Writing letters in organizations. How to write a formal request letter - sample

In principle, questions about how and by what means can be created and sent should not arise. However, not everyone is ready to immediately begin this task when it comes to official letters, especially when the author of the letter expects to receive a response. I’ll tell you a little secret of business correspondence: the stricter the character and style of the letter, the greater the chance of a response from the recipient. In this lesson, I will provide several sample emails that should help users decide on their own style and subsequently compose messages in the most competent way.

First, we need to decide what nature the letter we are creating will be. I divide all outgoing emails into three main types:

  • Business offer
  • Business inquiry
  • Friendly address

Accordingly, for all three types I have templates, both in the form of simple text files and in the form of templates tailored for specific email programs. Let's move on to each of them in order.

Business offer

Hello (Good afternoon), [name of the person being addressed]!

It is advisable to indicate the name in any letter when communicating, because a personal address puts a person in a friendly mood. However, if you still can’t find out the name, a template greeting will suffice.

Let me introduce to your attention a new service (new product) from our company [company name].

Let me offer cooperation in the field of [name of field of activity].

Next, briefly describe the advantages of your proposal in terms of price or some quality characteristics. The main thing is not to overdo it. Megabytes of text, and even supplemented with bright, meaningless pictures, only scare people away. If the recipient of the letter is interested in your offer from the first lines, he will definitely contact you for additional information.

If you're serious about getting the right people to contact you the first time you contact them, then it makes sense to think about reach beyond just email. It would be a good idea to create accounts in services such as ICQ andSkype. Sometimes it is much easier for a person to contact you by regular phone, if, of course, you thoughtfully left the number in your signature.

Why do you need to duplicate your own e-mail address in the signature, you ask, if it is automatically forwarded by the mail server. The rule here is that excessive information in business correspondence is never unnecessary. Let’s imagine a situation where your letter is received by a person who is potentially not interested in the offer, or who is simply not competent to respond to it correctly. It forwards the received message to another user, but for some reason, information about the true sender is lost from the automatically added data, which makes it difficult to contact you. However, it will always be enough to look at the signature to determine the author of the letter and his necessary contacts.

Business inquiry

Hello (Good afternoon)!

Or, if the addressee's name is known, then (Dear, [Name, Patronymic])!

Please provide information about the product (service) [name of product/service] with a description of the full characteristics and competitive qualities.

Based on the Federal Law of the Russian Federation [number and date of the document], I ask you to provide information [describe the data necessary to obtain].

You can also contact the management of a particular service on the Internet if your rights are violated.

In connection with the violation of clause [clause number in the user agreement] of the user agreement, namely: “[quote the full text of the said clause]”, I ask you to conduct an investigation and take appropriate sanctions against the guilty [responsible (if we are talking about service employees)] person [site (site name)]. Please report the results of the inspection and the sanctions imposed to [your own email address].

Friendly address

Greetings (Good day) (Hello), [person's name]!

When you first contact us in a friendly manner, a good indicator will be the completeness of your text message. A correctly written, voluminous text will indicate your high interest in contacting the right person and will arouse a desire for a response. Don't forget to open up the conversation with a few initial questions.

Example email

The need for the ability to write letters competently and beautifully has not lost its relevance in our time, when paper messages are rather an echo of the past. But it doesn’t matter at all in what form you send your letter (by email or regular mail) and to whom (an official, a potential employer or a friend), literacy should always be present.

You can see approximate options for how to write letters in the “document samples” section on this website. And now we will talk about the basic rules regarding the design and writing of letters. All existing letters can be divided into three categories:

  • personal - to parents or close relatives, a loved one, best friends, they imply the use of an informal style of presentation;
  • semi-official letters, this category includes correspondence on issues that concern you personally with various types of organizations; for example, with a bank regarding the status of an account or credit debt, with an online store regarding issues of purchasing and delivering goods;
  • official or business letters, they require strict adherence to a business style of presentation and design.

Rules for writing a personal letter

Write personal letters - This is most often a pleasant activity, because sometimes this is the only possible way to communicate with family and friends. You should always say hello, and a letter is no exception. For this category of letters, the colloquial word “Hello!” is quite suitable.

