Types of Business Letter

1.    Application Letter
 
The application letter attempts to sell an applicant to prospective employer.  Its purpose is to present as attractively as possible the peculiar fitness of the applicant for a particular job.  The applicant writes an application to get an interview.  The objective is to arouse the employer’s interest and to want to know more about him.

2.    Resignation Letter

Despite the increasing difficulty of finding jobs, many people, especially those working in big cities like Manila, still find the need to change jobs.  The most common reason for changing jobs is the desire to have a better income, a bigger salary.  Therefore, it is not unusual for a person to give up a job he has held for many years if he is offered job that pays better. When an employee find a new job, he may have to resign from present position and he may have to write a letter of resignation to officially end his services with his employers.  Generally, the resignation letter should reach the employer at least two weeks before the expected date of termination or resignation, but the employee must discuss his plan with his supervisor or immediate superior before he decides to write a letter of resignation.

3.    Claim or Complaint Letter

Whenever one is dissatisfied with a product, service or policy, it is to his advantage  and the company’s to communicate with the right person promptly about the desired correction. When one states his complaint, he usually makes a claim or request for some kind of adjustment  Typical situations for direct request claims about merchandise involve defective materials or workmanship, malfunctioning parts, soiled or shopworm items or products not as represented. 

4.    Sales Letter

Sales letter sell merchandise or commodities, services, ideas, policies or goodwill.

5.    Inquiry Letter

Letter of inquiry states its purpose in the opening sentence. It identifies at once the inquiry about a specific subject.

6.    Transmittal Letter

The letter of transmittal is a communication from the writer of a report to its recipient.  It is often sent through the mails separate from report itself but they may be bound in with the report, following the title page.

7.    Appreciation Letter

One letter that is certain to create a lot of goodwill is the letter of thanks or appreciation.

8.    Invitation Letter

A business letter may serve a dual purpose; it announces an event then it invites the reader to be present in the event.  An invitation letter must possess the following qualities: completeness of information (what, where, when, who and why) and a pleasant tone and brevity.

9.    Congratulatory Letter

The opportunities for congratulating are numerous, for congratulations may relate to any significant news about a person’s business, family or personal achievements.

Reference: Technical Writing, Revised Edition by Corazon C. Obnamia, Mariano S. dela Cruz and Margaret S. Aquino