Sometimes determining what a letter is asking isn’t very easy, especially if the letter wasn’t written clearly. Review the letter to figure out what the original writer needs from you. If you have to, take some notes on the letter to determine the point. Jot down what the letter is asking and how you might answer it.
For example, the letter may be asking the status of a job application. If you’re not connected with the hiring process, call the hiring manager to check on the application status before responding.
If the person you gave the letter to may take some time to answer, it’s good practice to respond to the original writer saying that you’ve passed the letter to someone more qualified to answer it. This shows the writer that their message was received and someone is working on it.
If you don’t know the person personally, use the titles Mr. , Mrs. , or Ms. , followed by the person’s last name. If the person has a known title, like Dr. , use this instead. If you know the person or are unaware of their gender, use their first name. As a good rule, open the letter with the same name and title that the person signed their letter with. For example, if they signed their letter “Dr. Johnson,” then open your letter with “Dear Dr. Johnson. "
Very simply sating, “I am writing in response to your letter from June 13th” is a perfect opening for a response letter. If you aren’t the original person that the recipient wrote the letter to, state where you got the letter from. For example, write, “Our customer service representative, Michelle Harris, forwarded your letter to me. ”[5] X Research source
State what the original letter inquired about, and then answer the question. For example: “Your letter asked who the contact person for media inquiries is. The person is Janet Walters. Her email address and phone number are as follows. ” For longer inquiries, use a numbered list to answer each question. This is easier to read and shows that each concern has been addressed. Be thorough, but brief. A few sentences per question should be enough to respond to the person’s original inquiry. [7] X Research source
Always use an understanding tone while turning down a request, but also provide a firm response. State, “Unfortunately, I’m unable to fulfill this request. We don’t have the information you need, and I can’t say when we may have it. ” If you might be able to answer the question with more information, ask the person for a response. State, “I’d like to answer your inquiry but I need to know more about your situation first. At your convenience, please respond with the date of your application and the name of the person you contacted, and I will answer as soon as possible. ”
Some people prefer to open their letter with a thank-you instead. The exact placement isn’t very important, as long as you thank the person at some point.
If you’re handwriting or printing the letter, leave room for your signature after printing your name. If you’re sending an email, then writing your name is fine.
Having a friend or coworker read the letter is helpful as well. They can put themselves in the recipient’s shoes and tell you if they’d be satisfied with the response.
On the top left, write your name, title, company (if applicable), and address. Underneath that, write the date. Finally, write the full name and address of the person you’re responding to. For typed letters, use 1-inch (2. 5 cm) margins around the border. Use single-spaced text with 2 spaces in between paragraphs. If you’re typing the letter, use 12-point font and a standard text setting. If you’re handwriting the letter, make sure you write legibly.
Just a simple, “Thanks so much for writing, we appreciate hearing from you,” can make a big difference in the tone of your letter. Make phrases like this a habit in your letters. Never give off the idea that you’re annoyed with the person writing to you. It’s better to go overboard with friendliness than make someone think you’re angry or annoyed.
This is especially important if you’re running a business or answering a customer service inquiry. Your customer may get frustrated if they have to spend time reading a long letter that could have been half the size. Of course, don’t be so brief that you haven’t answered the person’s question. If something requires a lot of explanation, then provide the explanation. Just don’t ramble on or provide more information than you have to.
As a good rule of thumb, imagine your reader is skimming the letter quickly. Will they be able to see all the main points you were making? If not, improve your language and make it clearer.
Edit your letter by asking yourself, “Would someone who doesn’t do my job know what I’m talking about?” If not, then change your language so average people can understand it. This is a good way to eliminate jargon from your writing.
Don’t just rely on spell check to catch your mistakes. These programs usually don’t catch grammar errors. Read the letter word-for-word to find your mistakes. If this is a very important letter, like to a business partner, have someone else read it as well. A fresh set of eyes could see mistakes that you missed.
Don’t just rely on spell check to catch your mistakes. These programs usually don’t catch grammar errors. Read the letter word-for-word to find your mistakes. If this is a very important letter, like to a business partner, have someone else read it as well. A fresh set of eyes could see mistakes that you missed.
