A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO LETTER - WRITING

Getting off to a good start

Writing business letters that are clear, concise and simple seems to be an art that eludes many
businessmen and women. The skill is to keep it short and simple this makes it easy for the
reader to understand and respond.
General Guidelines

Stay on the topic. Dont digress or ramble.

Use plain language, simple words and short sentences

When writing long letters, memos or reports, use headings and sub-headings.
These give direction and the thoughts together.

Tone is important. A cordial tone will have a positive effect. An antagonistic tone
will turn off the reader. A reader who is offended by the tone of the letter may become
agitated and uncooperative.

When replying to a letter, restate the subject of the original letter in your opening
sentence. Use as few words as possible.

Restating is done because the writer of the original letter may have written
several letters on the same date. Your restatement of the subject will help refresh your
readers memory. In addition, restating the subject helps preserve the history and continuity of
the communication.

Put what the reader needs to know at the beginning of the letter.

Do not argue. Just supply the information necessary to clarify points that are
confusing or that might be misunderstood.

When an apology is called for, make it.

Avoid when possible, the use of the passive voice, e.g. It was decided by the
committee Rather say The committee decided. It is far more forceful.

Edit continually. It is often difficult to say exactly what you mean the first time. So
do not be afraid to rewrite and eliminate words, phrases and even paragraphs that are
superfluous.

Check the typed copy of errors. Your secretary may be an excellent typist but
check for copy errors before you sign it. An incorrect word can sometimes change the entire
meaning of a sentence.
Examples of Business Letters
Clearly you will determine your own letter style. The following letters are provided to show the
type of information each should include.
1. Letter of invitation
Letters of invitation should be easy enough to write, for they carry no bad news, do not risk
hurting or offending and usually announce a pleasant event.
Invitation should never fail to specify the date, the time and place of the event in question. The
reason for the event should also be specified. Try to add a note of warmth and welcome to your
invitation letters. Enthusiasm is catchy and engenders good will.
i.

Informal Lunch or Dinner Invitation

Dear Peter
I have just heard from my marketing manager that you are planning to be in Sussex next week.
We are having our senior management lunch on the 13 th and wed like you to join us. In addition, I
feel that it would be of mutual benefit if you would join the discussion which takes place
afterwards.

Well be meeting at High Gate place at 12.30.

Will you be able to come?
Regards
ii.

Formal Dinner Invitation

The formal third person invitation is usually engraved on a card, the guests name being written in
by hand.
Mr. and Mrs. George Banks
request the pleasure of
the company of
Mr and Mrs Barry Thring
at dinner on
Friday, 12 March
at eight oclock
RSVP
27 Lawley street
Moreton
Black tie

iii.

Invitation to make a speech or give a talk

Dear Mr. Sweeney
The next meeting of the association to be held on 3 May at the Grange Hotel, Oxford, will be
devoted to new developments in the field of Industrial Productivity.
We are anxious to secure a speaker of your distinction for the occasion, and I am writing to ask
whether you would consider addressing the Association members for 30 to 45 minutes on that
date.
The meeting starts at 8.30 pm and I would be honored if you would be my guest at dinner
beforehand. It has to be a rather rushed affair under the circumstances, but if we meet at 7.00
pm, it would still allow us a little time to talk.
Yours sincerely
2. Letters of acceptance
Letters accepting an invitation to an event which requires preparation be sent within two days of
receiving the invitation. It is often a good idea to reiterate the time, place and date of the meeting,
to ensure that there will be no misunderstanding.

i.

Acceptance of informal lunch or dinner invitation

Dear Jack
I am delighted to accept your kind invitation to your senior management lunch on 13 October at
Highgate Place. I shall be there at 12:30 as you suggest, and look forward to a very interesting
afternoon.
Regards

ii.

Acceptance of formal dinner invitation

Mr and Mrs Barry Thring
have much pleasure in accepting

the kind invitation of

Mr and Mrs George Banks
to dinner
on Friday, 12 March
at eight oclock
iii.

Acceptance of invitation to make a speech or give talk

Dear Mr Whitelaw
Thank you for asking me to address your conference on May 3.
Unless you feel otherwise, I would like to discuss industrial accidents. The subject is quite topical
and I think it will be of some value to your members. Ill limit my talk to 30 minutes, plus 10-15
minutes for questions.
I look forward to the occasion and hope there will be a good number attending. Ill he there at
7:00 pm, so that we can have a quick dinner and chat as you suggest.
Yours sincerely

3. Refusal Letters
So as not to offend, letters of refusal must be both tactful and friendly. They should leave the
recipient with the impression that his invitation is turned down with genuine regret.
(i) Refusal of informal lunch or dinner invitation
Dear Harry
Thank you for your friendly letter asking me to have lunch with you during my fleeting visit to
London next week.
There is nothing I would have enjoyed more, but Im afraid we shall have to postpone it. I shall be
attending meetings all day long and lunch, will, no doubt, consist of a sandwich and a cup of tea
in the conference room.
I hope you understand the situation. I look forward to seeing you either on my next visit or when
you come to Dublin.
Regards
(ii) Refusal of formal invitation to dinner
Mr and Mrs Barry Thring
regret that a previous
engagement
prevents them from accepting
the kind
invitation to dinner on
Friday, 12 March
at the home of
Mr and Mrs George Banks
(iii) Refusal of invitation to join professional association
Dear Mr Stead
Many thanks for your letter of 3 September. I am highly honoured by your invitation to me to join

the committee of the Board of Directors.

