2. Essentials of a business Letter

Stationery: Always use quality paper. It should be plain and not ruled. The two most acceptable qualities of paper are Bond and Airmail. The normal size of a letterhead is 11 inches by 8 1/2 inches and 8 1/2 inches by 5 inches.

Colour of stationery: White paper is the best. However, some business concerns prefer to use light shades of grey, brown and blue. It may, however, be noted that bright colours like yellow, orange, green, red, etc. are never desirable.

In some large concerns , different colours of stationery are used for different departments. This, of course, is a good idea as it helps to discriminate correspondence of different departments. Also, the different copies like the first copy or the second copy, etc., are sometimes made in different colours.

Typing: There is no second opinion that all business letters must be typewritten. Use of two coloured ribbons (red and black or blue) for accounts, statements or similar work is recommended. Proper spacing is a further necessity and it must be carefully looked after.

Envelopes: Needless to say that an envelope is the most important part of business stationery, as your client will first glance at it. The quality of the envelope should correspond to the quality of the letterhead.