A Sample Business Letter . . .

By now you've encountered numerous letters during the course of your work at D. C. Cook or wherever else you have worked in the past. Reading these letters you will have developed a sense of what a business letter looks like. Still, you may find it helpful to have a pattern of a letter to examine. I've prepared a sample business letter which contains the different features you might see in a letter. You'll notice that I've footnoted each feature of the letter with a brief explanation of that feature, just in case you might find this information useful.

Andrews University Writing Center
203 Nethery Hall, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0040
phone: 269-471-3358 / e-mail: writery@andrews.edu (1)

24 July 2003 (2)

Edith Beyers
Software Representative
3256 Edgewater Drive
Orlando, FL 32703 (3)

[ Replacement computer software, PO#35467 ] (4)

Dear Ms. Beyers: Edith (5)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.(6)

Sincerely,

Bruce Closser

Bruce Closser
Writing Center Director (7)

purchase order # 35467 (8)
cc. Scott Moncrieff, English department chair (9)
BAC/rm (10)
345.23 (11)

Notes

  1. Letter head  Most business letters are written on company letter head which typically contains not only the name of the organization but also its contact information, including mailing address, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and sometimes FAX numbers. Never repeat in the letter any information which appears in the letter head.

  2. Date  A date on a letter can serve at least two useful functions. First, since business letters often make their way into a file, be sure to include the date as a reference point. The date also tells someone when the letter was written, approximately when it was received, and how much time may have elapsed between reception of the letter and any action taken in response to the letter. Some writers prefer the European dating system which follows a day-month-year order that requires no internal punctuation. Other writers follow the method favored by American businesses which uses a month-day-year order with a comma separating the day and the year.

  3. Addressee  Include the full address and correct title of the individual to whom the letter is sent and make sure that the address on the envelop matches the Addressee's address as it appears on the letter.

  4. Subject  Letters are usually read in order of importance. A busy executive may save a less vital letter for a later date. The subject line of the letter provides the recipient with an idea of the letter's content and permits the recipient to made a decision about when to read the letter.

  5. Greeting  In business letters company culture often requires that you use a formal tone. In the greeting line address the recipient formally, listing the last name. If the individual to whom you are writing is well known to you, you may want to write that person's first name by hand.

  6. Body  Although many different styles are available, most contemporary business letters I've seen line up all elements of the letter, including the body, against the left margin. Paragraphs are not indented. Where possible fit the entire letter on one page; subsequent pages can be lost; moreover, multi-page letters take longer to read. Don't forget to consider how the body of your letter looks visually. Keep paragraphs relatively short. Use white space to set off the elements of the letter. If information will be easier to understand in a bulleted list, use one.

  7. Signature Block  Business letters, like most other letters, typically close with a salutation such as Sincerely, Thank you, or other appropriate closing. Sometimes the writer's signature alone is sufficient. Include your signature, your name typed out, and your title.

  8. Enclosure  Business letters often include several additional items at the bottom. Whenever additional information will be included in a letter as separate pages, indicate that you are including enclosures and identify them in case they are separated from the letter.

  9. Distribution  Business letters are frequently sent to more one than individual. It's customary to let your reader know that he or she is not the only individual to receive the letter.

  10. Typist's ID  You may have drafted the letter, but someone else may have typed it. Traditionally the individual who typed your letter will identify him or herself by initials at the close of the letter. The capital letters are the writer's initials and lower case identify the typist.

  11. Filing Number  The filing number indicates how the letter should be filed.