1 / 27

Letter Format

Letter Format. General 1 to 1-1/2 inch margins Centered on page Single-spacing within paragraphs Double-spacing between paragraphs and sections Quality paper Full block style (every line flush with left margin). Writer’s Address or Letterhead. Type address with no name

kamilia-sawicki
Download Presentation

Letter Format

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Letter Format • General • 1 to 1-1/2 inch margins • Centered on page • Single-spacing within paragraphs • Double-spacing between paragraphs and sections • Quality paper • Full block style (every line flush with left margin)

  2. Writer’s Address or Letterhead • Type address with no name • Official company letterhead

  3. Date • Spell out month and use complete numerals for the year (not 8/27/13) • Example • August 27, 2013

  4. Inside Address • Recipient’s name, title, and address • Use appropriate title, department, or company name if necessary • Examples: Director of Human Resources, Human Resources Department, H & H Manufacturing

  5. Salutation • Dear _________: • Use title, department, or company name if necessary • Avoid anonymous and sexist greetings (To Whom It May Concern, Dear Sirs, Dear Sir/Madam)

  6. Complimentary Close • Use traditional closing followed by a comma • Example: Sincerely,

  7. Signature/Name • Triple or quadruple space after the complimentary close and type your name • Place comma between your typed name and title or place title underneath name • Sign your name between the closing and your typed name using black or blue ink

  8. Typist’s Initials • Your initials/typist initials • GB/pw

  9. Enclosure Line • If you are sending another item with the letter, include Enclosure, Enclosures, Enclosures (3), or Enclosure: Receipt • NOTE: Also mention enclosure in the body of the letter

  10. Copy Notation • Use when a copy or copies of letter are being distributed to another reader or readers • cc: Name(s), title(s) (appears on all copies of letter) • bcc: Name(s), title(s) (appears only on blind copy)

  11. Claim Letter Addressed to Customer Service Dept. Enclosure cc: John Peters, CEO

  12. Enclosure cc: John Peters, CEO bcc: Felicia Jones, Attorney at Law Abbot and Jones Law Firm

  13. Writing and Organizing Letters

  14. Content • Brief introductory paragraph that establishes context and states the letter’s purpose concisely. • Middle paragraph(s) that convey the content of the message in a logical order. • Brief concluding paragraph that politely requests action, thanks the reader, or provides additional relevant information.

  15. Organization • Two approaches • Traditional, Direct Approach • Indirect Approach

  16. Direct Approach • Anticipates no resistance to message • Communicates good news, straightforward information, requests likely to be granted • Begins with an up-front statement of purpose

  17. Indirect Approach • Anticipates resistance to message • Communicates “bad news” of some type • Begins with a buffer—material designed to win trust and goodwill; postpones the “bad news” or negative message

  18. Buffers • Agreement • Appreciation • Cooperation • Fairness • Good News • Praise • Understanding

  19. Using E-mail Effectively

  20. E-mail Use • How many use it regularly? • Why or when do you use it?

  21. Statistics: Radicati Group • 825 million business e-mail accounts worldwide as of 2012 • Expected to grow to 1.15 billion (35% by 2016) • As of 2012, 89 million business e-mails sent per day • About 105 per day, per account

  22. Advantages of E-mail • Quick sending and replying • Inexpensive • Embedded internet addresses • Attached files • Easy distribution of copies

  23. Potential Disadvantages • Overuse • Sloppy Habits • Difficulty of Retrieval • Security Concerns • Less “permanent” paper trail

  24. Limitations of E-mail • E-mail in the workplace is generally not used for extremely important or formal messages or for personal use. • Instead, use e-mail for routine communication

  25. E-mail Format • Modification of traditional memo: From, Date, To, Subject, CC • Organize each e-mail the same way you would a letter. • Use paragraph breaks if needed • Include salutation if desirable and signature block

  26. Guidelines for E-mail • Avoid using fancy formatting (italics, boldface, tab spacing, and so forth) • Check your message for spelling and grammar before you send it. • DON’T WRITE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. DOING SO IS OFTEN VIEWED AS “SHOUTING” AND ALL CAPS IS HARD TO READ.

  27. Follow your company’s guidelines for using e-mail. • Avoid “spamming” and “flaming.” • Be brief. • Follow-up.

More Related