In case you are responding to someone's email late, it would be good if you give a brief explanation of your delay. If the correspondence continues, then after the greeting you can answer all the questions that were asked to you.

With such an informal style of communication, jokes, descriptions of any events from your point of view, stories about the reactions of others, mutual acquaintances, etc. would be very appropriate. You can use anything that will give your letter content and interest to the addressee. Nowadays, the active use of emoticons is encouraged to express your feelings more vividly and clearly.

Write sincerely, show interest in the person you are writing to, ask questions that will facilitate continued communication. In conclusion, be sure to express your feelings with words, for example, “I’m looking forward to your answer,” “I love you,” etc. Don’t forget to put a signature at the end of the letter (this is especially often missed when writing emails), because the addressee cannot always guess the address from who is it. Before sending a letter, always re-read it - this will help to avoid grammatical and other errors, which, by the way, can be regarded as disrespect.

How to write a semi-formal letter correctly

Semi-official letters "Not love" manifestations of feelings and sentimentality, state only the essence of the issue and the facts, clearly and consistently, without lyrical digressions. It’s good if the manner of presentation is simple and logical. It is especially important to observe this when writing various types of complaints.

Nowadays letters are almost never written by hand. The best option for semi-official letters is to first type it electronically on a computer, then print it on a standard sheet of paper, sign it and send it by regular mail. If this is not possible, and you write by hand, then try to regulate your handwriting, write neatly and legibly, especially various types of data (name, surname, registration information, address for reply).

What is written legibly is much easier to read. And, therefore, you will save yourself from unnecessary problems and misunderstandings. Very often surnames are difficult, both to hear and to write. If the handwriting is illegible, employees of an organization may read it incorrectly and make a mistake even in one letter when registering a letter. Subsequently, when electronically searching a large database, the process may fail to produce results.

According to unspoken rules, it is customary to indicate the addressee in the upper right corner. We offer a few examples as a guide. All of them are acceptable, and the details depend on you, including whether you have information about officials and the name of the structural unit:

GKU Employment Center

population in N.

To the head of the GKU Center

employment center this or that

AND ABOUT. Surname

Administration of Ivanovo

such and such Department (name)

To the editor-in-chief

magazine "Molodost"

W.T. Kolomensky

OJSC "Svadba"

Chief engineer

K.F. Chirkin

or to an individual

Tuzhilov O.O.

st. Lugovaya, 145, apt. 217,

Ivanovo, 425700

After specifying the addressee's details, write your: full name, actual residential address where the response can be sent, telephone number (home and/or cell phone)

If your request is repeated, be sure to make a reference to previous letters and the answers that you were given to them. Please format as follows: “To No. (outgoing number of the response sent) dated 09/30/2014.” Position the link text to the left above the text. Pay attention to the picture, which shows the letter diagram. This instruction greatly simplifies the processing of incoming correspondence and the response you receive will be compiled taking into account previous correspondence on the issue under discussion.

It is reasonable to start the text of a letter to a person whose name you know with the words “Dear...!”, and end it with the words “With respect...!”.

Be sure to attach documents confirming your case, if any, to the letter. Indicate this either in the text of the letter itself, or below with the thematic subheading “Attachment:”. Indicate the exact names of the documents, their originality (or copies). In the future, if suddenly necessary, you can easily prove what exactly you sent in the letter.

Here are some examples:

Application: for 5 l. in 2 copies.

Enclosure: a copy of the family composition certificate... 1 page. in 1 copy.

Remember to always indicate in your application:

  • personal data, namely: first name, patronymic and last name;
  • personal address to which the addressee should send his response;
  • date and signature.

If the specified data is missing, then your letter will simply be considered anonymous. Such letters are either not considered at all, or are taken into account, but you will not receive a response. The period within which the authorities must respond to you if all data is properly indicated is one month from the date of registration of the letter.

