How you present yourself and your business in written correspondence reflects on your company's image. It can be an introduction to your products or services, and presenting a good first impression is often crucial to your success. A poorly written letter or email can quickly sink your company. Your objective should be to present a coherent, grammatically and correctly spelled letter.
Start with a great letterhead. This includes high quality stationery (preferably with a watermark) and matching envelopes. You don't necessarily have to buy printed letterheads since your computer software may be able to display a good letterhead. Generally, the printing should present contact information and the name of your company. However, there are variations such as printing contact information sideways or at the bottom of your stationery.
Begin typing using a margin. Business correspondence should usually begin with all typing flush with the left margin.
Try to find out the name of a specific person to address the letter to. Many letters go straight to the trash, get lost or sent to an unintended recipient when you don't specify who the letter is addressed to.
Use "Dear Mr." or "Dear Ms." in your salutation if you are sending a letter. The old school would require the same type of salutation previously mentioned in addressing an email, too. However, in a business email, netiquette usually allows more flexibility including addressing people by their first names only.
Proofread your letter using spell check or a dictionary and make any corrections. Also, always look at "print preview" prior to printing out the letter. The setup should be pleasing to the eyes.
Sign the letter. Rubber stamping your signature should be avoided. A real signature is much more effective. An attractive signature is one that is not too large or too small. Depending on the type of letter, you may be able to use a more flamboyant signature.
Indicate the names of other recipients of your letter using "cc:" a few spaces below your signature. For example, if you are sending a letter to "Tom Smith" with a copy to "George Johnson," type "cc: George Johnson."
Address the envelope to the intended recipient by typing the person's name and address on the envelope, or by using address labels. You should do likewise with your return address.
Print out your letter and your address labels.
Use a postal meter for printing your postage labels, if you can. This provides a more professional presentation.
Mail the letter.
