Write a business letter example. How to write business letters correctly? Types and structure of a business letter

Letters of request are an integral, important and necessary part of business correspondence. On the one hand, these are tactful and diplomatic requests on current issues, on the other hand, they are a tool for achieving certain goals of the addressee. The purpose of any letter of request is to induce the addressee to take certain actions required by the author of the letter. How to write a letter of request to get as close to a positive response as possible?

Any letter of request must consist of a well-thought-out rationale and a clear statement of the request. In addition, you can use techniques that increase the efficiency of writing.

Step 1. Who do you contact with your request?

Address the addressee personally, preferably by first name and patronymic:

“Dear Ivan Ivanovich!”, “Dear Mr. Ivanov!”

Firstly, you will express your respect to the addressee, and secondly, a request addressed to a specific person imposes responsibility on him for its implementation. There are situations when a request is addressed to a team or group of people. In this case, it is also advisable to personalize the appeal as much as possible:

“Dear colleagues!”, “Dear managers!”, “Dear junior employees!”, “Dear HR employees!”

Step 2. Why are you contacting me?

Give a compliment to the recipient. By giving a compliment to the recipient, you answer his question: “Why are you asking me this question?” Note his past achievements or personal qualities.

“You are always ready to listen and find the best way to solve the problem of almost everyone who contacts you. And, to give you credit, you helped a lot of people.”

“You are a leading expert in the field...”

“You have helped many people resolve the most difficult issues in the field of...”

This technique will allow the addressee to look at the request more closely and try to find an opportunity to satisfy fuck her.

A compliment is appropriate when it comes to non-standard requests, when you need to win the recipient over, when you need to draw attention to certain merits and qualities that are necessary and important for the fulfillment of your request.

It is very important not to cross the line between a compliment and rude flattery. Be sincere.

Step 3. Justification of the request

Any request must be justified as to why you are making this particular request. Enter the addressee into the context of your problem.

At this stage, you need to select the three most significant arguments for the addressee. It is best to build arguments according to the following scheme: strong - medium - strongest.

Requests come in different levels of complexity, so the recipient is not always interested in fulfilling someone’s requests. He needs to be convinced that fulfilling the request has potential benefits:

Interest the recipient

Offer to implement some attractive opportunity for him related to the fulfillment of your request:

“At all times, business-minded, enterprising people have strived not only to achieve material success, but also to leave their mark on the history of their Motherland, to be remembered for their good deeds, and to win respect.”

« The successful activity of any professional community is, first of all, understanding and support from friendly Unions, participation in joint events and projects».

« Of course, your big goal is a clean and comfortable city for people».

Or voice a problem that is very relevant specifically for your addressee:

“You, as a wise city owner, are probably concerned about the chaotic walks of children of different ages in unsuitable places, which leads to increased traffic accidents and an increase in child crime.”

“Your department has received more frequent calls on non-core issues, which takes up a lot of valuable working time.”

Show how your request can help realize the opportunity:

« And today, when our country relies on youth, it is difficult to find a more necessary, sacred cause than helping young men and women from disadvantaged families. In our city there are those who already provide such assistance - under the auspices of the mayor’s office, our charity center “Heritage” operates on donations from citizens, teaching troubled teenagers folk crafts ».

Or to solve the problem:

“Equipping specialized places for children of different ages to spend time will help reduce the level of child crime and minimize road accidents involving children.”

Describe the significance of the request

When there is nothing to offer the addressee or in the context of this request it is inappropriate, then it is better to bring the addressee up to date. Here you need to describe the situation as fully as necessary to understand the relevance of the request and the importance of its implementation. The significance of the request must be described in such a way that it “touches the soul.” If the request does not fall into the category of “touchy”, then you need to show the addressee the cause-and-effect relationship, which will ensure that the addressee fulfills the request.

“From (date), according to lease agreement No. X, the rent for 1 m2 is 20 USD. in a day. Over the past three months, there has been a decline in trading activity due to economic instability and social unrest. The average profit from trading is 10 USD. per day, which is not enough even to pay rent. If measures are not taken, private entrepreneurs will be forced to close their retail outlets, which may negatively affect your income.”

Thus, you must make it clear to the recipient that fulfilling the request carries the prospect of receiving material or non-material benefits.

