• Business correspondence is a direct representation of the writer's professionalism.ICHIRO/Stockbyte/Getty Images
  
  There are several ways to begin business-oriented correspondence. While email has usurped posted letters in frequency, proper business communication etiquette still applies when the occasion calls for professionals to send mail the old fashioned way. There are many formatting standards to adhere to when constructing business correspondence, most of which apply to the letter's heading and introduction.
  
  

Date & Address

• Both block and indented styles of business correspondence require the inclusion of the sender's address, the month, date and year the letter was mailed, as well as the address of the intended recipient. Do not post or predate your business letter. Use only the date on which you plan to mail it. Also take the time to double check the proper spelling of your intended recipient's name, her title, and her place of business. Errors here will reflect poorly on your personal organization and company's competency.
  
  

Proper Salutations

• Utilizing the proper salutation at the beginning of a letter is key in all business correspondence. There are several proper ways to address people whose gender is unknown to you. Use "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam" to address an individual, and "Ladies and Gentleman" to address groups. "To Whom it May Concern" is appropriate when creating business correspondence to a corporate entity and not a specific individual within the organizational hierarchy. Note that the salutation "Miss" is rarely used anymore; use the salutation "Ms." to address a woman whose marital status you don't know. Always use a colon after the salutation. Commas are for informal correspondence.
  
  

Cut to the Chase

• Avoid long-winded prose and conversational tones when creating your business correspondence. While the introduction can be specifically constructed to deal with the subject matter at hand, include only a brief recap of circumstances and state as soon as possible the reason for your communication. If you are writing to a firm or individual that does not know who you are, begin your letter with a brief introduction before stating the purpose of your letter.