Mail Letter Formats to Use in 2022

How To Create The Best Mail Letter Format For Your Business Letters In 2022?

We always try to find the easy way out of things. It is in our human nature to do so. Everything revolutionary invention, from the wheel to the mobile phone, was born out of our need to simplify our lives. Surprisingly, some of us are still stuck with old and time-consuming ways regarding certain things. 

It is almost shocking that several companies are still not using a standard mail letter format to streamline their communication. Creating a template and using advanced automation tools can save business organizations significant time, effort, and money.

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Perhaps, one reason some businesses still don’t use a mail letter template is that they are worried that it lacks personalization. But in actuality, automated tools like PostGrid have come a long way, and personalization is much easier than you might think.

But, we may be getting a little ahead of ourselves here. The first thing you need to have even before automation for your business letters is a mail letter format you can easily personalize. Hence, here we are going to make an earnest effort to show you how you can create one.

And don’t worry; we will not provide you with a bunch of tips and leave you to fend for yourself. Below, you can also find some examples of mailing letter formats you can use. These examples will help you create an effective template for your business and simplify your business letter communication.

How To Design a Mail Letter Template For Your Business

Coming up with an effective mail letter format or template for your business letter is never easy. A slight change in tone could make your letter sound hostile. That is enough reason for the customer to misperceive your message. Imagine writing a letter from one of Samuel. L. Jackson’s character. You could be complimenting a person, and it might still come off as rude.

We are not just talking about the tone of the letter. It would be best to consider several other aspects when creating a mail letter format for your business organization. Below, we discuss the most significant elements to consider when making a template for your business letter. 

Identifying And Connecting With Your Target Recipients

Identifying or understanding your target recipients is the key to creating an effective letter mail format for your business. For example, there is no point in using Millenial or Gen Z slang for direct healthcare mail for senior citizens. 

Hence, you must assess your target recipients before anything else. It might also help you to create a customer persona whenever you want to send a business letter to your customers. It is a great way to ensure that your email letter template can connect with the target audience.

You may also want to consider the language used for your mailing letter format because it can vary depending on the place. For example, US and UK English can sometimes be different. In the US, we pronounce the letter “Z” as “zee,” whereas in the UK, it’s pronounced “zed.”

On top of all this, the standard size for mail can also vary if you deal with international customers. Hence, it is worth researching before you finalize your organization’s mailing letter format.

Defining The Goal Of The Letter

The next thing you must consider when creating a mail letter format for your business is the goal or purpose of the letter. By defining the letter’s intent, you can set the suitable characteristics for the note. 

These characteristics include the letter’s tone, the visual you should use, and even the type of paper you should use. For example, the mail letter format for a delinquent payment collection letter typically uses a much sterner tone. 

Of course, you still need to maintain professionalism in the mailing letter format, regardless of the situation. However, you don’t need to sugarcoat the letter or make it sound like Mary Poppins writing the letter. Similarly, depending on the letter’s purpose, you must adapt the apt tone, visuals, etc. 

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Explaining How To Design a Business Mail Letter Format Using Example

The best way for you to learn how to design a mail letter format for your business is through an example. Below, you can find an example of a business letter and the elements you must include in your letter. 

[letterhead]

419 Desmond Street Avenue

Georgetown, PA 15043

30 June 2022

Ms. Jane Philip

Penguin Inc.

619 Scarborough Road

Glassport, PA 15045 

Dear Ms. Jane,

We have a FLAT 50% OFF Sale This Festive Season.

You won’t find a better time to add everything from your wishlist to the cart. This festive season we have a FLAT 50% off on all items. That’s not all. All our loyal customers stand a chance to get additional in-store discounts.

Shop for yourself or your whole family from our exclusive winter collection:

Winter wears.

Shoes,

Accessories,

And more.

We appreciate you for being one of our most loyal customers.

With warmest regards,

[signature]

Jodi North

Head of Marketing

Offer valid across all our branches across the country.

The sample letter should give you a general idea of what you should include in the letter mail format for your business. But let us break it down into modules. That way, you can get a crystal clear idea of what you should include in your letter.

The Letterhead

Starting from the top, the reader will first notice the letterhead. It is usual for companies to use their branding or logo to show that the letter is from them. Try using a branded envelope or a letterhead designed with your branding for the mail letter format. 

However, make sure to leave that space when printing the template. You don’t want to print the text over your branding/logo on the letterhead.

Name And Address

Next up on the list of things you should include in your mail letter template is the recipient’s name and address. As you can guess, personalization is crucial to getting a positive response from your target audience. Hence, you must have accurate information for this section of the letter. 