Step 4. Statement of the request

When the addressee is prepared, you can state the actual request. The text of the request should be quite concise and extremely clear. In no case should there be ambiguity or understatement. For example, if we are talking about reducing rent, it is important to indicate to what level:

“We ask you to reduce the rent level until the situation stabilizes to 5 USD. per m2 per day.”

If we are talking about the provision of services, then make the request as specific as possible, indicating the desired dates, price issue, etc.:

« To equip a pottery workshop, we need a kiln for firing ceramics - we ask you to help us purchase it. The cost of the stove with installation is 998 thousand rubles».

In this example, it is not entirely clear what kind of help is required from the addressee. It would be better to formulate the request more specifically: “We ask you to help us purchase a kiln for firing ceramics by transferring 333 thousand USD to the bank account of the company for the production and installation of kilns.”

Whatever you ask for, the recipient must know exactly when, what, how much and at what price you want to receive. A generalized request is more at risk of refusal, because the recipient does not always have the time and desire to deal with the details. In addition, you run the risk of not getting what you want by transferring the initiative to the recipient.

For example, private entrepreneurs wrote a letter asking for a rent reduction, but did not indicate to what level they want to reduce the rent:

“We ask you to reduce the rent until the situation stabilizes.”

As a result, they received a reduction in rent, but only slightly (by 1% of the existing one). Thus, their request was granted, but did little to change the position of the initiators of the letter.

In some cases, the text of the request can be bolded to make it stand out in the text, but do not overuse this technique.

Step 5: Summarize your request.

Repeat your request and emphasize how the recipient will benefit if the request is fulfilled. The request should be modified somewhat. It is best to construct a sentence according to the scheme: “If you fulfill the request, you will be happy.”

“If you meet us halfway and reduce rents until the situation in the region stabilizes, you will not only be able to save more than 150 jobs, but also will not incur global losses due to the complete absence of rent.”

But there may be other options:

“You can be sure that every ruble of your charitable donations will go to a good cause and will help children in difficult situations grow into worthy citizens.”

“You can be sure that every child’s smile will give you moral satisfaction from your difficult work, and your efforts and efforts are an investment in worthy and happy citizens of the near future.”

The main thing is to repeat the meaning of the request and the benefits of fulfilling it. The benefit does not have to be material. Remember that the addressee is a person, and feelings are not alien to him.

EXAMPLE:

And don’t forget about the design of the letter – this is the “face” of the organization. If the initiator of the letter of request is an organization, then such a letter is drawn up on letterhead with the signature of the manager or authorized person. If you are a private person, then it is sufficient to comply with basic norms in the arrangement of letter elements. These details are legally and psychologically very important for the addressee and the formation of the correct image of the sender.

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An integral and important part of modern business correspondence is the request letter. The samples and examples of wording presented in the article, as well as the indicated rules for writing it, will help you correctly compose the necessary text and format it in accordance with the customs of office work. We offer you a step-by-step guide to writing this type of appeal.

General information

A letter of request is relevant in cases where its author needs to obtain from other persons any information, documents, make a transaction or other business actions. It can be sent either to a specific person (manager, director, head of department, etc.) or to the entire organization as a whole. Your request for help must comply with generally accepted rules in business correspondence.

A letter is the face of a company; even the little things matter. Print it on company letterhead signed by an authorized person and with a seal (if available). Be responsible in choosing the font, its size and placement of text on the page. Don't neglect margins, red lines, and paragraphs. Often the first impression is formed just by looking at a document.

Step 1: Specifying the recipient

If you write an impersonal letter to a specific company, then most likely it will go to the reception or office, then to the manager and, ultimately, to the direct executor. Indicate the correct full name of the organization in the “header” of the text; it is best to also add the legal address.

As mentioned above, the optimal option is to indicate a specific addressee, that is, a personally addressed request for help. Always try to address yourself by your first and last name. For example, “Dear Alexander Viktorovich!” or “Dear Mr. Schwartz!” In this way, firstly, you will express your respect to the person, and secondly, a request addressed to a specific person imposes on him certain obligations, responsibility for its consideration and implementation.

In some situations, it would be logical to use a group of people, a specific team or part of it as the addressee. This is also relevant in cases where the request letter is sent to several addresses. Use wording such as: “Dear colleagues!”, “Dear accountants!” etc.

