Formal rule letter. How to write a business letter (sample)

Although an organization's letterhead is not a legal document, it is an official form of business correspondence that a company sends. Therefore, certain requirements are imposed on the preparation of such a document, enshrined in the relevant GOST R 6.30-2003.

You can download a sample form at the end of the article.

The form serves as the main form for business correspondence and is used in the following cases:

• when preparing outgoing correspondence;
• for issuing any information letters from counterparties: notifications, congratulations, commercial offers and others;
• drawing up orders and instructions of an internal nature;
• compilation of thanks and congratulations to employees;
• drawing up contracts with contractors and private citizens.

As a rule, the design of the letterhead of any organization is worked out according to a pre-created sample. It is assumed that its tones, style, and artistic elements correspond to the trademark, brand, company logo or accepted corporate colors. The form is created in a special program or with the involvement of special companies providing design and printing services.

It is used in two versions:

• paper;
• electronic.

Both types should be exactly the same not only in content, but also in page parameters, proportions, etc., so as not to create the feeling of their differences.

To a greater extent, the form plays a representative role. It is convenient for an organization to contact its partners, clients or potential buyers using a specific letterhead in correspondence. In addition, this is convenient from a practical point of view: among many documents, the company’s correspondence can be found very quickly by insignia.

What does the letterhead contain: sample

The form must contain:

• full corporate name of the organization;
• contact details (address, phone numbers, e-mail);
• payment details, company website, tax identification number, checkpoint are indicated upon request.

Regulatory documents do not oblige the company to create any logo, trademark or other artistic designs. However, most often the form is not only the form itself with details, but also an image of the logo of an LLC, individual entrepreneur or other company, which allows it to become more noticeable and, accordingly, attract more clients.

Thus, in the simplest version, a sample letterhead of an organization may look like this.

And in most cases, artistic elements are used to create the effect of a unique shape: some examples are shown below.

Requirements for registration of a company letterhead

The legislation does not contain the concept of “company letterhead”, therefore, in many ways, when creating this form, a company can adhere to its own point of view and implement any design idea. However, GOST R 6.30-2003 provides a detailed description of the requirements, which are advisory and not mandatory. The key ones are the following:

1. The text is written legibly, and the following information is required:

• full name of the company;
• address – actual and legal, indicating the postal code and region;
• organizational and legal form (individual entrepreneur, LLC, PJSC, public association);
• jurisdiction of the structure (in the case of budgetary organizations and government bodies).

1. Sheet format A4 or A5, standard quality paper, white or with a dim, light background, the color of which is left to the discretion of the designer.
2. Margin margins:

• left, bottom and top 2 cm;
• right 1 cm.

It is better to provide a space on the left that is slightly larger than the norm - 25-30 mm, since in many organizations paper media are filed in files.

There are other classifications of forms - often such forms are used not only for an organization, but also for a department or a specific official, as well as for a branch (local division) of a company. Also, the separation of types of documents is related to their purpose - for example, sometimes in the same organization samples of letterheads for specific documents are created. All types of classification are presented schematically in the figure.

From a practical point of view, you should consider a few tips to make using the form as convenient as possible:

1. You can use background images on the surface of the paper, but if you need to send a document by fax, you need to keep in mind that they will not be printed and may interfere with the reflection of the main text.
2. Again, from the point of view of faxing, you should take into account that the font is large enough and readable.
3. It is better not to use glossy or coated paper, because ink and blue printing can “spread” across its surface.
4. In the electronic version of the document, it is best to place all unchangeable information in the footers (name, contact information, payment details, etc.) so that it cannot be deleted or edited by negligence.

From the point of view of design and artistic elements, there are no uniform requirements and cannot exist. However, there are a few general tips that can help you design your form more beautifully and make it attractive.

1. Keep it simple

On the one hand, this is an obvious requirement, although against the backdrop of the rapid development of modern design technologies it becomes especially relevant. By simplicity we mean the use of harmonious artistic motifs and the combination of a small number (from 1 to 3) colors. It is a mistake to think that the success of form design depends on a large number of elements or bright colors. In fact, if you pay attention to the world's logo brands, their graphics are based on simple motifs.

It should be taken into account that form, and a trademark is not the content itself, but a means of presenting it in the most attractive form. Therefore, if you use an excess of bright colors and drawings, then the form itself will simply distract all attention from the content of the message.