Write all letters (especially those containing complaints) to the authorities in two copies (one for them, the second for yourself). You can contact the desired organization in person. In this case, the employee receiving incoming correspondence (office, general department, secretary) is required to put a receipt stamp on both copies (with the number under which the letter is registered) with a date. If an organization has too many incoming letters and they don’t immediately assign a number, then insist that they at least give you the organization’s personal stamp and indicate the date. This fact is very important if it is necessary to meet deadlines or confirm the fact of the request.

It is not necessary to go in person; you can send your application from the nearest post office in the form of a registered letter with notification. The result will be similar. You can find out the fate of your letter by calling the organization, or simply waiting for an answer.

Responses to letters vary; if you were not given a detailed and clear explanation, but were simply unsubscribed, then it makes sense to contact us again. Facts of repeated appeals from citizens on the same issue are monitored in some organizations. Or write a complaint, you can even send it to higher authorities. Such requests are treated more attentively.

Everything that concerns is more important, and it is worth talking about in detail in a separate article.

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.

Today, almost everyone actively uses the Internet. But business correspondence has not ceased to be relevant and important. It was simply transferred to other media. The publication will tell you how to correctly compose and format a business letter.

What can a business message contain?

First of all, business correspondence provides an opportunity to exchange any opinions or suggestions with employees and business partners. The letter can contain requests, complaints and other thoughts to eliminate misunderstandings between companies. In general, business correspondence is a type of official correspondence.

Differences from other letters

The main differences can be summarized as follows.

  • Stylistics of presentation.
  • Availability of official chain of command.
  • Vocabulary without strong expression of emotions.
  • As a rule, the letter takes no more than one page.
  • The font is the same throughout the text (neither small nor large).
  • Usually drawn up on the official letterhead of the organization.

Types of business letters

Letters to be answered:

  • Request.
  • Petition.
  • Requirement.
  • Offer.
  • Appeal.

Letters that do not require a response:

  • Informational.
  • Notification.
  • Accompanying.
  • Warranty.
  • Warning.
  • Reminder.

Letters of a commercial nature. They are usually needed during the validity period of the contract or to conclude an agreement:

  • Request.
  • Response to request.
  • Reminder.
  • Claim.
  • Offer. This is an offer to enter into an agreement or make a transaction.
  • A warning about the need to fulfill obligations, about termination of agreements, and so on.

Non-commercial letters:

  • Invitation.
  • Informing about something.
  • Expression of gratitude.
  • Recommendations.
  • Request.
  • Instructions.
  • Covering letter.
  • Expression of condolences.
  • Congratulations on any occasion.
  • Letter of guarantee.
  • Confirmation of receipt of goods, provision of services, etc.

Classification of business letters by structure:

  • Compiled according to a strict pattern.
  • Written in free form.

Types depending on the recipient:

  • Ordinary. Sent to one addressee.
  • Collective. Sent to one person, but from several persons.
  • Circular. Sent to multiple recipients.

The form of the letter is as follows:

  • Sent in regular postal envelopes.
  • Handed in person.
  • Sent as a fax.
  • Sent by email.

As you can see, a business message can be framed in different ways and with different intentions. But it is worth noting that in some cases, for ethical reasons, it must be written by hand rather than typed on a computer. This applies to congratulations and condolences.

Parts of a letter

A proper business letter is always divided into several parts. These are introductory, main and final. Moreover, they are logically connected to each other.

As a rule, the introductory part contains information about the circumstances that led to the writing of the letter. The main text is the content itself, the essence of the message. The final part summarizes the results, which can express refusal, agreement, request, and so on.

Writing principles

Any business message should be written as follows.

  1. Impartially.
  2. Addressed (that is, intended for a specific person).
  3. Reasoned.
  4. Reliable.
  5. As complete as possible.
  6. All information in the text must be current at the time of writing.

Stylistic features

The rules for writing a business letter state that it is necessary to adhere to strict style. It is necessary to use only those means of speech that are typical for official documents. That is, a formal business style would be appropriate. The language should have the following features.

  • Formality.
  • Accuracy of information presentation.
  • Objectivity.
  • Structured.
  • Informative but concise.

