Craft Perfect Professional Letters in Minutes

Professional Letter Writing Guide

At MakesLetter.com, we've helped professionals craft thousands of perfect letters. Follow these expert tips:

1. Essential Structure

Every professional letter should include:

• Your contact information (at minimum, email and phone)
• Current date
• Recipient's name and details
• Professional greeting (Dear [Title] [Last Name])
• Clear, focused body content
• Polished closing (Sincerely, Best regards)
• Your name and signature

2. Tone Adjustment

Match your tone to the situation:

• Formal: Legal matters, official complaints, or high-level communications
• Professional: Standard business with colleagues, clients, or partners
• Semi-formal: When you have an existing relationship with the recipient

3. Content Best Practices

• State your purpose clearly in the first paragraph
• Keep paragraphs focused and brief (3-5 sentences)
• Use bullet points for multiple requests or items
• Always proofread before sending
• Keep the entire letter to one page when possible

Professional Letter Formatting Standards

Proper formatting establishes credibility and ensures your message is taken seriously:

1. Layout Styles

Choose the right format for your needs:

• Block Format: Most common - all text left-aligned with space between paragraphs
• Modified Block: Date and closing aligned to center-right
• Semi-Block: First line of paragraphs indented (less common today)

2. Typography

• Font: Times New Roman (12pt) or Arial (11pt) recommended
• Spacing: Single within paragraphs, double between
• Margins: 1 inch all sides (adjust to 1.5" for very short letters)
• Alignment: Left-aligned (except for modified block format)

3. Special Considerations

• Legal Letters: Include reference numbers, case details in header
• International: Adjust date format (DD/MM/YYYY) and check cultural norms
• Email Attachments: "Please find attached" when sending letters as PDFs