Stage 2: Compliment

It’s good if the official letter of request contains a compliment towards its addressee. By doing this, you seem to be answering his natural question: “Why are you asking me with this question?” You can note the past merits and personal qualities of a person, the status of the company, etc. Use in particular the following formulations: “Your company is a leading supplier...”, “You have helped many in solving complex issues in this area...”, “Your organization is a leading expert on the market in the field...”, etc. Do not forget that it is appropriate a compliment will come when the letter of request (samples and examples in the text) is of a non-standard nature and the addressee needs to be liked. Draw his attention to the qualities and merits that are relevant to fulfilling your request. However, we do not recommend crossing the very fine line between a good and correct compliment and rude flattery.

Stage 3: Justify the request

Any request must be justified, because the addressee must know why you are contacting him. Therefore, it makes sense to introduce it to the heart of the matter. At this stage, we recommend that you select the three most convincing arguments, which should be arranged in the text of the letter according to the following scheme: medium strength, weak, strongest.

The request may have varying levels of complexity, and you need to be prepared for the fact that the addressee will not always be interested in fulfilling it. In this regard, he must be convinced that its implementation carries potential benefits for him. Get the recipient interested so that he takes your document seriously.

A letter of request may contain a proposal to implement a certain opportunity that is attractive to him.

Examples of wording

• “At all times, enterprising and business people have strived not only for material success, but also for personal growth, in order to be forever remembered by people for their good deeds and to win their respect.”
• “Of course, your main goal is to improve the standard of living of the city’s citizens.” You can use this wording in particular when you are writing a letter of request to a deputy, for example, about providing premises for a kindergarten, arranging a playground, etc.

You can also voice a problem that is relevant to the addressee, show him how your request can help him in solving it or in realizing certain opportunities.

It happens that you have nothing to offer the other party, or it is inappropriate in this context. In this case, the best way out is to talk about the significance of your request. Describe the situation as accurately and completely as possible, so that it touches your soul. If there is no heart-warming moment in your story a priori, provide facts and focus on cause-and-effect relationships. Tell us about what will happen if they refuse you or, on the contrary, agree to help.

Step 4: State your request

When the addressee is mentally prepared to accept your request, it can be stated. Keep your text concise, avoiding long or convoluted sentences, as well as ambiguity or innuendo. The request letter (samples and examples of wording in the text) should be concise and clear in meaning. So, if you are asking to purchase any equipment for a company, then indicate the completeness, price and quantity:

“To equip the emergency department, the hospital needs a new car, the cost of which is 3.5 million rubles. We ask you to help us purchase it."

Or, for example, a request to reduce the rent should be specific: “We ask you to reduce the rent for the premises to the level of 500 rubles. per sq.m until the economic situation stabilizes.”

Stage 5: Recap

At the end of the letter, you need to summarize your request. Repeat it again and focus on the fact that the recipient receives benefits if he provides you with the requested help. However, the text of the request should be slightly modified. Returning to the same example of reducing rent, we propose the following formulation:

“If you agree to reduce the rent to 500 rubles. per sq.m., while the current economic situation stabilizes, you will be able to help preserve more than 20 jobs, and also will not incur losses due to a complete lack of payment.”

Remember, it is important to repeat not only the request, but also the benefit that can be obtained from its implementation, and it does not have to be material. Many large companies willingly act as sponsors, investors and engage in charity.

We think that now, after studying the process step by step, you will not have a question about how to write a letter of request. It is enough just to take into account all the rules of business correspondence and some nuances. We suggest you also study another example.

Example

Dear Felix Petrovich!

For several years now, your company has been organizing practical training for students at the enterprise, helping them put the knowledge they acquired at the university into practice.

You, as the head of the HR department, are a person interested in attracting new employees, young and promising engineers, and highly qualified specialists. Today this profession is one of the most in demand. Many students would like to learn about its capabilities, subtleties and significance.

In this regard, we ask you to organize a meeting of the chief engineer with applicants and 1st-2nd year students on April 25 at 17:00 at your enterprise.

By talking about the advantages and secrets of the profession today, you are laying a reliable foundation for training specialists and professionals of tomorrow. Perhaps, after a few years, one of them will take your enterprise to a new level of development.

