Types of Business Letter

Business letter is an old form of official correspondence. A business letter is written by an

individual to an organization or an organization to another organization. Business letters are

written for various purposes. One writes a letter to enquire information, apply for a job,

acknowledge someone's work, and appreciate one's job done, etc.

As the motive of writing the letter is different, the style of the letter changes and you get

different types of business letters. The various types ofbusiness letters are used by different

people to serve their purpose of sending the message across

Let's take look at the most common types of business letters:

1. Acknowledgement Letter : This type of letter is written when you want to acknowledge some one for his help or support when you were in trouble. The letter can be used to just say thanks for something you have received from some one, which is of great help to you.

2. Apology Letter : An apology letter is written for a failure in delivering the desired results. If the person has taken up a task and he fails to meet the target then he apologizes and asks for an opportunity to improve in this type of letter.

3. Appreciation Letter : An appreciation letter is written to appreciate some one's work in the organization. This type of letter is written by a superior to his junior. An organization can also write an appreciation letter to other organization, thanking the client for doing business with them.

4. Complaint Letter : A complaint letter is written to show one that an error has occurred and that needs to be corrected as soon as possible. The letter can be used as a document that was used for warning the reader.

5. Inquiry Letter : The letter of inquiry is written to inquire about a product or service. If you have ordered a product and yet not received it then you can write a letter to inquire when you will be receiving it.

6. Order Letter : This letter is as the name suggests is used for ordering products. This letter can be used as a legal document to show the transaction between the customer and vendor.

7. Letter of Recommendation : This type of letter is written to recommend a person for a jobposition. The letter states the positive aspects of the applicant's personality and how he/she would be an asset for the organization. Letter of recommendation is even used for promoting a person in the organization

Resume Cover Letter A cover letter that accompanies a resume should revel in its brevity. You should take as little

time and as few words as possible to accomplish one task: persuading the reader to anticipate

reading your resume. Mention the title of the job for which you are applying, as well or one or two of your strongest selling points.Letter of Resignation

An official letter of resignation is a business letter that should be fair and tactful. Be wary of burning any bridges that you may need to cross again in the future. Offer a valid reason for your resignation and avoid self-praise.

Job Applicant Not Hired In some cases you may be required to write a business letter that informs a job applicant that

he was not chosen for an open position. Offer an opening note of thanks for his time, compliment him on his experience or education and explain that he was just not what the company is looking for at the present time.Declining Dinner Invitation

Declining a dinner invitation is a topic for a business letter that, if not done tactfully, may result in a social disadvantage. Extend your appreciation for the invitation and mention that you already have an engagement for that date. Do not go into detail about what the engagement is.

Reception of Gift

It is very polite to return a formal business response letting someone know that you have received her gift. Extend a personalized thanks to let her know that you are exactly aware of the contents of the gift. If possible, it is a good idea to include a sentiment suggesting that you have put the gift to use.

Notification of Error

When sending a business letter that lets the receiving party know that an error has been corrected, it is good business sense to include a copy of the error in question if there is paperwork evidence of it. Make the offer of additional copies of material involved in the error if necessary.

Thanks for Job Recommendation

A letter of thanks for a party that helped you get a job should be professional and courteous. Above all else, avoid the temptation to go overboard in offering your thanks. Be aware that your skills also helped you land the job and it was likely not handed to you as a result of the third party.

Information Request

A business letter that requests information should make the request specific and perfectly understandable. It is also a good idea to state the reason for the information request. Extend advance appreciation for the expected cooperation of the recipient.