The essence of the matter should be stated in simple short sentences, focusing on verbs. There is no need to overload the text with adjectives, or use little-known and highly specialized terms that the recipient may not understand. This will only cause negativity and rejection. It is better to try to explain in simple, understandable words, with more facts and specifics. Business style does not allow the presence of uninformative and “watery” texts.

You should not lead up to the final part with unnecessary and long speech patterns. Also, illogical and inconsistent proposals will not work. Therefore, it is better to exclude participial and participial phrases. Each paragraph should reflect only one specific idea. After completing the text, it is better to check it for errors several times by reading the letter out loud.


Requirements for the form

According to the rules of a business letter, it is better to write it on the company’s letterhead. The following basic requirements are put forward to it.

  • In the middle of the form you need to insert the Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation if the enterprise is state-owned.
  • Place the letter on an A4 sheet.
  • Leave the field on the left empty (at least 3 centimeters). This is necessary because after some time the materials will be filed with the rest of the documents.
  • The most optimal font is considered to be the standard “Times New Roman”, size 12 and with a line spacing of 1.5-2. It is best understood when read.
  • In the header of the letter you must indicate the name of the organization, its actual and legal address, telephone number and email.

Design features

If it took several pages to complete a business letter, then you need to number it starting from the second. For this, it is recommended to use Arabic numerals. There is no need to put dots next to the numbers.

The letter must be divided into paragraphs and, if necessary, subheadings. The text should not look like a continuous flow, as it will be poorly perceived. Paragraphs will show where other thoughts end and begin.

It is important to note that typos, erasures and any corrections are unacceptable for business correspondence. They will indicate the opponent’s illiteracy and frivolity.

Details used

The letter usually includes the following information.

  1. The full name of the company, not just an abbreviation.
  2. Phone number, fax number, bank account and email.
  3. Addressee. Moreover, the name of the company should be used in the dative case. If you need to indicate your last name and position, it is recommended to use the dative case. If the recipient has a title or academic degree, this should be indicated before the person's name.

It is important to note that each attribute should be written with a capital letter and on a new line.

Addresses in a business letter

A formal message should always be framed in a neutral tone. Addresses to the addressee should have the same form. Phrases like “Good afternoon” will be inappropriate. If you want to greet, it is better to use a formal “Hello.” But the most literate option is considered to be addressed by first name and patronymic. And it doesn’t matter how long the acquaintance with the recipient lasts. The short form of the name cannot be used in the letter (for example, Petya, Anya, and so on).

Addressing someone older or higher in position will help maintain interpersonal distance and show respect for a person. However, it is worth noting that in some companies, on the contrary, it is customary to use “you” when communicating, even in writing.

It is worth noting that the address “Dear Sir” cannot be used without subsequently indicating the name of that person. You should also avoid abbreviations “Mr.,” “Ms.” If you need to address a group of people, you may not indicate names. Then you can briefly write: “Dear sirs!” According to the rules, you should always put an exclamation point after calling someone by name. For example, a similar phrase in a business letter would look like this: “Dear Alexander Sergeevich!”


In the final part, you can use various options. “With best wishes”, “With respect”, “With hope for cooperation” and so on. Here, messages should be formal but friendly in tone.

Design of the final part

Finishing the letter correctly is also very important. In the final part, you need to summarize what was said earlier. However, you should not stretch your conclusions to 10 sentences. It should be remembered that conciseness and brevity are valued in business style. It is better to limit yourself to simple phrases. As an example, several constructions that are appropriate in the final part of business correspondence will be given. Business letters should be completed as correctly and politely as possible.

  • Gratitude for help or attention. “Let me express my gratitude for...” "Thank you!"
  • Assuring the recipient of something. “We would be glad to cooperate with you.”
  • Expressing hopes for the future. “We hope to hear from you soon.”
  • Request for something. “We would be grateful if you report the results.”
  • Apologies for any inconvenience caused. “We apologize for the delay in payment.”

How to say goodbye to the recipient

Despite the fact that the correspondence is business, you can say goodbye in a business letter in different ways. To do this, you should use so-called closing phrases.

As an example, the following options can be given:

  1. Yours sincerely.
  2. Sincerely.
  3. Best wishes.
  4. I wish you success in your work.
  5. We hope to continue cooperation.
  6. We were glad to provide the service.

