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BUSINESS LETTER
A business letter is usually
a letter from one company to another, or between such organizations and their
customers, clients and other external parties. The overall style of letter
depends on the relationship between the parties concerned. Business letters can
have many types of contents, for example to request direct information or
action from another party, to order supplies from a supplier, to point out a
mistake by the letter's recipient, to reply directly to a request, to apologize
for a wrong, or to convey goodwill. A business letter is sometimes useful
because it produces a permanent written record, and may be taken more seriously
by the recipient than other forms of communication.
- COMPONENTS OF BUSINESS LETTER
- FORMAL PARTS
1. Letterhead
A letterhead is
the heading at the top of a sheet of letter paper (stationery).
That heading usually consists of a name and an address, and a logo or corporate design,
and sometimes a background pattern. The term "letterhead" is often
used to refer to the whole sheet imprinted with such a heading.Many companies
and individuals prefer to create a letterhead template in a word processor or
other software application. This generally includes the same information as
pre-printed stationery but without the additional costs involved. Letterhead
can then be printed on stationery (or plain paper) as needed on a local output
device or sent electronically.
2. Inside Address
This is the address you
are sending your letter to. Make it as complete as possible. Include titles,
names, and routing information if you know them. This is always on the left
margin. Skip a line after the heading before the inside
address. Skip another line after the inside address before the greeting.
3. Salutation
A
salutation is a greeting used in a letter or other written or non-written
communication. Salutations can be formal or informal. The most common form of
salutation in an English letter is Dear followed by the recipient's given name
or title. For each style of salutation there is an accompanying style of
complimentary close, known as valediction. Examples of non-written salutations
are bowing (common in Japan) or even addressing somebody by their name. A
salutation can be interpreted as a form of a signal in which the receiver of
the salutation is being acknowledged, respected or thanked. Another simple but
very common example of a salutation is a military salute. By saluting another
rank, that person is signalling or showing his or her acknowledgment of the
importance or significance of that person and his or her rank. Some greetings
are considered "rude" and others "polite".
4. Complimentary Close
Before
you end your letter, you must make sure you put complimentary closing just
above your signature. There are several forms for you to choose your complimentary
closing. Each of them has a slightly different meaning. Use one that is
best conveys what you mean. Only the first word of the closing is
capitalized. All of the complimentary closing should be
followed by a comma
5. Signature
Usually
consists of signature of
the person who
writes the business
letter. Below the signature we usually
put our name. Below our name, sometimes we put our title
or position in the company
or institution we work in. Mostly,
this is just
to inform the person who has not known us before.
- Body Parts
1. Opening
Opening
Paragraph is both the headline and the lead for the message that follows in the
rest of the letter. It is used to make reference to previous correspondence,
say how you found the recipient’s address, and to tell why you are writing to
the recipient.
2. Messages
Explain your reasons for writing in more detail, provide
background information etc.
3. Closing
Summarise your
reason for writing again and make clear what you want the recipient to do.
- Others
1. Reference
The reference
line on a business letter is a statement describing the main focus of the
letter, a number for an account, invoice, etc. or a reference to previous
correspondence.
2. Date
It consists of
date, month, year or (month, date, year). If there is no Letter Head, make sure
you put the name of the city before the date line.
3. Attention Line
Business letters
are usually more addressed to companies
than to one person. But, sometimes this form of written communication should
take place between company and company or between company and a person and vice
versa. In this situation we need to use what people call "attention
line".
4. Subject Heading/Subject Line
Subject Line is usually capitalized and underlined. It is part of a systematic
list of terms that describe a given subject matter.
5. Enclose
if you are
enclosing additional information with your letter such as a resume or a
curriculum vitae, skip two single lines after your typed name and type
"Enclosure" or "Enclosures." If you use the plural, you
have the option of stating the number of enclosures in parentheses.
6. Postscript
Postscript comes
from the Latin post scriptum, an expression meaning "written after".
A business letter postscript is writing added after the main body of a
business letter. Normally, we do not put postscript in a business letter. As
the competition in business has become so tight that people begin to put
personal touch in their services, including the way they communicate with their
customers such as putting personal message in their business letters by using
postscript. In addition to that, a
business letter postscript may also be used as a tool to provide more
information about the context of the letter
7. Mailing Instruction
Send all returns, payments* and other
correspondence regarding your personal or business tax account(s) to the
following address:
Comptroller of Maryland
Revenue Administration Division
Taxpayer Service Section
110 Carroll Street
Annapolis, MD 21411
- THE DIFFERENCES OF FULL BLOCK STYLE
AND SEMI BLOCK STYLE
-
Full-Block
Style:
This style is universally accepted for all types of business letters. It looks
appealing, and is easy to format. Every single element of the letter in this
format is flushed to the left. No tab or indentation are used in this style.
-
Semi-Block Style: This style was
widely used prior to the email services. It was something that we had learned
during our school days. In this style, the sender's information is formatted on
the right side of the page with the date, all left aligned. The recipient's
details are typed on the left side of the page. However, the first line of the
body of the letter is indented.
- EXAMPLES OF FULL BLOCK STYLE and
SEMI BLOCK STYLE
- Full Block Style
PT CAHAYA ABADI
Jl. Sukabumi Km. 16
Sukabumi – Jawa Barat
|
16th October 2013
Number: 105/CA/X/2013
PT Caraka Informatika
Jl. Pemuda 105
Surabaya
Dear Sirs,
Subject: Inquiry
We have seen your new model of
computer at your stand and we are very interest.
So, we would like to know about the
type of your product and price list.
We should be pleased to receive your
prompt reply.
Yours trully,
Ari
Ir. Ari Tulang
|
- Semi Block
Style
PT QUASAR INDONESIA
Bandung Branch
456 Jalan Malabar
Bandung
|
18th December 2013
METROPOLITAN TRADING CO.
567 Jl. Sudirman
Jakarta Pusat 70117
Dear Sirs,
Subject: Replying to Inquiries
We thank you for your letter on 6th May, inquirying about
our price lists and terms of duplicating machines.
We have pleasure in sending our price lists of that machines:
Our delivery time on 30th December 2013 and we give a
discount 10% for you. Here with, we are enclosing our catalogues.
We also expect the order as soon as possible. Thank you for your
attention and cooperation .
Yours
trully,
Basuki
Basuki Utama, S.E.
|
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