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Your objectives of communication when composing a business letter are as follows:
- to be understood exactly as you intended
- to secure a response to your message—and, where applicable, a favorable one
- to maintain favorable relations with those with whom you communicate
- to be absolutely correct in each and every statement you make.
To achieve these goals, your business letter should include the following elements.
- Primary Element: The letter’s important “news” –your reason for writing—should be in the first paragraph.
- Secondary Element: Information that develops the “news” should be in the middle paragraph(s), including explanations, supporting details, reasons the reader should act.
- Closing Element: The last paragraph should tell the reader what action to do next, including clarification that suggests course of action and statements that tell the reader what attitude or response is required.
You will get better results by making your audience the focus of the letter, not yourself. Anticipate how the letter will look, sound, and seem to your audience. Re-word sentences to eliminate some of the “I” and “my” emphasis and concentrate on what you can do for the reader. By saying what you can do, you avoid sounding negative or self-important.
Cover Letters
Familiarize yourself with the job announcement and the organization to which you’re thinking about applying. Determine where your interests and credentials intersect with the needs of the company. For more details on writing cover letters, see our handout “Guidelines for Cover Letters.”
Direct or Deductive Letters
Good-news (acceptance, announcements, information, granting requests, reminders, thank-yous, congratulations):
- Best news/main idea
- Explanation— Give necessary details and/or background information.
- Positive, friendly closure—Express your appreciation, or make a clear statement of the desired action.
Direct-requests (simple claim letters, some collection letters, asking simple favors, seeking information, placing orders, reserving rooms, etc.):
- Main idea—State your request, main statement, or question; give reasons, if necessary.
- Further explanation—Give all necessary and desirable details along with optional, but often helpful devices, such as charts, graphs, lists, headings.
- Courteous closure/motivation to action—Make a clear statement of the action you desire along with information to make the action easier; express appreciation for doing the action.
Indirect or Inductive Letter
Bad-news (refusals, compromises):
- Buffer—Begin with a pleasant, neutral statement about the situation.
- Explanation—Tactfully state the necessary details beginning with pertinent, favorable details and ending with the unfavorable facts.
- Decision, news, main idea—State these without sacrificing clarity.
- Positive, friendly closure—Offer additional help or suggestions, invite future action, give a clear statement of action desired, or emphasize goodwill.
Persuasive requests (sales, some collection and claim letters, requests for interviews):
- Attention—How will your request benefit or interest the reader?
- Further explanation—Give descriptive details or psychologically appeal to the reader.
- Desire—Make a clear statement to help create reader’s desire to fulfill your request.
- Courteous closure—Clearly state the action desired giving a special inducement to help the reader realize the benefits of the action.
Sources: Killingsworth, M. Jimmie and Jacqueline S. Palmer. Information In Action: A Guide to Technical Communication. 2nd ed. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon-Viacom Co., 1996 1999.
Wooley, Lillian and Melinda Payne. "Handbook for Technical Writers." College Station: Texas A&M, 1993.
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