Business Letter Writing: Writing Numbers Right

An ill placed number in a letter can really make it look funny or, in a business setting, tell the reader that you have no idea what you are doing. So, in order to effectively write business communication, an integral skill in getting ahead professionally, keep a few things in mind when business letter writing numbers and numerals. Remember to always start a sentence with a word. Twenty-two people showed up for the test, can you imagine how awkward a sentence like this would look? “22 people showed up for the test”, it looks like an IM to a friend. In the vein of keeping it formal, tip number three is to spell out centuries and decades. The thirteenth century or the eighties look mo re formal than their numerical counterparts and fit better in a business letter.

Spell out one number when writing two numbers side by side. This is for clarity, a sentence with two numbers side by side can be misinterpreted, like so: The real estate company had made 24 10 unit communities this year. Spelling them out makes your message clearer and ensuring that you are not misread, if you mean that “The real estate company had made 24 ten-unit communities this year”. When writing numbers, keep these five tips in mind so that you get your message across to your clients or coworkers and understood correctly. Whether writing a memo on a piece of paper or business email writing, writing numbers correctly means you represent yourself and your company better.