
You must be wondering who writes a letter in the 21st century. Haven’t they heard about the internet and emails? But, letters are still an important thing for businessmen. Many business houses, small or large, prefer hard copies like a letter or a report on paper to emails. This is why many business schools still have courses and assignments that train you to write business letters proficiently. Although you can always find assignment help services to offer you letter assignment writing help, it is always better if you know the A-Z of a business letters.
Here are all the things you need to know before writing a business letter –
-
Type of letters you need to write
Like any letter, a business letter must also have a sender and receiver. However, depending on the requirement, the types of letter gets changed.
Some of the major types of letters are –
-
Letter of complaint
It is a business letter from a person or a company dissatisfied with the products or services of the other company. These letters are usually very direct and explain the reasons why the product didn’t meet the expectation. However, even if you are extremely angry, you must always maintain a polite tone to write a letter of complaint.
-
Adjustment letter
Adjustments letters are the reply to complaints letters. The accused company writes back to the customers offering a solution or apology with the intention of correcting the error.
-
Cover letters
These kinds of letters are written by job applicants and are usually mailed along with a resume.
-
Order letters
As the name suggests, order letters are written by a company or a person to their vendors to order a shipment. These letters are very important and always need to be double-checked to ensure there is no mistake in the order details.
-
Write a short outline
Once you have decided what kind of letter you want to write, you need to draft a short outline for the letter. This helps to give your letter a structure, and you don’t need to think about the things you want to write. Gather as much information as you need and write all these ideas. You can even use keywords instead of writing full sentences to jerk your memory. You can include these points to make an outline –
- Name of the job profile you want to apply
- Why do you think you would be a good fit
- How the job will benefit you
- When you are free for the interview
You can add or subtract the points according to your requirement. But always remember to add transition words between paragraphs.
-
Using the right layouts and salutations
Business letters are formal letters, and they have strict rules, unlike informal ones. Depending on the letter layout, you need to follow a specific format. Follow these rules to get a better idea –
- Start with the sender’s details. Write the address in either top left or right corner. Mention your name at the end of the letter.
- Leave a space after the sender’s address and write the date below that. Remember whom you are writing to. For example, if the receiver is American, you need to follow the Month/Date/Year format.
- Leave another space and then write the rest of the details of the recipient. While writing the recipient’s name, position, and address, pay attention to using the right salutations and details.
If you are confused about using which salutation to use for addressing a woman, always use Ms. This helps you if you are confused if the recipient is married or not. Making the right salutations is very important in a business letter. Once you have conveyed everything, close the letter depending on the same salutation, you used at the beginning. Sign your name at the end and mention your position. This gives your letter more credibility.
-
Use the correct vocabulary
You need to be careful about the vocabulary you use depending on the letter type. Using informal words like “Bro”, “Fam”, and “K.” is strictly not allowed. Here are some examples of how you can use your vocabulary –
- Letter of Complaint
- I am writing to complain about…
- I recently purchased this and…
- I want to draw your attention…
- As you can understand, I am very disappointed…
- I wish to get a refund…
- I feel entitled for compensation…
- Looking forward to a prompt reply…
- Letter of Inquiry
- I am writing to inquire…
- I would appreciate if you could help me find…
- Can you tell me…
- Would you be kind enough to help me…
- Cover Letters
- I would like to apply for the position…
- I am writing in response to your advertisement…
- As you can see from my resume…
- I am keen to pursue a career in…
- I am currently working as…
- Adjustment Letters
- We sincerely apologize for…
- Please accept our apologies for…
- We understand that you are upset, but…
- Order Letters
- Can you kindly confirm the prices of…
- We would like to place an order of…
- Check the Spelling
Double check your spelling before you send the letter. Take help of the spell check tools to check if you are unsure about the spelling of a word. If you do not have access to any online tools, try to replace that word with some words. It is always better to use the right word instead of forcing the best word.
Also, do consider the ethnicity of your reader while writing the spellings. For example, Americans spell a lot of things differently than British people. So, it is better to cross-check these differences while writing a business letter.
-
Check the Grammar
Grammar mistakes are equally disastrous, like a spelling mistake while writing a business letter. While some writers have better grammatical knowledge, others may have to work a little bit to polish their skills. There are many online tools and books you can refer to in case of confusion. Some common mistakes people make while writing business letters are –
- Your and You’re
- Its and It’s
- Than and Then
- Effect and Affect
- Confusion between present simple and present continuous tense
- Confusion with possessive nouns
- Incorrect punctuation’s
Even if it looks complex, a little practice daily helps you clear the confusion. If the problem persists, you can find someone who helps students with assignment writing. They can also help you with the correct formatting techniques like using the right fonts, size, spacing, etc., for a price.
Must Read: Top Assignment Experts
Summing Up:
As you can see, although business letters seem complex, once you grasp the concepts, it doesn’t seem that daunting. Just remember that be more professional than friendly while writing a business letter. Whenever you have any doubt, go through this blog and ace it like a pro!
Read Also: College Dorm Nights The Everything You Should Learn