Your best option is to use an automated direct mail system like PostGrid and connect it to your CRM to ensure accurate personalization. As an added measure, you can use the PostGrid address verification solution to ensure the accuracy of the address.

Date

The primary purpose of including the date in the mail letter format is so that the customer knows the offer is still valid. However, it is a standard practice to include the date in the mail. So, it is best to have the date even if your business letter is not about a limited-time offer.

Reference

It is also advisable to add a reference to your mailing letter format, providing a brief description of the matter. Doing so enables the reader to tell what your business letter contains with a single glance. It is a great way to give the recipients a heads-up on your letter’s subject.

Salutation

Salutation is the part of the mail letter format where you address the recipient. Remember, keeping the salutation formal for your business letter is always the better option. In the example above, you can see that we address the recipient as “Dear Ms. Jane,” which is most appropriate for a business letter.

Subject Matter

Ensure that you mention the subject matter before the message or body of the letter. Mentioning the subject matter towards the beginning of the mail letter format ensures that the recipient knows the letter’s intent. Essentially, the subject matter should establish the purpose of your letter.

Body Of The Letter

The body of your letter comes only after the salutation and the subject matter. Here, you elaborate on the purpose of the letter to the target audience. In other words, this part of the letter mail format provides the subject matter details. 

The example above offers 50% off on all items for the recipients. A different letter could highlight the details of a missing invoice or something else altogether.

Closing Of The Letter

Keep the closing part of the mail letter format simple. Something as simple as yours faithfully or warmest regards will do the trick. However, any letter is incomplete without a closing salutation. Therefore it is always best to include it in your notes.

It is not that you can’t have a mail letter format without a closing salutation. Nonetheless, we always expect our letters to have a closing salutation at the end, regardless of whether it is a personal or business letter. 

The closing salutation must also be formal for formal communications such as business letters. You don’t have to overthink the closing salutation, as you can use any one of the common salutations, such as 

  • Sincerely.
  • Warm regards.
  • Wishing you the best.
  • Regards
  • Etc.

In other words, your business mail letter format is all set to go as long as you include a formal closing salutation. 

Sign

The sign or signature is the part of the mail letter format that authenticates or legitimizes your business letter. It proves that the letter is, in fact, from who you say it is and provides proof for it. The signature is unique to each sender. However, you do have the option to print it for your bulk mail campaigns.

Initials Of The Sender

Much like the signature, the name and initials on the mail letter format indicate who is the letter’s sender. Simply putting the company name at the end of the letter instead of a person’s name is not ideal. Why? Because it seems too impersonal. The whole point of direct mail is to form a personal connection with the target. 

Enclosures

If you wish to add something to the mail after the letter body, you can include it as an enclosure. Use a note for this part of the letter. It would be even better to use a handwritten note. Similarly, you can consider using catalogs or flyers as part of the mail letter format showcasing the discounted products.

How Can You Format Your Business Letter?

The first thing you need to know about the mail letter format for your business mail is to ensure clarity. There is no need to beat around the bush. Get straight to the point because the customer does not have time or patience to go through a lengthy letter.

Maintaining clarity in your mail letter format is not just about getting straight to the subject matter. It is also about ensuring that your letter is easy to understand. So, use simple language that does not confuse your target audience. 

Here are some extra pointers to keep in mind while formatting your business letter.

Block Or Indent

Business organizations often choose between a block and indent format for their business letters. The two mail letter formats are not wildly different from each other. If you use a block format, you must ensure that the letter is left-aligned. And this goes for every element of the letter.

On the other hand, if you want to use the indented mail letter format, you must align certain address elements to the right. The right-aligned letter elements include your address, closing salutations, date, and signature. However, you must align the remaining components to the left side. 

Font

The font you use for your business mail letter format is another crucial aspect of your business letter. Always keep in mind that this is a business letter. You may feel tempted to use some funky fonts to grab the recipients’ attention. 

However, we recommend that you not fall for such temptations and stick to professional fonts. What are some professional fonts you can try out for your business mail letter format without a second thought? Here are some examples of professional fonts you can use in your business letters:

  • Calibri
  • Arial
  • Times New Roman
  • Helvetica
  • Etc.

Furthermore, it is best not to experiment too wildly with the font size. The ideal font size for your business mailing letter format ranges between 10 and 12.

Margins

Another aspect of the letter mail format that people tend to forget or ignore is the margins. The standard size for the margin in a business letter is one inch. The one-inch margin goes on all four sides of the page. 

