How to start a letter

Business letters follow guidelines in formatting and style.

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Starting a formal letter to a company has several purposes. The letter must introduce the writer, provide contact information and reference the reason for the communication. The start of the formal letter must also capture the reader's attention and quickly explain why the company should take an interest in the information provided within the letter.

1.

List the sender's address if the information is not included on the letterhead. Include the full address without the sender's name. Use the U.S. Postal format for abbreviations and state information.

2.

Provide the date of the letter one space below the sender's address. Do not abbreviate the date information. Write out the full date and include a comma between the date and the year, such as January 1, 2011.

3.

Announce the letter's recipient with an inside address. Include the recipient's formal name with title, such as Dr. Edwards or Mrs. Smith, and follow with the formal address information. Investigate the recipient's title if it is unknown to avoid inadvertent disrespect of the recipient.

4.

Include a formal salutation to the recipient. Use a same title and name that is included in the insider address. Use the first name of the recipient if you already have a friendly relationship with the recipient. Otherwise, keep it formal, such as Dear Dr. John Smith.

5.

Use a block style format for the body of this formal letter. Single space the sentences within the paragraph and double space between each paragraph. Use an easy-to-read font, like Arial 10 or New Times Roman 12.

6.

Use the first paragraph to introduce and outline the reason for the letter. Use the following paragraphs to provide supporting facts and information. Include only pertinent information within the letter. Avoid rambling and be sure to use the spell check.

]]> About the Author

Writing professionally since 2004, Charmayne Smith focuses on corporate materials such as training manuals, business plans, grant applications and technical manuals. Smith's articles have appeared in the "Houston Chronicle" and on various websites, drawing on her extensive experience in corporate management and property/casualty insurance.

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Smith, Charmayne. "How to Start a Formal Letter to a Company." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-formal-letter-company-10030.html. Accessed 18 February 2019.

Smith, Charmayne. (n.d.). How to Start a Formal Letter to a Company. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-formal-letter-company-10030.html

Smith, Charmayne. "How to Start a Formal Letter to a Company" accessed February 18, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-formal-letter-company-10030.html

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