Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Writing Skills
Learning Outcomes
What properly addressed business
envelopes contain in it?
Why business letters are written?
What are standard and optional parts of
the business letter?
What are the different types of business
letters?
Envelopes
Return addresses of the senders should
be in the upper left corner of the envelop.
The addressee’s address should be
placed on the envelop.
Addresses should always be typed in
block letters.
Envelopes
Information in the address should be listed
in following order:
Name and Title of the receiver
Name of department
Name of organization
Street Address
City
Country
Business letters
Business letters are written for many reasons:
To Initiate action
To Inform
To Request
To Persuade.
Steps to a successful business
letter
To write a successful business letter follow
these steps:
Determine the purpose of your letter.
Write a plan.
Draft and redraft the letter.
Edit and proofread.
Standard parts of the letter
Most business letters have the following
parts:
1. Heading, Letterhead and date
2. Inside Address
3. Salutation
4. Body
5. Complimentary Close
6. Signature Area
7. Reference Section
Optional parts of the letter
Attention Line
Subject Line
Enclosure Notation
Copy Notation
File or Account Number
Types of business letter
Letter of inquiry
Response to letter of inquiry
Purchase orders
Sales letter
Letters of inquiry
Provide a clear, specific question.
Give a reason for the inquiry.
Are polite, but not servile.
Response to letter of inquiry
Use standard letter layout.
Always use a subject heading.
Begin by referring to the original inquiry
(be specific).
Start with ‘Thank you for your inquiry …’
Detail action you have taken in response to the
inquiry.
If no action has (yet) been taken, still respond
immediately to the inquiry.
Purchase orders
Follow standard letter layout.
Provide specific and complete information.
Provide information about an acceptable
alternative.
Give full instructions for delivery.
Provide payment details.
Start with ‘Please …’
Sales letters
Sales letters are different to other
business letters.
They have two purposes: information and
advertising.
Letters have to be persuasive but not
aggressive.
A follow-up letter may be needed after a
certain period of time.