Salutations for Business Letters

A good business letter is a piece of art. I say this because writing business letters can be arduously tough and every inch of space is an effort to flatter and please. Business letters are most often written to someone who holds a position of advantage over you and hence you really haven't got much of a choice there either. So like I said, business communication has to be perfectly worded, which is flattering and at the same time doesn't make you look like a cheap, desperate yes-man. Some years ago, business letter salutations wouldn't have been such a big deal. But today they are. With people taking offense for just about anything at the drop of a hat, you can't help but be a bit on the safer side.

Business Salutation in Letter

The opening salutation is the one with which you address the recipient while the closing salutation is the one you use, to sign off.

Opening Salutations
The opening salutation really depends on your relationship with the recipient. If you and the recipient are at similar levels in the managerial hierarchy in a different or the same company, then you can get away with a 'Dear Mr. Smith'. On the other hand, if the recipient is your boss, or your prospective employer, you're going to have to adopt a more serious tone. With so many different salutations at your disposal, it is hard to choose one which will work every time. So here's a table which will help you understand things better.

Salutation	Context
Dear John,	Addressing a colleague who you're friends with and at a similar level in the management. Used to start a letter in a patronizing, friendly manner.
Dear Mr. Smith	Addressing a person at a similar level of management, and one that you not necessarily are acquainted with.
Dear Sir/Madam	Used when the letter is not strictly for business purposes, but just for reference, or formal communication with a person in a senior position.
To Whomsoever it May Concern	Widely considered as insouciant and carefree, this salutation is not encouraged when you address someone in a senior position and when you wish to gain something in cash or kind from the recipient.
Respected Sir/Madam	Used to address someone in a senior position, but whose name you do not know. Insert Mr/Miss/Mrs. followed by the surname if you do know who you are writing the letter to, preceded by the word 'Respected'.
To, The (Title of Recipient's Position)	Best used when referring to someone whose name you may not know, but you're aware of the position at which the person works. This one is great for cover letters and job applications.

Closing Salutations
In my opinion, there is really no contest between closing salutations in the same way there is for the opening salutations. Here are a couple of the most commonly used closing salutations.

Salutation	Context
Yours Truly	Is a commonly used closing salutation, although one which I'm not too fond of as it is more of a personal salutation rather than a formal one. Used when the recipient is someone you know well and is at the same rank.
Yours Faithfully,	One which I use a lot myself, as the word 'faithfully' tells the recipient about the trustworthiness and integrity of the writer. Can be used in pretty much any context as well.

Now that you know where to use which salutations, you will be able to write better business letters with aplomb!