Guidelines for Business Letters

1
Guidelines for Business Letters

• C503 Input letters in acceptable styles.

2
Personal Business Letter(Block Style)

• A letter written by an individual to deal with
  business of a personal nature.
• Letters arranged in the block format have all
  parts of the letter beginning at the left margin.

3
Basic Parts (in order of placement)

• Return Address
• one line for the street address
• one line for city, state (2 letter code), and ZIP
  Code
• Date
• Keyed directly under the Return Address
• Month (spell it out), day, and year March 19,
  2007
• Letter Address
• Keyed a QS (3 Enters 2 blank lines) below the
  date
• Delivery address (address of person receiving the
  letter)
• Use a personal title (Miss, Mr., Mrs., Ms.) or
  professional title (Dr., Lt., Senator) before the
  receivers name

4

• Salutation (greeting)
• Keyed a DS (2 Enters 1 blank line) below the
  letter address
• Includes title and last name (unless you know the
  receiver on a personal level)
• Body
• Start keying a DS (2 Enters 1 blank line) below
  the salutation
• SS (single space no blank lines) within the
  paragraphs
• DS (double space 1 blank line) between the
  paragraphs

5

• Complimentary Close (farewell)
• Keyed a DS below the last line of the body
• Sincerely, Very Truly Yours, etc.
• Name of Writer
• Keyed a QS (3 blank lines )below the
  complimentary close
• QS allows for room for signature
• Name may be preceded by a title

6
Special Parts

• Reference Initials
• Used if someone other than the writer keys the
  letter
• Keyed a DS below the writers typed name
• Keyed in lowercase letters at the left margin
• Attachment/Enclosure notation
• Used if another document is attached/included
  with the letter
• Keyed a DS below the Reference Initials or a DS
  below the writers typed name if no Reference
  Initials

7
Margins

• Side 1
• Top 2 2 ½
• Bottom 1

8
(No Transcript)
9
Punctuation Styles

• Open
• No punctuation after salutation or complimentary
  close
• Mixed
• Colon after salutation Dear Mrs. Walker
• Comma after close Sincerely,