Full block style business letters have a formal appearance, however they can be used in informal business situations as well as formal ones. If you are looking for a single format that will work well in every situation, this is a good one to use.
Notice that the following business letter format is laid out so that it is easy to read. It is also a template that is very easy to type, as there are no indents to worry about.
Your Name
Address
Address
Phone
Today’s Date
Recipient’s Name
Company
Address
Address
Address
Dear (Recipient’s Name),
This block format business letter template illustrates how quick and easy communications can be to type. Notice that it looks very much like the semi-block letter format, except the paragraphs are not indented. This is a format you can use for all business occasions.
Notice that all elements in this letter are left justified. This formatting provides a crisp, modern look that many people prefer.
If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block. Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope. A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are some of the things you might think about including.
Sincerely,
Your First name, Last name, and Title
Modified Block Format
Modified block style business letters are less formal than full block style letters. If you are corresponding with someone you already have a good working relationship with, the modified block style letter is a good one to use.
Notice that the following business letter format is written without indents. If you prefer to use indents, try using the semi-block or modified semi-block format instead.
Modified Block Format Business Letter Template
Your Name
Address
Address
Phone
Today’s Date
Recipient’s Name
Company Name
Address
Address
Address
Dear (Recipient’s Name):
This modified block business letter format looks very much like the modified semi-block letter format, except the paragraphs are not indented. Modified block letters are just a little less formal than full block letters.
Notice that the sender’s address, the closing, the signature, and the signature block all start near the center of the page. In some cases, people who prefer to use this format begin these elements five spaces to the right of the center of the page.
If you have any enclosures to include in this letter, make a note at the bottom left, a few spaces below the signature block. Just write “enclosures:” and follow up with the names of any items inside the envelope. A brochure, an application, or a copy of an invoice are some of the things you might think about including.
Sincerely,
Your First name, Last name, and Title
Standard Format
Standard format business letters are quite formal. Because they include an optional subject line, they are ideal for situations in which you need to create a formal response or communicate about an account number or case number.
At the bottom of this template, you’ll see something the other business letter templates don’t contain. Below the signature block are three lines of text indicating that a secretary or assistant typed the letter for the sender, that a copy was sent to another recipient, and that there are enclosures. In other business letter formats, “enclosures” is written out. In standard format, the word is abbreviated.
Standard Format Business Letter Template
Your Name
Address
Address
Phone
Today’s Date
Recipient’s Name
Company Name
Address
Address
Address
Dear (Recipient’s Name),
This standard business letter format looks very much like the block letter format. Notice that everything is left justified.
You will notice that this template contains some elements that are different from those in the other business letter formats on this page. First, there is a subject line. This element is optional, and can be replaced with a “RE:” line that is used to reference something specific like a previous communication or an account number. Be sure to underline this so that it stands out.
Additionally, this template has three other elements. On the line located beneath the signature block, you will notice my initials in upper case letters. A colon separates them from my assistant’s initials, which are written in lower case letters. This indicates that my assistant typed the letter for me. If you type a standard business letter yourself, you do not need to include this element.
Beneath the initials, you will see “cc:” followed by my business partner’s name. This indicates that I have sent a copy of this letter to my partner. If you write a letter like this one but don’t cc anyone, there’s no need to include this element.
Finally, you will notice the letters “encl” followed by a colon. This indicates that there are enclosures. Interestingly, the standard business letter is the only one in which you use “encl” instead of writing “enclosure” to show that a brochure, application, invoice, or other item(s) are enclosed. As you may have already guessed, you can skip the “encl” if you haven’t included anything with the letter in the envelope.
Sincerely,
Your First name, Last name, and Title
YN:an
cc: Business Partner, Other entity
encl: Business letter template
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