108 Step-by-Step Guide These letters are similar to goodwill letters. They are letters in which you promote goodwill toward your employees, their relatives and business associates. Step 1: The first part of the letter states your purpose. Depending on the reason for writing the letter, this may vary from congratulating a business associate or employee to extending a holiday greeting. Step 2: The second part of the letter gives the details or background information for the first part. This may include details about an employee’s accomplishments or personal comments concerning the first part. Step 3: The last part of the letter acts as a summary, reminding the recipient of the general nature of the letter. It may include deadlines, a thank-you note or a re-request. It is not necessary in many of the personal business letters to have a third part. Note: At the end of this chapter is a checklist to use when you write a personal business letter. Points to Remember Regarding Personal Business Letters Social-oriented business letters are an excellent way to establish or reinforce relationships in business. The use of personal notes to express thanks, recognition or condolence is considered by many to be a dying art. While fewer and fewer people write these types of notes, almost everyone enjoys receiving them, and these kinds of letters leave a lasting impression. It is preferable to handwrite personal business notes, although typewritten notes are acceptable. Unless your penmanship is illegible, always try to send a handwritten note in social situations. Keep personal business correspondence short and to the point. Write with sincerity. Do not use business paper for personal notes without company permission. Short notes tend to get lost on a large sheet of paper, so consider notecards or personal stationery for this occasion. Many professionals keep personalized stationery on hand for just such correspondence. Business Letters for Busy People 8 TEAMFLY Team-Fly ® 8 Congratulations Congratulate an employee, relative of an employee or business associate on an accomplishment. 109 Personal Business Letters W & C August 13, 20XX Dear Tim: Congratulations on your win in the Junior Division at the Tulsa Rodeo. To be able to win at such a young age is quite an accomplishment. I understand that not only did you win the Junior Division hands-down, but you also came within points of the Senior Division winner. Your mom is so proud of you. Congratulations once again! Sincerely, Signature Karen Karen R. Detweiler President, Wilson and Company 1515 W. 23rd Avenue Tulsa, OK 74103 Letterhead Date Salutation Congratulations Personal Comments (optional) Second Congratulations (optional) Complimentary Close Signature Typed Name Additional Information 110 Congratulations — Social This letter congratulates an employee, relative of an employee or friend of the company. Business Letters for Busy People 8 Linder Airplanes August 6, 20XX Dear Tommy: Congratulations on winning the soap box derby during My Waterloo Days. Your father couldn’t stop talking about how proud he was of your victory. I was interested in your win because I, too, was a soap box derby winner 21 years ago in Akron, Ohio. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of knowing that something you’ve made is capable of winning. Congratulations once again and good luck at the Nationals! Sincerely, Signature Charles Charles M. Norris President CMN:cro First Congratulations Personal Comments (optional) Second Congratulations (optional) 8 Birthday Wishes This brief letter wishes someone (employee, relative of an employee, friend of the company, business associate) a happy birthday. 111 Personal Business Letters May 25, 20XX Gerri Montgomery 774 Rising Hill Rd. Lakeland, FL 32340 Dear Gerri: It’s your birthday again! Where has the time gone? We hope your birthday is a happy one. We appreciate your work here at Oglethorpe’s and Osman and hope that we enjoy many more birthdays together. Sincerely, Signature Larry Lawrence Oglethorpe President, Oglethorpe’s and Osman Birthday Wishes 112 Holiday Greetings This short letter wishes an employee or business associate holiday greetings. This is particularly useful for those employees or business associates whose religion is not covered by the standard business greeting cards. Business Letters for Busy People 8 December 15, 20XX Jenny Schwartz 38 Fairview Ct. Teasdale, WV 26656 Dear Jenny: The warmest of holiday greetings to you and your family. We at Gibralter Gems hope this holiday season brings you the best of everything. Our regards to all of you. Sincerely, Signature Tip Thomas “Tip” Gibralter Gibralter Gems Goodwill Greeting 8 Birth of a Child This letter congratulates the recipient on the birth of a child. 