have a specific name, you can use a general salutation such as Dear Sir or Madam.

8. Example: 4561 Easy Street Agoura, CA 99303 April 15, 2008
Dr. Christian
101 Memorial Pkwy.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Dear Dr. Christian:

9. The Body
The main part of your letter contains your message. It begins beneath the salutation. If the body of your letter contains more than one paragraph, leave a blank line between paragraphs.

10. Example: 4561 Easy Street Agoura, CA 99303 April 15, 2008
Dr. Christian
101 Memorial Pkwy.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Dear Dr. Christian:
I am submitting my resume to express my interest in the Marketing/Promotions Assistant position you
posted with California Lutheran University. I was drawn to this position because it encompasses a
blend of marketing and advertising, and public speaking which are all the areas I am most interested in.
On your website, I was pleased to discover that the driving force of your company is your belief of getting inside the
hearts and minds of consumers, retailers, and manufacturers. During my internship at an independent advertising firm, I
have seen how important this principle is in the development of strategic marketing and advertising campaigns. While
working on various campaigns, I have been able to sharpen my ability to integrate theory with creative solutions and
have also learned to undertake the diverse challenges presented by marketing and advertising tasks.
I have attached my resume, which details additional information regarding my experiences and abilities. I look forward
to meeting with you to discuss my interest and qualifications at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and
consideration.

11. The Closing
The closing should end your letter courteously. There are several closings that are often used in business letters, such as Sincerely yours, Yours truly, or Regards. Capitalize only the first word.

12. Example: 4561 Easy Street Agoura, CA 99303 April 15, 2008
Dr. Christian
101 Memorial Pkwy.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Dear Dr. Christian:
I am submitting my resume to express my interest in the Marketing/Promotions Assistant position you
posted with California Lutheran University. I was drawn to this position because it encompasses a
blend of marketing and advertising, and public speaking which are all the areas I am most interested in.
On your website, I was pleased to discover that the driving force of your company is your belief of getting inside the
hearts and minds of consumers, retailers, and manufacturers. During my internship at an independent advertising firm, I
have seen how important this principle is in the development of strategic marketing and advertising campaigns. While
working on various campaigns, I have been able to sharpen my ability to integrate theory with creative solutions and
have also learned to undertake the diverse challenges presented by marketing and advertising tasks.
I have attached my resume, which details additional information regarding my experiences and abilities. I look forward
to meeting with you to discuss my interest and qualifications at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and
consideration.
Sincerely,
Natasha Bettingfield

13. The Signature
Your signature should be written in ink, directly below the closing. Your name should be typed below your signature.

14. Example: 4561 Easy Street Agoura, CA 99303 April 15, 2008
Dr. Christian
101 Memorial Pkwy.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Dear Dr. Christian:
I am submitting my resume to express my interest in the Marketing/Promotions Assistant position you
posted with California Lutheran University. I was drawn to this position because it encompasses a
blend of marketing and advertising, and public speaking which are all the areas I am most interested in.
On your website, I was pleased to discover that the driving force of your company is your belief of getting inside the
hearts and minds of consumers, retailers, and manufacturers. During my internship at an independent advertising firm, I
have seen how important this principle is in the development of strategic marketing and advertising campaigns. While
working on various campaigns, I have been able to sharpen my ability to integrate theory with creative solutions and
have also learned to undertake the diverse challenges presented by marketing and advertising tasks.
I have attached my resume, which details additional information regarding my experiences and abilities. I look forward
to meeting with you to discuss my interest and qualifications at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and
consideration.
Sincerely,
Natasha Bettingfield

15. Letters of Application
The purpose of a letter of application is to provide a selection committee or possible employers with enough information about you so that they can make a decision about whether you are a good choice for a position, such as a scholarship or summer job.

16. Writing Tips Use a polite, respectful, professional tone.
Use formal, standard English.
(avoid slang, contractions and abbreviations Conversational language is inappropriate!)
Explain the purpose of your letter quickly and clearly.

17. Letter of Application Assignment:
Following the block style business letter format, write a letter of application with two body paragraphs that address the following:
Identify the job or position you are applying for and tell how you heard about it.
Tell about yourself. Depending on the position you are applying for, you might include:
Your age, grade in school, or grade-point average
Your experience, or your activities, awards, and honors
Personal qualities or characteristics that make you a good choice for the position.