How to Address a Letter Overview
There are several means of communication these days. Some are much faster and convenient than writing letters.
Yet, there are certain occasions when writing a letter is the best option.
Knowing the best way to address a letter is the best thing that can happen to your written communication.
You can transform your handwritten notes to a more appropriate way of communication.
That will impress whoever you are sending the letter. To business owners, letters can make a lasting impression. That is to both your existing and prospective customers.
When addressing the letters you can either use freehand or you can type the letter.
For a good looking and impressive letter, you need a good paper and a well-designed envelope.
If you are handwriting your letters you will need to have a good pen, blue or black.
At the same time, you need to know the reasons and the occasion that demands that you write the letter.
You could be inviting people to a party, or you are sending messages to thank your clients.
When writing a formal business letter the format of your letter is critical. Use the following steps when addressing the letter.
1. Format your letter depending on the person you are addressing. Also, consider the reason for the communication.
For communication with a close friend or family member, use personal greetings. Use greetings that are reflective of your relationship.
For a close friend, you can address them by name or nickname without using any title. A good example is using Dear Sam instead of Dear Mr. Samuel.
2. For formal communication, like a wedding invitation or business communication, use formal letters.
When writing formal communication you will need to use a format that includes four parts.
You begin by writing your address and your contact information as the sender.
The second part is the date followed by the inside address and the salutation.
These four parts should follow one another and they should appear on the left side of your letter.
3. When addressing a recipient informal communication you need to use the correct title. For an instant, you should write Dear Mr Timothy Daniel and not Dear Tim Daniel.
If you are writing your communication to a couple that uses the last common name, use that name only once. For example, write to Mr. and Mrs. Crane.
If the couple does not use the same sir name you can use their two names. You can write to Ms. Sarah Suez and Mr. May Robert.
4. If you are writing a formal letter to no specific person, it is better o use a general term.
For instance, you can address the letter to “Whom it May Concern”, or Dear Managing Director.
5. When you are addressing the envelope, three things are essential. You need a return address, the recipient’s address and a stamp.
The return address should b at the left-hand corner of the envelope or at the back flap of the envelope.
The recipient’s address should be at the front center of the envelope. The last thing should be a stamp to put n the letter before posting.
A letter says much about the writer and so you should write it with care.