Professional Letter and Email Writing Guidelines

Professional Letter and Email Writing GuidelinesProfessional Letter and Email Writing GuidelinesWhats the best way to write a professional letter with a paper letter or an schmelzglas? One really isnt better than the other. In some cases, it makes sense to communicate via email and sometimes you may need to send a traditional typed, printed, and signed letter. Whichever you choose, its important to follow the best professional letter and email writing and format guidelines. Email is quicker and easier, but some email messages never get opened and, depending on who you are writing to and why you are writing, you may be required to mail a typed and signed letter or even upload it online. The type of message you choose depends on who youre communicating with,and the purpose of your correspondence. Professional Letter and Email Writing Guidelines All well-written letters include several sections. The information you include in each section and the overall format depends on whether y ou are sending a typed letter or an email message. Its essential that you know the different parts of a letter and what should be listed in each one. You also need to know how to address and sign both typed and email communications. The different parts of a letter are as follows Contact InformationSalutation (Greeting)Body of LetterClosingSignature Contact Information The way you include your contact information will be different based on how you send your letter. In an email message, your contact information will be at the end of the message, whereas in a written letter, your contact information is at the top of the page. Heres what to include in your contact information section, positiv samples for both typed letters and emails. Salutation The salutation is the greeting section of your letter with something like Dear Mr. Peterson, or To Whom It May Concern. Heres a list of letter salutation examples that work well for professional correspondence. Body of Letter The bod y of your letter will include several paragraphs. The first paragraph should include an introduction and a brief explanation of your reason for writing. The second paragraph (and any following paragraphs) should explain further your reasons for writing. The last paragraph should either request action from the reader, if you are requesting something, or state how you will follow-up. Be koranvers to make the purpose of your letter clear. The reader will need to know what you are asking for and how they can help you. Or, if youre offering services or assistance, make sure its clear what you can provide. Closing A letter is closed with a term like Best regards or Sincerely followed by a comma, then your signature if youre sending a typed letter. If youre sending an email message, simply type your name after the closing. Heres a list of letter closing examples that are appropriate for business and employment related correspondence. Signature The finishing touch to your letter is your signature, which, in an email message, will include your contact information. Heres how to sign a letter and how to set up and email signature. How to Address a Letter Its important to address the individual you are writing to formally, unless you know them very well. Heres how to address a letter including generic information you can use if you dont have a contact person at the company. Formatting Your Correspondence Now that you have all the information you need to include in your message, review the standard format to use for letters and email messages. Letter Writing Guidelines The next step is to polish up your letter. There should be plenty of space between paragraphs and the top and bottom of the page. You also want to select a readable, professional style and size of font. What you say will depend on the reason youre writing, so be sure to tailor your letter to fit your personal and professional situation. Here are step by step guides to writing a variety o f different types of letters, including page margins, fonts, spacing, and details of what to include, along with examples of each How to Write a Business LetterHow to Write a Cover LetterHow to Write a Job Application LetterHow to Write a Reference LetterHow to Write a Resignation LetterHow to Write a Thank You LetterLinkedIn Message and Invitation GuidelinesProfessional Email Message Guidelines Examples and Templates Using a template is a great way to start your own letter or email message because you are starting with the basic format in place. Simply fill in your information in the appropriate section of the letter. Looking at examples is helpful, too, because youll get ideas for what to say in your own correspondence. Letter SamplesReview these written letter samples, including business letters, cover letters, interview thank you letters, followsThese email examples include employment, job search and business email message examples, plus email templates, formatted message ex amples, and subject line, plus greetings and signature examples. Proofread and Spell Check Finally, before you print or upload your letter or send your email message, spell check, grammar check, and proofread it. A tip for making sure there arent any errors is to read it out loud. You may notice mistakes you missed by reading only.