There may be other options. Here the choice of the final phrase is purely a matter of taste.

Signing

The sender must put his signature at the very bottom of the sheet. But it is extremely important to do it correctly so that the document has an official appearance.

You need to indicate your position, initials, last name, and sign opposite. Additionally, you can provide contact information (personal email address or phone number). This will demonstrate the recipient's willingness to communicate and cooperate.

Failure Features

It is also important to know how to write a business letter if you need to refuse something. After all, even a veiled negative or refusal will not go unnoticed and will entail unpleasant consequences. After this, you cannot count on a positive or even neutral attitude towards yourself. When composing a letter, you do not need to give in to emotions. It’s better to keep yourself within limits, even if the recipient is very annoying. Refusal letters should always be re-read several times, paying special attention to the tone of the message.


The message should not begin with a categorical “no,” no matter how it is expressed. Otherwise, the recipient will get the impression that he is uninteresting and unimportant. It is better to present non-contrived, convincing explanations first. When the reasons for the refusal are briefly listed, you can smoothly move on to stating the fact. In this case, according to business letter etiquette, it is recommended to use the following type of wording.

  • Unfortunately, we are unable to fulfill your request.
  • We are sincerely sorry, but we are forced to refuse your offer.
  • We deeply regret, but we cannot accommodate your request for the following reasons.

Ideally, at the beginning of the letter you should briefly state the addressee’s request. This way he will understand that his proposal has really been reviewed, and he will probably appreciate it.

Features of composing an email

Today, people are increasingly interested in how to write a business letter if it needs to be sent by email. For such correspondence, the same rules as mentioned earlier apply. However, electronic business messages have their own characteristics.

  • The “subject” field is always important to fill out. It will make it clear what the message will be about. If the letter is intended for an unfamiliar person, then the heading should be interesting. But it's important not to overdo it. Topics like “Unique offer only now”, “Urgent” will only cause rejection. The title should be composed of 3-5 words, containing the essence of the message.
  • If correspondence is with a stranger, then first you need to tell him how you found out about him and what the company does. Without such an introduction, the message may be considered spam and immediately deleted.
  • It is better to highlight important points in the text in bold font. In this case, it is unacceptable to use different colors.
  • Caps cannot be used in an email business letter. Even subheadings and the topic title should not contain all capital letters. The same goes for duplicate punctuation marks.
  • It is better to divide the text into paragraphs, leaving a blank line between them.
  • The shorter the message, the faster they will respond to it.
  • A signature is required. In emails it usually consists of several lines and includes the sender’s name and position, company name, phone number and website address.
  • You can attach text files and images to the letter. This is very convenient, because additional materials, comments, explanations and detailed descriptions distract from the essence. Therefore, it is better to place them not in the body of the letter, but in attached files.
  • If business correspondence has been going on for a long time and a warm, trusting relationship has been established, then the use of emoticons in the email is allowed. They will help to “spice up” a little and defuse communication. But they should not be abused, and they are generally unacceptable in paper letters.

Instructions for writing a letter

Writing a business letter can be divided into several stages.

1. First you need to specify the addressee. To do this, in the upper right corner of the form you need to write the initials, surname and position of the recipient. If the addressee is an organization, then its legal address should be indicated.

2. Address to the recipient. It should be placed lower in the middle of the form. It has already been said which phrases can be used. Usually the address looks like: “Dear Igor Petrovich!”

3. Statement of purpose. Below, on a new line, you need to write the main thoughts, the whole essence, mentioning the reasons for the appeal. If we are talking about some problems, then it is worth offering options for solving it. If this is a proposal for cooperation, then you need to explain how it will happen. If the letter reflects a complaint, then it is worth asking for specific measures to be taken. In a word, the recipient must understand from the text what exactly they want from him.

4. Final part. And finally, on a new line you need to insert the final phrase and signature.

Letter of thanks


This sample demonstrates what a thank you letter can look like. However, there is one flaw in this example. Instead of the line “To the Flagman company,” you could insert a greeting phrase and the names of those to whom the letter was intended.

