There is still a place in the business world for nonelectronic communication. For example, when a company offers you a position, it will often mail a business letter documenting the responsibilities and benefits of the offer. Communications sent via the U.S. Postal Service are also often used when a formal, documented series of actions is being conducted between two people. A business typically has a supply of paper with the company’s letterhead and logo printed on it for purposes such as these.

As Figure M3.1 shows, a traditional business letter has a specific format that includes the date at the top, the address of the person receiving the letter, and a formal salutation. If you are on a first-name basis with the intended recipient, then your salutation can use the first name, such as “Dear Rebecca.” In other cases, use a title and last name such as “Dear Mr. Consuelas.” Letters can be more descriptive and include more detail than other types of communications, but they still need to be clear and to the point. Assume that the recipient doesn’t have time to read through flowery prose. As with any other piece of writing, a business letter should have a beginning, a middle, and an ending. State the purpose of the letter in the first paragraph: “As you requested, I am providing more information…,” “I regret to inform you that…,” or “I am enclosing…. The paragraphs that follow should add supporting details. The final paragraph should offer information about what actions will follow or what actions the recipient should take. End the letter with a formal closing, such as “Sincerely,” followed by your full name and title. You may include your contact information after your title if it’s not included in the letterhead information. It is important that information in a business letter be written precisely and that the language be clear and simple.

Figure 3.1

A Traditional Business Letter

Memos are used to make announcements, summarize facts from a conversation or a meeting or request or exchange information. They are either formal or informal, depending on the content. Typically, they’re used for communications within an office or a company, not between companies and external contacts or clients. As Figure M3.2 shows, memos have a standard heading format that contains the date, the person(s) to whom the memo is addressed (the To: line), the name of anyone else receiving a copy (the Cc: line), the name of the sender (the From: line), and a concise statement of the memo’s topic (Subject: or Re:). You can find a large number of predesigned memo templates for Microsoft Word on the Microsoft Office website. The following tips provide some points to remember when ­writing memos.

Figure M3.2

A Standard Memo