Knowing format a business letter is an important skill to develop.
No matter what your profession or the type of letter you are writing, knowing set up a proper business letter is an important skill. The format and look of your letter, along with the content, will serve to form an impression of both you and the company or organization you represent. Setting up a business letter correctly can be accomplished on whichever word processing program you are most comfortable with.
Instructions
1. Open a new document in your word processing program. Set the margins to 1 inch on the sides and 1 1/2 inches on the top and bottom.
2. Create a header with your address and phone number, which may be centered or justified on either side as a single-spaced block.
3. Hit return twice to create a double space, and type the date in month-day-year format, such as "May 22, 2005," left justified.
4. Add a double space and type the name of the recipient with the appropriate prefix, such as "Mrs. Jane Smith." Type her title, company name and company address below, giving each component its own line, single-spaced.
5. Type a formal salutation double-spaced beneath the address, such as "Dear Mrs. Smith." Double space and type "Subject:" followed by your subject line, an optional step. For example: "Subject: Sales manager position."
6. Type the letter double-spaced below the salutation or subject line, which should be divided into paragraphs. Most business letters contain an introductory paragraph, at least one body paragraph and a concluding paragraph. Each paragraph is single-spaced, with a space between each paragraph.
7. Add a double space and type a closing. "Sincerely" is recommended for formal letters, while "Best Regards" is more informal. Double space twice and type your name, followed by your title beneath it, single-spaced.
8. Include an enclosure indication if you are enclosing additional documents with the letter. Double space below your typed name and title and type "Enclosures," followed by the number of documents in parenthesis (i.e. "Enclosures (4)").
