Business Letter

Create professional business correspondence with letterhead, proper formatting, signature blocks, and multi-page handling.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to:

Design professional letterhead
Format address blocks properly
Structure letter body content
Add signature blocks with images
Handle multi-page letters
Include headers and footers

Complete Business Letter Template

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
<head>
    <title>{{letter.subject}}</title>
    <style>
        @page {
            size: letter;
            margin: 72pt 72pt 100pt 72pt;
        }

        body {
            font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'Georgia', serif;
            font-size: 12pt;
            line-height: 1.6;
            color: #000;
        }

        /* Letterhead */
        .letterhead {
            text-align: center;
            padding-bottom: 20pt;
            margin-bottom: 30pt;
            border-bottom: 2pt solid #2563eb;
        }

        .letterhead-logo {
            height: 60pt;
            margin-bottom: 10pt;
        }

        .letterhead h1 {
            font-size: 18pt;
            font-weight: bold;
            color: #2563eb;
            margin: 0 0 5pt 0;
        }

        .letterhead p {
            font-size: 10pt;
            margin: 2pt 0;
            color: #555;
        }

        /* Date and reference */
        .letter-date {
            text-align: right;
            margin-bottom: 30pt;
            font-size: 11pt;
        }

        .reference {
            margin-bottom: 20pt;
            font-size: 11pt;
        }

        .reference strong {
            display: inline-block;
            width: 80pt;
        }

        /* Address blocks */
        .sender-address {
            margin-bottom: 30pt;
        }

        .recipient-address {
            margin-bottom: 30pt;
        }

        .sender-address p, .recipient-address p {
            margin: 3pt 0;
            line-height: 1.4;
        }

        /* Salutation */
        .salutation {
            margin-bottom: 20pt;
            font-weight: normal;
        }

        /* Letter body */
        .letter-body {
            text-align: justify;
            margin-bottom: 30pt;
        }

        .letter-body p {
            margin-bottom: 12pt;
            text-indent: 0;
        }

        .letter-body p.indented {
            margin-left: 30pt;
            margin-right: 30pt;
        }

        /* Closing */
        .closing {
            margin-top: 30pt;
            margin-bottom: 60pt;
        }

        .closing p {
            margin: 3pt 0;
        }

        /* Signature block */
        .signature-block {
            margin-top: 50pt;
        }

        .signature-image {
            height: 40pt;
            margin-bottom: -10pt;
        }

        .signature-name {
            font-weight: bold;
            margin: 5pt 0;
        }

        .signature-title {
            font-style: italic;
            color: #555;
            margin: 2pt 0;
        }

        /* Enclosures */
        .enclosures {
            margin-top: 30pt;
            font-size: 11pt;
        }

        .enclosures p {
            margin: 3pt 0;
        }

        /* CC list */
        .cc-list {
            margin-top: 20pt;
            font-size: 11pt;
        }

        .cc-list p {
            margin: 3pt 0;
        }

        /* Footer */
        .letter-footer {
            position: absolute;
            bottom: 40pt;
            left: 72pt;
            right: 72pt;
            text-align: center;
            font-size: 9pt;
            color: #666;
            border-top: 1pt solid #e5e7eb;
            padding-top: 10pt;
        }

        /* Page numbers */
        .page-number {
            text-align: right;
            font-size: 10pt;
            color: #666;
            margin-top: 20pt;
        }

        /* For multi-page letters */
        .continuation-header {
            margin-bottom: 20pt;
            padding-bottom: 10pt;
            border-bottom: 1pt solid #e5e7eb;
            display: none;
        }

        .continuation-header.show {
            display: block;
        }

        .continuation-header p {
            margin: 3pt 0;
            font-size: 10pt;
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <!-- Letterhead (first page only) -->
    <div class="letterhead">
        <img src="{{company.logo}}" class="letterhead-logo" alt="{{company.name}}" />
        <h1>{{company.name}}</h1>
        <p>{{company.address}}</p>
        <p>{{company.city}}, {{company.state}} {{company.zip}}</p>
        <p>Phone: {{company.phone}} | Email: {{company.email}} | {{company.website}}</p>
    </div>

    <!-- Date -->
    <div class="letter-date">
        <p>{{letter.date}}</p>
    </div>

    <!-- Reference numbers (optional) -->
    {{#if letter.referenceNumber}}
    <div class="reference">
        <p><strong>Ref:</strong> {{letter.referenceNumber}}</p>
    </div>
    {{/if}}

