Guidelines for Personal Business Letters

Comp. 5.03Digital Communication

Systems

What is a personal business letter?• It is a letter format that is used to

communicate with others regarding business of a personal nature.– A purchased product that no longer

works– A cover letter for a resume– A follow-up letter after an interview– A letter you send to your

grandparents while away at college

Personal Business Letter(Block Style)

Basic Parts• Return Address• Date• Letter Address• Salutation• Body• Complimentary

Close• Name of Writer

Personal Business Letter(Block Style)

Other Parts that may or may NOT be included:

• Reference Initials – use only when the person typing the letter is different from the person who wrote/authored the letter

• Attention Line – use when you don’t know the actual name of the person(s) the letter is going to.

• Subject Line – keyed a DS below the salutation. The subject line explains the content of the body (message of the letter)

More parts that may or may NOT be included:• Mailing notations – used to ensure that the

letter is read by or handled correctly by the post office. – Examples are CERTIFIED, REGISTERED. – Keyed a DS below the date of the letter and the letter

address will be keyed a DS below the mailing notation.

– The mailing notations are also keyed a DS below the stamp on the envelope.

• Attachment/Enclosure notations – used to indicate that another item has been included in the envelope. – The author will mention this in the body of the letter. – Examples are ENCLOSURE, ATTACHMENT. – Keyed a DS below the last letter part

Personal Business Letter

Margins• 1” side (left & right) margins• 2” top margin or may be centered

vertically with Center Page feature (File, Page Setup, Layout)

• 1” bottom margin

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?

– After the RETURN ADDRESS, immediately key the DATE on the next line• Always spell out the month when keying

the date

– If you are using a MAILING NOTATION (Certified or Registered), key this notation a DS below the DATE.

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?

– After the DATE, normally you will return four times (QS) and key the first line (receiver’s name or ATTENTION LINE) of the LETTER ADDRESS

• However, if you are using a MAILING NOTATION after the DATE, then you will DS after the MAILING NOTATION and then begin keying the LETTER ADDRESS.

– After keying the first line of the LETTER ADDRESS, then return only once to key each remaining line of the LETTER ADDRESS

• A company name used in a LETTER ADDRESS is keyed on a separate line

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?

• The street address used in a LETTER ADDRESS is keyed on a separate line

• The city, state, zip code used in a LETTER ADDRESS is keyed together on the last line

– A (DS) is keyed immediately following the last line of the LETTER ADDRESS.

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?

– The SALUTATION (the hello of the letter) is keyed on a separate line and followed by a (DS) double-space.

– If used in the letter, the SUBJECT LINE is keyed on a separate line in ALL CAPS a double-space below the salutation. The subject line is followed by a (DS) double-space.

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?

– The BODY or sentences and paragraphs of the letter is called the “message” of the letter. • Double-space (DS) between

paragraphs. • You will use word wrap within each

paragraph so that all lines within the paragraphs are single-spaced.

• You will strike enter twice only when you are ready to start a new paragraph.

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?• Don’t forget to leave a (DS) double-

space after the last paragraph in the BODY of your letter.

• Next, key the COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE or the “good-bye” of the letter.– Examples are: Sincerely, Cordially yours,

Truly yours, Best regards

• The COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE is followed by a (QS) quadruple-space (or four returns leaving three blank lines)

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?

• The COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE is followed by the WRITER’S TYPED NAME.– Do NOT include personal titles (Mr., Mrs.,

Miss or Ms.) if it is clear that the person’s name is either a male or female’s name.

• Next you may key the ATTACHMENT OR ENCLOSURE NOTATION a (DS) below the WRITER’S TYPED NAME if you will be using this notation – the enclosure or attachment must be

mentioned in the BODY of the letter

What spacing is required before, after and between letter parts?• Last, if you are typing the letter for

someone else or someone else is typing the letter for you– The person typing the letter must include

their REFERENCE INITIALS a (DS) double-space below the last letter part.

– DO NOT use reference initials if the person typing the letter is the same person who wrote or authored the letter.

– REFERENCE INITIALS are keyed in lowercase letters with NO periods.