Business letter checklist

When you need to compose a business letter to your partner or customer, you need to think it over carefully and remember to follow the rule of four "C". It states that the letter should be: complete, concise, correct and clear. Using the business letter checklist you can establish fine business connections with your partners and customers.
1. Creating letter draft
ð Make sure you have email-client software installed on your PC (e.g. Outlook, The Bat, etc.)
ð Create a new letter template using email-client software
ð Set dateline in appropriate format ( July 10, 2008 )
ð Insert correct email address of the partner/customer
ð Add if needed other email addresses to CC field
ð Type correct salutation according to addressee's position (Dear Ms., Gentlemen, or other)
ð Type your signature and reference initial in appropriate format
ð Read the letter and check spelling
ð Save the letter
2. Composing letter body
ð Make the letter subject as simple as possible
ð Introduce yourself and your company in the first paragraph (introduction)
ð Describe the letter idea and actually your offer (request)
ð Use facts and example to support your viewpoints
ð Use simple words, concise sentences and short paragraphs
ð Keep your letter body to the subject
ð Use color and text styles to emphasize main points (but do it too hard)
ð Enclose documents: commercial offer, pricelist, contract, charts, VCard, and other
ð Don't enclose too much information (it's better to give a download link)
ð Appoint the date of your next letter in the last paragraph
ð Enable the addressee to ask questions any time (Please, feel free to contact me)
ð Ask for the quick reply and give appropriate closing (We will be appreciated for your prompt reply)
3. Sending letter
ð Set letter priority (Urgent, High, Low, etc.)
ð Switch on letter receiving and reading confirmation reports
ð Send the letter
ð Make sure that the letter was successfully sent (check Sent Mail folder)
ð Add task to your task planner (e.g. the task "Wait for the company's answer till 9/20/2008")
4. Answering
ð Carefully read the received correspondence
ð Highlight the idea and main points (deadlines, names, titles, contacts, etc.)
ð Understand if you reached consent with your partner/customer
ð Reply promptly
ð Thank the partner/customer for reading your letter
ð Answer the partner/customer requests in the first paragraph
ð Give a shot explanation why your answer is like that
ð Use facts, details, examples and personal experience to describe your viewpoints
ð Apply concrete words and examples
ð Keep your answer to the subject
ð Be as friendly and politely as possible
ð Add notes to your daily planner
Document Management Checklists
In this section, checklists for managing documents are listed. They include a number of guidelines and tips to help you create various documents, such as reports, business letters, project plans, and meeting agendas. Read this section to find out more.
· Document Planning Checklist
· Report Making Checklist
· Business Letter Checklist
· Meeting Agenda Checklist
· Meeting Checklist
· Conference Planning Checklist
· Electronic Records Management Checklist
· Sales Presentation Checklist