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Business Letter
Format: Templates,
Examples, & Writing
Guide
March 25, 2019 | By the Resume Genius Team | Reviewed by Mark Slack, CPRW
Writing a formal business letter is generally the best way to correspond with another
professional, whether it’s a hiring manager, a client, or even your own boss. Learn more
below!
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This page will teach you the how to properly format a business letter, as well as
provide a wealth of examples, templates, and writing guides to help you write yours.
Table of Contents
1. Business Letter Examples
2. Sample Business Letter Template
3. Business Letter Format & Writing Guide

1. Business Letter Examples:

Common & Career-Specific Types
We’ve provided extensive how-to guides for writing the following common examples of
business letters. Just click the images below to download our free letter templates.

Resignation
Cover Letter
Letter Recomm
 Thank You Standard
Letter Business Letter

2. Sample Business Letter

Template
The business world is filled with intricate behavior guidelines and overly-formal
communication styles. A business letter allows multiple parties to exchange relevant
information professionally. It can also be more impactful to a reader than an email, due
its formalized structure, content, and tone.
Our general business letter template can be used for any kind of professional
communication/correspondence. Simply decide if you want a letterhead, click the
download button, and let our template guide you through the writing process.
Click to Download With a Letterhead Click to Download Without a Lett
Business Letter Template: Click to Read in
Text Format
3. Formal Business Letter Format
& Writing Guide
When it comes to how to format a letter, you need to pay attention to the format of
both the page and the content. Both are essential for creating the professional look that
is the foundation of any proper business letter.

Page Format – 5 Key Rules

Before you begin writing, decide which layout you want to use. There are two common
formatting styles: block and modified block. The block format has a left-aligned address
and closing, while those in the modified block are right-aligned. While the block format is
used more often, both are acceptable for a formal letter.
Block format - left-justified address and ending

Modified block format - centered address and ending

 The following are the standard rules that should be adhered to when formatting the page of
a formal letter:
1. Alignment:
All proper business letters should be left-aligned, any other type of alignment is
considered unacceptable in most professional settings.
2. Spacing:
Your letter should be single-spaced. In addition, there should be a space between the
date, address, salutation, and each paragraph. Include four line breaks between the closing
and your printed name to leave space for your signature.
3. Font:
The standard font style is Times New Roman, size 12. However, you can use other sans-
serif fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Courier, or Geneva, also at size 12. Sans-serif fonts have
been credited with increased readability because of their balanced typeface.
4. Lines:
When using a letterhead, be sure to add a horizontal line underneath it. You can refer to
our letters above to see some examples.
5. Margins:
Keep your margins between 1 to 1.5 inches. Generally speaking, 1-inch margins are the
most widely accepted format for professionals.
Tip
If you want to be taken seriously, make sure all of your punctuation is used correctly.

Content Format & How To Write a Business

Letter
The following tips cover all the parts of a business letter in order from top to bottom.
Part 1 (a). Letterhead – Formal Letter Format
 Most professional business letters include a letterhead (see the one above for an example)
– which is comprised of your name, address, phone number, and email address.
Letterheads are meant to make your letter unique, as well as help verify its authenticity
to the recipient. Likewise, you can include your company’s logo on the letterhead for
brand recognition and a more trustworthy appearance.
Check out the example letterheads below — both of which are acceptable methods
for displaying your name and contact information. For more ideas, you can check
out our cover letter templates. See the letterhead sample:

Part 1 (b). No Letterhead – Formal Letter Format

Using a letterhead is always preferable when writing a business letter. However, if you
decide to not use one, you must use the following format to maintain a professional
appearance:
 Write your contact information on the top left of the page, just above the date.
 Do NOT include your name in this section — when selecting this style, it simply
looks better to sign off with your name at the end of the letter.
 Only include your street address, city, state, and zip code.
 Double check our business letter sample to make sure yours is perfect.
Example of format when not using a letterhead:

