Business information request letter

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There are many different types of business letters you might use in your professional career. From cover letters to letters of recommendation, drafting a clean, readable business letter can help you communicate ideas clearly. There are several steps you can take to make a business letter professional and appropriate for the audience of your letter.

What is a business letter?

A business letter is a formal document that is useful for a variety of reasons in a professional workplace. Many industries and positions use letters to conduct business.

The most popular types of business letters include:

• Resignation letter
• Job offer acceptance letter
• Leave of absence request letter
• Formal complaints
• Formal commendations
• Character reference letter
• Employment verification letter
• Letter of recommendation
• Cover letter
• Letter of intent
• Letter of interest
• Thank you letter
• Follow up
• Memorandums

Business letters are necessary to ensure both business and individuals have proper receipts and documentation as it pertains to sensitive events such as making sales, purchases, welcoming new employees, transitioning departing employees and more. They are also helpful as a form of written communication so both parties are clear and can refer back to important information contained in the business letter.

Sections of a business letter

While your business letter should be tailored to the situation and recipient, there are a few common business letter elements you should consider including before you get started.

Common sections of a business letter include:

1. The heading
   Think of the heading as the return address. This is your name and contact information. While a person’s physical address has been included on business letters in the past, this is no longer a required piece of information. This section is not necessary to include if you are writing an email unless you are attaching the full letter to your email.
2. The date
   After a space following the heading, the date the letter is being sent or delivered should be included at the top. This section is not necessary to include if you are writing an email unless you are attaching the full letter to your email.
3. The recipient’s address
   After a space following the date, the next section is the recipient’s address. This might be an individual, company or other organization. Include the name of the recipient, their address, phone number and email address if applicable. This section is not necessary to include if you are writing an email unless you are attaching the full letter to your email.
4. The greeting
   After a space following the recipient’s address, you will begin the main section of the business letter with a greeting on one line, typically followed by a colon or a comma. You can choose to begin with the recipient’s name such as, “Mr. Fitgerald:” or include an opening word beforehand such as “Dear” or “Hello.” If you’re unsure of the recipient’s name, be as specific as possible by including what you do know about them, such as their job title or department. For example, “Dear Hiring Manager.”
5. The body
   After the greeting is the body of the letter. This might include only one or several paragraphs depending on the letter and needs of the writer and recipient.
6. The closing
   After a space following the body is the business letter closing. This can include a brief closing statement followed by a simple word or phrase that kindly and professionally ends the letter. Some examples of words you can use are “Sincerely” or “With regard.” For more examples of letter closings, visit How to End a Letter.
7. Your signature
   After the closing, provide your first and last name by singing the letter. If it is a physical copy you will give or mail to the recipient, it is common to sign your name in cursive with your printed name written or typed underneath. Depending on the type of letter, you might also include your job title on the line underneath your name.

How to format a business letter

When formatting your business letter, readability should be your top priority. From selecting a font style to correcting margins, make sure your letter is clean, clear and highly readable.

Here are seven simple steps you can take to format your business letter:

1. Use the appropriate letterhead if applicable
2. Select a professional font
3. Select a professional font size
4. Decide whether you will use a block or indented format
5. Include sections for all necessary information
6. Pay attention to spacing and margins
7. Begin and end your letter properly

Let’s explore each of these formatting instructions in detail.

1. Use the appropriate letterhead if applicable

Letterhead is personalized stationery with an individual or organization’s name and address printed at the top of the paper. Letterhead also sometimes includes a unique print, logo, seal or watermark. Some organizations require employees to use its letterhead when sending professional letters that pertain to the company’s business. Take some time to familiarize yourself with your organization’s rules around letterhead.

If you are applying for another job or sending business letters for other reasons that do not involve your company, do not use their letterhead.

2. Select a professional font

When deciding on which font to choose for your business letter, you should pay attention to cleanliness and readability. While it may seem tempting to select a stylistic font that personalized the letter, it might be difficult for your audience to read. They should be able to get the information they need from your letter as quickly as possible.

Here are a few examples of popular fonts used in professional documents:

• Arial
• Avenir
• Calibri
• Corbel
• Garamond
• Georgia
• Gill Sans
• Helvetica
• Open Sans
• Roboto
• Times New Roman

Related: Best Font for a Resume: How to Choose Style and Size

3. Select a professional font size

When selecting a font size, you should consider the smallest size for which your document will still be easily readable. You should stay between 10 and 12 points for your font. Smaller than 10 point fonts will be difficult to read, while fonts larger than 12 points might appear unprofessional.

