How to Write a Letter
Our grandparents and great-grandparents wrote letters all the time: to their friends and families, to the bank manager, to express condolences, to complain, to invite someone to visit, to accept an invitation and to thank people for hospitality or gifts.
Nowadays, we don’t need to write letters very often and it’s become a dying art. Emails, Facebook, Twitter and instant messaging mean that we can stay in touch all the time. There are still, however, times when writing a letter is appropriate, and it’s good to know when, and how to write one.
This page explains different types of letters, from informal to formal, and how to write each one. On this page, we are talking about writing letters that will be sent by post – snail mail – not by email. Most of the letters described on this page should never be sent by email. The only exception is for a job application, where you should attach a formal letter to a covering email.
The General Structure of a Letter
If you are writing an informal letter, you may omit the recipient’s name and address, and you may also sign it off more informally: ‘With love’, or ‘With best wishes’, rather than ‘Yours sincerely’, and sign with just your first name, omitting your surname and title.
Forms for signing off a letter vary depending on how you addressed it. The rule is that if you addressed it ‘Dear Sir’, then you sign off ‘Yours faithfully’, and if you addressed the person by name, then you sign off ‘Yours sincerely’.
Address the letter to ‘Head of Customer Service’ at the company address, then use ‘Dear Sir’. ‘Dear Sir’ is technically the correct form when you do not know the name of the person, but many people prefer ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.
Google the name of the person who heads that department, and use their name. If you are writing to a big company, this information should be publicly available, and there is no excuse for not finding and using it. If the company conceals the name of the person responsible for customer service, then it seems entirely reasonable to send your complaint direct to the CEO.
The only exception is if you are writing to the editor of a newspaper, in which case you always write ‘Dear Sir’. The form to use on the envelope is ‘The Editor’, then the name and address of the newspaper.
If you believe you can send an email instead of a letter, then don’t use the full formal structure. Just start your email ‘Dear Mr [Name]’, followed by the text you wish to send, then ‘Yours sincerely, [your full name]’.
How to write a letter
1. Choose the right type of paper
Your letter should be typed and printed on standard white paper. Depending on the circumstances—such as sending a letter of recommendation or a cover letter with your resume—you may want to print on nice resume paper. If you’re sending a business letter for your company, you may want to print the letter on company letterhead.
2. Use the right formatting
Next, you will need to select an appropriate font. Use fonts that appear clean and easily readable over stylistic fonts. Some examples of professional fonts you may want to use are:
3. Choose between block or indented form
While there are many different formatting styles, you will, in general, want to choose between a block or an indented format. The block format has all elements and sections aligned with the left-hand side of the page. The first sentence of every paragraph is not indented.
The indented format is often a style used for documents that are more casual. With indented form, you indent the first line of each paragraph by one inch. If you use an indented format, you’ll right-justify your address and the date.
4. Include addresses and the date
The addresses of the sender and recipient, as well as the date, are the first pieces of information you’ll include in the letter. You’ll include your address and contact information at the top, then skip a line, then list the date, skip another line and then list the recipient’s address.
If you have chosen the indented format, you’ll place your address and the date in the top right-hand corner and then left-justify the recipient’s address. If you’ve chosen a block format, you’ll left-justify all of the addresses.
5. Include a salutation
If you know who you’re writing to, the simplest and often most appropriate salutation is simply “Dear [ name of recipient ] “. If you don’t know the person well or you have a formal relationship, use their title and last name. If you are writing a letter to someone within a company, but don’t know their name, take some time to research to find out. Oftentimes if you know the title, you can find their name on LinkedIn. You could also call the company and ask for the name of the person who holds that position.
If you are unable to find the information or you are writing a letter that isn’t directed at someone specific, use “To Whom It May Concern”. You can follow the salutation with either a colon or a comma.
6. Write the body of your letter
If you have a block form letter, left justify each paragraph within the letter, leaving a blank line between the paragraphs that makes it easier to read. For indented forms, you’ll need to indent the first line of each paragraph by one inch.
Keep your letter direct and to the point, with the entire letter being no more than one page. While it’s appropriate to start with a short pleasantry such as, “I hope this letter finds you well”, you should move quickly to why you’re writing. You can lead right into this by typing, “I’m writing in regards to. “
Use active voice as much as possible throughout the body of the letter. The closing paragraph should re-state the purpose of your letter and request a follow-up action. End the letter with another pleasantry, such as “thank you for your time and consideration” or “please let me know if you’d like to discuss in detail over the phone.”
7. Include a complimentary close
If you’re writing someone you have a formal relationship with or don’t know well, you may want to use “sincerely,” for your close. Other options are “best wishes”, “kindest regards” or “best.” “Yours truly” is also another option to consider.
8. List additional information
Courtesy copies: This lets the recipient know that you have also sent copies of this letter to other people. You can indicate this by writing “CC” or “Copies to” with the name of the other recipients.
Types of letters
I hope this letter finds you well. I’m writing in regards to a recent request that you made for more information about a technology solution for your medical group. I am the sales director at Armwood Business Solutions and I believe our products could be a good fit for your medical group.
We offer state-of-the-art technology solutions and serve both large and small organizations. Ultimately, our goal is to identify inefficiencies within the workflows of each company we work with and provide technology solutions to make them more efficient, employees more productive and the organization more profitable.
We understand that security is a top concern for companies today, which is why we have several products that are specifically designed to enhance security. We have several products that are specifically designed for medical groups like yours that allow providers to send and receive emails or access patient charts from anywhere, while still remaining HIPAA compliant.