Part 2. Date
The date should be the day on which you completed the letter, written in standard U.S.
format (eg. October 28, 2017). It should be written underneath the letterhead, or
underneath the address on the top left of the page.
Part 3. Addressee – How to Address a Letter in 4 Steps
Write the recipient’s (or “addressee’s”) address on the top left side underneath the date.
Begin with the name of the addressee on the first line. Some research may be necessary to
find the name (LinkedIn, the company’s website, even Google search are all great tools).
 Step 1: Address them properly as Ms., Mrs., or Mr. Also, make sure to include their
title — such as Dr. — if it applies.
 Step 2: Beneath their name, write their current title. If you are unsure what their
title is, do the necessary research to find out if possible. If they have no title, leave it
blank.
 Step 3: Include the name of their company underneath their title.
 Step 4: Write out their company’s street address, city, state, and zip code. If they
are located outside the United States, include the country name after the city.
Tip
 Even if you’re sending your letter as an email attachment, you should still include the
address to maintain a professional appearance.
Part 4. Salutation
The salutation you will use depends on the title of your addressee, your familiarity with
them, and also the context of the letter.
If you are familiar with the addressee, then use their first name (unless they have
specifically asked you otherwise).
 If the addressee has earned a Ph.D. or an MD, then refer to them as Dr. (or
Professor).
 Military titles such as General, Colonel, Major, etc., should be honored as such.
 If you do not know the contact person or you are addressing a group, use an
appropriate salutation such as Sir or Madam, Hiring Manager, Director of
Human Resources, Members of the [Name] Committee (hiring committee,
organizing committee, acceptance committee), Board of Directors.
When it comes to salutations, it is always better to err on the side of caution and be polite
as possible.
Part 5. Body
The body of the letter is located underneath the salutation, and is the field where you get
down to business and discuss the reason you’re reaching out to this person. Usually, the
body includes several strategic paragraphs meant to inform, persuade, and convey
gratitude.
1. In the first paragraph, get to your point quickly and state it concisely in the first
line. Do not wait until the second paragraph to tell your audience what your main
point is – they most likely won’t get that far.
2. In the second paragraph, use evidence and persuasive reasoning to justify your
main point. If needed, use an extra paragraph to further support your point via
empirical evidence.
3. The closing paragraph should restate the point of the letter, and most
importantly, include a call to action. A call to action is a passage that compels your
reader to do something. Ask yourself, “what do I want my reader to do right after
reading this letter?”
Examples of calls to action:
 “Please call me at [phone #] or email me at [email address] at your earliest
convenience.”
 “Please get in touch with me at your earliest convenience to schedule a meeting.”
 “Please let me know how I may be of assistance during this period.”
Part 6. Closing
You should always close with a positive sign-off, such as “Thank you,” “Sincerely,” or
“Respectfully.” Remember to only capitalize the first word of this closing line, and to leave
four lines of space between the closing line and your typed name to make room for your
signature.
Part 7. Enclosure
An enclosure note is an often neglected aspect of letter writing in the digital era. In fact,
not many people actually know what ‘enclosure’ means. When you write “enclosure” in any
letter you’re implying that another document is attached to the file.
Think of it as something akin to a “see attachment” note in an email. It alerts the reader to
another part of your correspondence – and helps prevent them from overlooking a crucial
document.
The image below shows where the word “enclosure” should be placed:
 6. Conclusion
Knowing how to write a business letter is a fundamental skill for your professional life. A
proper one will have most or all of the elements mentioned above. Be sure to carefully
review the grammar, spelling, and format of your business letter numerous times before
you send it out, to avoid leaving a poor first impression with your correspondent.
Looking for some more ideas on how to write a letter? Our experts have written of guides
on how to write various types of formal letters. Check out our comprehensive letter of
recommendation sample library, or our popular cover letter how-to guide for more
inspiration!

Business Letter Template: Click to Read in

Text Format
Business Letter Format – Without Letterhead (Text Format)
[1234 Street Address]
[City, State, Zip]
[Email Address]

[Today’s Date]

[Addressee Name]
[Addressee Title]
[Company Name]
[1234 Street Address]
[City, State, Zip]

Dear [Name],
In this paragraph, deliver a friendly and clear introduction. State the main point of the
letter here. Keep this section short and to the point.
In this paragraph, explain the importance of the main point by providing compelling and
persuasive reasoning.
In this paragraph, continue to provide background information to back up your reasons.
You can use facts, data, and other quantifiable metrics to support your claim.
Close by restating the main point of the letter, and if you can, include a call to action.
Respectfully/Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]