Many people in business heaved a sigh of relief when email began to take over most of their day-to-day correspondence. Processing business letters – even today – is fiddly and fussy, compared with
blissful simplicity of email. However as you know there are still times when ink on paper is essential. Many of so-called “professions” (legal, accountancy, etc) in UK at least still insist on correspondence being done via printed letters. They have a deep mistrust of email and for good reason, as its confidentiality can never be guaranteed. Business letters are at least fairly private – you have to assume it’s easier and faster to snoop on email than it is to steam envelopes open over boiling water. In other instances, too, printed letters provide a more tamper-proof formal record of business arrangements, complaints, employee warnings/terminations and other issues that need to be carved into tablets of stone. (Well, paper, anyway.)
Old fashioned structure, modern style
Highlighted and ridiculed by casual nature of email, quaint formality of old fashioned business letter seems positively Dickensian and totally inappropriate for way we do business now.
There is an answer, though. Use formality of structure that makes business letter bullet-proof form of communication it has come to be. Combine that with short, straight-talking style of writing more common to emails, and you have a good compromise.
Let’s start with structure – or rather, etiquette which supplies structure.
There are variations between accepted etiquette used in different English language markets. Here are main British forms of address. I have also included US/Canadian equivalents where I know them, but I’m afraid I’m not aware of those used in Australia, NZ or SA.
Formal letters
The addressee will either be a title, e.g. “The Chief Executive Officer” or to an organization or company when you don’t know to whom your letter should be addressed. When you write to a title salutation is “Dear Sir,” “Dear Madam,” or if you want to play it safe, “Dear Sir/Madam.” When you write to an organization it’s “Dear Sirs,” Dear “Mesdames,” or again if you want to play it safe (but labor point) “Dear Sirs/Mesdames.”
Your sign off will be “Yours faithfully” (UK) or “Yours truly” (US and Canada.)
Less formal letters
This is where you have a name. And this is where you can get into hot water if you’re not sure of gender of person. Someone called J C Jennings could be a Jack or a Joanna. Someone called Leslie Matthews could also be either (traditionally female version of name is spelled “Lesley” and male “Leslie,” but I know at least one lady Leslie.)
Equally beware of unisex names like Jody, Jo, Bobbie, Alex, Rob, Robin, Carol (yes, really,) Billie, Chris, Darryl, Eddie, Sam, Jackie, Nicky, Frances (f) vs Francis (m), Freddie, Gabrielle (f) vs Gabriel (m), Georgie, Gerry/Jerry, Charlie, Nat, Harry, Jessie (f) vs Jesse (m), Stevie, Mel, Pat, Ronnie, Sacha, Sandy, etc. And that’s before we get started on names from non English-language cultures.
People these days usually don’t advertise whether they’re “Mr” or “Ms” or whatever. When in doubt don’t risk embarrassment; phone organization concerned and ask.
Some people borrow an awful technique from email and use a person’s whole name in salutation, e.g. “Dear Suzan St Maur.” I don’t know about you, but this irritates h*ll out of me and I would not recommend it.
So, when your letter is addressed to “Mr J C Jennings” your salutation is “Dear Mr Jennings.” If information you have is simply “Joanna C Jennings” you can probably take a chance and write a salutation of “Dear Ms Jennings.” I don’t know many male Joannas, but don’t count on it...
Your sign off will be “Yours sincerely.”
Even less formal letters
This is where internet’s influence can be allowed to come into it and give you some freedom from formalities expected in, well, more formal letters.
If you’re writing to someone whom you know on first name terms then your salutation is going to be “Dear (name)” and you don’t need to sign off with a “yours” anything unless you particularly want to. Common forms of sign off include “warm regards” (US,) “kind regards,” “best wishes,” etc.
Layout
This isn’t as strictly followed as it used to be, and now it’s considered OK to design layout of a letter around design of company letterhead. The elements you need, wherever you put them, should include: *Your company name and address (usually done in letterhead’s design) *The date *The addressee’s name, title, company name and address *The salutation (“dear so-and-so”) *The topic of letter (“re:” whatever) *The body of letter *The sign off (“Yours whatever”) *Your own name and title
Traditionally, your own address should go at top right of letter, with date underneath it on right. On next line at left margin, you put addressee’s name and address. After one or two spaces, “Dear (whoever)” goes underneath that. Two spaces below that, you can put your “re: (topic)” or just topic in bold and/or underlined.
Once you’ve done body of letter, create one or two spaces and put sign-off either ranged left or indented a few tabs along towards right. Create a sufficient number of spaces for your signature and then key in your name (and title if appropriate) so it starts directly under “Y” of “Yours.”
