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Types of Business Letters

There are many types of business letters. This section covers four main groups of business letters:

Sales and Promotional Business Letters

Recognition Business Letters

Personal Business Letters

Employment Business Letters 

Sales and Promotional Business Letters

Sales and promotional letters are used to arrange or confirm meetings, announce package-deals, brand-new sales, congratulate sales staff on their successes and introduce new staff to their customers. The letter itself is a sales instrument. These letters are often more innovative in content and structure compared to other types of letters. The main function of these letters is to encourage the reader’s awareness and interest by identifying the advantages of your product, sale etc. The letters must provide details or background information of e.g new sales, a new product a new employee etc. If is an appointment letter,  provide contact numbers, email, venue and time of the appointment.

 Types of Business Letters – Sales and Promotional

 Sales Letter to Client - A sales letter to introduce the contact and generate interest.

Letter of Introduction - This letter is used to introduce a new staff to a favourite customer.  You may address the recipient by the first name, if you decide to do so, then do the same with the name of the person you are introducing. If using the last name is more appropriate, then be consistent with all the names that are mentioned in the salutation, body and closing signature.

Sales Follow-up - This letter is used to follow up on a sale that has been made. It may be a thank you for the business, a clarification of the sale or a pitch for future sales.

Types of Business Letters - Recognition

Based on the purpose of crafting this letter, this could range from complimenting a staff member on an achievement to apologizing for not participating in a social function.  These types of letters are created to increase goodwill amongst customers and employees.

 Appreciation Letters -  This letter expresses appreciation for something that was done. Quite often these are to employees of a company.

Thank You Letters -  These letters are similar to the appreciation letters. They are great tools to thank an employee for a job well done or a customer for their loyalty etc.

Both these types of letters are very meaningful rewards and deliver the power of the written word.

Types of Business Letters - Personal Business Letters

Personal business letters area brilliant way to develop or strengthen relationships in business. The usage of personal notes to imply thanks, acknowledgment or condolence is viewed by many  to be a perishing art.

The fact is that everyone enjoys receiving them and the personal touch they bring to the occasion.  There is nothing wrong with a typewritten note but a hand written one is preferred. It is preferable to handwrite personal business notes, although typewritten is acceptable.  These notes are best to be kept short and precise. They require sincerity and personal touches as your stationary etc. Do not use business paper for personal notes without company permission. Condolence letters should always be handwritten. It is in very poor taste to type a letter of condolence. 

Types of Business Letters - Employment

Job Offer Letters - These letters are used to offer a position to a prospective member of staff and should be handled as a legal agreement. Ensure that the offer is official and formal.  The offer  should describe all of the important information that the prospective employee needs to know in order to come to a decision. It is okay to make the informal offer by telephone and then follow up at once with an official letter.

Apologizing for an Employee’s Action – These types of letters, are used to apologize for the action of one of your employees who has damaged customer relations. Avoid identifying your employee and, when possible, clarify the alternative plan you've selected for the employee. Unless of course there are persistent issues, it is in the company’s benefit to display.

Related Articles 

Sample of Business Letters

Importance of Communication

Effective Email Communication

Samples of Business Letters

Business Letters Format

Business Introduction Letter

Sample Business Thank You Letters


Our Reccomended Resources 


Sharpen Your Business Letter Writing Skills

300+ Successful Business Letters for All Occasions

Techniques of Writing: Business Letters, Memos, and Reports




Return from Types of Business Letters to Importance of Communication


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