• Single-space copy; double-space between paragraphs.
• Indenting the first line of each paragraph five spaces makes the letter easier to
read.
• Use generous margins — at least a half-inch bottom, top, and right, and maybe
a little more on the left.
• Margins should be flush left and ragged right. Flush left means the first letters
of each line are vertically aligned, creating a straight edge on the left. Ragged
right means the right-hand border of the text is not neatly lined up.
• Do not try to cram too much text onto the page for the sake of keeping your
letter to one page. It’s better to either cut copy, or spread the copy out onto a
second page.
• Sign in blue ink. It makes the live signature stand out more.
• Enclose your business card, unless you are sending a personal letter.

TYPE STYLES, FONTS, AND SIZES

Use a plain, simple type for body copy. Times Roman is clean and a favorite with
many PC users. You can use New Courier or Prestige Elite, which gives the look and feel of a letter typed on an IBM Selectric typewriter. Many older readers associate this look with a personal letter versus computer fonts, which look more impersonal.

Type size depends on the style selected. For New Courier, you can use 9- or 10-point type. For Times Roman, 11- or 12-point type is better.

Boldface and italic fonts can be used for emphasis. Bullets or numbers help set lists apart and make them easy to scan.
For longer documents, you might consider breaking up the text into short sections, each with a boldface subhead.

LETTERHEAD

You can type your name, return address, and other contact information at the top of every letter on a plain sheet, or have letterhead made up by a printer. Many people have personal letterhead; virtually every business also uses preprinted letterhead, adding the company name and logo at the top. Before you have your business letterhead printed, look at the layout prepared by your graphic artist or printer. Some layouts that take a creative approach may be graphically bold, but take up much space that could otherwise be used for letter text. Therefore you
can fit far less copy on a single page than you would like, and are forced to use a second sheet (second page) to continue.

Much better is to have a letterhead design that allows maximum space for letter text. That way even if you have a lot to say, you can fit it comfortably on one page. “Second sheets” are pages of letterhead designed specifically to be used as the second and third pages in a multipage letter. Some people use the same letterhead for every page, but this is unnecessary, unwieldy, and unusual. Most people use second sheets that have no printing on them, but are of the same paper stock of their letterhead. That way, the first and subsequent pages are all on the same stock.

Speaking of paper stock, your best bet is white, off-white, or cream colored. These light colors allow major contrast between the paper and the black type. Letterhead that is gray, medium brown, red, or another dark color makes it difficult for your reader to photocopy or fax your letter, which many people want to do.

OUTER ENVELOPES

The most common choice for business correspondence is the #10 [see Glossary] envelope. A standard 81⁄2- by 11-inch piece of letterhead, folded twice horizontally into three sections, fits perfectly in a #10 envelope. If you have bulky enclosures, you may want to use a “jumbo,” or 9- by 12-inch envelope. This allows you to enclose literature and other materials without having to fold them.

For personal mail, you can use either a #10 envelope or a smaller, Monarch [see
Glossary] envelope. The Monarch envelope has a slightly more personal touch, since businesses rarely use it. Monarch envelopes and stationery work well for short letters; for longer correspondence, standard #10 letterhead (fitting #10 envelopes) give more room for text.

On the back flap or in the upper left corner of the front of your envelope (known as the “corner card”), have your name and address for your personal letterhead. For your business letterhead, have your company name and address.

When you are sending correspondence or enclosed material that the customer
requested, use a red rubber stamp with the words “Here is the information you
requested” on the front of the envelope. This is an indication that the recipient asked you to send the letter and it is not unsolicited.

STAMPS, METERS, PREPRINTED INDICIAS

There are three ways to handle the postage for your letter: stamps, meters, and
preprinted indicias (preprinted postal permits). The main thing when sending business letters is you want your letters to look like individual correspondence, not direct mail. The reason? Personal mail gets read, while promotional mail often gets tossed in the trash.

The postage stamp is the best choice for doing this. If you want to get extra attention, try using an unusual stamp, such as a commemorative. Another technique that gains attention is to use several stamps of smaller denominations instead of a single stamp for the correct amount.

Second-best to stamps is a postage meter. Enough businesses use postage meters for individual correspondence that it has an acceptable look and does not smack of advertising.

Least desirable is a preprinted indicia. Since so many mass mailers use indicias in
their direct mail campaigns, your reader might think your personal letter is direct
mail (if you have used an indicia) and mistakenly toss it.

Even if your letter is direct mail and you are sending it bulk rate, a little-known fact is that you can use a third-class stamp instead of an indicia. This gives your direct mail a more personalized look, and hence a better chance of being opened and read.