When you want to get information about a product, service, event or some other thing, you will usually need to draft a letter of inquiry. It can be informal (such as when you’re asking as a customer) or a little more professional (in case you’re researching a product for your job). If you find yourself needing to compose one, here’s a brief guide to help you turn out the best one possible.
1. If you’re writing as a part of your work, always use your company letterhead, along with your business address, to make sure you set the right tone (even if it is an email).
2. If you’re writing as a customer, use your name and personal address on top.
3. Always use “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” to begin the letter, as you’ll never really know who’s getting it.
4. Always refer to how you found their product or offer in the first sentence.
5. Make your requests clear, whether you want specific questions answered or just general information (such as a brochure).
6. Skip the pleasantries – there’s no need to play nice. Your letters are likely being read by mailroom employees trying to get through as many of them as they can, so the more straightforward and clear your requests are, the faster it will be for them to serve you.
7. Run your letter through a grammar software at least once. There’s nothing more irritating for those tasked with answering mails than receiving 100 of them that they’ll have to decipher due to bad grammar.
