Business Letter Writing: Theory, Parts and Structure

Business Letter Writing: Theory, Parts and Structure: A business letter is a communication between companies, or between companies and their customers, clients, or other external parties. The general tone of the letter is determined by the nature of the connection between the persons involved. Business letters may be used to seek direct information or action from another party, purchase goods from a supplier, point out a mistake made by the letter’s recipient, respond immediately to a request, apologise for a mistake, or show goodwill, among other things. A business letter may be valuable because it creates a permanent written record and is more likely to be considered seriously by the receiver than other types of communication.

Writing for a business audience differs significantly from writing in the humanities, social sciences, or other academic fields. Business writing aims to be concise and precise rather than emotive or imaginative, and it emphasises detail and correctness. This contrast does not imply that business writing is better or worse than other types of writing. Rather, it represents the special purpose and concerns that come with writing in a professional setting.

When writing a business document, you must anticipate that your audience will only have a limited amount of time to read it and will most likely skim it. Your readers are interested in what you have to say since it impacts their professional lives. They’re looking for the “bottom line,” which is the point you’re making about a circumstance or issue and how they should react.

Business writing ranges from the informal, conversational tone of email to the more formal, legalistic style of contracts. The bulk of memos, emails, and letters should be written in a manner that falls somewhere between these two extremes. An effort to be extremely casual may come off as false or unprofessional, while writing that is too formal might alienate readers. You must know your audience in business writing, as in any writing.

The business letter will, in most situations, be the first impression you make on someone. Despite the fact that business writing has gotten less formal over time, you should always take great care to ensure that your letter’s content is clear and that it has been well reviewed.

Business Letter Components

Most business letters contain certain fundamental components, regardless of their purpose. The structure of a business letter refers to the orderly organisation of different elements of the message. The look of a letter frequently exposes the writer’s and his organization’s personalities. As a result, a business letter should be formatted in a way that attracts the reader’s attention. A well-structured business letter may also help the company’s reputation and goodwill.

If sufficient attention is paid to each and every aspect of a business letter, it will be more impressive.

A business letter is divided into 12 sections.

• The Letterhead or Heading
• Date
• Reference
• The Address on the Inside
• Subject
• Greeting
• Paragraphs in the body
• Close on a friendly note
• Identification of the Author’s Signature
• Enclosures
• Circulation of Copies
• PostScript

Business Letter Writing: Theory, Parts and Structure

• The Letterhead or Heading

It generally includes the company’s or organization’s name and address. It may also include the company’s email address, phone number, fax number, and trademark or emblem.

• Date

The date is written below the header in the right-hand corner of the letter.

• Reference

It depicts the organization’s department that is sending the letter. In addition, the letter-number might be used as a reference.

• The Address on the Inside

It contains the recipient’s name, address, zip code, and work title. After the reference, it must be stated. On the left-hand side of the page, write the inner address.

• Subject

It’s a short statement that explains why you’re writing the letter. It should be clean, eye-catching, brief, straightforward, and easy to comprehend.

• The Salutation

It includes greeting phrases for the addressee. The salutation is another name for it. The greeting style is determined by the connection between the sender and the receiver.

Dear, Respected, or simply Sir/Madame are common examples. The greeting is generally followed by a comma (,).

• The Paragraphs in the Body

This is the most important section of the letter. It includes the sender’s actual message. The primary text of the email should be concise and easy to comprehend. The body of the letter is separated into three distinct sections.

The writer’s introduction must be included in the opening paragraph of the letter writing. It also includes any past communication. The primary concept or motive for writing is stated in this paragraph. It must be clear, succinct, comprehensive, and concise.

The last section of the business letter is the concluding paragraph. It demonstrates the proposals or the need of taking action. The letter’s ending expresses the sender’s expectation of the receiver. Always finish your emails with polite phrases like “thank you,” “warm regards,” “looking forward to hearing from you,” and so on.

• Close with a Compliment

It’s a modest way to finish a letter. It’s written in the same style as the greeting. Yours truly, Yours sincerely, and Thanks & Regards are the most often used complimenting closes.

• Identification of the Author’s Signature

It contains the sender’s signature, name, and designation. Other information, such as a phone number or an address, may also be included. Just above the sender’s name is a handwritten signature.

• Enclosures

The papers related to the letter are shown in the enclosures. Cheques, draughts, bills, receipts, invoices, and other papers are examples of acceptable paperwork. One by one, the items are listed.

• Circulation of Copies

It’s required when the letter’s copies are forwarded to other people. C.C. is the abbreviation for it.

• PostScript

When the sender wishes to include anything other than the message in the body of the letter, he might say it. It’s abbreviated as P.S.

A Business Letter’s Structure

A well-written, well-presented, and well-communicated business letter.

It is made up of various pieces that are placed in a logical order to make it meaningful. The structure of a business letter is the arrangement of different sections of a letter in a logical order. The header, opening, body, and closing structures are as follows:

• Heading

The purpose of the heading is to present a favourable picture of the firm. Because it contains the company’s address, phone number, and, in many cases, email address. That information does not need to be repeated in the body of the message. If the action statement requires direct contact, the writer may offer a direct phone number or personal email address.

• Address on the Inside

The entire name and business address of the person to whom the letter is addressed are two spaces below the date. If the letter is being sent to a group of individuals, all of their names and addresses should be included. The address on the letter and the address on the envelope should match. Inaccuracies might have legal ramifications, much as the date. The address on the letter is assumed to be the address to which it will be delivered. A receiver might argue that the letter was also addressed to the wrong address if it is incomplete or erroneous.

• Date

The letter must mention the whole date. Any agreement may be obtained as to the date. Because the letter is a formal document that is often utilised in contract circumstances, the date is crucial. Although the letter is normally dated the same day it is sent, any agreements mentioned in it are regarded effective as of the date of the letter.

The beginning

• Salutation

The formal greeting always begins with “Dear,” then the person’s title and last name, followed by a colon. This necessitates determining if the receiver should be addressed as Mr., Ms., or Dr. Attempts to avoid the problem (e.g., replacing the title with the recipient’s first name, using impersonal phrases like “Mr. Or Ms.” or “To Whom It May Concern,” or omitting the salutation entirely) show that the writer doesn’t know the recipient at all, resulting in a “form” letter, a much less formal document.

Body

• Paragraph about the context

The context of the letter will be established in the opening paragraph, which will include a clear declaration of the letter’s subject and goal. Avoid using flowery language to begin a letter that does not communicate what the message is about. Beginning a letter with an inquiry about the family or a statement on current weather or global events is suitable in social letters or letters designed for businesses. Businesspeople in the United States, on the other hand, desire to know why the letter was sent immediately quickly.)

• Paragraphs of content

The information pertinent to the letter’s goal is usually included in one to three paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a particular subject or idea. To enhance clarity, it is appropriate to separate the content into parts using internal headings or bullets in the event of a lengthy letter that spans numerous pages.

• Paragraph of Action

The letter’s closing paragraph contains a clear, unambiguous description of the action that the writer will do, whether asked by the reader or anticipated by a third party.

• Closing

A conventional closing line, usually “sincerely” or “respectfully,” finishes the letter two spaces below the last paragraph. “Cordially,” “best wishes,” or “regards” might be used as a closure if the occasion calls for it.

• Signature

A four-line gap below the close allows for a written signature, after which the sender’s complete name is typed, followed by the entire company title (occasionally with the department or division as well) on the following line. A business letter’s signature indicates that the writer accepts responsibility for keeping any promises made. Even when the sender and receiver are well acquainted, a complete signature is required.

When writing on behalf of a team or department, enter the group’s actual name just above the team’s representative’s typed signature.