Parts of a Business Letter: 1. Letterhead This Includes the Name, Address, Telephone Number

Letters
(22.01.09)

Parts of a business letter:
1. Letterhead – This includes the name, address, telephone number and email of the company or person sending the letter. It can also include a company logo.
2. Date – The date the letter is written is placed 3 spaces below the last line of the letterhead.
3. Inside address – This includes the name and address of the person or company to whom you are sending the letter.
4. Attention line – This is used if you want the attention of a particular person or department but have not put it in the inside address. When the letter is addressed to a particular person this line is not necessary.
For example: Attention: Accounting
This is typed 2 spaces below the inside address.
5. Salutation – This is a form of greeting that should be addressed to the person in the letter is going to and is typed two lines below the attention line. If it is to a company and there is no particular person it can be addressed to “Ladies and Gentlemen” or “To Whom it May Concern.”
6. Subject line – This is 2 lines below the salutation and names the topic of the letter. The word “Subject:” or “Re:” can be used. Note that a colon follows either.
For example: Subject: Price changes or Re: Price changes
The subject line is not a necessary line.
7. Message – The body of the letter. It starts 2 spaces below the Salutation or the Subject line.
8. Close – This is typed 2 spaces below the last line of the letter. It may be formal (Yours truly, Respectfully yours) or it may be more informal (Sincerely, Regards, Best regards).
9. Writer’s name and title – The writer’s name is typed 4 lines below the close. The name should be first and title should go below the name.
For example:
Debra Lee
President
A hand written signature should go in the space above the name.
10. Enclosures – If there are documents included with the letter an enclosure notation is placed 2 spaces after the Close. It is abbreviated: Enc. This tells the reader that there are other documents to read.
11. Carbon Copy – I the letter is going to go to another person (or people) as well the initials “cc” are typed two spaces below the Enclosure notation or 2 spaces below the Close. The names of the recipients are typed after the cc.
For example:
Cc: Bill Brown, Donna Martin