State any four essentials of a good business letter.

• A business letter is a type of written communication written by the secretary.
• Good letter writing is important for maintaining the image of the business.
• It helps in understanding the objective of the content and helps to make the correct decision.

A business letter should possess the following qualities:

(a) Clarity:

• The message of the letter must be clear.
• Simple and common words are to be used.
• Technical and short forms should be avoided.
• Names and figures should be correct and clear.

(b) Conciseness:

• The letter should be brief.
• Minimum words are to be used.
• Unnecessary and irrelevant information should be avoided.
• A brief letter saves time for the reader.

(c) Completeness:

• A letter must give complete information to the reader.
• The letter should cover all possible facts related to the subject matter.
• An incomplete letter does not achieve the desired results.

(d) Courtesy:

• Courtesy means the language of the letter must be polite and kind.
• A courteous letter gets a favorable response from the reader.
• Harsh, rude words, insulting remarks must be avoided.