2. I. DEFINITION
A request is a letter asking the recipient
to do something he or she does not
have to do, may not have time to do, or
may not want to do.
Therefore, pay particular attention to
the structure given for each letter; these
are time-tested formulas for persuasive
writing that have been proven to work.
3. A letter is an ideal medium for
requesting a favor. Making the
request in writing allows the other
person to think it over in the
privacy of her own home or office,
without the pressure of you
standing there waiting for an
answer, or the potential for
embarrassment (for both of you) if
you are turned down.
4. TIPS FOR REQUESTING A FAVOR
• Ask politely. Do not demand
or threaten.
• Show the reader what’s in it
for her. Prove your case.
• Say exactly what you hope she
will do for you.
9. 1. Heading
These basic details should open any Request letter. They'll
generally be left-justified at the top of the document, listing:
•Your name
•Your return address
•Your contact information
•The date the letter was/will be sent
In some cases—particularly if you're sending a physical letter
to a company—it can be helpful to include the recipient's
address in the heading as well. In the digital age, it's not as
important since you'll likely send this as an email or
attachment. When in doubt, it doesn't hurt to include it, as it
can also show you've done your homework.
Letters don't usually have big title headers labeling them as
something generic like "Business inquiry" or "Business letter."
But if you're writing one for a well-defined purpose for
documentation, like a letter of resignation or offer letter, you
10. 2. Salutation
Below your header, you can't just jump right into
requesting a quote or quitting a job—you've got to
greet the reader. This will go on its own line,
equidistant from the heading to the body.
In a business context, you want to be formal but not
stilted. "Hey!" won't be taken seriously, while
"Greetings, Sir" comes across like an alien trying to
act like a human.
"Dear _____," is always a safe choice. Fill in the
recipient's full name or replace their first name with
a title like "Dr." or "Professor." Always use a name if
you can find one. If you can't, use a generalized
stand-in like "Dear [company name/department]
11. 3. Body
If the heading is the table and the salutation is the plate, the
body of the business letter is the big steaming scoop of
casserole. This is where you make your case, ask your
question, or shoot your shot. This usually takes up the largest
portion of the letter, which kind of muddies my analogy.
Body sections can be as short as one sentence—something
like "We have received your request and will respond within
two business days." But in most cases, they'll be upwards of a
few paragraphs. Again, there are no rules for the number of
paragraphs. But for longer messages, it can help to map out
three:
• Paragraph 1: Greet the reader, introduce yourself, and
state the purpose of your letter.
• Paragraph 2: Follow up with the details of your message.
Any background info they need to know or extra context
can go here as you make your point.
• Paragraph 3: Wrap it up with a quick summary of your
12. 4. Sign-off
Once you've made your point, all that's left is to stick the
landing and get out of there. Every business letter should
have a closing section that shows you're finished and gives the
recipient clarity on next steps.
•Sign-off: Like "Dear" in the salutation, "Sincerely" is a safe
sign-off to follow the body with. Depending on the context
and familiarity, alternatives like "Best" or "Gratefully" can also
work, but this isn't somewhere you want to take risks.
•Signature: In the digital age, we don't hand-sign many non-
legally binding documents, but if possible, it's a good idea to
include one beneath your sign-off. For physical letters, sign it
here. For digital ones, consider adding a signature by drawing
or typing in a cursive font.
•Typed name: Since most people's signatures are borderline
unreadable, type up your name below the signature. This
leaves no question as to who you are and how to spell your
name.
![2. Salutation
Below your header, you can't just jump right into
requesting a quote or quitting a job—you've got to
greet the reader. This will go on its own line,
equidistant from the heading to the body.
In a business context, you want to be formal but not
stilted. "Hey!" won't be taken seriously, while
"Greetings, Sir" comes across like an alien trying to
act like a human.
"Dear _____," is always a safe choice. Fill in the
recipient's full name or replace their first name with
a title like "Dr." or "Professor." Always use a name if
you can find one. If you can't, use a generalized
stand-in like "Dear [company name/department]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/letterofrequest-120805090746-phpapp02-250320011831-c3dbcde4/85/letterofrequest-120805090746-phpapp02-pptx-10-320.jpg)