In addition, the lurid colors introduce some frivolity and even distrust of the company - in this regard, do not forget that this document refers to business correspondence for official use.

Here is an example of a sample organization letterhead with a simple design.

2. Use the right graphics editor

The simplest and at the same time quite attractive forms can be developed in the regular Ms Office Word application. However, there are many other programs that allow you to efficiently process graphic information and provide greater design choices:

• Photoshop;
• Illustrator;
• InDesign.

The verbal formula for the attractiveness of a form is this: it should attract attention and evoke a desire to pick it up and read the contents.

NOTE. If professional programs are not available, it is quite possible to use Photoshop - it is only important to set the resolution to at least 300 dpi.

3. Prioritize

You should initially decide what information should catch your eye first and highlight it using all possible methods - larger and/or more artistic font, location in a more visible place.

In the example below, the company wants to highlight its contact number - it is printed large on the left, as well as its trademark.

4. Use additional personalization tools

Originality is always an effective means to stand out from the general flow of information. Therefore, the use of an original form and an unusual combination of colors will always catch the eye and create a more pleasant impression than a traditional, unremarkable design.

5. Bring your drawing to life

In the flow of daily information, which in most cases is of a regulated nature, adding a lively effect by “humanizing” a drawing can be a very fruitful idea.

6. Don't forget your brand

Of course, the form must either directly contain the product logo, or be similar to it in its motifs: color and combinations of graphic elements.

7. Don't skimp on paper

If you save too much on paper, then image losses can amount to much greater costs. The most correct option is thick paper with a uniform, textured surface. This is the kind of sheet that will be pleasant to pick up.

8. Add special effects

Any additional means of originality will help the document stand out from the rest. A combination of contrasting colors on the surface with beautiful patterns is used.

9. Pay attention to alignment

Although corner forms are used in most cases, the rules for formatting text are not so obvious. Special attention should be paid to them. You can conduct a survey among employees about how successful this or that option is.

10. Don’t “smear” the picture

The form is an official document, not a drawing, so the proportion of artistic elements should not exceed a quarter.

Creating a form with your own hands: video

If you have very little time, and you want to make a beautiful, but at the same time simple form, you can do the work in the Ms Word application. Video instructions will help with this.

Here's a video tutorial on how to make a mold in Photoshop.

Business writing is one of the main communication tools in any business. A well-written business letter will help create a positive impression of the company. And one illiterately written letter can destroy your entire reputation. We have already written about the rules of business correspondence, now let's look at specific examples of business letters.

Samples of business letters

There are many types of business letters - business proposals, letters of claim, letters of gratitude, letters of refusal, cover letters, letters of guarantee, information and so on. The principles of their compilation are practically no different from each other. Take a look again to avoid mistakes.

Examples of thank you letters

Example of a letter of guarantee

Sample response letter

This is a clear example of what a polite letter containing a refusal can be:

Example of a newsletter

Example of a letter of complaint

Examples of letters in English in business correspondence

Unfortunately, not everyone has a high level of English proficiency. And often managers are somewhat lost when they need to write a business letter in English. If even in Russian people cannot always understand each other in correspondence, then what can we say about a foreign language? The best way out in this situation is to search for similar letters and use suitable phrases from them in your letter. Here are three examples of business letters in English: a letter of gratitude to the client, a letter clarifying the terms of the transaction, and a letter of response to the purchase offer. Each file contains a version of the letter in English and its translation into Russian.
Download a letter of gratitude to the client in English.
Download the letter with the terms of the deal in English.
Download the letter of response to the purchase offer in English.

Structure of a business letter

A clear structure is an essential characteristic of a business letter. It will help the recipient quickly understand the meaning of what is written and reduce the time it takes to read it. A business letter consists of the following main parts:

1. Heading (subject of the letter). The title of the letter should contain its brief purpose or essence. You cannot use any abstract phrases here. It should be clear to the recipient what the letter is about based on the title alone. For example, “About changes in prices for the supply of products” or “Business proposal for trade cooperation with company XXX.”

