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Tips for Writing Business Letters via Email
- A heading is not necessary in an email (your return address, their address, and the date).
- Use a descriptive subject line.
- Avoid using an inappropriate or silly email address; register a professional sounding address if you don't have one.
- Use simple formatting, keep everything flush with the left margin; avoid special formatting and tabs.
- Keep your letter formal, just because it's an email instead of a hard copy is no excuse for informality (don't forget to use spell check and proper grammar).
- Try to keep your letter less than 80 characters wide, some email readers will create line breaks on anything longer and ruin the formatting.
- If possible, avoid attachments unless the recipient has requested or is expecting an attachment. If it is a text document, simply cut and paste the text below your letter and strip out any special formatting.
- If the person's name is unknown, address the person's title e.g. Dear Director of Human Resources.
Difficult Words & Meanings
- Necessary
- Required to be done, achieved, or present; needed; essential.
- Descriptive
- Serving or seeking to describe; giving details about something.
- Inappropriate
- Not suitable or proper in the circumstances.
- Register
- To enter or record on an official list or directory; to sign up for.
- Formatting
- The way in which something is arranged or set out (e.g., text layout).
- Flush (with the left margin)
- Aligned directly with the edge, without indentation.
- Informality
- Relaxed, friendly, or unofficial style or manner.
- Grammar
- The whole system and structure of a language or of languages in general, usually taken as consisting of syntax and morphology.
- Recipient
- A person or thing that receives or is awarded something.
- Attachment
- A computer file sent with an email.
- Strip out
- To remove or take away (often referring to removing specific elements like formatting).