Want your business letters to be taken seriously? Do it on your end first. If you’re serious about it, there’s a good chance those receiving your letters will reciprocate.
Apart from carefully writing your letters and using a good grammar software for correctness, it’s a good idea to follow standard business formats and fonts to keep it as professional as possible. If you’re not familiar with standard business layouts, the following should serve as a good guide to follow.
Formats
Different organizations will use their own preferred formats. The following are the most common ones employed.
Block Format. In this format, the whole letter is left-justified, with single space lines. Use a double space only between paragraphs.
Modified Block Format. Like the block format, text is left-justified and single-spaced. Letter date and closing, however, are set in the center.
Semi-Block Format. This one is presented in much the same way as the modified block, except the paragraphs are indented, instead of left-justified.
Fonts
For fonts, the most important thing is readability. Using one of the common types (Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma) with a size of 11 or 12 is usually enough. If it’s a conservative company you’re writing to, stick to Times New Roman.
Tags: business letters, Business Writing, formats, formatting