I wish I could undertake the task, but, unfortunately my crowded schedule would not enable me to
give the undertaking the time and attention it deserves. I must therefore ask you to excuse me.
I hope you understand, and do please thank the other members for their confidence in me.
Yours sincerely
(iv) Refusal of contributions, support of charities, etc.
Dear Mr Grey
I have carefully considered your request for our company to support your special Cancer Week
appeal.
Unfortunately, however, the funds the company have set aside for charitable purposes have all
been allocated already and I am therefore unable to respond this time.
I do, nonetheless, wish you the very greatest success in your wonderful work.
Yours sincerely
4. Letters of congratulations and good wishes
Everyone likes to be congratulations on his achievements and is pleased when the milestones in
his life are recognised by friends and associates. Do respond to your associates and friends
achievements with a short note of congratulations.
(i.) A new business or professional appointment
Dear Dr Ballantine
I was delighted to learn you have been appointed Chief Administrative Officer of Hospital
Services.
I know you will make a resounding success of it, as you have of all your undertakings. We, as a
company, look forward to cooperating with you in any way we can.
Meanwhile, please accept my congratulations and good wishes.
Yours sincerely
(ii) A business anniversary / business achievement

Dear Mr Drake
Please accept my warmest congratulations on this twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of your
business. Your record in that time is one you may well be proud of. Your reputation and standing
in the community are second to none.
Long may your success and prosperity continue.
Yours sincerely
(iii) A birth

Dear Fred and Paula

News has just reached me that the little stranger has arrived and that she is a beautiful girl.
Congratulations to you both. With parents like you she is bound to make a splendid start in life.
My very best wishes to the three of you!
Yours sincerely
(iv) Wedding
Dear Tim
Its excellent news.
Congratulations and our very best wishes to you and Susan.
We know you will have a wonderful life together, certainly if all our good wishes for you come
true.
Yours sincerely
(v,) For outstanding work
Dear Tim
This is just a note to tell you how much I appreciated the outstanding effort which your whole
department put into getting the direct mail brochures printed and distributed on time.
Without everyones wholehearted effort it could not have been done and I want you to convey my
sincere thanks to every one of your staff. It was a splendid effort.
Regards
(vi) Promotion of stuff member
Dear Charles
Congratulations on you promotion to Technical Director. As you know, this gesture is in
recognition of your conscientious and efficient work as production manager during the past four
years.
My best wishes for your continued success.
Regards
5

Thank you Letters

For a thank you letter to be effective, it should be written at once, for nothing creates a worse
impression than a thank you letter which begins with an apology.
In these days of constant haste, few people send a note of thanks for a gilt or a favour received,
or a pleasant evening. Yet, this type of letter gives great pleasure to the recipient and contributes
much to a friendship or association.

(i) Appreciation for a business gift

Dear David
I was absolutely delighted to receive such an elegant gift. The decanter is so lovely that it far
surpasses what is in my drinks cabinet. It was kind of you to reward me in this way for the slight
help I gave you in editing some chapters of your book.
Congratulations on a splendid job, best wishes for its success, and thanks again for such an
exquisite gift.

Yours sincerely
(ii) For a special courtesy or service
Dear Jack
I wish to thank you most sincerely for the many courtesies extended to me during my brief visit to
Chicago.
Your kindness and wholehearted cooperation, not to mention your true American hospitality,
made my trip not only a most successful, but also an extremely pleasant one.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you here, either personal or otherwise.
Yours sincerely
(iii) For a donation
Dear Mr Simpson
Please accept my warmest thanks for your very generous donation to our Association. Ours is a
cause which is so often neglected because other claims seem more urgent. Nonetheless we are
doing vital work and need funds very badly if we are to succeed. You quite obviously realise this
and we greatly appreciate your support.
Yours sincerely
(iv) For making a speech /giving a talk
Dear Mr Sweeney
Your talk to our members last night was one of the most outstanding we have heard at the
Association for a long time. The originality of your approach to industrial accidents will give our
members much food for thought.
Thank you for sharing with us your unique experiences in the field of accident prevention. I am
sure that many of our members will adopt some of your methods in their own factories.
Regards
(v) For loyal service
Dear Fred
Twenty-five years with one company is a long time and a rare achievement these days. When this
quarter of a century has been devoted consistently to hard working, cooperation and
understanding loyalty, then it is a record anyone may be proud of. And this is just what you have
done.
I know you heard all these things last night at the Celebration Dinner, but I very much wanted to
tell you in my own words just how proud of you I am and how much I have appreciated your
loyalty throughout the years.
My heartfelt personal thanks go with you as you begin you 26th year with the firm.
Yours sincerely
(v) For message of condolence or sympathy
Dear Craig

