A Letter Of Inquiry
Definition: A letter of inquiry, also known as a prospecting letter or letter of interest, is sent to companies that may be hiring, but, haven't listed specific job openings.
Your inquiry letter should contain information on why the company interests you and why your skills and experience would be an asset to the company. Also provide information on how you will follow-up and where you can be reached.
-> definition Letter of Inquiry - Small Business Grants (Women and Minority grant programs)
Grants are monies / financial assistance which are not a loan, and do not need to be paid back.
When should I apply for a grant? You should apply for State & Federal grant applications as soon as possible. Grant proposals typically have a deadline for applying.
A grant proposal should look like a business plan. It needs to show the clear use of funds and why you receiving the grant will benefit your company and the community.
Federal and State government grant proposals should be written in a way where your "mission statement" is easy to understand and very clear. You want the federal agency reviewing your grant application (whether for your small business or personal use) to clearly see why you need this grant and how it will be used in detail.
Inquiry Letters
How to write an inquiry letter:
*Be courteous. Remember, by making this request you are imposing on the reader’s time and/or resources.
*Don’t send an inquiry letter for information you could easily find out by other means, such as with a quick search on the Internet.
*Your letter can be fairly short, but it should be long enough to adequately explain what it is that you are inquiring about and what you want the reader to do in response to your letter.
*Generally, give at least a couple of weeks for the person, company, or organization to respond to your inquiry before you send a follow-up letter or make a follow-up phone call.
*If appropriate, you may want to mention that you will keep confidential any information provided. (This may increase the likelihood that the reader will respond to your inquiry.)
*Make it as easy as possible for the person to respond to your request. This might mean offering to pay for any needed photocopies or mailing costs, or perhaps including a self-addressed, stamped envelope; necessary forms, questionnaires, or other documents; and so forth.
*Make sure to include contact information so that the person can easily get in touch with you if necessary, such as your cell or home phone number or e-mail address.
*When the person responds to your inquiry, it is a good idea to send a quick note of thanks expressing your appreciation and telling how the information helped (or can help) you. If appropriate, you may want to offer to return the favor in the future.
How to respond to an inquiry letter:
*Specifically indicate the inquiry that was made, as you understand it.
*Express your appreciation for the person’s interest.
*If possible, personally respond to the inquiry. You might want to include with your response letter any brochures, catalogs, reports, or other helpful information available.
*If appropriate, clearly describe any action you feel the person should take and the reason(s) for such a recommendation. (However, you may want to use caution because of any possible liability you might incur for offering such advice.)
*If you cannot personally answer the person’s question, let him/her know that you have contacted the person who can and that he/she will shortly be in touch with the reader. If this is not possible, express your regret for being unable to help the reader, and try to find out for him/her the contact information for someone who can help.
*If appropriate, you might want to include additional information about your organization, the products or services you sell, or the subject matter of the inquiry, beyond the scope of the original inquiry.
*Close by saying that you would be happy to help the reader in the future if he/she needs further assistance or by wishing him/her well in his/her endeavor or project, etc.
Inquiry Letter Tips:
*Begin your letter by stating who you are and giving your status or position (such as student, researcher, interested consumer, etc.), and tell how you found out about the individual or entity that you are writing to.
*Clearly state what it is that you are inquiring about and what you would like the recipient of your letter to do. Make your inquiry as specific as possible.
*You might want to briefly explain the purpose of your letter or what you hope to accomplish. Such an explanation may prompt the recipient of your letter to act more quickly.
*If appropriate, consider mentioning the letter recipient’s qualifications for responding to your inquiry (this may prompt him/her to act when he/she might otherwise be hesitant to do so). For example, you could explain that you are writing to the reader because she is a leader in her field and the accepted authority on the subject you are interested in.
*Include the date by which you need the information, services, etc., that you are requesting, and indicate that you await the reader’s response.
*Thank the person for his/her time.
Sample Letter of Inquiry
This sample letter of inquiry is a good base from which to start, the italic lettering is where you have to insert your own information.
[Date]
[Address]
[Phone Number]
[Employer's Name and Title]
[Employer's Address]
Dear [Name of hiring manager]
I have been informed of a job opportunity as [specific position or area you are applying for] by [name of referrer]. I am very interested in such a position because [qualifications or related work & interests].
