Business Letter
Letter: Routine Reply/Positive Message
Assignment: You are in charge of an exclusive student organization and have the task of notifying new members of their acceptance. Write a letter to an applicant (see below) congratulating him on his acceptance and welcoming him to the organization. Feel free to use creativity when defining the club's purpose (nonprofit, community-building, sports or cultural). You select the scenario that is most applicable to your interests.
Preparation: Review Chapter 7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages (Especially pgs. 172-173)
Format: Use the modified block letter format for this assignment. Please refer to page 421-423 for an explanation of the block and modified block formats. The example in your book on page 422 is a block format letter while the example on page 423 is modified block letter format. Please note the differences carefully.
The format of your letter tells the reader a lot about your professionalism and your organization's credibility. Pay particular attention to your letter's margins, line spacing, font type and size, and placement of letter parts such as the return address, date, inside address, salutation, complimentary close, and signature block.
Your applicant's information is as follows: Eric Ramirez, 555 SW 8th St. #503, Miami, FL 33199. You can create your own student organization name (Chemists Who Care, Multicultural Student Alliance, etc.) as well as your title in the organization (President, Secretary, Director of Outreach, etc.).
Recommended Organization
Introduction/Opening: Begin your letter with an introductory paragraph that states your purpose and congratulates the applicant on his/her acceptance. You can even reference the exclusivity of the club and the great achievement of being admitted.
Body/Discussion: In the first paragraph of the body include information that refreshes the reader's memory about your organization and what you do. This could include past events/programs or simply how the applicant may have heard about the club.
In the second paragraph refer to the specific expectations of group members. This could include dates of training/information sessions, required documents, or mandatory attendance to organization meetings.
In the third paragraph of the body (the fourth paragraph of the letter), congratulate the student again on his/her acceptance and emphasize the value this membership will add to his/her resume.
This section could also include a brief list of skills a member of this group may obtain through active involvement in the organization.
Conclusion/Closing: Begin your closing paragraph with a courteous transition and thank the student for his/her interest in your organization. Welcome the student to your exclusive community and conclude your letter by indicating how the reader may contact you if he/she has any questions.