Thank you for your kind words of sympathy. At a time of great personal sorrow such as this, there
is no greater solace than the knowledge that our friends are there and feel with us.
Thank you again.
Yours sincerely
Dear Mr Wells
Your kind words of sympathy on the death of our Managing Director, Dr Ross MacDonald, were
deeply appreciated.
His sudden loss has been a great shock to us and his absence will be keenly felt by all at
leavers.
At a time such as this your friendship and kindness are a great comfort to us all.
Yours sincerely
6

Letters of seasonal greetings

Letters of seasonal greetings can do a lot to cultivate and maintain a happy business relationship
and to keep a contact alive.
Dear Paul
As the bells ring out the Old Year, we would be ungrateful if we failed to turn our thoughts back for
the year that has gone by and to the valued support you have given us during that time.
We sincerely appreciate your loyalty and feel this is the time of year to express our thanks and
send you our very best wishes for the coming year. May it be a happy and prosperous one
Yours sincerely

7. Letters of apology
It sometimes happens that we or one of our staff members are negligent in some way or another.
A prompt and sincere apology is the only way out at such times.
If you do have a convincing explanation for your lapse, then by all means give it, otherwise, an
honest admission of your error will often work wonders to restore you to the good graces of your
correspondent.
(i) Dear Mr Sloan
We are very sorry to learn that the chair you purchased from us seems to be of inferior quality,
and we have notified the manufacturer of your dissatisfaction.
We certainly want you to be happy with any purchase you make from ABC Furnishers.
Will you kindly telephone Mr Brooks, our departmental manager, and advise him of the time and
date when it will be convenient to have the chair picked up. Would you also let us know whether
you wish to choose a replacement, or if you would prefer to have the 150 credited to your
account.
We do apologies for the inconvenience caused and we thank you for calling the matter to our
attention.
Yours sincerely
(ii) Dear Mr Preston
Please accept my apologies for what happened yesterday. I fully expected to be hack at the office

by the time you arrived, but an appointment kept me tied up until 2.30 and the exasperatingly
slow-moving traffic delayed me still further.
Do please give me an opportunity to make amends next time you come to London.
Yours sincerely
8. Letters of condolence and sympathy
A letter of sympathy or condolence is perhaps the most difficult to write. It is the kind of letter we
all keep on postponing, making our task harder the longer we leave it.
The best procedure is to write the message right away and to tailor it according to the degree of
friendship between writer and recipient, and the known feelings of the recipient towards the
deceased.
(i) Family bereavement, colleagues and business associates
Dear Sally
I was most distressed to hear you had lost your mother. Words are such poor comforters at a time
such as this, yet it can be of some solace to know that our friends are close to us and feel with us
in our grief.
Do be assured that I am at hand and if there is anything at all I can do, please let me know.
Yours sincerely
Dear Mr Baker
It is with deep regret that we have just heard of the death of your wife.
We are aware of the scant solace which words can bring at such a time, but all of us here at
Plantpack want you to know you have our deepest sympathy.
Yours sincerely
(ii) On the death of a company executives
Dear Sirs
The entire Plantpack organisation joins me in expressing our deepest sympathy in the loss of
your Managing Director, Dr Ross MacDonald.
His sterling qualities earned him and your company numerous friends in the profession and he
will be mourned and missed by many.
Yours faithfully
9. Letters of appointment
The standard letter of appointment sets out the terms and conditions of employment - and is
always formal.
Most firms have draft forms. The letter should stipulate the terms and conditions of employ ment
and should in addition include:
the employees full name and status (Mr/Mrs, etc.)

 the date he or she starts employment

the agreed salary and salary review dates
the exact amount of leave granted annually (e.g. 20 working days)
information regarding pension and insurance schemes
motor car policy, if applicable
notice of termination of services
All letters of appointment are made out in duplicate - and signed in duplicate - one each for the
employer and employee. The employees signature signifies his acceptance of the terms and
conditions of employment.
10. Letter of resignation
Dear Sir/Madam
Resignation: J Sharpe
In accordance with the conditions of my letter of appointment of 3 January 19___, I wish to give
you three months notice of my resignation on 30 December 19___.
I have recently been offered a position with a higher salary and with good prospects for promotion
which I have decided to accept.
I would like to thank you sincerely for your help and support in the past.
Yours faithfully

Their hindsight was better than their foresight

- Henry Ward Beecher