German business correspondence follows strict conventions, and even small errors — a misplaced date, an informal greeting, or a missing Bezugszeile — can leave a poor impression on clients, partners, and government bodies.
The following mistakes appear regularly in letters produced without a proper DIN 5008 template. Each one is easy to fix once you know what to look for.
Formatting and Structural Errors
1. Wrong Date Format
In German business letters, dates are written in the format DD.MM.YYYY — for example, 29.10.2026. Writing the date in the format common in English-speaking countries (Oct 29, 2026 or 10/29/2026) creates confusion and signals unfamiliarity with German conventions. The date appears in the reference line (Bezugszeile) on the right-hand side, or within the reference field alongside your file reference.
2. Informal Salutation
Using Hallo or Hi as a salutation in a formal business letter is inappropriate in German professional contexts. The correct standard salutation for an unknown recipient is Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren. When the recipient is known, use Sehr geehrte Frau [Nachname] or Sehr geehrter Herr [Nachname]. A first name is only used in salutations once a close, established relationship has been built — and even then, it remains uncommon in formal correspondence.
3. Missing or Incomplete Subject Line (Betreff)
The subject line tells the reader — and their filing system — what the letter is about before they read a single sentence. Omitting it forces the recipient to read the entire letter to understand its purpose. An incomplete subject line such as "Re: our conversation" is equally unhelpful. A proper Betreff includes the relevant reference numbers, project names, or invoice numbers that allow the letter to be filed and retrieved efficiently.
4. Inconsistent Fonts and Font Sizes
DIN 5008 does not mandate a specific typeface, but it does imply consistent, legible formatting. Using multiple fonts, mixing bold and italic styles without purpose, or jumping between 10 pt and 14 pt within the body text creates a document that looks assembled rather than produced. A single sans-serif or serif typeface at 11 or 12 pt, with only structured use of bold for the subject line and important terms, is the professional standard.
Technical and Positional Errors
5. Omitting Fold Marks
Fold marks are horizontal dashes on the left margin of the letter that indicate where the paper should be folded to fit a standard DL envelope. Omitting them forces the recipient or their mail-room staff to guess where to fold, which often results in the address not appearing correctly in the envelope window. This is a minor detail, but German business recipients notice its absence — it suggests the letter was not produced from a proper template.
6. Wrong Page Margins
DIN 5008 defines specific margin dimensions: a top margin of 27 mm, a left margin of 24.1 mm, and a right margin that positions the type area at 81.9 mm from the left edge. If a letter is produced with different margins — for example, the default margins in a word processor — the address block will not align with the envelope window, and the visual structure of the page will differ from the standard that German readers are accustomed to.
7. Unclear or Non-Standard Closing
The closing phrase of a German business letter should be Mit freundlichen Grüßen — the direct equivalent of "Kind regards" and widely understood as the professional standard. Variations such as Herzliche Grüße or Viele Grüße imply a warmer, more personal relationship and are not appropriate for formal first-contact letters. Some writers also omit the comma after the closing phrase and the blank lines before the typed name — both details that affect the document's final presentation.
The fastest way to eliminate all these errors at once is to work from a correctly built template. The free DIN 5008 templates at smartdexblog.de already incorporate correct margins, reference line positioning, and placeholder text for every required field. Further guidance on German business writing conventions is available from the Federal Language Office of Germany.