Source:
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/write/letter-writing.html
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-letter
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-a-letter.html
How To Write a Letter: Format and Types (With Example)
Who’s in Charge of International Mail?
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) was established in 1874 to streamline postage between the major countries of the world. It’s a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that coordinates postage rates between member countries, as well as the global postage system. They’re the ones who decide how much you have to pay to mail that international letter.
Before the UPU, postage rates and methods between countries were decided by a network of bilateral international treaties with no standardization. Postal services operated on the assumption that the volume of mail sent between two countries was roughly equal and decided rates accordingly.
Since 1969, however, the UPU introduced the concept of terminal dues: countries sending international mail would pay a certain amount to the destination country to cover the costs of delivering postage there. Those dues are settled every quarter and based on the weight and volume of packages shipped between countries.
The UPU can penalize member nations for late mail, docking their terminal dues if more than a certain percentage of their mail arrives late. In European countries, a package is considered late if it isn’t delivered overnight after arriving in the country. In the US, when a package is considered late depends on the type of shipping selected.
How to write a letter
1. Choose the right type of paper
Your letter should be typed and printed on standard white paper. Depending on the circumstances—such as sending a letter of recommendation or a cover letter with your resume—you may want to print on nice resume paper. If you’re sending a business letter for your company, you may want to print the letter on company letterhead.
2. Use the right formatting
Next, you will need to select an appropriate font. Use fonts that appear clean and easily readable over stylistic fonts. Some examples of professional fonts you may want to use are:
3. Choose between block or indented form
While there are many different formatting styles, you will, in general, want to choose between a block or an indented format. The block format has all elements and sections aligned with the left-hand side of the page. The first sentence of every paragraph is not indented.
The indented format is often a style used for documents that are more casual. With indented form, you indent the first line of each paragraph by one inch. If you use an indented format, you’ll right-justify your address and the date.
4. Include addresses and the date
The addresses of the sender and recipient, as well as the date, are the first pieces of information you’ll include in the letter. You’ll include your address and contact information at the top, then skip a line, then list the date, skip another line and then list the recipient’s address.
If you have chosen the indented format, you’ll place your address and the date in the top right-hand corner and then left-justify the recipient’s address. If you’ve chosen a block format, you’ll left-justify all of the addresses.
5. Include a salutation
If you know who you’re writing to, the simplest and often most appropriate salutation is simply “Dear [ name of recipient ] “. If you don’t know the person well or you have a formal relationship, use their title and last name. If you are writing a letter to someone within a company, but don’t know their name, take some time to research to find out. Oftentimes if you know the title, you can find their name on LinkedIn. You could also call the company and ask for the name of the person who holds that position.
If you are unable to find the information or you are writing a letter that isn’t directed at someone specific, use “To Whom It May Concern”. You can follow the salutation with either a colon or a comma.
6. Write the body of your letter
If you have a block form letter, left justify each paragraph within the letter, leaving a blank line between the paragraphs that makes it easier to read. For indented forms, you’ll need to indent the first line of each paragraph by one inch.
Keep your letter direct and to the point, with the entire letter being no more than one page. While it’s appropriate to start with a short pleasantry such as, “I hope this letter finds you well”, you should move quickly to why you’re writing. You can lead right into this by typing, “I’m writing in regards to. “
Use active voice as much as possible throughout the body of the letter. The closing paragraph should re-state the purpose of your letter and request a follow-up action. End the letter with another pleasantry, such as “thank you for your time and consideration” or “please let me know if you’d like to discuss in detail over the phone.”
7. Include a complimentary close
If you’re writing someone you have a formal relationship with or don’t know well, you may want to use “sincerely,” for your close. Other options are “best wishes”, “kindest regards” or “best.” “Yours truly” is also another option to consider.
8. List additional information
Courtesy copies: This lets the recipient know that you have also sent copies of this letter to other people. You can indicate this by writing “CC” or “Copies to” with the name of the other recipients.
Resignation letter tips
Keep it positive. Regardless of the reasons that led you to resign, the tone of this letter should be positive—aim to part on good terms and maintain your professional network. Above all, do not use your resignation letter to vent frustration.
Deliver your letter in person. If possible, you may want to deliver your resignation letter in-person to your manager. If you resign with a hard copy, be sure to include the date at the top of the letter. You may also send an email immediately after meeting with your manager. Use a subject line that’s clear and direct, such as: Resignation—[Your Name].
Consider networking opportunities. Include language that encourages your manager to continue a professional relationship after you leave the company. For example, “I’d greatly appreciate the opportunity to stay in touch to continue learning from you and to share any industry insights I’ve gained that you might find useful. In the future, please feel free to reach me at [your personal email address].”
If necessary, keep it brief. If you are leaving your company for sensitive reasons and prefer not to provide optional details, simply include your statement of resignation, last day at the company and a statement like “I wish the company success in its future endeavors.”
Plan for an immediate departure. In certain situations, your employer may ask you to leave on the day you resign. If you are leaving for a new job that does not begin for a few weeks, this may mean you won’t be paid for that period. If this situation could apply to you, pay attention to what happens when others resign and plan accordingly when you are determining your start date in a new job.
Follow your manager’s instructions for next steps. After you submit a formal resignation, your manager might ask you to put together a transition plan, finish up certain projects or write a goodbye note to your colleagues.
Resource:
https://www.mailform.io/lp/how-to-send-a-letter-to-the-usa
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-letter
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/starting-new-job/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter