STEP 1: SET UP THE DOCUMENT
Before starting typing the content. You have to prepare a blank canvas. Business letters have a specific format that has to be followed strictly.
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Launching Microsoft Word: Open a new Word document.
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Set up the Margins: Set up the margins. Business letters have a standard margin structure of 1-inch. Check the margins are set right. In the Layout tab, press normal margin setting. It will automatically apply the margin to one inch on every side. This setting creates a decent look around the text and will improve the appearance of the letter on the page.
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Font Selection: Professionalism is a key. The typed text looks attractive, when decent fonts are used.
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Best fonts: Use font styles such as Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, and Verdana.
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Font Size: The letter will look nice. It will not be so large or too small. Use 11 or 12 font sizes.
Step 2: Understand the Block Format
- Without text indent you will be able to write a business letter in a very neat way.
- In this case, each line of text will run straight into the left hand margin without any use of indent.
- Paragraphs must not be done indent. Just you must leave an empty line between the sections for easy visual separation.
- This way, the format is professional and clean. It is easy to open files without any confusion, or perhaps this format is professional, clean, and easy to open without any problems.
Step 3: Type the sender's Information
Begin at the top left margin where it is most expected by the reader to have the information.
Enter the contact details so that the recipient will come to know who is writing the letter. They will also know how to get back to you.
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Type your full name
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Add your street address
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Put your city, state, and zip code
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Add your email address
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Type your phone number
Step 4: Add the Date
The dates should be written fully. The dates are very important because they will be used as a record. Don't shorten dates.
Step 5: Type the Recipient's Address
It tells the reader for whom the letter is being intended to send. The address in the letter must match with the typed one on the envelope.
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Type the full name of the recipient.
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Type their job title.
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Type the company name.
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Type the street address.
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Type the city, state, zip code.
Step 6: Write the Salutation
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Salutation means it’s your greeting to the other person. It must be respectful and formal. Before the recipient’s title and last name "dear" must be used. Finish the sentence with a colon.
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Make sure that the text immediately follows a colon and is not preceded by a comma. This is the style in writing business letters for North America.
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Before starting the body, enter twice on the keyboard to create a blank line.
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If you are not knowing the recipient name, you can simply start in this way, “Dear Hiring Manager.” or “To Whom So Ever It May Concern.”
Step 7: Body of the Letter
The message must be clear, short in paragraphs. First, don’t worry about indenting. Start with a brief introduction. Tell who you are and be always right to the point about why you’re reaching out. Leave a couple of lines and start your second paragraph. Here you must add more details, put the points in order, or tell about what you need.
Once you’ve ended everything, add a closing paragraph. Mix up by repeating your main points, thanking the reader, or saying what comes next, something like, “Looking forward for your reply.”
Let your writing pattern be always in the active voice. Be attached to short, straightforward sentences. Type a letter like a well qualified professional. Don't use slang, jargon words in the sentences.
Step 8: Closing Letter
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Polite and thankful words should be there.
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The ending phrase must be continued by a comma.
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Must consist of Regards, Sincerely, Warm regards, With dignity.
Step 9: Enclosures
Mention the documents enclosed along with the letter.The recipient will check the documents and give you the feedback. It is mandatory in business letters to enclose the documents.
Step 10: Final Review and Save
After finishing the letter, thoroughly you have to check it.
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Grammar Check: Check if everything done is grammatically correct. There is an option to check grammar in a Word document. Don’t depend on this alone.
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Read the sentence loudly: Open your mouth, read the text loudly. By doing so you can come to know any minor or major errors in a sentence.
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Save the document: After doing all this, Go to file and save as and type the name you desire to keep. Give a file name that can be easily recognized.
Final Thoughts
The process of drafting a business letter in Word documents is straightforward and easy. You have to keep in mind the steps to do it. After entering all the text, don’t forget to justify it. Give single spacing in your paragraph texts. Line and spacing should be 1.5 in the paragraphs. By considering these steps mentioned in this article, your letter can improve and look good. Take your valuable time, proofread the work you have done. You will be able to present the document to the recipient in a well mannered way.
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