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For that perfect letter
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A letter can do wonders even though it has become a thing of the past. Master the art of writing business letters.
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LETTER WRITING is an art. It is a pity that writing letters has become a thing of the past. Now most communications are accomplished over the telephone, fax, or e- mails. The only virtue to these methods is the time factor. here is a quick primer on writing business letters.
First of all, make sure your business stationery is printed on good quality paper with matching envelopes and all the printed information is current and correct. Just like a business card, your stationery is an extension of your or your company's identity.
Take time to put your thoughts in a cogent logical fashion.
Salutations or the way you start out is very crucial. Over familiarity can get things off to a bad start. Pay attention to whom you are writing to and how familiar you are with the person. The proper form of salutation in a business letter is a "Mr'', "Ms'' or "Mrs'' and the last name or the surname and never the first name or the given name.
If you are writing to someone who is more or less your peer, and you are calling each other by first names already, you may use "Dear Sam''. On the other hand, if you are writing to this executive who knows you well but you both are not quite at an informal level of interaction, the proper salutation will be "Dear Samuel Adams''.
But if the recipient is an older, senior executive and you are the junior executive, you should stick to "Dear Mr. Adams''.
The only closing you need in a business correspondence is "Sincerely'', "Sincerely yours'' or "Very truly yours''. If you are writing to a high official, it should end with a "Respectfully yours''.
Make sure your name is typed below your signature (the signature block) since signatures can sometimes be illegible. The whole purpose of your letter is lost if the recipient does not know who is sending the letter. Keep in mind that the typed name is never a substitute for a signature. Don't ever let any communication leave your office without your signature. Another point to remember is that you do not need to include "Mr'' or "Ms'' in front of your typed name.
Don't type or write on both sides of the paper unless the paper is pretty thick. Use black or navy blue ink for a real neat look. Make sure all the names and addresses are correct. Of course, the assumption is that you have checked the spelling and grammar and there are no scratches and white outs.
In the business world, a well thought out perfectly composed and grammatically correct letter does wonders for the image of the sender. It is a pleasure for the sender and receiver. The ability of such letters to influence, strike a deal, revive contacts is powerful!
CHITRA DANGER
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