The Anatomy of A Business Letter To deliver a message effectively, the channel should be solid and clear. According to the  book Effective Business Communication, by Ronnie A. Bouing, the following are parts of a business letter:



The Anatomy of A Business Letter


Heading (Letterhead) – This usually displays the name of the institution represented by the author, as well as the corporate name and business address.
Date (Dateline) – This indicates the day when the letter was written, and not when the document was released.
Inside Address – The name, position, business name, and business address of the addressee appear on this part.
Return Address – Your address

Different Types of Business Letter: Inter-office Documents 


Salutation – For the recipient’s name, use Mr. or Ms. and then the last name to show respect. Other salutations are: Ladies, Gentlemen, Dear Sir, and Dear Sir or Madam.
Body – Paragraphs should be brief and straight to the point. The length of the letter depends on the purpose of the letter.
Complimentary Close – This is the part  where the author should signal the ending of the letter. Among the suggested closings are: “Very truly yours,” “Very sincerely yours,” and “Very respectfully yours.

Signature Block – Your name and position are on this part.
Reference Initial – Any of the writer, dictator, or encoder of the letter should be mentioned using an acronym, initial or code.


Secondary recipients of the Business Letter:


Enclosure Notation – This reminds the recipient about the attachment/s to the letter.
Postcript (PS Notation) – Important details are stressed here, calling the recipient’s attention. This is usually found on a sales or marketing letter.
Through Line – “This part appears in the letter if the sender is a subordinate who writes to a person higher in position than his immediate superior. It is a protocol that communications should pass through channels.”

Use Title in Business Letter


Notes on Salutation: Syntax Training founder Lynn Gaertner-Johnston shares the following tips when greeting your letter’s recipient:
Use the title Ms. if you are unsure of what the prefers between Mrs. and Ms.
Use two names in the salutation when there are two recipients, like this:
Dear Mr. Lodge and Ms. Cooper: or Dear Maine and Thomas:

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