FEATURES OF

PROFESSIONAL
CORRESPONDENCE
“ Business Correspondence is an
umbrella term for all written
communications used in
business relationships with
business partners or for internal
communication in the
organization.”
“ The Business Correspondence includes
all written correspondence in
organizations such as personal
documents, simple legal documents,
personal letters, business contracts,
marketing materials and officials letters,
both in electronic and paper form.
BREVITY
- No matter to whom you are
writing, assume that he has only a
minute or two to spend reading
your letter.
- Limit your letter to one single-
spaced page whenever possible,
according to The Writing Center at
George Mason University.
BREVITY
- Short bullet points list that
draw the recipient’s attention to
the most important information
are acceptable
- Business letters should not
contain fancy fonts or lots of
rich text, such as bold and
italics.
SECTIONS
- The main text of business letter is
typically divided into three sections:
the introduction, the body and the
closing.
- This text is preceded by a formal
salutation that addresses the recipient
by name, such as “ Dear Mrs. Smith,”
and a formal closing salutation such
as “ Sincerely,” followed by the
sender’s name.
SECTIONS
- Introductory paragraph should
be brief and explain the letter’s
intent.
- The body should elaborate on
that intent , and may include
facts and statistics, descriptions
and/ or explanations.
 SECTIONS
- The closing should thank the recipient
for his time and include a “ call to
action”, which indicates the next step
in the communication process, such as
a phone call or scheduled meeting.
CONTACT INFORMATION
- Hard copy business letters feature a
header that includes sender’s name,
phone number, address and e-mail
address, which may be left or right
justified or centered at the top of the
page.
- This is followed by the date the letter
was sent, which in turn is followed by
the “ inside address”
CONTACT INFORMATION
- The inside address contains the
recipient’s name, job title and company
address.
- For business letter sent via email, the
letter should begin with the opening
salutation and move right into the text.
- Include your contact information after
the closing salutation and name.
 POSITIVE CONTENT
- Letters that accentuate positive
information rather than negative
regardless of the actual purpose are
ultimately more successful.
- If your letter must contain negative
information, present it positively by
emphasizing what is something is or
can do rather than what it is not or
cannot do.
BUSINESS LETTERS
- Usually much formal than personal
letters.
- Although the letters are formal, they
should still be warm in tone and positive
in nature.
- The language of the letter should be
polite and should not be antagonistic in
nature.
1. SIMPLE AND CONCISE
- A business letter needs to be short.
- You should state your point within a
few brief paragraph.
- Get directly to the point of your letter
in the first paragraph, if not in the first
sentence.
1. SIMPLE AND CONCISE
- The second paragraph of the essay
should expand on your point and add
supporting information.
- The final paragraph re- enforces your
point and closes the letter.
- Keep the sentences short and avoid
using uncommon words.
2. LANGUAGE QUALITIES
- The language of a business letter needs to
be clear.
- Anyone who reads the letter should be able
to see what you are asking without having to
re- read the sentences.
- A business letter needs to be accurate and
provide a complete picture to the person
reading it.
2. LANGUAGE QUALITIES
- The letter should only contain information
and language that is relevant to your
purpose.
- Remember to use polite language and to
keep your tone friendly by using “please”
and “ thank you”
3. FORMATTING
- Business letters follow a specific format that
make them simple to read.
- The address of the sender should be on top of
the letter with the date and the recipient’s
address below it.
- The proper salutation is “ Dear” followed by the
recipient’s name and a colon.
- Unless you know the person personally, it’s best
to use their last name and title.
3. FORMATTING
- Leave a blank line after the salutation, then type
the first paragraph.
- There’s on need to indent the first line of the
paragraph.
- Use single spacing for the paragraphs and leave a
blank line between each.
- At the end of a letter, type a closing such as “
Sincerely,” leave four spaces for your signature,
then type out your name.
4. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- Print business letters on standard-sized
paper.
- Use quality ink that won’t smear or fade to
print the letter.
- If you are mailing the letter, use a business-
sized envelope.
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE INCLUDE:
 Curriculum Vitae/resume
 Motivation Letter
 Notice, Termination of Employment
 Letter of Application
 Cover Letter
 Letter of Recommendations
 Advertising and marketing printed materials(
brochures, leaflets)
 Newsletter
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE INCLUDE:

 Demand- demand response- business offer (

Proposal, Bid)
 Claim- response to the claim

 Business Contract

 Conformation of Reservation

 Reminder- reminder response

 Letter of Claim/Complaints

 Invitation Card