"Dear Sir or Madam"
inside address
inside address
The salutation is the first greeting that appears at the beginning of a business or personal business letter. The recipient's name is usually used after "Dear," as in "Dear Mr." or "Dear Ms. ." to whom it may concern, or "Dear Sir/Madam" should be used if the recipient's name is unclear.
The appropriate business line for a business letter typically includes the date, the recipient's name, title, company name, and address, followed by a formal greeting. For example, you might start with "Dear [Recipient's Name]," followed by a colon or comma. It's important to maintain a professional tone throughout, ensuring clarity and respect. This sets the stage for the content of the letter and establishes a professional relationship.
The last paragraph of a business letter is known as 'the call to action' paragraph. In other words, state what you want the recipient to do in response to your letter. It is surprising how often someone writes a letter without telling the recipient this, leaving the recipient to guess what you expect them to do, or at the recipients discretion, to do nothing. You may think that the information provided in the body of the letter will tell them what you want them to do, but it may not be as obvious as you think, especially if you are writing to complain about something. The last paragraph should also include the senders contact info (address, email address, phone number, etc.), and any dates that are essential. The last line of the last paragraph should thank the recipient for their time and/or their effort. Even if the letter is sent just to inform the recipient of something and no action on their part is required, thank them for their time and attention.
inside address
inside address
The alternative way to address a formal letter when the recipient's gender is unknown is to use "To whom it may concern" instead of "Dear sir/madam."
The inside address of a business letter contains the name, title, department (if applicable) and mailing address of the recipient.
In the Inside Address
When addressing a formal letter to an unknown recipient, it is appropriate to use the gender-neutral term "Dear Sir or Madam."
When addressing a formal letter to an unknown recipient, it is appropriate to use the gender-neutral term "Dear Sir/Madam."
Top right corner for a standard business letter. Above the address of recipient (blank line between) for block style business letter.
contain the complete address of writer and recipient
Date; recipient's name and address; salutation; body; sender's name and address
The part of a letter that contains the address of the sender is the letterhead or (for plain paper) return address.The part of a letter that contains the name and address or the address of the recipient is called the inside address.
The business letter has 6 parts: the heading contains the return address, the inside, or recipient's address, the greeting, the body, the complimentary close, and the signature line. A postscript should never be added to a business letter.