Although you can increase the size of the margin to make it stand out or differentiate it from the rest, you have to stay within a limit. Ideally, your mail letter format should not have a margin that exceeds much more than a quarter inch from the standard margin size.

Spacing

Similar to the margin, the spacing in your mail letter format also deserves your attention. When it comes to the body of the letter, make sure you only use a single line of the letter. It will make your business letter look more professional and neat.

However, you can use extra lines after the different letter elements, such as 

  • Your address.
  • Date of mailing.
  • Recipient’s address.
  • Salutation. 

Lastly, make sure that leave an extra line before the closing salutation. You do all of this, and you can easily ensure proper spacing for the mail letter template for your business letter.

Examples Of Business Mail Letter Format

If you are new to direct mail or mail in general, you may not know the different styles of writing business letters. The most popular type of mail letter format is the full-block style. However, several companies also prefer using semi-block-type business letters.

Think of these different styles of mail letter format as different models of cars. One is a pickup, and the other is an SUV. They are essentially the same thing, but how and what they can carry are different. Below, we take a look at an example of both these types of styles for business letters.

Example Of Box Style Mail Letter Format

[letterhead]

419 Desmond Street Avenue

Georgetown, PA 15043

11 September 2022

Ms. Jane Philip

Penguin Inc.

619 Scarborough Road

Glassport, PA 15045

Dear Ms. Jane Philip,

We are writing you concerning a missing invoice for our last delivery on 13 August 2022, with order number [order number]. We request you kindly contact our office to clarify and rectify the issue. 

[signature]

Jodi North

Accounts Manager

Example Of Semi-Block Style Mail Letter Format

[letterhead]

Jodi North

11 September 2022

Ms. Jane Philip

Penguin Inc.

619 Scarborough Road

Glassport, PA 15045

Dear Ms. Jane Philip,

We are excited to share a Buy1 Get2 promotional offer at our company this October. It is the perfect excuse for you to clear your long wishlist and get your hands on our products before they run out. All products in the store are eligible for the Buy1 Get2 offer, and our loyal customers stand to get additional in-store discounts.

Choose from our wide range of products and find something for your whole family:

  • Headphones,
  • Earpods,
  • Cooking appliances,
  • Computer Accessories,
  • And more.

Warm Regards,

[signature]

Jodi North

How To Use Mail Letter Template For Sending Personalized Business Letters?

The best thing about using a mail letter template for your business letters is that it makes personalization much easier. You don’t have to worry about writing a letter to every customer if you use the same template for your letter.

But is there a better way to accomplish this? If you are already using a mail letter format for your letters, wouldn’t it make more sense to automate the whole thing? That’s where direct mail automation solutions like PostGrid come into the picture.

Direct Mail Automation 

The best and most efficient way to send your business letters is to use a mail letter template in combination with an automated solution. There are numerous benefits of using an automated system like PostGrid for printing and mailing your business letters. Here are some advantages of automating your business mail correspondence using PostGrid.

Easy Personalization

The most significant advantage of using PostGrid’s direct mail automation software is easy personalization. PostGrid can connect directly with your CRM solution to quickly personalize your business letter. All PostGrid requires is the mail letter format, and it can insert the appropriate names of the customers in your business letters.

Centralized Control 

PostGrid’s direct mail solution gives you centralized control for your direct mail marketing and communication operations. You can do everything from uploading the mail letter template to tracking your mail using PostGrid. It saves you time and effort while streamlining several of your business processes.

Optimized Expenses

With automation, you get an error-free direct mail process. In other words, the return rate of your mail is practically zero. Furthermore, PostGrid applies the necessary postage and ensures a smooth mailing process. As a result, you can optimize your print and mail expenses. Not to mention all the money you can save on resources, including labor.

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Conclusion

Business organizations always try their best to optimize their communication efforts. However, they often fall short when communicating effectively through their business letters. A suitable mail letter format can work wonders for your organization’s marketing and communication efforts.

However, if you want the best results from your business letters, you need an automation solution like PostGrid. Combining an effective mail letter format with an automated solution like PostGrid streamlines your business communication.

Direct mail automation software like PosGrid can connect directly with your CRM solution and personalize your business letters. Furthermore, having a letter mail format allows you to send bulk mail within seconds using PostGrid. 

Hence, combining a mail letter template and automation ensures easy and effective business communication. Therefore, every business organization must invest in an automated solution like PostGrid to provide effective marketing and communication.

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