Guide to Basic Business Letters

Guide to Basic Business Letters

The basics of good business letter writing are easy to learn. The following guide provides the phrases that are usually found in any standard business letter. These pharases are used as a kind of frame and introduction to the content of business letters.

The Start

- Dear Personnel Director,
- Dear Sir or Madam(use if you don't know who you are writing to)
- Dear Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms(use if you know who you are writing to, and have a formal relationship with - VERY IMPORTANT use Ms for women and unless asked to use Mrs or Miss)
- Dear Frank(use if the person is a close business contact of freind)

The Reference

- With reference to your advertisement in the Times,
- With reference to your letter of 23rd March,
- With reference to your phone call today,
- Thank you for your letter of March 5th.

The Reason for Writing

- I am writing to enquire about
- I am writing to apologize for
- I am writing to confirm

Requesting

- Could you possibly ?
- I would be grateful if you could


Agreeing to Requests

- I would be delighted to

Giving Bad News

- Unfortunately
- I am afraid that

Enclosing Documents

- I am enclosing
- Please find enclosed
- Enclosed you will find

Closing Remarks

- Thank you for your help. Please contact us again if we can help in any way.
- Please contact us again if there are any problems.
- Please contact us again if you have any questions.

Reference to Future Contact

- I look forward to hearing from you soon.
- I look forward to meeting you next Tuesday.
- I look forward to seeing you next Thursday.

The Finish

- Your faithfully, (If you don't know the name of the person you're writing to)
- Your sincerely, (If you know the name of the person you're writing to)
- Best wishes, Best regards, (If the person is a close business contact of friend)

Here is a sample letter using some of these forms.

Ken's Cheese House
34 Chatley Avenue
Seattle, WA 98765
Tel: (206) 456 8967
Fax: (206) 456 6745
Email: Kenny@cheese.com

Fred Flintstone
Sales Manager
Cheese Specialists Inc.
456 Rubble Road
Rockvill, IL 896756


Dear Mr Flintstone:

With reference to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to confirm your order for: 120 x Cheddar Deluxe Ref. No. 856.
The order will be shipped within three days via UPS and should arrive at your store in about 10 days.
Please contact us again if we can help in any way.


Yours sincerely,
Kenneth Beare
Director of Ken's Cheese House