Business Letter Format (With Template and Example) 2023. There are many different business letters you might use in your professional career. From cover letters to letters of recommendation, drafting a clean, readable business letter can help you communicate ideas clearly.
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Understanding the components and steps involved in composing a business letter can help you improve your ability to communicate effectively through your writing.
In this article, we explore the format and components of professional letters and provide a business letter template and an example you can use to craft yours.
Sections of a business letter
A properly formatted business letter typically contains the following sections:
Your contact information
On the left-hand side of your business letter, list your contact info. Contact details include your full name, phone number, email address and the city, state and zip code where you live. Here’s an example of how to format your contact information:
[Your first name] [Last name], [Degree or certification, if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State] [Zip code]
The date
Add a space after your contact information and then add the date of your letter. Write out the month first, then add the day and the year. The typical format of a date in a business letter often looks like “Month Day, Year.”
Recipient’s contact information
Add a space after the date of the business letter. On a new line, add the recipient’s contact information. You can format their information using the following template :
[Recipient’s first name] [Last name], [Degree or certification, if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State] [Zip code]
Opening salutation
Add a space after the recipient’s contact information and then choose a salutation to open your business letter. Common opening business letter salutations include:
- Dear [First name Last name],
- Dear [Ms., Mrs., Mx. or Mr. Last name],
- Dear [First name], (only use if you know the recipient)
- To whom it may concern, (only use if you can’t find a specific contact’s name)
Body
The body of a business letter gives you a chance to express the purpose of your communication. This section is typically no longer than three to four paragraphs.
- Paragraph 1: Opening
- Paragraph 2: The argument
- Paragraph 3: Closing
Closing salutation
Add a space after the body of the letter and then choose a salutation to close your business letter. Common closing business letter salutations include:
- Respectfully yours,
- Respectfully,
- Cordially,
- Sincerely,
- Yours sincerely,
- Thank you,
Signature
Add two lines and sign your full name. Sign your name by hand if possible or consider using digital software to use with your computer’s mouse.
On the following line, print your first and last name.
How to format a business letter
When formatting your business letter, make readability your top priority. From selecting a font style to correcting margins, ensure your letter is clear and highly readable. There are a few things to think about when formatting your business letter:
1. Select a professional font
When deciding on which font to choose for your business letter, pay attention to cleanliness and readability. While it may seem tempting to select a stylistic font that personalized the letter, your recipient may have an easier time reading the letter if you use a simpler font. your letter recipient can ideally get the information they need from your letter as quickly as possible.
When selecting a font size, consider the smallest size in which your document can still be easily readable.
RELATED: How To Write a Letter (With Types and Example) 2023
Many people use a font size between 10 and 12. Here are a few examples of popular font styles used in professional documents:
- Arial
- Avenir
- Calibri
- Corbel
- Garamond
- Georgia
- Gill Sans
- Helvetica
- Open Sans
- Roboto
- Times New Roman
2. Include sections for all necessary information
When designing the layout for your business letter, think about all of the necessary information often included in a professional document. Typically, a business letter includes the following information at the top:
- Your contact information (Name, job title, company, address, phone number, email)
- The date
- Recipient’s contact information (Name, job title, company, company address)
Follow this information with a salutation and then the body, your close and your signature. When drafting your business letter, try to include all the appropriate information.
3. Pay attention to spacing and margins
Spacing is important in making your business letter appear readable and professional. Consider putting spaces between the elements at the top of your letter, like your contact information, followed by another space to begin your letter.
In the body paragraphs, single-space your letter to create a clean yet readable document. Include a space between each paragraph and before and after your closing. It’s typically considered best practice to align your entire letter to the left side of the page as opposed to centered or aligned right.
This makes it easy to follow for the audience. Typically, a professional document has one-inch margins. It’s appropriate for margins to be a bit larger than usual, up to one and a quarter inches, for business letters.
4. Begin and end your letter properly
As you start your letter, address the recipient appropriately. If you don’t know the recipient, include a general greeting like “To whom it may concern” or address them by their job title such as “Dear Director of Finance.”
If you know the recipient’s name but have never formally met them or have only briefly met, include a more proper greeting like, “Dear Mr. (Last Name)” or “Dear Ms. (Last Name).” If you know the recipient, you can greet them by their first name.
Select a brief, appropriate closing as you end your letter like “Sincerely,” “Respectfully” or “All the best” followed by your first and last name and job title. Include a space between the close and your name.
Business letter format template
Here’s a formatting template you can use when formatting a business letter:
[Your first name] [Last name], [Degree or certification, if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State] [Zip code]
[Date]
[Recipient’s first name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Recipient’s Last Name],
[Introductory paragraph]
[Explanatory paragraph]
[Closing paragraph]
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Full name Last name]
Showcase your skills with help from a resume expert
Business letter format example
Here’s an example of a business letter format you can use when drafting your letter:
Rachel Gomez, Sr. Project Manager
555-555-5555 |[email protected] | Seattle, Washington98128
January 1, 2023
Vincent Prasad, Sr. Data Analyst
123-456-7890 | [email protected] | New Orleans, Louisiana 70122
Dear Vincent Prasad,
It’s my pleasure to strongly recommend Ashley Singer for the Jr. Data Analyst role with Cloud data now Tech. I’m Rachel Gomez, a project manager at Asomtech Solutions. I have 12 years of experience working in the tech industry and have seen many young people come and go. Ashley Singer is one individual I have worked with who has always distinguished herself as a team member.
During our time together, Ashley displayed great talents in data analytics. When we first met, I felt immediately impressed with Ashley. During the time we worked together, her understanding of analyzing data to achieve results for our company grew far more than that of her peers.
It’s not just her technical skills that impress me. Ashley was a joy to work with because of her amazingly positive attitude and ability to communicate across teams. Her focus and attention to detail were also necessary and valued not just by me, but also by her peers, who often relied on her to get the job done. I’m absolutely confident that Ashley would be a great fit at Cloud data now Tech. She can bring the skills and experiences you’re looking for in a candidate, and she can quickly become an asset and help your company grow.
If you need more information or specific examples, please don’t hesitate to contact me. As a recommendation letter likely only provides a snapshot of her talents and achievements, I’d be happy to further elaborate on my time working with her.
Sincerely,
Rachel Gomez
Sr. Project Manager
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