With respect and gratitude,

Rector of the University I.Zh.Bychkov

Having studied the information about what requirements a letter of request must meet, samples and examples of wording, you can easily cope with writing it in practice.

In recent decades, it has become an integral part in any area of ​​business. In addition to drawing up contracts, acts and annexes to them, document specialists are engaged in drawing up various kinds of appeals and letters. At the legislative level, the principles of their design and the general template, of course, are not defined. In such a situation, the question arises: “How to correctly draw up this or that legally weak, but business document?” The answer to this is extremely simple and comes down to drawing up such papers according to generally accepted standards in office work.

Today our resource decided to consider the principles of writing an official letter and the features of this document. Information on the summarized topic and a template for the paper itself can be found below.

Official or is one of the basic types of documents in the field of office work of modern business. It is a universal way of transmitting information, implemented in the simplest possible manner, but in compliance with all the rules and regulations of business relations.

Naturally, the information presented in official letters is not of an entertaining nature. Such papers can be invitations, partly advertising, informational and others, but in no case entertaining.

There are many differences between an official letter and a regular one. The main one is purpose. If a business document always has a precise purpose of sending or transmitting to the addressee, then regular letters are often used for “communication for the sake of communication.” In addition, business messages:

• are not anonymous - they always have information about the sender and recipient
• written on behalf of a specific person or organization or association represented by him
• (if the sender has a stamp)
• compiled according to generally accepted rules in office work
• cannot be entertaining, as mentioned earlier

An optional, but also common difference between an official letter and a regular message is that the former is written on company letterhead. This approach gives the address the highest level of solidity and generally indicates its business status.

A few words about the details and general content of the document

Official letters are issued for various reasons, as a result of which the content naturally varies. Despite this, the general structure of business messages cannot be taken away. It is this that is defined as true in the field of office work, is not subject to dispute and forms the basic requirements for the relevant documents. Typical details of an official letter include:

• full name of the sending company or full name of a specific citizen
• information about checkpoint, checkpoint, and OKUD (for organizations)
• address and all possible contacts of the sender
• similar information about the addressee
• the essence of the message
• date of its composition
• and printing (for organizations)

Important! The type of business documents we are considering today is one of the few that do not need to include a title. The absence of the latter is by no means a mistake, but compliance with basic office work standards.

It is advisable to issue the letter itself on letterhead, of course, if its sender is a company. For government agencies, such forms have an image of the coat of arms, for commercial organizations - their emblem.

1. Clear and understandable for the recipient.
2. Without using profanity, not to mention insults and obscenities.
3. Neat, concise and competent.

In principle, document experts do not make any other requirements for official letters. It is enough to comply with the noted norms, rules and general content of the document.

You can download a template for an official letter to the organization below:

Types of official letters

An official letter is a fairly extensive group of business papers. The most used of them include:

• , reflecting the sender’s desire to do something for the benefit of the addressee
• Letters of request
• Requests
• Event Invitations
• Invitations to cooperation
• Papers that remind the recipient of something
• Commercial offers
• Requirements
• Instructions
• Advertising and information letters

By the name of each type of official letter, you can understand its general purpose and the purpose of sending the message. As practice shows, the transfer of various types of requests in the business environment is carried out for a variety of reasons, and the list of their types noted above is far from final.

Features of the design and transmission of the message to the addressee

At the end of today’s article, let’s pay attention to the transfer of official letters to the Russian Federation. First of all, it should be noted that the main nuance of successful business relationships is a competent approach to their management. In the case of drawing up the relevant documents, we are talking about their:

• neatness
• full compliance with business standards
• purposefulness (sending an official letter to someone in the form of spam will significantly undermine the authority of the sender)

In addition, it is advisable to approach the composition of the message extremely responsibly. Its text should be literate, concise and understandable. The use of complex verbal structures and terms is undesirable. The general tone of the address should be kept within limits. Restraint is welcome, but familiarity is never.

As for the transmission of business letters, the sender has no restrictions. You can deliver a message to the addressee:

• via the Internet in electronic form
• via mail
• via courier or even in person

Transmitting official letters is a vast field. All senders will be able to choose a convenient message.

This concludes the most important provisions on the topic of this article. We hope that the information presented has helped all readers understand the essence of official letters in the Russian Federation and the rules for their execution.

