From the Desktop

Electronic communication is king. With the ease of use of today’s email programs, companies are turning to electronic correspondence to conduct routine business. This is a great way to save on the costs of production of a traditional letter. You eliminate the expense of paper, toner, envelopes, postage, and in some cases handling time.

What you cannot eliminate is the need for a well-written document. Regardless of the manner of delivery, your correspondence needs to be professionally produced. Allow me to present a brief refresher on the basics of business letter development.

• Date: All letters should be dated. The date should be located immediately below your letterhead header.
• Inside Address: This is the identifying information and address for the person or company you are writing. Generally, the first line of this information should begin four lines after the date.
  • Recipient Name: Be sure to have the correct title and spelling of the addressee’s name. In some cases, a word processing program (Word, WordPerfect) may auto-correct what it thinks is a misspelled name. If you are responding to written correspondence, use the exact name and title contained in the signature block of the sender.
  • Address: Over the years there have been changes in the standards for the formatting of the recipients address. It is now very acceptable to omit periods after abbreviations, omit the comma between city and state, and to use the two-letter U.S. Postal Service standard state or province abbreviation. Insert the ZIP code two spaces after the state.
• Subject: The use of a subject line is optional in traditional correspondence. In electronic correspondence, placing relevant, non-spammy content is critical to getting your message open and read. The subject is placed two lines below the address.
• Salutation: Generally, the common salutation is Dear, followed by the title, first and/or last name. If you know the individual personally, you may opt to use the person’s first name. If you do not know the recipient’s first name or gender, you may choose to use the position’s title, such as “Dear Human Resource Manager.” The salutation should begin two lines below the subject or address.
• Closing: The most commonly used closing for a business letter is Sincerely. You may also close with Thank you, Very truly yours, Respectfully yours. The closing is placed two lines below the last paragraph.
• Signature block: The signature block contains the name, title, and contact information of the sender. If you are utilizing letterhead, it is not necessary to include the company name, address, or phone number. If your contact information is different from the letterhead, you should include that information. Most individuals include the email address and company Web page information as well. This information begins four lines following the close.
• Reference Initials: If your correspondence is created by someone else, you will want to include their initials on the letter. This will help identify whom to contact if there is a question regarding the content, or an error. This information is inserted two lines below the sender’s information, flush left.
• Enclosures: An enclosure notation is only used of there are additional documents or materials accompanying the correspondence. It may be abbreviated if desired. Some individuals choose to include information on the nature of the enclosure (Enclosure – DVD), although it is not required.
• Copy Notation: In years past, documents were copied by using carbon paper. The notation “CC:” became the standard for identifying those receiving a copy of the document. Some may prefer to use “C:” to simply state a copy being sent. This information begins on the next line following reference initials or enclosures.

It is easy to become lazy in our always on, instant communication world.  A well written and designed letter commands respect and demonstrates professionalism.

**I have not been compensated in any manner for comments or reviews of products or services.