113 Personal Business Letters June 4, 20XX Dear Lorraine: There is nothing more exciting than a new baby. You and T.K. must be proud. We were all thrilled to hear about Travis’ birth. All of us are looking forward to seeing you, T.K. and Travis when you come to visit us next week. That’s the time for our traditional “Shower of Gifts.” Congratulations, Lorraine! We’re all envious of your new little one. Take care of all three of you. Sincerely, Signature Shelli Shelli McAdam Office Manager China Dolls for You First Congratulations General Statement Second Congratulations (optional) Goodwill 114 Marriage This letter extends congratulations or best wishes when an employee or business associate gets married. Business Letters for Busy People 8 February 22, 20XX Dear Linda: On behalf of Smith, Jones and Yanacek, I would like to extend our best wishes on your marriage to Terry Gleason. We all wish you the happiest of times. It is always a pleasure to share in the happiness of one of our employees. In your case, it was even more so because you have been such an important part of our firm. I know I speak for all of us when I say that it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. We all look forward to your return after your honeymoon and hope that we will meet Terry soon. Best wishes once again. We’ll see you in a couple of weeks. Sincerely, Signature Monty Montgomery Smith Senior Partner Smith, Jones and Yanacek Counselors at Law 231 1st St. S.E. Remington, MO 63302 First Congratulations Personal Comment Second Congratulations (optional) 8 Illness — Hospital This letter offers sympathy for an employee who is hospitalized. 115 Personal Business Letters January 10, 20XX Dear Carrie: I am sorry to hear that you have been hospitalized. I’m sure that the staff at Trinity General will take good care of you and get you on your way. Please call us if you have any questions regarding the company’s health insurance. Ft. Dodge Furnaces relies heavily on its employees and will feel your absence. I hope that you will recover quickly. We look forward to your return. Sincerely, Signature Ole Ole Munson President Ft. Dodge Furnaces Sympathy Goodwill Assistance Additional Comments 116 Thank You This letter thanks someone (employee, relative of an employee, business associate) for something that was done. Business Letters for Busy People 8 Wobbly Horse Gift Shop 4866 Kilimanjaro Dr. • Ann Arbor, MI 48897 April 3, 20XX Dear Mr. Wu: I want to thank you for sending me the address and phone number of the gift shop in Hong Kong. I called them this evening to ask about the tablecloths you told me about. You were right. They were most cordial and reasonable in their prices. I was able to order 10 tablecloths at a fraction of what they would have cost here in the States. Thank you once again for your kind gesture. Sincerely, Signature Jan Robinson First Thank You Explanation (optional) Second Thank You 8 Apology This is a formal apology. Such letters usually deal with social events. 117 Personal Business Letters Trundle, Trundle and Smith P.O. Box 2290 • Frost, AZ 85603 December 1, 20XX Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lambertson: Please accept my apologies for missing your Thanksgiving brunch on November 23. I hope my last-minute change of plans did not inconvenience you too much. As you know, I had planned on attending and was looking forward to it. However, my brother who lives in Boston, Georgia, had emergency bypass surgery, and his wife asked me to be with her. Had that not happened, naturally I would have been with you. Once again, I ask for your understanding in this matter and hope that my frantic, last-minute call to bow out was acceptable. Sincerely, Signature Thomas J. Trundle, Sr. First Apology Explanation and Personal Comments (optional) Second Apology (optional) . notecards or personal stationery for this occasion. Many professionals keep personalized stationery on hand for just such correspondence. Business Letters for Busy People 8 TEAMFLY . or business associate holiday greetings. This is particularly useful for those employees or business associates whose religion is not covered by the standard business greeting cards. Business Letters. letter thanks someone (employee, relative of an employee, business associate) for something that was done. Business Letters for Busy People 8 Wobbly Horse Gift Shop 4866 Kilimanjaro Dr. • Ann