Semi-BlockUNIT I WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS General Guidelines Business letters are used for correspondence between organizations, firms and companies, institutions and various boards and committees. They are documents frequently used in all levels of government. Cover letters, application letters, letters of acceptance, confirmation letters, letters of introduction, letters of appointment, and cancellation letters are different types of business letters. A successful business letter forms a lasting impression, not only of the person who signs it, but also of the business or organization it represents. The manner in which a person communicates alerts readers to their capacity, their level of education, personality, and professionalism. Whether it is a sales letter, or a brief message confirming a meeting, a letter must clearly inform the receiver. The basic principles for all types of business letters are much the same: 1. When you write a business letter, it is important to identify the purpose first. The objective of a business letter is to get a specific point across to the recipient. Writing business letters is not something you do for casual conversation. When writing a business letter, you typically have a specific objective in mind that you would like to accomplish. 2. When you write a business letter, it is important to be direct. You have to be able to get your point across in a way that could not possibly be seen or ambiguous or misunderstood. When you write a letter, use the active voice. You want to get your points across in a clear and concise manner. 3. A business letter is made up of several parts that are important to include. The heading comes at the beginning of a letter and includes personal information such as your name and address. You will then include the introduction of the letter. After the introduction comes the body of the letter, which details the main purpose of the letter. The conclusion is the last part of the letter. 4. Select the right tone for a business letter. Even though you want to be concise and focused throughout your letter, you should not be blunt. You want to take care to ensure that you are considerate to the person who will be reading the letter. Try to be diplomatic and do not attempt to say anything that could cause problems with your intended audience. FORMAT Block Format When writing business letters, you must pay special attention to the format and font used. The most common layout of a business letter is known as block format. Using this format, the entire letter is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between paragraphs. Modified Block Another widely utilized format is known as modified block format. In this type, the body of the letter and the sender's and recipient's addresses are left justified and single-spaced. However, for the date and closing, tab to the center point and begin to type. Semi-Block The final, and least used, style is semi-block. It is much like the modified block style except that each paragraph is indented instead of left justified. Keep in mind that different organizations have different format requirements for their professional communication.
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