The Business Letter

1. The Business Letter • The business letter is a letter format that requires you to be formal. • There is no slang and abbreviations used except for the province • Typically this letter would be used for resumés and formal letters of complaint • You could also use this letter to resign from a job or perhaps when you are moving out of an apartment • You will need to know this functional piece of writing for many occasions in your life

2. Parts of the Business Letter • The parts of the business letter are as follows: • The heading • The Inside Address • The Salutation • The Body • The Closing • The Signature

3. The Heading • The heading of a business letter is the address of the writer (namely you) • It is at the top left of your letter but it does not have your name, it starts with your address • It will look like this 501 Spring Street Regina SK R3T 4N7 January 3, 2002 • Notice that the postal code is right beside the province and not on another line. • You will also put the date under your address

4. The Inside Address • The inside address is of the person you are writing to • If you are typing your letter then you must leave 4 spaces in between the heading and the inside address • If you are hand writing the address, you only have to leave one • It will look like this: Sam Hunt, Director The Knitting Mill 1409 3 Avenue Toronto ON L3V 7B1 • Notice that you use the person’s name and their position in the company • Again the postal code is on the same line as the province

5. Salutation • Leave one or two lines after the inside address • This is the formal greeting to the person you write to • It will look like this: Dear Mr. Smith: Dear Ms. Black: Dear Mrs. Brown: Dear Miss Green: • Please notice how you will use a colon after the last name and NOT comma

6. Body paragraphs • Leave one space after the salutation • Do NOT indent • Start letting the person you know what you’re talking about • There are 3 body paragraphs • 1st says who you are and why you are writing • 2nd gives more details and any information important about meetings, prices etc. • 3rd paragraph is the formal goodwill statement thanking them for reading the letter

7. The Closing • Leave one space • Here is the final chance for you to be polite to the person you are writing to • You have two options • Yours truly, OR • Sincerely,

8. Signature; handwritten & printed • After writing the closing, leave 4 spaces • In those 4 spaces you will sign your name or sign the name of the person you are writing as • On the 5th line you print either your name or the name you are writing as The letter part is all done!

9. JEAN BROWN 501 SPRING ST REGINA SK S3T 4N7 JEAN BROWN 501 SPRING ST REGINA SK S3T 4N7 JEAN BROWN 501 SPRING ST REGINA SK S3T 4N7 JEAN BROWN 501 SPRING ST REGINA SK S3T 4N7 The Envelope • Every letter must have an envelope • The envelope that goes with is very simple • It looks like this: notice how everything is written in capital letters and there is no punctuation JEAN BROWN 501 SPRING STREET REGINA SK S3T 4N7 SAM HUNT DIRECTOR THE KNITTING MILL 3 AVENUE TORONTO ON L3V 7O1

10. 501 Spring Street • Regina SK R3T 4N7 • January 3, 2002 (1 space if hand writing 4 spaces if typing) Sam Hunt, Director The Knitting Mill 1409 3 Avenue Toronto ON L3V 7B1 (One or two spaces) Dear Mr. Hunt: (One space) The 1st body paragraph. (1 space) The 2nd body paragraph. (1 space) The 3rd body paragraph. One space Yours truly, OR Sincerely, 4 spaces whether you are typing or handwriting and here is where you handwrite the signature Printed or typed name

11. The Content of the Letter • There is a very specific way to prepare for a business letter and it’s called • BPDOG • It stands for • B=background • P=purpose • D=details • O=operations • G=goodwill statement • Use this method to help you organize your information

12. For example (B & P) • Here is some information about what information might look like organized like this: Opening Paragraph Background Purpose(s) The opening paragraph explains why you are writing. This is where you supply background information and explain your purpose in writing your letter. My name is John Smith and I am President of Crystal Park School Council. I am writing on behalf of the student council to invite you to our volunteer luncheon.

13. Details and Organization 2nd Body Paragraph(s) Details Operations The body paragraph(s) explains any details or operations that the addressee would need to know. The luncheon will be held on Wednesday, June 5th at 11:30 AM in the school gymnasium. Please contact the school secretary to RSVP by June 1st.

14. Goodwill Statement • In any formal letter, no matter how angry, upset or enraged you might be, you must remain polite! Concluding Paragraph Goodwill Statement The concluding paragraph is a good will statement. This is a short statement thanking the addressee for his/her time and attention. Finally, I want to thank you for your contribution to our school. We look forward to your presence at the volunteer luncheon.

15. Your assignment!! • Here is your chance to write a formal business letter! Information you will need (WRITE THIS DOWN) You are writing as: You are writing to: Isabelle Carrier Mr. George Eaton, President 4823 45 Avenue Eaton Company Lavalle QC N8V 9J7 220 Yonge Street 110 Toronto ON M5B 2H1 • You are writing as Mrs. Carrier to Mr. Eaton to order Roch’s sweater • Please use the information from your text as well as organize that information in the BPDOG format • REMEMBER: be formal and NO slang…oh, and don’t forget the envelope!!