Part 3　Structure of Business Letter

The basic structure of a business letter may include the main parts and the optional parts. The main parts refer to those parts which are used in each kind of business letter frequently and the optional parts means that they may appear in particular cases or seldom be used today.

The main parts include: letterhead/ heading, date/ dateline, salutation, body of the letter, complimentary close, signature.

The optional parts include: inside name and address, attention line, subject line, reference no., enclosure, carbon copy, postscript.

3.1　The Main Parts

3.1.1　Letterhead/Heading

A formal business letter should have a letterhead which is always the same as the other commercial documents. In terms of common formats, letterhead is usually artistically designed and printed in the center or on the left margin at the top of the first page. It contains the information of writer, such as the company’s name, address, postcode, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address and web site etc. Some companies like to print their logos to show their individualities and leave readers a favorable impression.

1) Shanghai Knitwear Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd.

Floor 3 Guangzhou Building No.2 East Yanan Road, Shanghai 200003 China

Tel: 86-21-63592640　　Fax: 86-21-63597168　　www.shknit.com

2) Olivier & Co., Ltd.

PO Box 1728, Osborne Park, WA, 6913, Australia

P +61 8 9445 0335　　F +61 8 9445 0392　　www.olivier.com

3.1.2　Date/Dateline

Date plays a vital role in a business letter. It may serve as an important reference of a transaction, especially when a complaint or dispute arising. For example, on FOB basis, if the exporter finishes his cargo, he will notice the importer as soon as possible for the other side to prepare vessel and effect insurance. The date of letter will show whether the shipping advice is in due time.

There are three key points as follows about date writing.

First, use the standard or common form which is in order of month/day/year, e.g. November 18, 2013. Secondly, avoid using ordinal suffixes (-st, -nd, -rd, -th) in order of day/ month/year, which seems not only stiff but also out of fashion. Thirdly, please never use abbreviations, hyphens, and diagonals, e.g. 12-12-13, 2/2/13, which may cause some confusion.

3.1.3　Salutation

The salutation is used as a respectful form of address. It should be typed two lines below the dateline or the inside address and the reference No., being flush with the left margin, and matching the name on the envelope. There are many kinds in business letter as follows.

1) If you don’t know the receiver well, the customary formal greeting would be “Dear Sir, or Dear Madam”. If you are addressing your letter to the company, “Dear Sirs” is a better choice.

2) Usually, you write to a person who you already have his or her name, especially in a reply letter. For example, if his full name is Paul Williams, you could write “Dear Mr. Williams” as a formal way. Write “Dear Paul” to a man you are familiar with, which is less formal.

If you write business letter to a lady, “Ms.” is the courtesy title for the all regardless of marital status. In addition, when you receive a letter, please pay attention to his or her signature. If someone prefers his or her official, political and academic position, you could reply accordingly, such as “Dr. Williams”.

3.1.4　Body of the Letter

The body of the letter should begin two lines below the salutation or the subject line. It’s the core of the letter which could not only convey the business information, but also leave an impression of the writer. So it needs to be more carefully arranged as follows.

1) Don’t write only one paragraph especially for the message covering several topics. It’s better to write in some short paragraphs to distinguish each topic and make your message clear and fast to read. Regardless of style, skip a line between paragraphs. Skip a line between the greeting and the body. Skip a line between the body and the close.

2) Keep your paragraphs in a logical order. Usually, the first paragraph refers the previous correspondence, such as the date of the letter you are replying. The middle could contain one or more paragraphs covering the specific issues remained to be settled. The last paragraph refers to the next step for business conclusion, and gives a favorable wish.

3) It’s important to use conventional language. The commercial jargons could only used between the experts, otherwise they would confuse laymen.

4) Try to keep your letter in one page. For the more details could be put as enclosures.