I am currently employed at [name of organisation] as [title of position].
or
I have just graduated from [name of academic organisation].[Achievements related to the position] [Note: Read Writing about achievements guide]
I look forward to discussing this job opportunity further and how I can contribute to the success of [name of organisation].
Sincerely,[sign your name ][type your name ]
example:
1102 West 30th
Lawrence, KS 66321
August 4, 19XX
Dr. Maria Gomez-Salinas
Director of the Diabetes Clinic
St. David's Hospital
1000 Greenberg Lane
Wichita, KS 66780
Dear Dr. Gomez-Salinas:
I am writing you in hopes of finding out more about how the
new Glucoscan II blood glucose monitoring system, which a
representative at Lifescan informed me that your clinic is
currently using.
Originally, I saw Lifescan's advertisement of this new
device in the January 19XX issue of Diabetes Forecast and
became very interested in it. I wrote the company and got
much useful information, but was recommended to write
several current users of the system as well.
For a technical report that I am writing for a technical
writing class at Johnson County Junior College, I need some
help with the following questions:
1. How often does the Glucoscan II need to be calibrated in practical, everyday use conditions?
2. How accurate is the Glucoscan II compared to other similar systems that your patients have used?
3. What problems do your patients experience with this new device?
The Lifescan representative indicated that your clinic is
one the leaders in implementing new technology for
diabetics, and therefore I am eager to hear from you. In
the report I will acknowledge your contributions, and I
will send you a copy of the completed report if you wish.
Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Anita Teller
Student, Medical Technology
Johnson County Junior College
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchglossary/g/inquiryletter.htm
http://www.writeexpress.com/inquiry.htm
http://www.cvtips.com/cover-letter/sample-letter-of-inquiry.html
http://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/inqex1.html
Style letter of business
communication of business
Business Communication is communication used to promote a product, service, or organization; relay information within the business; or deal with legal and similar issues. It is also a means of relaying between a supply chain, for example the consumer and manufacturer.
Business Communication is known simply as “Communications.” It encompasses a variety of topics, including Marketing, Branding, Customer relations, Consumer behaviour, Advertising, Public relations, Corporate communication, Community engagement, Research & Measurement, Reputation management, Interpersonal communication, Employee engagement, Online communication, and Event management. It is closely related to the fields of professional communication and technical communication.
In business, the term communications encompasses various channels of communication, including the Internet, Print (Publications), Radio, Television, Ambient media, Outdoor, and Word of mouth.
Business Communication can also refer to internal communication. A communications director will typically manage internal communication and craft messages sent to employees. It is vital that internal communications are managed properly because a poorly crafted or managed message could foster distrust or hostility from employees.
Business readers expect to receive letters and memos that adhere to an existing format standard. There are several acceptable business letter styles available for use in the professional world. Three such business letter styles include:
• Modified Block Style: With this business letter format, the body of the letter is left justified and single-spaced. The date and closing, however, are in alignment in the center of the page.
• Block Style: when using this business letter format, the entire letter is left justified and single-spaced except for a double space between paragraphs.
• Semiblock Style: similar to the modified block business letter style except that each paragraph is indented instead of left justified.
Business Letter Format
There are several main sections that are consistent with every business letter format. When writing a business letter, be sure to include all components:
• The Heading: common with every business letter format, the heading contains your address and the date of writing.
• The Inside Address: included the name of the addressee, that person’s title or office, the name of the company or institution, and the full address
• The Salutation: the formal greeting appears two lines lower than the inside address.
• The Body: use the body of your letter to explain the situation and to make your request or response. Make sure it is done in a straightforward and concise manner.
• The Complimentary Close: the complimentary close is inserted three lines below the last line of the body. The most common formulas are: Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Yours truly, Yours sincerely.
• Your Typed Name: in all business letters, there are usually four lines between the complimentary close and the typed name as you intend to sign it.
• Your Signature: always use blue or black ink. Match your signature and your typed name.
• Special Notation: lowest on the page, always flush left. Includes common notations to indicate: carbon copies,enclosed documents, etc...
Letter Templates
Library Online features a large assortment of letter templates to help you achieve your desired message when writing business letters.
Here you will find letter templates that will consistently give your company a professional image. There is a large selection of example business letter styles covering the most common business situations, written by business professionals
1. Return Address: If your stationery has a letterhead, skip this. Otherwise, type your name, address and optionally, phone number. These days, it's common to also include an email address.