An inquiry


This is a sample business query letter. There are no shortcomings in it. All rules for writing an official letter were followed. From the text it becomes clear what problem has arisen and what needs to be done to solve it. The message also contains all contact information, a welcome message, a closing phrase and a signature.

So, the publication demonstrated how to write letters intended for business partners. This should be done correctly and competently, so as not to lose face. After all, the future of the company depends on it. It is also important to respond to business messages in a timely manner. This can be done within three to seven days from the date of receipt of the letter.

Almost every company, company, or organization faces, sooner or later, the need to write a business letter. If you are assigned this mission, the following information below may be helpful to you.

To write a business letter correctly, you first need to determine which group it should be classified into. Let's turn to the classical classification. Business letters are distinguished by subject, functional purpose, number of recipients, composition, structure and form of sending. The list of business letters, separated by topic, includes commercial and non-commercial business letters. The first includes an offer, a letter of request, a complaint, the second includes a letter of gratitude, a guarantee, an information letter, as well as a letter of reminder, confirmation, congratulations, invitation, request, condolences and a covering letter. In accordance with the functional characteristics, letters can be grouped into those that require a response and those that do not require a response. If we consider it from the recipient's point of view, there are ordinary letters, circular letters and collective letters. Regular ones are addressed to one person, circular ones are addressed to a number of institutions, and collective ones are sent from several people to a specific address. As for the compositional feature, one should distinguish single-aspect letters and multi-aspect ones. In the first, one issue is considered, in the second, several issues are considered. In accordance with the structure, business letters can be regulated (drawn up in a prescribed form) and unregulated (drawn up in free form). Depending on the method of sending, there are envelope, email and fax letters. Since there are many options and purposes for writing business letters, let’s look at the most common ways to write a business letter. Let's start with the offer. It is a proposal for cooperation with a description of the terms of the transaction and has the following structure:
  • a cap indicating the position, surname, first name and patronymic of the recipient, name of the organization;
  • number and date of registration of the letter;
  • title;
  • text;
  • sender's signature.

The text of the offer sets out the proposal for cooperation and its conditions.

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A letter of request is similar in content to an offer, but it does not indicate the terms of the transaction. It is issued on company letterhead. The text should indicate the purpose of the letter, question or request, express hope for cooperation, and gratitude for a future response.


To write a complaint, you need to have a reason for this, since it is a claim against business partners for failure to fulfill or improper fulfillment of the terms of the contract. Such a letter is sent if the quality of the goods does not correspond to that stated in the contract, technical specifications or does not reach GOST. The structure is generally standard; the text must indicate the documents (indicating fragments) on the basis of which the sender makes a claim to the second party. The name and quantity of the goods, which conditions were violated, evidence and requirements of the sender are also indicated. Along with the letter, it is necessary to send documents proving the legitimacy of the statements of the sender of the letter.


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Letters of gratitude and guarantee have a standard structure. A letter of guarantee can be drawn up using the following phrases: “we guarantee with this letter”, “we guarantee timely and full payment”, etc. The language of such a document is exclusively business. A thank you letter is usually written in a warmer manner than other business letters and contains language such as “We express our sincere gratitude to you...”. Samples of writing such letters can be found below. The reminder letter contains references to the clauses of the contract, a request to fulfill the terms of the contract, and measures that will be taken in case of failure to fulfill obligations. Such a letter can be a reminder of payment, debt, etc.


The confirmation letter corresponds in content to its name. It may include language such as: “we inform you that we have received”, “we confirm receipt”, “we gratefully acknowledge”, etc.


A letter of congratulations is drawn up in any form on the company’s official letterhead or simply on beautiful paper or a postcard. Content writing takes a creative, personalized approach.


It may be necessary to write an invitation letter when an event is planned. Such a letter should include information about the date and location of the event. It should be sent to the recipient several weeks before the celebration so that the recipient has time to prepare.


A letter of request is identical to a letter of request and contains a request to receive documents, goods, services, recommendations, etc. Such a letter requires a response.


To write a business letter, you need to clearly understand the purpose it pursues, choose the type of letter, and think through the structure and content in accordance with the type.