3.1.5　Complimentary Close

The complimentary close is just a polite way to end a letter. Today, when the letter is sended by e-mail, it’s usually designed as part of one’s signature, which could appear to the recipients automatically. However, it’s absolutely necessary for a business letter. And the expression for the complimentary close should be in accordance with the salutation.

If you are not very sure about the relationship between each other, formal way is always a better choice for the salutation and complimentary close.

3.1.6　Signature

The signature is related with the legal authority especially for the letter about quotations, offers, orders and contracts and so on. The signature in a printed letter should start directly above the first letter of the signature line in the space between the close and the signature line. Use blue or black ink.

e.g.　Sincerely, (Signature goes here)

(Mrs.) Elisabeth Jackson

Director of Acquisitions

When sending letter by e-mail, the signature is always set automatically by the writer for saving time and to avoid mistakes.

3.2　The Optional Parts

3.2.1　Inside Name and Address

The inside name and address is always in a formal printed letter to show the writer’s respect. This part contains the name, address, zip code of the company or the one to whom you are writing to, which is the same as what’s on the envelope. It is usually typed at the left margin and two lines below the dateline. When the receiver is a company, you could see the following example:

e.g. Olivier & Co., Ltd.

PO Box 1728

Osborne Park, WA, 6913

Australia

When the receiver is an individual in the company, the person’s name should be preceded by the courtesy title as “Mr., Mrs. and Ms.”. Sometimes his or her position is following the name.

e.g. Mr. Williams

Sales Manager

Olivier & Co., Ltd.

PO Box 1728

Osborne Park, WA, 6913

Australia

3.2.2　Attention Line

The attention line is just following the inside name and address at the left margin usually. It could refer to a specific person or a department when the addressee is a company.

e.g. Western Utilities, Inc.

3945 Freedom Cir., Suite 600

Santa Clara, CA 95054

United States

Attention: Import Dept.

Dear Mr. Williams,

3.2.3　Subject Line

The subject line always appears in business letters to indicate reader what’s mainly about in the letter. It’s very helpful for the reader to separate one from another if the correspondence covering more issues, and also it’s easy for filing. Usually, only a very short phrase is needed, such as the type of product, L/C number and sales contract number. It is typed two lines below the salutation.

e.g. Re: Computer type ABC, Your L/C No. KW-1050

If a letter is sent by e-mail, you will follow the format of e-mail and fill it in the proper blank.

3.2.4　Reference Number

The reference number is usually made out by the writer for filing. It’s typed in one place to be easily seen. Often it’s placed two lines below the letterhead or at the end of a letter on left margin two lines below the signature.

Also the number is designed as the rule of each company. When giving the reference number of a previous letter, to which the present letter replies, one should follow the date of the early letter for careful consideration.

3.2.5　Enclosure

If there is an attachment in the business letter, such as price list, catalogue and so on, the enclosure notation will be added to the letter. It is typed two lines below the signature at the left margin, as “Enclosure” or its abbreviation “Enc.” or “Encl.” with the number of the enclosure or its details.

e.g. Encl. Price List

If a letter is sent by e-mail, you will not type the above at the end of letter. However you should mention your reader to pay attention to your enclosures in the body of letter.

3.2.6　Carbon Copy

Besides being sent to the reader, sometimes the copy of the letter will be sent to two or more people for their reference, because some cases need a team working together, or because the writer likes to expand influence of the letter.

Carbon copy with its abbreviation “C.C.” or “cc” usually is typed two lines below the signature on the left margin. In e-mail writing, carbon copy has its own blank.

3.2.7　Postscript

Postscript is often used in the era of typewriter. When typing a letter is finished, it’s harder to be revised or retyped. However if you need to add something important to this letter, writing the “P.S.” is a method to save the situation. It’s placed two lines below any other notations on the left margin. The message followed “P.S.” should be very short, at least not longer than its body.

Today, it is the era of computer, postscript is hardly to be seen in the business letter. For“P.S.” would imply the writer unprofessional. When people realize what they have forgotten before sending the letter, they could retype it more easily.