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Probably everyone has at least once had to deal with the need to write a business letter. When compiling it, you involuntarily come to the conclusion that it is not at all easy. There are many business letter writing rules and regulations that you need to know. The article describes in detail the process of drawing up a document, provides samples of business letters, and discusses their types and design.

Form

Ready-made forms will add solidity and indicate the reliability of the company. They contain the necessary information about the organization, such as:

• Name.
• Address.
• Contact phone numbers.
• Website.
• Email.
• Logo.
• Other contact details.

There are no strict rules regarding forms. Therefore, each organization independently decides what information to include in them.

How to write business letters correctly? Preparation

Business letters are written and formatted in a certain way, subject to their inherent rules and requirements. Depending on the goal, the author thinks through the content in detail in order to obtain the result he is calculating. He must clearly understand what information the addressee already knows about the subject of the letter, what to base it on and what will be new in it. The arguments depend on what goal the author is pursuing. The process of preparing a business letter can be divided into the following stages:

• Studying the issue.
• Writing a draft letter.
• Its approval.
• Signing.
• Registration.
• Sending to the recipient.

Structure of business letters

When composing a letter, it is necessary to saturate it with information, that is, put all the necessary information there. It can be simple or complex. In a simple letter, the content clearly and concisely conveys information that generally does not require a response from the recipient. A complex one may consist of several sections, points and paragraphs. Each paragraph presents one aspect of information. These types of business letter samples typically consist of an introductory, body, and closing section.

Below is an example of writing a business letter - its introductory part.

The main part describes situations and events, provides their analysis and evidence. It is in this part that they convince that they need to act in one way or another, prove how things were and inform about the need to participate in any event, giving various arguments.

The conclusion contains conclusions that are made in the form of suggestions, requests, reminders, refusals, and so on.

An example of writing a business letter - its final part - is presented below. This summarizes the requirement stated in the main one.

All information provided should be optimally consistent and understandable.

Each letter begins with a centered address. This small part is extremely important. When choosing it, the author must consider:

• Addressee's position.
• The nature of the relationship.
• Formality.
• Etiquette.

There should be a polite form at the end of the letter. For example: “...I express hope for further cooperation (gratitude for the invitation)...” These phrases are followed by the author's signature.

Style

All letters must be written in an official business style, which means the use of language for official business relations. The features of such a language are formed under the following circumstances:

• The main participants in business relations are legal entities, on behalf of whose managers and officials letters are written.
• Relations in organizations are strictly regulated.
• The subject of communication is the activities of the company.
• Management documents generally have a specific addressee.
• Often, in the course of an organization's activities, the same situations occur.

In this regard, the information contained in a business letter should be:

• Official, impersonal, emphasizing the distance between participants in communication.
• Addressed, intended for a specific addressee.
• Current at the time of writing.
• Reliable and impartial.
• Reasoned to induce the recipient to perform any action.
• Complete for decision making.

Requirements

A business letter must meet the following requirements:

• Speech is standardized at all levels - lexical, morphological and syntactic. It contains many expressions, terms and formulas.
• The tone of writing is neutral, restrained and strict, without the use of emotional and expressive language.
• Accuracy and clarity of the text, without logical errors, clarity and thoughtfulness of wording.
• Conciseness and brevity - without using expressions that carry additional meaning.
• The use of language formulas formed as a result of repeated situations.
• The use of terms, that is, words or phrases that have special concepts.
• The use of abbreviations, which can be lexical (that is, compound words formed by removing letters from parts of words: LLC, GOST, and so on) and graphic (that is, word designations in abbreviated form: grn, zh-d, etc.).
• The use of constructions in the genitive and instrumental cases.
• Phrases with verbal nouns (“provide support” instead of “support”).
• Using simple common sentences.

The above business letter samples are shown in full version (with body) below. The information meets all the requirements of an official business style.

Types of business letters

It is best to write a business letter on one specific issue. If it is necessary to solve several issues at once, it is recommended to draw up several different options.

Business letters can have the following content:

• Accompanying. Such letters are usually needed to inform you where to send documents.
  (How to write a business letter? A sample cover letter will help those who need to write this type of document.)

