Inquiry Letter is a letter written to request information
and/or ascertain its authenticity. A letter of inquiry deals with various
matters like job vacancies, funding, grants, scholarships, projects, sales,
pre-proposals and others. The term is common in various business setups as it
implies fund request or pre-proposal information. Owing to this usage, the term
may be considered exclusive to these setups alone. But that is not the case, to
this effect the below definition offers a justified meaning.
Inquiry Letter Definition
A document requesting information sent on behalf of an
individual or an organisation for their own respective purposes, which can be
mutually beneficial to the recipient and the sender.
The term ‘Inquiry’ is same as ‘Enquiry’. The former is more commonly used
in U.S. and the latter one is more common in U.K. There are some other terms which represent the letters;
these areLetter of Intent, Letter of Interest, Query letter, Prospecting Letter, Pre-proposal Letter andConcept Paper. The term ‘Cover
Letter’, ‘Business Letter’, ‘Request Letter’ and ‘Sales Letter’ is also applied
to an inquiry letter especially when the objective is same as that of letter
for inquiry.
A letter of inquiry serves to facilitate business operations
and satisfaction of the sender. Inquiry letters remove any misunderstanding and
are time savers, especially when two parties want to reach an understanding.
The communication towards this effect resolves the issue without any delay.
With relation to it being a ‘Pre-proposal letter’, the inquiry letter is also
termed as a ‘Condensed Version of a
Proposal’. It is the outcome of the purpose of the letter which
highlights the points of a proposal instead of a full-fledged proposal.
On an individual’s basis, these letters are sent to
companies that are willing to hire but haven't advertised job openings. It can
also be a letter addressed to editor in-charge of a publication proposing
certain literary work. It can be a letter from a student who is vying for a
seat in a college or a business that provides an internship. So, the objective
of an enquiry letter is same but its projections and audiences are different.
Same goes for its method of delivery, it can be sent via paper mail or
electronic mail.
Inquiry Letter Samples
How to Write an Inquiry Letter
Writing a letter of inquiry can become an easy task when you
have some guiding material. An enquiry letter may consist all or few of
the below mentioned parts:
·
Introduction
·
Description
·
Statement
·
Methodology
·
Final
Summary
The inclusion or exclusion of certain components depends on
the scope of your letter. Business letters will tend to have all mentioned
while those on a smaller platform will include few. Not to forget that these
letter are formal letters and will follow the rules pertaining to these. These rules
refer to the common styles of writing a business letter, i.e. Full Block Style,
Modified Block Style and others.
An example of letter of inquiry or a letter of inquiry
format is sufficient. To add to it the writing tips provide efficiency. Thus,
it is advisable to go through the format, tips, examples and the templates.
·
Outline and
Organise your Inquiry –
By outlining it is meant that you have to know what sort of information you are
going to present?, word limit, documents required, the tone of the language,
your anticipation, common ground of consensus and other required matter. It is
just like an architecture preparing a building plan. Here you have to decide
‘What to include?’ and ‘Why to include?’ Knowing this eases the writing process
and also eases the reading on part of the recipient. When all the pieces are
clear in your mind, it is time to figure out the best possible logical order.
Arrange a sequential order for the relevant information. In this way
outlining and organising eases the further writing process.
· Gather
Information –
Certain inquiries may not require any search or research, certain will. For the
latter one’s you have to collect information to make your case strong. If you
are looking for a job, you need to know the expectations of the employer. If it
is a fund that you are writing for, know your client. Research your recipient;
know the principles on which they work. Analyse their intellect and weaknesses.
Any information which will support your inquiry is good. It might appear
daunting but you don’t need to go into all areas. Pick one or two and research
on that. There are other indirect methods like visiting the websites, going
through profiles, news items and other assistive methods. Knowing and
delivering the anticipated speeds up the writing and the success of the
inquiry. On your part you might be required to provide information to the
recipient and that too needs to be sorted out before it is presented.
· Drafting –
A formal letter like query letter begins from a draft. The draft maybe required
for your own acceptance or for the organisation you are working for. The
initial step of outlining and organising comes to aid in the draft. The logical
order and the information collected are put to full use in drafting. Ideas or
lines may come hard, so start with what comes first in the mind. Then weave the
inquiry around it and prepare your letter. Though the layout has been planned
but the content may not always live up to the layout. Drafting is a good option
because you may not always come up with a good letter and you require certain
revisions or consultations with your seniors. Here, you can experiment and
chalk out a format for future use.
· Appropriate
Recipient –
Your inquiry may not yield the desired results if you are in doubt about the
exact recipient. You may know about multiple recipients but who is the one,
that is most likely to respond in a positive and helpful manner. To solve this
query you can contact the recipient’s office and find out who is the most
appropriate. For indirect methods you can use previous correspondence
containing letterhead or recipient’s name. The company’s website can also be
helpful in this matter. Never address your inquiry letter to a ‘Department’,
‘Head of Department’ or ‘To whom it may concern’. An individual will read your
letter and this individual represents the department. So always direct your
letter to 'A Person having Authority' and 'Not to Authority having a Person'.