2. Date: Type the date of your letter two to six lines below the letterhead. Three are standard. If there is no letterhead, type it where shown.
3. Reference Line: If the recipient specifically requests information, such as a job reference or invoice number, type it on one or two lines, immediately below the Date (2). If you're replying to a letter, refer to it here. For example,
• Re: Job # 625-01
• Re: Your letter dated 1/1/200x.
4. Special Mailing Notations: Type in all uppercase characters, if appropriate. Examples include
• SPECIAL DELIVERY
• CERTIFIED MAIL
• AIRMAIL
5. On-Arrival Notations: Type in all uppercase characters, if appropriate. You might want to include a notation on private correspondence, such as a resignation letter. Include the same on the envelope. Examples are
• PERSONAL
• CONFIDENTIAL
6. Inside Address: Type the name and address of the person and/or company to whom you're sending the letter, three to eight lines below the last component you typed. Four lines are standard. If you type an Attention Line (7), skip the person's name here. Do the same on the envelope.
7. Attention Line: Type the name of the person to whom you're sending the letter. If you type the person's name in the Inside Address (6), skip this. Do the same on the envelope.
8. Salutation: Type the recipient's name here. Type Mr. or Ms. [Last Name] to show respect, but don't guess spelling or gender. Some common salutations are
• Ladies:
• Gentlemen:
• Dear Sir:
• Dear Sir or Madam:
• Dear [Full Name]:
• To Whom it May Concern:
9. Subject Line: Type the gist of your letter in all uppercase characters, either flush left or centered. Be concise on one line. If you type a Reference Line (3), consider if you really need this line. While it's not really necessary for most employment-related letters, examples are below.
• SUBJECT: RESIGNATION
• LETTER OF REFERENCE
• JOB INQUIRY
10. Body: Type two spaces between sentences. Keep it brief and to the point.
11. Complimentary Close: What you type here depends on the tone and degree of formality. For example,
• Respectfully yours (very formal)
• Sincerely (typical, less formal)
• Very truly yours (polite, neutral)
• Cordially yours (friendly, informal)
12. Signature Block: Leave four blank lines after the Complimentary Close (11) to sign your name. Sign your name exactly as you type it below your signature. Title is optional depending on relevancy and degree of formality. Examples are
• John Doe, Manager
• P. Smith
Director, Technical Support
• R. T. Jones - Sr. Field Engineer
13. Identification Initials: If someone typed the letter for you, he or she would typically include three of your initials in all uppercase characters, then two of his or hers in all lowercase characters. If you typed your own letter, just skip it since your name is already in the Signature Block (12). Common styles are below.
• JAD/cm
• JAD:cm
• clm
14. Enclosure Notation: This line tells the reader to look in the envelope for more. Type the singular for only one enclosure, plural for more. If you don't enclose anything, skip it. Common styles are below.
• Enclosure
• Enclosures: 3
• Enclosures (3)
15. cc: Stands for courtesy copies (formerly carbon copies). List the names of people to whom you distribute copies, in alphabetical order. If addresses would be useful to the recipient of the letter, include them. If you don't copy your letter to anyone, skip it.
Tips:
• Replace the text in brackets [ ] with the component indicated. Don't type the brackets.
• Try to keep your letters to one page, but see page 2 of this sample if you need continuation pages.
• How many blank lines you add between lines that require more than one, depends on how much space is available on the page.
• The same goes for margins. One and one-half inch (108 points) for short letters and one inch (72 points) for longer letters are standard. If there is a letterhead, its position determines the top margin on page 1.
• If you don't type one of the more formal components, don't leave space for them. For example, if you don't type the Reference Line (3), Special Mailing Notations (4) and On-Arrival Notations (5), type the Inside Address (6) four lines below the Date (2).
December 1, 2008
Ms. Anna Brown, Chair
Department of Linguistics
Right State University
1415 University Drive
Felicity, OH 45435
Dear Ms. Brown:
I want you to know you have an exceptional employee, Jane Doe, in your support division. Her calm, patient manner was a great help to me when my frustration was at an all-time high. Her knowledge of the software and her remarkable problem-solving abilities are rare indeed. If the quality of a firm's employees is an indication of future success, then Doe Corporation has a very bright future.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
John Do
Enclosure
( gita ardilda….3eb07)
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/letters/l/bl_block_p.htm