• Guaranteed. They are written to confirm any promises or conditions. For example, payment for work, rent, delivery times, etc. can be guaranteed.
• Thanks. They have begun to be used especially often recently. Such letters demonstrate good partnership tone. They can be issued on regular letterhead or on colored paper with a beautiful print.
  (How to write a business letter? A sample of the thank-you variety is drawn up in free form, depending on the tasks that it solves. In this case, the letter expresses its essence in the shortest form. Such a sample, made on colored paper with an ornament, can hang on the wall in the room company in a place of honor.)

• Informational.
• Instructive.
• Congratulations.
• Advertising.

There are also letters:

• Proposals for cooperation. Quite common in recent times, sent to organizations, are often of an advertising nature, for example, like this sample. It is quite difficult to write commercial letters; you need to take into account many nuances in order to get attention, and even more so, to become interested. But if you compose it according to the sample below, it has every chance of success.

• Invitations. They are sent, inviting them to participate in various events. They are usually addressed to a manager or official, but can also be addressed to an entire team.
• Requests.
• Notices.
• Requests and many others.

How to write a response to a letter. Example

The answer must begin by repeating the request stated in the first letter. Then the results of its consideration are given and approval or a reason for refusal is expressed. A business response letter may contain an alternative solution to the expected information. Typically it meets the following principles:

• Availability of a link to the first letter and its contents.
• Identical language means.
• Comparable scope and content aspects.
• Compliance with a certain sequence.

Decor

In addition to using corporate letterheads for business letters, it is necessary to take into account other subtleties when designing them. These are details, rules for abbreviations, writing addresses, headings, text length, field widths, and more.

Samples of a business letter help you compose it, taking into account all the subtleties and nuances. They are used by both beginning office workers and experienced workers. Thanks to the samples, they learn how to write letters correctly and save a lot of time.

you try, write, select the necessary words - and everything is useless! A potential partner or investor does not open your business letter or skims through it without even bothering to respond. Common situation? In our new article we tell you how to conduct business correspondence correctly and what to write in a letter so that it is read to the end.

Who is this article for?

Let’s note right away: we’re talking about emails. If anyone else uses snail mail, we assure you that the rules are the same. In principle, all these rules apply to regular mailings, which we have already written about. Now we are talking specifically about business correspondence. If you:

• an entrepreneur who communicates with people important to the business;
• an employee who writes to a boss or future management;
• a person who is interested in the basics of Internet etiquette and human psychology - then feel free to read it, it will be interesting.

Features of business correspondence

• smooth, calm presentation - not to be confused with dry bureaucratic language;
• communication is strictly to the point - to convey certain information to the addressee;
• small volume - an A4 sheet is more than enough;
• respect for subordination, no familiarity. In special cases, when an informal, non-working relationship develops with the addressee of a business letter, of course, this rule can be neglected. But this will no longer be a completely business letter, but a friendly one, will you agree?
• A letter written on the company's letterhead gives special credibility. It must contain a logo and name, details and contact information, and website address.

Types of business letters

1. Information. Such letters do not require a response - you write them to tell the recipient about some information. For example, you own an online store and announce that tomorrow is the last day of discounts. Or that prices change. There are many types of information letters: they can state intentions, remind about an important event, confirm delivery and receipt of goods, and so on.

2. Letters of requests. How often do entrepreneurs, especially beginners, have to write them! These are appeals to investors with a request to sponsor your cool project, countless offers of cooperation, various kinds of requests to find out, for example, certain information.

3. Post-letters - something that sometimes needs to be written after a meeting with the addressee. In this letter, recall the main topic of your meeting, express your attitude towards it, emphasize that you want to continue cooperation and offer your option for the time and place of the next meeting.

4. Warranty. If you have already agreed on cooperation, there may soon be a need for this type of letters. In them you guarantee that you will fulfill your obligations: you will do the work on time, pay for the service, deliver the goods on time, and so on.

5. Work letters are the same ones that any company sends and receives every day. This is correspondence with partners and clients: concluding contracts, discussions and negotiations, getting acquainted with the price list and product catalogue, reminders about meetings - routine work processes.

6. Letters of complaint - yes, it happens that way. They are usually written when one party is dissatisfied with the actions of the other. And not just actions, but responsibilities enshrined in the contract. For example, Vasya entered into an agreement with suppliers of goods, and they, such radishes, constantly delay deadlines. Or he bought a car, but it broke down.

7. Non-work letters are messages that are not directly related to your activities. These are congratulations, thanks for work and even condolences - everything happens in life.