· Impressive
Opening –
Inquiry letter being a representative to many types of other letters requires
an impressive opening. It may not be the agenda of all inquiry letters but
wherever it is applicable, you have to impress the reader. To arouse the
interest you can state the profit involved in the query. You should write in an
active voice and offer relevant facts. The letter should live up to the
anticipation and expectations of the reader, making it effortless to read. You
can also use certain apt phrases and quotes towards this effect. You can
flatter the recipient with certain praises but don’t exaggerate. Self introduction
in the starting itself wouldn’t be a good idea so refrain until it is
anticipated.
· Be Specific and
Brief –
It makes sense to be specific and brief. Specificity of your letter will lead
to easy perception of the information. Brief letter will be read quickly and
wouldn’t appear as burdening. Moreover, there is no scope for anything apart
from the request and its relative aspects. You can be specific by offering the
most important information; one which will fulfil most of the needs of the
reader. You can be brief by using short paragraphs and using one word whose
meaning is equivalent to a number of words. Mostly an inquiry letter is of 2 to
3 pages.
· Be
Straightforward –
Straightforward doesn’t mean a simple go. You have to be direct but by remaining
within the boundaries of etiquettes. You shouldn’t sound cold and boring. You
have to be professional and follow all the observances expected from an inquiry
letter. For, example you shouldn’t condemn, be sarcastic or arrogant. One may
not realise it but when others read it, they can point out the anomalies. So
build a momentum instead of directly coming to the objective of the letter.
·
Generate and
Maintain Interest –
There are many ways of presenting information. It is up to you how you present
it. You can utilise a question to arouse the curiosity of the recipient. You
can maintain this interest by providing some hints as to what you have written
next. Don’t lose the momentum of the tone as it can reduce the interest.
Present your idea which forces the person to imagine a scenario.
· Supportive
Documents –Don't
forget to attach the required documents. These documents are supportive towards
your cause. For a prospective employee these add value to the credibility of
the individual. In a business scenario it is complimentary and well thought
idea. They also augment the effect of the letter.
·
Facilitate the
Response –
When you seek information which is more essential to you than it is to the
reader, you are required to ease the reply process. So enclose a self-addressed
stamped envelope with your query. Even, otherwise it shows your presence of
mind, willingness to ensure smooth and quick response. If the inquiry is more
beneficial to the recipient, your contact number and other details are already
there on the letterhead.
·
Offer Incentives –
When you make it obvious that the inquiry is beneficial to the recipient, it
acts as an incentive. If you make it clear – ‘The How’ and ‘What’ of the
desired outcome of the letter, it also serves to offer an incentive. You can
emphasise the role of the reader in the inquiry and how it will add up to his
credentials. You can use examples towards this effect; a profit to the
recipient does go long down the line.
·
Review and
Revise –
Coming to the final section, double check the address. Your letter should have
all the qualities of being a professional one. Ensure the use of simple font
such as Times New Roman or Arial. Check for any spelling and grammatical
errors. If in doubt get a reliable proofreader to review it.
Inquiry Letter Template – Full Block Style
|
__________Organisation Letter Head
OR
__________ Organisation/Your Address
__________ Organisation/Your Contact
Number
__________ Organisation/ Your
Email
__ ____ 20__ (Date)
_________ (Addressee’s Name)
________________ (Addressee’s
Address)
Dear ________,
Earth provides enough to satisfy
every man's needs, but not every man's greed. Wise words from a wise man -
Mahatma Gandhi. These are not just words; these are instructions to lead a
life in the wisest manner. I believe in it and I follow it ardently. Myself -
_________ and for the past_______, I have worked for _______________ in
______ as __________. My contract with the _________is about to end in about
__________. I love _________ and try every bit for their welfare. That is the
reason why I chose to become a _______________.
____________ has always been my
passion since childhood and I would __________them and read about them all
through my school and college days. In fact, I was nicknamed __________for my
achievements in ____________ competitions, drawing, painting and anything
concerned with ___________. I would often cerate _________ ________ whenever
required.
At the college level I started
________________ and was positioned _____________ Competition. I even
attended the ____________ organised by the local _______________. My article
on __________was also published and appreciated in the monthly
__________magazine.
I am well aware that you have not
offered any jobs or advertised for the same but it is my strong feeling that
I will get an opportunity in your foundation sooner or later. And whenever
that happens please do contact me. I am sure I will live up to your
expectations.
I have attached all the relevant
documents for your consideration, please go through them. I am not boasting
but I am merely making you aware of my apt suitability for the job.
Thanking You.
Sincerely,
__________Your Signature
__________Your Name
__________Your Designation
Encl. – Resume -1
Copy of Reference Letter___
Copy of Certificates__
Copy of Honours__
|
Make an Inquiry Letter
Full Block Style
THE BIG CO.
Sudirman street 43, South Jakarta 16435
Your
ref : DS/RC
Our
ref : DL/RC
14 October 2016
Thomas
Co. Ltd.
Pattimura
street 123
East
Jakarta 16543
Dear
madam,
Re : Request for Catalogue
Thank
you for your inquiry letter of 10 October 2016 and interested in our
advertisement.
As
requested, we enclose here with the latest illustrated catalogue together with
price list and the terms of payment. Dispatch of product will be sent after we
receive your order letter in two weeks and we could give 5% cash discount in 30
days from invoice date.
We
are look forward to receiving your first order and please do not hesitate to
write again if you still need any further infotmation.
Yours
sincerely,
Mrs. Nazaline Adinda Larasati
Purchase
Manager
Encl.
catalogue
Source:
