Business Letters - The Structure

A simple and effective business letter has three paragraphs.

• The opening paragraph lets your reader know why you are writing.

• The middle paragraph provides brief details on your offering and tells the reader why they should care.

• The final paragraph thanks the reader for their time and explains what happens next.

Important! Busy people usually don’t read letters word for word. They skim information. Generally when we’re skimming our eyes follow the pattern of an inverted letter “L” or letter “F.” We read the first couple of lines in their entirety to find out what the letter is about. Then, we’ll scan the page by running our eyes down the left side.

When people are skimming they won't think too hard to figure out what your letter is about. Write for ease of comprehension. Eliminate unnecessary words in sentences.