2. Greeting. The greeting “Dear + First Name and Patronymic!” is considered traditional in business letters. However, it is not necessary to use the name. You can also address the addressee through his position: “Dear Mr. Director!” However, keep in mind that calling by name somewhat reduces the psychological distance and emphasizes the well-established business relationship. If the letter is addressed to a group of people, then it is acceptable to write “Dear ladies and gentlemen!”, “Dear partners!” and so on. Using the abbreviations Mr., Ms., or initials is perceived as disrespectful, so try to avoid it.

3. Statement of the purpose of writing the letter, its essence, and main idea. This is the main part of the letter. Here you write directly about the very reason for writing the letter.

4. Your proposals for solving this problem, recommendations, requests, complaints. Business letters almost always require a certain reaction from the addressee (except for purely informational letters). Therefore, it is important to describe not only the problem itself, but also offer your own options for solving it. If you write a complaint, then ask to take appropriate measures; if you make an offer of cooperation, then describe its possible options. In short, the recipient of your letter must not only understand “what” you want from him, but also understand “how” you propose to implement it. Then it will be a real business letter.

5. Brief summary and conclusions. At the very end we can summarize all of the above. However, it is not always possible to do this very briefly. In this case, it’s not worth writing in several sentences what you already described in the first two paragraphs. Remember that a business letter's best friend is brevity. Therefore, in most cases it is enough to limit yourself to the phrases “I hope for successful cooperation”, “I am waiting for your answer on this issue” and so on.

6. Signature. A business letter is signed with the position, first and last name of the sender with the traditional phrase “With respect.” Other options are also possible: “Best wishes”, “Sincerely yours” and so on, depending on the closeness of your contact with the recipient. The phrase “With respect” is the most universal, so if you are in doubt about how it would be more appropriate to subscribe, then use this phrase and you definitely won’t miss.

It would also be a good idea to add options for contacting you in your signature: other email addresses, work phone numbers, Skype. The benefit of this is not only that the recipient, if desired, will be able to quickly contact you in a way convenient for him, but also that this way you will demonstrate your openness and readiness to communicate with the recipient.

And don’t forget that an official letter is first and foremost a document. Therefore, by neglecting the rules for its preparation, you irrevocably ruin the reputation of your company and yourself as a specialist.

Write simply.
Write in such a way that it will be remembered.
Write it the way you want it I'd like to take a look.
Write so that people can read youit would be interesting.

Burnet Leo

Quite often, the first business contact is a letter, and if you do not pay due attention to the etiquette of a business letter, then the acquaintance may not take place and you may lose a client and business partner.

It is very important to be able to write business letters correctly, which will create a favorable impression of you personally and the company as a whole.

The rules for composing business correspondence and maintaining correspondence were formed more than 150 years ago. It is generally accepted that they were first introduced in England. When composing business letters to foreign and domestic partners, it is worth considering some features. which will be discussed below.

But, despite the differences, there are general rules that are characteristic of both Russian and foreign business letter etiquette.

Firstly, before you start writing a letter to a business partner, you should decide on the following points:

1. Type of letter (covering letter, order letter, notification letter, order letter, reminder letter, presentation letter, refusal letter, letter of guarantee, etc.).

2. Is it expected to receive a response letter? In some situations, a response is not required, such as a presentation letter.

3. Will the content of the letter be clearly and accurately understood by your addressee? Will there be any confusion regarding the correspondence issue?

4. Are you sure that a letter sent by mail will arrive on time? If not, then it is better to use fax, express postal services ( DHL , UPS etc.) or send an email.

Secondly, the tone of the letter must be correct, even if it is a letter of complaint. Polite and simple presentation of the issue sounds convincing and, as a rule, eliminates unnecessary correspondence. You should also avoid inaccuracy and ambiguity in wording, excessive use of professional terms and unnecessary abbreviations, as this may lead to the need for subsequent clarification and, ultimately, to protracted correspondence.

Thirdly, a business letter must be written only on the letterhead of the organization of which you are an employee. The letterhead is a kind of business card of the company, so the letter should be treated with special attention.

Fourthly, the letter should consist of several paragraphs, each of which expresses a complete thought. Paragraphs should not be too long so that the text is easy to read. You can follow the rule: the first and last paragraphs are no more than four typewritten lines, and all others are no more than eight. It is not appropriate to move a paragraph containing fewer than four lines to the next page. In a business letter, it is better to avoid hyphenation.

