Do your homework before making a written request to guard against an unreasonable demand and inaccuracies.
A business request letter always asks for a specific action. It concisely describes what you want and details the action that you hope your recipient will take. It also thanks the recipient in advance for any special effort or favor needed to address your request. When you have to persuade a recipient to act on your request, emphasize the reasons for your request early in your letter. If you will accept several responses, then describe them and state which one you prefer. Carefully plan your request before writing your letter to prevent unreasonable demands, and then organize your request as follows.
Instructions
1. Provide details regarding your past relationship with the recipient, if any, to help him remember you and take special notice. Next, tell the recipient why you are writing. For instance, "We met last month at the XYZ branch store. You may recall our lively discussion about the World Series and how excited I was about the new company cell phones we were purchasing from you. Unfortunately, the phones have not lived up to our expectations."
2. Tell the recipient what you want him to do and by when. For example, "We hope that you can help us overcome our cell phone issues quickly. Please come to our office to meet with our sales team on Monday, February 10, at 9:00 am. This is the only time during the week that the entire team gathers together. Be prepared to instruct them on the proper usage of their new cell phones, troubleshoot their issues and suggest alternatives."
3. Provide the recipient with the information he needs to meet with your request, including any supporting documentation. In our example, you could attach a copy of an internal memo that lists or summarizes the cell phone complaints made by your sales team, as well as driving directions to your office. Refer to these attachments in the body of your letter.
4. Offer to provide additional information to your recipient. Ask him to contact you to answer any questions or address any concerns about your request. Furnish your contact information, including your name and title, address, phone number, fax number and e-mail address. If you are simply initiating the request but delegating its resolution to another individual, then provide the designated individual's contact information instead of yours.
5. Summarize your request and thank the recipient in advance for his assistance. Remain courteous and positive to the end. For example, "Thanks so much for your help, Joe. I look forward to seeing you on Monday, February 10, at 9:00 am. With your expert help, I trust that we will be able to resolve our cell phone issues before too long."
Tags: your request, cell phone, your letter, cell phone issues, cell phones