December Tips from Neumont's Writing Center

When it’s time to write a business letter, you have many resources at your fingertips.  You can open your favorite browser and search for a ready reference, or simply open Word and use a template. In case you're ready to commit these steps to memory for use in your cover letter to potential employers, here are some tips from the Neumont Writing Center. 

Of course don't forget the biggest: Write, Simplify, Review, Repeat!

Task 1:  “Remembering Basic Formatting”

1A:  Think about a business letter you have written or that you have read in the last few weeks.  Without looking or searching, identify the first block of text that should appear first in every business letter.  What is it?

Answer:  It depends.  If you are not using letterhead, the first block of text that should appear in every business letter is the sender’s address (include only the street address, city, and zip code).  If you are using letterhead, this information is already contained in letterhead—no need for redundancy here!

1B:  Name what comes after the sender’s address (or the letterhead).

        

 Answer:  The date.  For example:  November 13, 2012.

1C:  Now for a more challenging task—describe what block of text follows the date.

Answer:  The “inside address” or recipient’s address is situated below the date.  It’s always best to write to a specific person—even if it requires a visit to the company website or for you to make a call.

1D:  Following the inside address, business letter writers should include the salutation.  What name should writers include in the salutation?

Answer:  Well, the recipient—right?  If you know the recipient, it’s acceptable to use the person’s first name followed by a colon (for example—Dear John:).  In all other cases, use the person’s full name and title followed by a colon. 

Task 2:  “What a Body!”

2A:  Think about and list the qualities of the body of a superior business letter.  Compare your thoughts with the following: 

For block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action (Booher, 2011, p. 76).

Task 3:  “Closing Out and Taking Away”

When closing a business letter, capitalize the first word only (for example:  Thank you,) and leave four lines between the closing and your signature. 

3A:  As you prepare to close this e-mail and go on with your work, think about what you can do to make your business letter writing more effective.  The next time you have the opportunity to write a business letter, make a plan to incorporate these ideas.