The letter must be typed in Times New Roman Cyr font size 12 (for designing tabular materials), 13, 14, 15 and Times DL size 12, 13, 14 with 1-2 line spacing.

When writing business letters, the page number is indicated in the lower right corner, and in other business documents - at the top in the middle of the page.

In our country, the procedure for preparing documents is regulated by regulatory documents, and primarily by GOST R 6.30-2003 “Unified documentation systems. Unified system of organizational and administrative documentation. Documentation requirements."

GOST establishes two standard formats for document forms: A4 (210 x 297 mm) and A5 (148 x 210 mm).

Each document, written either on a form or simply on a sheet of paper, must have margins (at least): left - 20 mm; right – 10 mm, top – 20 mm, bottom – 20 mm.

Such requirements for document preparation are enshrined in Russian legislation, but you can also comply with them when composing business letters to foreign partners.

Depending on your relationship with the recipient, the address may begin with the words “dear” plus last name (first name, patronymic) or “dear” plus first name and patronymic (first name) and end with words of gratitude for your cooperation. Before the signature it is customary to write “With respect, ...” or “Sincerely yours, ...”.

When addressed in a letter, words such as “dear”, “sir”, “madam”, “deputy director”, “head of department”, etc. should be written in full. Otherwise, the recipient may think that you don't really respect them that much. You should not write “Uv. Mr. Director." This abbreviation is inappropriate and sounds disrespectful.

In official letters, it is not customary to address the addressee as “you,” even if you know each other quite closely and you have not only business, but also friendly relations with this person.

Example from life
For Alexey, the American habit of addressing himself as “you” cost him the loss of a well-paid job. Having worked in the United States for quite a long time and having become accustomed to addressing his American boss simply as “Johnny,” Alexey, in a letter to a potential Russian employer, addressed him on a first-name basis: “Dear Nikolai!” The head of the Russian company perceived this greeting as familiar and familiar. In Russia, calling by first name and patronymic is a sign of respect and a way of maintaining a certain distance and subordination. After receiving the letter, there was no further contact from the employer, and the applicant spent a long time thinking about what the problem was.

When writing a business letter to a Russian partner, it is important to follow a few more rules.

The position of the person to whom the document is addressed is indicated in the dative case, for example:

to CEO
OJSC "AlfaJuvelir"
V. A. Lagunina

JSC "BetaJuvelir-Holding"
chief accountant
V. M. Kochetov

If you use the abbreviations “Mr.,” “Ms.,” then you must first write the surname, after the recipient’s initials.

The document must be addressed to no more than four recipients. The word “copy” is not written before the second, third, fourth addressees. If the number of recipients is larger, create a document distribution list.

When sending a letter to a legal entity, to an organization, indicate its name, then its postal address.

LLC "GammaJeweler"

Profsoyuznaya st., 82, Moscow,

When sending a document to an individual, first indicate the recipient's last name and initials, then the postal address.

Obraztsova O.P.
st. Sadovaya, 5, apt. 12,
Lipki, Kireyevsky district,
Tula region, 301264

A note about the attachment named in the text of the letter is formatted as follows.

Application: for 5 l. in 2 copies .

If the letter contains an attachment not named in the text, then indicate its name, number of sheets and number of copies; If there are several applications, they are numbered.

Application:

1. Regulations on maintaining internal records for 5 l. in 1 copy.

2. Rules for the preparation and execution of sales department documents for 7 pages. in 2 copies.

If applications are bound, then the number of sheets is not indicated.

If the application is not sent to all the addresses specified in the document, then a note indicating its availability is issued as follows:

Application: for 3 l. in 5 copies. – only to the first address.

The “signature” requisites include:

Indication of the position of the person who signed the document: full - if the document is not executed on company letterhead, abbreviated - if the document is executed on the official letterhead of the company;

Personal signature;

Explanation of signature (last name, initials).

CEO

Gamma-Jeweler LLC Personal signature A. A. Borisov

On company letterhead:

General Director Personal signature A. A. Borisov

A written request must be responded to within 10 days of receipt.

Messages received by fax and email must be responded to within 48 hours, excluding weekends.

Business document— the main means of carrying out management activities, recording and transmitting information. With the help of the document, business activities are coordinated and information is accumulated. In a large organization, instructions are usually drawn up that indicate who officially writes documents, who reports to whom and in what cases, who transmits information to whom, etc. One of the most important ways to formalize the transfer of information is standard forms (forms). The advantage of the form is that the person filling it out does not need to think about when, how and what information needs to be provided in this case; this saves a lot of time.

