Keith Said:

How can I start this letter/email?

We Answered:

If you are responding to an advert which named someone, as in "reply to Joan Smith/John Brown", then use their name - Dear Mrs/Mr/Ms/Miss [surname]. If you don't know the name, but can in some way divine their sex from the ad (I know that's unlikely), use Dear Sir or Dear Madam. If the ad just names the business, use "Dear Sirs". I know that is a bit sexist, but the pedantically correct "Dear Sirs or Mesdames" doesn't cut the mustard, somehow. It is common practice to use Dear Sirs when writing to an all-female outfit, and it doesn't seem to raise any hackles. But if you can find out the name of the owner by asking local pet-owners, use it - "Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms XXXX"

If you are writing on your own initiative, rather than responding to an advert, use "Dear Sirs", unless you can find out the owner's name, inwhich case use Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms XXX.

If you can use a name, it helps. People like seeing their names on letters (and a letter would be better than an email).

I'd avoid "Dear Staff Manager" - a small business probably won't have someone with that title. However, you could address the letter to "The Staff Manager, HappyKats Hotel, etc etc and follow it up with "Dear Sir or Madam" - that would be OK.

As for signing off, the convention is that if you begin "Dear Sir," "Dear Sirs," or "Dear Madam" then finish with "Yours faithfully". If you began with their name as in "Dear Mrs Smith", then use "Yours sincerely".

Print your name under your signature, and if female add (Mrs), (Miss) or (Ms) after it. This makes it easier for them to reply to you.

I think you posted another question asking about reasons for applying for the job. You and the kennels/cattery will both know that it probably isn't going to be your life's work, so why not say that you like animals and hope eventually to become a veterinary nurse, so need some hands-on experience?

Tiffany Said:

help me how to write a business plan. my topic is lingerie shop. just email me at gwapako04@yahoo.com. THANKS?

We Answered:

Palo Alto has two sample lingerie shop business plans http://www.bplan.com/spv/3035/index.cfm?… and http://www.bplan.com/spv/3509/index.cfm?… but unfortunately it is a paid version (not available for free).

Nonetheless, here are some general resources that can help you write your business plan:

- SBA Business Plan Basics http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/pla…
- PowerHomeBiz.com Creating a Business Plan section http://www.powerhomebiz.com/startup/busi…
- Entrepreneur.com Writing a Business Plan section http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizplan/0,72…

You may also want to review some sample business plans to see how it actually looks like:

- Bplans.com http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.c…
- MOOT Corp Business Plan competition winners
http://www.businessplans.org/businesspla…
- VFinance - View hundreds of real business plans in pdf format. http://www.vfinance.com/home.asp?bps=1&T…
- Business Owners Toolkit Sample business plans and information on how to create a plan. http://www.toolkit.cch.com/tools/buspln_…
- PlanWare Planning software and information. http://www.planware.org/
- Virtual Business Plan Walk through the design of a business plan. http://www.bizplanit.com/vplan.html
-SBA Business Planning Guide http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/pla…
- Small Business Advancement Center http://www.sbaer.uca.edu/business_plan/b…
- Sample Business Plan General planning guide created by the Canadian Business Service Center. http://www.cbsc.org/servlet/ContentServe…
- Business Plans Index - A subject guide to sample business plans and profiles for specific business types from Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. http://216.183.184.20/subject/business/b…

Some recommended books are :

- Business Plans Kit for Dummies
- The Complete Book of Business Plans : Simple Steps to Writing a Powerful Business Plan
- Writing Business Plans That Get Results : A Step-By-Step Guide
- Business Plans For Dummies®
- Your First Business Plan : A Simple Question and Answer Format Designed to Help You Write Your Own Plan

Hope that the above resources help

Dennis Said:

How to write introductory email letter?

We Answered:

Something like this:

Please let this message serve as an introduction. My name is ___ and today I begin my work here as a _____ in Accounting.

You may contact me regarding accounts receivable at this email address or extension ____.

I look forward to working with you and should you have any questions or concerns, I encourage you to contact me at anytime.

Kindest regards,

____ _____