    <!-- Recipient Address -->
    <div class="recipient-address">
        <p><strong>{{recipient.name}}</strong></p>
        {{#if recipient.title}}
        <p>{{recipient.title}}</p>
        {{/if}}
        {{#if recipient.company}}
        <p>{{recipient.company}}</p>
        {{/if}}
        <p>{{recipient.address}}</p>
        <p>{{recipient.city}}, {{recipient.state}} {{recipient.zip}}</p>
    </div>

    <!-- Subject line (optional) -->
    {{#if letter.subject}}
    <p style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 20pt;">
        <strong>Re: {{letter.subject}}</strong>
    </p>
    {{/if}}

    <!-- Salutation -->
    <p class="salutation">Dear {{recipient.salutation}}:</p>

    <!-- Letter Body -->
    <div class="letter-body">
        {{#each letter.paragraphs}}
        <p>{{this}}</p>
        {{/each}}
    </div>

    <!-- Closing -->
    <div class="closing">
        <p>{{letter.closing}},</p>
    </div>

    <!-- Signature Block -->
    <div class="signature-block">
        {{#if signer.signature}}
        <img src="{{signer.signature}}" class="signature-image" alt="Signature" />
        {{/if}}
        <p class="signature-name">{{signer.name}}</p>
        <p class="signature-title">{{signer.title}}</p>
        {{#if signer.department}}
        <p class="signature-title">{{signer.department}}</p>
        {{/if}}
    </div>

    <!-- Enclosures (optional) -->
    {{#if letter.enclosures}}
    <div class="enclosures">
        <p><strong>Enclosures:</strong></p>
        {{#each letter.enclosures}}
        <p style="margin-left: 20pt;">• {{this}}</p>
        {{/each}}
    </div>
    {{/if}}

    <!-- CC list (optional) -->
    {{#if letter.ccList}}
    <div class="cc-list">
        <p><strong>CC:</strong></p>
        {{#each letter.ccList}}
        <p style="margin-left: 20pt;">{{this}}</p>
        {{/each}}
    </div>
    {{/if}}

    <!-- Footer -->
    <div class="letter-footer">
        <p>{{company.name}} | {{company.address}} | {{company.phone}}</p>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

C# Letter Generator

using Scryber.Components;
using Scryber.PDF;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;

public class BusinessLetterGenerator
{
    private readonly string _templatePath;

    public BusinessLetterGenerator(string templatePath)
    {
        _templatePath = templatePath;
    }

    public void GenerateLetter(LetterData letterData, Stream output)
    {
        // Load template
        var doc = Document.ParseDocument(_templatePath);

        // Set metadata
        doc.Info.Title = letterData.Letter.Subject ?? "Business Letter";
        doc.Info.Author = letterData.Signer.Name;
        doc.Info.Subject = letterData.Letter.Subject;
        doc.Info.CreationDate = DateTime.Now;

        // Bind data
        doc.Params["company"] = letterData.Company;
        doc.Params["recipient"] = letterData.Recipient;
        doc.Params["letter"] = letterData.Letter;
        doc.Params["signer"] = letterData.Signer;

        // Generate PDF
        doc.SaveAsPDF(output);
    }
}

// Data models
public class LetterData
{
    public CompanyInfo Company { get; set; }
    public RecipientInfo Recipient { get; set; }
    public Letter Letter { get; set; }
    public SignerInfo Signer { get; set; }
}

public class CompanyInfo
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Logo { get; set; }
    public string Address { get; set; }
    public string City { get; set; }
    public string State { get; set; }
    public string Zip { get; set; }
    public string Phone { get; set; }
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public string Website { get; set; }
}

public class RecipientInfo
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Title { get; set; }
    public string Company { get; set; }
    public string Address { get; set; }
    public string City { get; set; }
    public string State { get; set; }
    public string Zip { get; set; }
    public string Salutation { get; set; }  // "Mr. Smith", "Dr. Johnson", etc.
}

public class Letter
{
    public string Date { get; set; }
    public string ReferenceNumber { get; set; }
    public string Subject { get; set; }
    public List<string> Paragraphs { get; set; } = new List<string>();
    public string Closing { get; set; } = "Sincerely";
    public List<string> Enclosures { get; set; } = new List<string>();
    public List<string> CcList { get; set; } = new List<string>();
}

public class SignerInfo
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Title { get; set; }
    public string Department { get; set; }
    public string Signature { get; set; }  // Path to signature image
}

