How to Write a Business Letter

by howaida
(tripoli)

I work in an investment company and I want to know how I can write business reports and what is a good way to contact other companies, hotels...etc. Thank you for your help.


Hi Howaida,

Thanks for your message. I think that report writing and "business" writing in general is not as difficult as you may believe. There are patterns that you can repeat time and time again to express yourself in almost any situation.

I can't explain everything in one post BUT I will give you a basic breakdown of a business letter. (I will be writing a book or course on this in the future so make sure to sign-up for my newsletter for further information).

Writing a Business Letter

Step 1

Your opening salutation. This is usually "Dear _________,"

Remember to always use a coma (,) after the person's name and if you don't know their name day "Dear Sir or Madame".

Step 2

Introduction or small talk. Whenever you start a letter you can't just go directly to the point. You need to make a little small talk. Ask the reader how things are going, or how a project went. You want to ease into the letter. "How are things in the London office? How did last weeks meeting go?".

Step 3

Ask your question or request the information you need. This greatly depends on what your letter is focusing on but usually you are asking a question, confirming something or requesting information.

Step 4

Close your letter. Usually this is done with a combination of sentences or expressions. "Thank you for your help. Have a great day. See you next week. etc"

Step 5

Close the letter. This is when you use a closing salutation. "Best regards, Kind regards, All the best, Cheers, Sincerely...etc" Then add your name and you are finished.

So there you have it. A simple guide to writing a complete and effective business letter.

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