Sample Business Letter

A sample business letter can be a helpful model to follow and a good way to make sure you have properly formatted your letter. You can also find samples of various types of business letters on the internet to help you with the content of your letter.

A business letter is used to communicate with a variety of recipients including other businesses, organizations and customers. The letter not only communicates a specific message, it also communicates the image of your business. Regardless of the recipient of the letter, it should always use the same style and reflect the same level of professionalism you show in other aspects of your business.

When writing a business letter it is always important to follow these basic guidelines:

• Stay formal unless you know the recipient of the letter - Avoid a casual salutation such as "Dear Bob" unless you have spoken with the recipient and have called him "Bob" during that conversation. Otherwise, a more formal salutation such as "Dear Mr. Johnson" might be more appropriate.
• Have a clear message – Don't bury the purpose of the letter. State the purpose of writing your letter at the beginning of the letter, preferably in the first paragraph. This will capture the reader's attention and may increase the chance that your letter will be read. Recap your message at the end of your letter to remind the reader of the purpose of your letter and of any actions they need to take.
• Be brief – A letter does not have to be long to completely convey all necessary information. Provide the important information for the reader. Offer the reader your willingness to answer questions by providing a telephone number for further questions.

A sample business letter can be a helpful business tool. It can be a model to follow for the letter's format. The internet is an excellent source of sample letters on various subjects, providing even more ideas on the actual words which can be effective in a particular type of business letter.

You may find that you need to tailor the sample letter to be consistent with the letter format style of your business. A sample letter written in a "block style" (all paragraphs aligned on the left margin) may provide helpful ideas on content; however, it would require format changes if your chosen style for business letters is semi-blocked (paragraphs indented).

All business letters share the same basic letter parts, regardless of the purpose of the letter:

• Heading – The name and address of the business sending the letter. It can either be included in the letterhead or included at the start of the letter.
• Inside address – The name and address of the person to whom the letter is being sent.
• Salutation – The personalized greeting to the reader. In a business letter, "Dear" is usually used for the salutation followed by the name of the person.
• Body – The message area of the letter.
• Close – The final communication to the reader. A typical close in a business letter is "Sincerely"
• Signature – The actual signature of the person sending the letter as well as their name and title.

Here is a basic sample letter:

[Heading:
Name of Business
Address of Business]

[Date]

[Inside Address:
Name of Individual Receiving the Letter
Title (if applicable)
Name of Business or Organization (if applicable)
Address of Individual, Business or Organization]

Dear [Name of Individual Receiving the Letter – For example: Dear Bob or Dear Mr. Johnson]:

Thank you for your recent help in arranging for the return of the broken lamp fixtures which we received on January 14, 2009.

As you suggested, I will repack the fixtures in their original packaging materials and ship them by UPS using the return invoice which you just emailed to me. I'll ship the fixtures to your return facility at:

Return Department
ABC Lamp Company
123 Main Street
Anytown, Ca 00000-0000

Thank you again for your help in resolving this issue so quickly. Please let me know if there is anything else I need to do at my end to complete the return transaction.

Sincerely,

[Sender's Signature]
[Sender's Name – For example: Mary Thompson]
[Sender's Title (if applicable) – For example: Store Manager]

Sample business letters are available in books and on the internet in a variety of subjects and situations. Using a sample letter for content can be a very easy way to make sure that all necessary messages are communicated in the letter. Some good sources for sample business letters include:

• WritingHelp-Central
• The Owl At Purdue
• 4hb
• The McGraw-Hill Handbook of Business Letters
• The Encyclopedia of Business Letters

A business letter is a reflection of the quality standards of your business. Clear communication, correct statements, perfect spelling and a professional tone all project your commitment to high quality.

• Memo Layout
• 10 Best Home Based Businesses
• Business Thank You Notes
• The Myths Of Entrepreneurship
• Unethical Business Practices

• Sample Resume Objective
• Memo Examples
• Resume Objective Examples
• Resume Objective Statements
• Sample of Letter of Request

• Sample Formal Business Invitation
• Sample Recommendation Letter
• Business Letter Format
• Business Letter Style
• How To Write A Business Letter