Usage Example

// Create letter data
var letterData = new LetterData
{
    Company = new CompanyInfo
    {
        Name = "Acme Corporation",
        Logo = "./images/acme-logo.png",
        Address = "123 Main Street",
        City = "New York",
        State = "NY",
        Zip = "10001",
        Phone = "(555) 123-4567",
        Email = "info@acme.com",
        Website = "www.acme.com"
    },
    Recipient = new RecipientInfo
    {
        Name = "John Smith",
        Title = "Director of Operations",
        Company = "Smith Industries",
        Address = "456 Oak Avenue",
        City = "Boston",
        State = "MA",
        Zip = "02101",
        Salutation = "Mr. Smith"
    },
    Letter = new Letter
    {
        Date = "October 17, 2025",
        ReferenceNumber = "ACM-2025-1017",
        Subject = "Partnership Proposal",
        Paragraphs = new List<string>
        {
            "I am writing to express our interest in establishing a strategic partnership between Acme Corporation and Smith Industries. Our companies share complementary strengths that could create significant value for both organizations.",

            "Acme Corporation has been a leader in technology solutions for over 20 years, serving clients across North America. We believe that combining our technical expertise with your distribution network would create exceptional opportunities for growth.",

            "I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this proposal in more detail. Our team has prepared a comprehensive presentation outlining the potential benefits and implementation strategy. Would you be available for a meeting during the week of November 1st?",

            "Thank you for considering this proposal. I look forward to hearing from you and exploring how our organizations can work together for mutual success."
        },
        Closing = "Sincerely",
        Enclosures = new List<string>
        {
            "Partnership Proposal Document",
            "Financial Projections",
            "Reference Letters"
        },
        CcList = new List<string>
        {
            "Sarah Johnson, VP of Business Development",
            "Michael Chen, Legal Counsel"
        }
    },
    Signer = new SignerInfo
    {
        Name = "Jane Doe",
        Title = "Chief Executive Officer",
        Department = "Executive Office",
        Signature = "./images/jane-signature.png"
    }
};

// Generate letter
var generator = new BusinessLetterGenerator("letter-template.html");

using (var output = new FileStream("partnership-letter.pdf", FileMode.Create))
{
    generator.GenerateLetter(letterData, output);
    Console.WriteLine($"Letter generated: {output.Name}");
}

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Professional Letterhead

<div class="letterhead">
    <img src="{{company.logo}}" class="letterhead-logo" />
    <h1>{{company.name}}</h1>
    <p>{{company.address}}</p>
    <p>{{company.city}}, {{company.state}} {{company.zip}}</p>
    <p>Phone: {{company.phone}} | Email: {{company.email}}</p>
</div>

Features:

Centered design
Company logo
Full contact information
Bottom border for separation

2. Date and Reference

<div class="letter-date">
    <p>{{letter.date}}</p>
</div>

{{#if letter.referenceNumber}}
<div class="reference">
    <p><strong>Ref:</strong> {{letter.referenceNumber}}</p>
</div>
{{/if}}

Features:

Right-aligned date
Optional reference number
Professional formatting

3. Address Block

<div class="recipient-address">
    <p><strong>{{recipient.name}}</strong></p>
    {{#if recipient.title}}
    <p>{{recipient.title}}</p>
    {{/if}}
    {{#if recipient.company}}
    <p>{{recipient.company}}</p>
    {{/if}}
    <p>{{recipient.address}}</p>
    <p>{{recipient.city}}, {{recipient.state}} {{recipient.zip}}</p>
</div>

Features:

Complete recipient information
Conditional title and company
Standard postal format

4. Letter Body

<p class="salutation">Dear {{recipient.salutation}}:</p>

<div class="letter-body">
    {{#each letter.paragraphs}}
    <p>{{this}}</p>
    {{/each}}
</div>

<div class="closing">
    <p>{{letter.closing}},</p>
</div>

Features:

Dynamic paragraph count
Proper spacing
Customizable closing

5. Signature Block

<div class="signature-block">
    {{#if signer.signature}}
    <img src="{{signer.signature}}" class="signature-image" />
    {{/if}}
    <p class="signature-name">{{signer.name}}</p>
    <p class="signature-title">{{signer.title}}</p>
</div>

Features:

Optional signature image
Signer name and title
Professional spacing

Common Variations

Variation 1: Formal Government Letter

.letterhead {
    text-align: left;
    border-bottom: 3pt double #000;
}

body {
    font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
    font-size: 12pt;
}

.letter-body {
    text-align: left;
    line-height: 2;
}

Variation 2: Modern Business Letter

.letterhead {
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
    color: white;
    padding: 30pt;
    border-radius: 8pt;
}

.letterhead h1 {
    color: white;
    font-size: 24pt;
}

.letter-body {
    font-family: 'Helvetica', 'Arial', sans-serif;
    font-size: 11pt;
}