The share of correspondence in business life is very large.

Correctly compiled, it meets the following requirements:

• reliability and objectivity of the presentation;
• completeness of information;
• brevity of presentation (a business letter should take no more than a page);
• lack of reasoning and narration;
• neutral tone of presentation, but at the same time goodwill, absence of rudeness and irony, pretentiousness, false politeness;
• the use of means of logical rather than emotional-expressive assessment of the situation and facts.

There are several types of business letters. Thus, letters containing a warning, reminder, invitation, confirmation, refusal, letters of cover, guarantee, information, letters of notification and order do not require an obligatory written response. The answer must be written to a letter with a request, appeal, proposal, request, demand.

Business Writing Ethics

The disrespect of the author of a business letter, even if it is veiled, is always felt by the addressee, which forms a persistent negative attitude towards the letter and its author, despite the seemingly impeccable methods of persuasiveness of the message.

You need to be especially careful when reading a letter containing a refusal. You cannot begin such a letter with a statement of refusal. First, convincing explanations must be given. Use the following formulas: “Your request cannot be granted for the following reasons...”; “Unfortunately, it is not possible to satisfy your request...”; “We deeply regret, but we cannot satisfy your request...”, etc. The place of this formula is in the last paragraph of the letter. In this case, you must remember the rule: “When formulating a refusal, beware of losing a friend or customer.”

Here is a sample plan for a response letter containing a refusal of a request or rejection of an offer:

• repetition of the request - the addressee must be sure that his letter has been carefully read and the essence of his request is accurately understood;
• the reasons why a request cannot be granted or why an offer cannot be accepted are the recipient’s rational and psychological preparation for subsequent refusal;
• a statement of refusal or rejection of a proposal is a refusal formula.

Business letter language

Academician D.S. Likhachev, a brilliant expert on the Russian language, wrote in a memo for his young colleagues “On the good language of scientific work”: “Good language is not noticed by the reader. The reader should notice only the thought, but not the language in which the thought is expressed.”

Confidence in writing is possible with many years of experience. At first, it is advisable to take practical advice from experts:

• you should choose simple words, but not impoverish the language;
• use verbs more than adjectives: this way the text will be dynamic and at the same time unpompous;
• do not start from afar, do not deviate from the topic, do not describe a lot of details;
• avoid long statements: they are unconvincing, so you should be brief and use a minimum of subordinate clauses;
• the transition from one phrase to another should be logical and natural, “unnoticed”;
• check each written phrase by ear;
• use a minimum of pronouns that make you think about what they refer to, what word they “replaced” (write specifically, and not “about this,” “that,” “she/it/they,” etc.).

A business letter must be literate and stylistically correct.

Formatting a business letter

An official letter is always written on the organization's letterhead.

In the upper left corner of the outgoing letter (i.e. sent from the organization) the outgoing number is indicated, which is recorded in the organization's document log. The date the letter was written must be indicated. In the upper right corner are the name of the organization (in the nominative case), the position of the addressee and his last name. In the lower left corner are the position, surname and signature of the manager, and 2 cm below - the surname of the executor of the letter (without initials) and his telephone number.

Essentially and visually, the content of the letter consists of several blocks: o the formula of the letter - what is the essence of the request; o justification for the request; o supporting information.

In your response letter, be sure to make a polite reference to his last letter. If this letter opens correspondence with a foreign partner, you need to introduce the organization, describe its goals and objectives in the field of international activities. This part of the letter is extremely brief, because the basic information about the organization should be given in the booklet attached to the letter (a link to which is required in the letter). Such a letter should end with gratitude for cooperation and/or an expression of hope for such in the future. A proven formula is “Sincerely yours (your name).”

Good writing requires a large vocabulary and the ability to connect them, which requires systematic and careful reading of fiction and non-fiction. Without constant feeding with humanitarian knowledge, a full-fledged leader will not emerge. This is the conclusion of the eminent management scholar Lee Iacocca: “Over the years, when my children asked what to study, my constant advice was that they need to get a good education in the humanities... The key is to build a strong foundation of knowledge in the field of literature, to master oral and written speech well.”