1. Heading. Composing email headers is a science. We talked more about secret techniques in the article. In short, the headings of business letters should be as useful as possible for the addressee.

Provocations and humor are unlikely to be suitable here: we are writing to serious people, remember? If you get to know the person better, then you can try, but for now it’s better not to risk it.

1. Introduction. Like a regular letter, a business letter begins with an introduction, or preamble. In it you say hello and tell the very essence, the meat. Save the recipient’s time: tell them right away what you need from them. “I, Vasya Pupkin, have come up with a cool startup in the field of Internet marketing (construction, beauty, industry, auto - depending on your field of activity) and I ask you to familiarize yourself with it and support it financially. The main mistake at this stage is to let your thoughts wander, mumble, and not get to the heart of the matter.
2. The main part. Everything is simple here: you tell in detail what your idea is, present facts and arguments that can interest the addressee. If we return to Vasya and his startup, he will explain what its essence is, the benefits and benefits for humanity in general and for the addressee of the letter in particular. He will provide figures and facts, the opinion of the target audience, and the opinion of experts. We believe in Vasya, he can do it!
3. The most important. If you ask, ask again. If you ask, ask the question clearly and specifically. If you hope for cooperation, clearly formulate your proposal again. And all this in a few lines.
4. Conclusion. Thank you for your attention and express your hope that the recipient will answer you or take another necessary action. Use a call to action like in selling texts or .
5. Please provide your details: full name, contacts, name of the organization and its details.
6. Attached files. This is often forgotten, but in vain. Many people find it easier to evaluate visual information than just letters and lines. Attach photographs to the letter for the most complete picture of the subject of the letter, attach the necessary documents to assure the addressee of your solvency and seriousness of intentions.

The most common mistakes in business letters

1. Don't say hello. Yes, thousands of polite and well-mannered people for some reason forget to say hello, starting a letter with the words “Dear...” Of course, it’s nice to be respected, but no one has ever canceled a simple human greeting.
2. As has already been said, to spread a thought, that is, a thought, along the tree. If you jump from one thing to another, learn to formulate your thoughts, and if you don’t have time, hire copywriters and journalists - they will definitely help.
3. Speak with a lifeless, dry tongue. Leave all these “taking into account”, “if possible” to the officials - you don’t express yourself like that in real life, so why should your addressee? Have pity on the person, write as simply as possible!
4. At the same time, do not slip into familiarity. There are two styles in business correspondence: personal and formal. In personal, you communicate in the first person - that is, “I, Vasya Pupkin, offer you...” In formal personal pronouns, as a rule, are replaced by the neutral-neutral “The Horns and Hoofs company offers you...” Which style is closer to you and to what extent? it correlates with the field of activity of your addressee - it’s up to you. If your partner is a young, modern person, feel free to write in the first person. If you need to communicate with government agencies or municipal organizations, it is better not to tempt fate and communicate neutrally. They will answer you - they must! - but you can make a negative impression. Be relevant.
5. Be unfounded. You can say a hundred times what a lucrative offer and cool idea you have, but what’s the point without proof? Business people are used to operating with facts; they do not believe pretty words and pictures. Numbers, facts, specifics - these are your main weapons.
6. Don't yak, but forge. Imagine that you yourself receive a business letter from Vasya Pupkin. You open it, start reading, and there... nothing but praise for Vasya and his product. I’m happy for Vasya, you might think, but what does that matter to me? But if Vasya tells you how he can help you, what benefits he will bring and how quickly the investment will pay off, then things will become interesting.
7. Errors, typos, sloppy design (different fonts, lack of spaces) - no comments.
8. Excessive use of slang. Even if you and your recipient work in the same field with special professional slang, use specific expressions carefully. It is better to insert them into the text to a minimum, decipher abbreviations, explain the meaning of some words. What if your interlocutor is 60?
9. Irrelevance. We still hope for Vasya. Vasya is smart, he will not send offers about his startup in the auto business to beauty salon owners. How many times does Pet and Kohl make such a mistake? How to create a database of addresses for sending commercial offers is well written in the article.

How not to and how to. Real example

And here it is - the most important question that the collective mind will now answer. Editor Pavel Molyanov recently held a competition among subscribers of his group on VKontakte.