Variation 3: Memo Style

<div class="memo-header">
    <table style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid #000;">
        <tr>
            <td><strong>TO:</strong></td>
            <td>{{recipient.name}}</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><strong>FROM:</strong></td>
            <td>{{signer.name}}</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><strong>DATE:</strong></td>
            <td>{{letter.date}}</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><strong>SUBJECT:</strong></td>
            <td>{{letter.subject}}</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div>

Multi-Page Letter Handling

For letters that span multiple pages, add page headers:

<style>
    @page {
        @top-left {
            content: "{{recipient.name}}";
            font-size: 10pt;
            color: #666;
        }

        @top-right {
            content: "Page " counter(page) " of " counter(pages);
            font-size: 10pt;
            color: #666;
        }
    }

    /* Hide letterhead on subsequent pages */
    @page :first {
        @top-left { content: none; }
        @top-right { content: none; }
    }
</style>

Tips & Tricks

1. Signature Positioning

<div style="display: flex; justify-content: space-between; margin-top: 40pt;">
    <div class="signature-block">
        <img src="" style="height: 40pt;" />
        <p><strong></strong></p>
        <p></p>
    </div>

    <div class="signature-block">
        <img src="" style="height: 40pt;" />
        <p><strong></strong></p>
        <p></p>
    </div>
</div>

2. Confidential Watermark

.watermark {
    position: absolute;
    top: 50%;
    left: 50%;
    transform: translate(-50%, -50%) rotate(-45deg);
    font-size: 72pt;
    color: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.1);
    font-weight: bold;
    z-index: -1;
}

{{#if letter.isConfidential}}
<div class="watermark">CONFIDENTIAL</div>
{{/if}}

<div class="letter-footer">
    <table style="width: 100%;">
        <tr>
            <td style="width: 60pt;">
                <img src="" style="height: 20pt;" />
            </td>
            <td style="text-align: center;">
                <p> | </p>
            </td>
            <td style="width: 60pt; text-align: right;">
                <p><page-number /></p>
            </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</div>

Try It Yourself

Exercise 1: Create Custom Letterhead

Design a letterhead for your organization:

Add your company logo
Choose appropriate colors
Include all contact information
Test with different letter lengths

Exercise 2: Multiple Signers

Modify the template to support:

Two signers side-by-side
Approval chain with multiple signatures
Electronic signature blocks

Exercise 3: Letter Types

Create specialized templates for:

Job offer letters
Recommendation letters
Legal notices
Thank you letters

Common Pitfalls

❌ Inconsistent Spacing

/* Too cramped */
.letter-body p {
    margin-bottom: 5pt;
}

✅ Solution:

/* Professional spacing */
.letter-body p {
    margin-bottom: 12pt;
    line-height: 1.6;
}

❌ Missing Salutation

<!-- Generic greeting -->
<p>Dear Sir/Madam:</p>

✅ Solution:

<!-- Personalized -->
<p>Dear {{recipient.salutation}}:</p>

❌ Signature Too Large

<img src="" />
<!-- Signature fills entire page -->

✅ Solution:

<img src=""
     style="max-height: 40pt; max-width: 200pt;" />

Letter Checklist

Best Practices

Use Serif Fonts - Times New Roman or Georgia for formal letters
Standard Margins - 1 inch (72pt) on all sides
Proper Line Spacing - 1.5 to 2.0 for readability
Clear Hierarchy - Use font sizes and weights appropriately
Signature Space - Leave adequate room for handwritten signatures
Professional Tone - Match design to letter formality
Consistent Formatting - Use templates for brand consistency
Test Printing - Verify layout on physical paper

Next Steps

Report Template - Multi-section reports
Certificate Template - Awards and certificates
Multi-Language & Branded Documents - Enterprise templates

Continue learning → Report Template

Business Letter

Learning Objectives

Complete Business Letter Template

C# Letter Generator

Usage Example

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Professional Letterhead

2. Date and Reference

3. Address Block

4. Letter Body

5. Signature Block

Common Variations

Variation 1: Formal Government Letter

Variation 2: Modern Business Letter

Variation 3: Memo Style

Multi-Page Letter Handling

Tips & Tricks

1. Signature Positioning

2. Confidential Watermark

3. Custom Footer with Logo

Try It Yourself

Exercise 1: Create Custom Letterhead

Exercise 2: Multiple Signers

Exercise 3: Letter Types

Common Pitfalls

❌ Inconsistent Spacing

❌ Missing Salutation

❌ Signature Too Large

Letter Checklist

Best Practices

Next Steps