Related: How to Choose Cover Letter Font and Font Size

4. Decide whether you will use a block or indented format

While there are many various formatting styles used for different types of business letters, there are two main types you should decide between–block or indented.

The “block” format is modern and clean with all elements and sections of the letter aligned on the lefthand side of the page with no indentations. This format is preferable and commonly used for professional documents.

The “indented” or “moderated block” format is sometimes used for shorter, more casual documents. In this format, each first line of a new paragraph in the body is indented. The sender’s contact information and closing signature are also sometimes aligned right.

5. Include sections for all necessary information

When designing the layout for your business letter, you should keep in mind all of the necessary information typically included on a professional document as mentioned above. Typically, a business letter includes the following information at the top:

• Your contact information (Name, job title, company, address, phone number, email)
• The date
• Recipient’s contact information (Name, job title, company, company address)

This information is followed by a salutation, then the body, followed by your close and signature. When drafting your business letter, be sure to include all appropriate information.

6. Pay attention to spacing and margins

Spacing plays an important role in making your business letter appear readable and professional. Be sure to put spaces between the elements at the top of your letter (your contact information, the date and their contact information), followed by another space to begin your letter.

In the body paragraphs, your letter should be single-spaced to create a clean yet readable document. You should include a space between each paragraph and before and after your closing. It is best practice to align your entire letter to the left side of the page, as opposed to centered or aligned right. This makes it easy to follow for the audience.

Typically a professional document has one-inch margins. It is appropriate for margins to be a bit larger than usual (up to one and a quarter inch) for business letters.

7. Begin and end your letter properly

As you start your letter, you should address the recipient appropriately. If you do not know the recipient, it is appropriate to include a general greeting like “To Whom it May Concern” or addressing them by their job title, such as “Dear Director of Finance.” If you know the recipient’s name but have never formally met them or have only briefly met, you should include a more proper greeting like, “Dear Mr. [Last Name]” or “Dear Ms. [Last Name]”. If you have a deeper relationship with the recipient, feel free to greet them with their first name as you would address them in person.

Select a brief, appropriate closing as you end your letter like “Sincerely,” “Respectfully” or “All the best,” followed by your first and last name and job title. You should include a space between the close and your name.

Business letter format example

Here’s an example of a business letter format you can use as a template when drafting your own business letter. In this sample, you will see the writer used the “block” letter format:

Rosa Gomez
Sr. Project Manager
Crane & Jenkins
555 Apple Ln.
Seattle, WA
(555) 111-9999
[email protected]

July 1, 2025

Martin Love
Sr. Data Analyst
Cloud Clearwater
100 Orange Cir.
Seattle, WA

Dear Mr. Love,

It is my pleasure to strongly recommend Wendy Jones for the Jr. Data Analyst role with Cloud Clearwater. I am Rosa Gomez, a project manager at Crane & Jenkins. I have 12 years of experience working in the tech industry and have seen many young professionals come and go. Ms. Jones is one individual I have worked with who uniquely stands out.

During our time together, Wendy displayed great talents in data analytics. When we first met, I was immediately impressed with Wendy, but during the time worked together, her understanding of analyzing data to achieve results for our company grew far more than that of her peers.

It’s not just her technical skills that impress me, however. Wendy was a joy to work with because of her amazingly positive attitude and ability to communicate across teams. Her focus and attention to detail were also necessary and valued not just by myself, but by her peers, who often relied on her to get the job done.

I am absolutely confident that Wendy would be a great fit at Cloud Clearwater. Not only will she bring the kind of skills and experiences you’re looking for in an applicant, she will quickly become an asset and help your company grow in any way she can.

If you need more information or specific examples, please do not hesitate to contact me at (555) 111-9999. As a recommendation letter likely only provides a snapshot of her talents and achievements, I would be happy to further elaborate on my time working with her.

Sincerely,

Rosa Gomez
Sr. Marketing Manager

Business letter tips

Here are several tips you might consider to make your next business letter more effective:

• Include your reason for writing. Tell your audience your purpose for writing in the first sentence or two so they can have more context for the information they are about to read.
• Organize your information. Plan your business letter so the flow of information is logical and clear. Group ideas that pertain to one another in the same paragraphs and lead with the most important information.
• Include a call-to-action. Explaining what you expect the audience to do after they read your letter is key to making your letter impactful. Include a call to action in the last paragraph or closing section of your letter. For example, “Our next steps should be planning next year’s budget with the accounting team. Please set up a one-hour meeting with all senior finance leaders for late next week.”
• Be concise. It is important to be considerate of your reader’s time. Only include important information, remove filler words, and combine ideas when you can. Remove redundant words and ideas, and ask yourself if each sentence adds value to the letter itself.
• Consider your audience. Always keep your reader in mind when drafting a business letter. Whether you are writing to a hiring manager about a job, your supervisor about a project you’d like to take on or a formal complaint to an HR representative, you should tailor the tone, language and message of your letter to fit your audience’s needs.
• Proofread. Leaving any grammar, spelling or punctuation mistakes in your business letter can be distracting and come across as unprofessional. Carefully proofread your letter before sending it. Reading it backward can help you catch mistakes.
• Use active voice. Using active voice is more engaging and may encourage the reader to complete whatever action it is you’ve asked them to take in your letter. For example, instead of, “The report was completed yesterday” you might say, “My team completed the report yesterday.”
• Avoid using business lingo. Depending on your audience, using language specific to your role, industry or company might be confusing or alienating. Try replacing with straightforward and accessible words while remaining well-spoken and professional.
• Be focused and specific. Stay on topic and make your message as clear as possible. Provide examples when needed and include details so your audience has all the information they need. Read your final document and consider what questions they might have for you and try to answer them in your letter.

Other types of business letters

Here are a few other types of business letters you can learn how to write, format and send:

• A letter of recommendation is a document typically required of candidates by employers during the hiring process. Applicants should identify an appropriate reference that writes a letter formally recommending them for the position based on their proven skills, work ethic and personal qualities.
  
  Read more at How to Write a Letter of Recommendation.
• A cover letter is commonly sent by job candidates along with their resume to apply for jobs. It is intended to explain why they would be a good fit for the position for which they’re applying.
  
  Read more at How to Write a Cover Letter.
• A resignation letter is a document sent to an employer from their employee formally submitting their resignation from their position. It should include the date of their last day and any other important information about transitioning their work.
  
  Read more at How to Write a Resignation Letter.
• A two weeks notice letter also informs employers of their employee’s resignation. It should notify an employer that the individual’s last day will be two weeks from the day they’ve notified their company of their resignation.
  
  Read more at How to Write a Two Weeks Notice Letter.

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If you are appearing in IELTS General Training, there are two different types of letters you need to prepare for IELTS Writing Task 1: formal and informal letter. If you find the question is a formal letter, you need to write in the professional or formal tone. Several types of letters are there out of which one is the letter where you request some information.

Before you start writing, you should know what type of letter it is, whether formal or informal, so that you can form sentences according to the required tone and style. If you are writing a letter to a manager, employer or any person with whom you are professionally related, then this letter is formal. However, when you are to write a letter to your friend with whom you are personally related, then this letter type is informal.

Types of writing prompts:

The writing prompt can ask you do to any one of the following:

a) request information

b) explain a situation.

In this article, you will know more about how to request information.

Let’s find out with an example how to write a formal letter requesting information.

Formal Letter – requesting information

Question:

You have decided to set up a business for which you want to avail the facility of bank loan.

Write a letter to the bank manager requesting for information about the bank loan and in your letter, write the following:

• Why you are writing the letter
• What is the amount of bank loan you need
• When you are able to repay the loan

In this writing prompt, the examiner is asking you to write a letter to request the bank manager for some information. As the letter is to the bank manager, it has to be a formal letter.

Once you know what is asked of you, you should now structure your letter.

Steps to write a formal letter while requesting information:

1. Identify letter – Formal
2. Write salutation (Dear Sir/Mam,)
3. Write purpose of letter
4. Describe the first bullet point (it may be same as step 3)
5. Describe the second bullet point
6. Describe the third bullet point
7. Write finishing statements (I look forward receiving your response at the earliest.)
8. Sign-off (Yours faithfully,)

Sample Answer:

Dear Sir/Mam,

I am writing this letter to request information about availing loan from your bank for starting a business nearby my home in the next month.

As per the market research, I hope that constructing a restaurant in the proposed site would be a huge success. Since the area is a home to students studying in the regional university, it is expected that around 2000 students can be the potential customers of my business.

For setting up the restaurant, I would require to invest Rs 50 lakh which I seek as the loan amount from bank.  I request you to provide me all the required information including eligibility criteria and the documents to be submitted along with the application.

Furthermore, I would like to inform that there is no other restaurant in the area which would provide a great possibility for the business to grow. And hence, I hope that I would be able to repay the loan in 3 years or earlier.

Kindly provide me the requested information as soon as possible so that the loan application can be processed at the earliest.

Yours faithfully,

Ramesh Varma

(189 words)

To improve the quality of your letter, you should include vocabulary from the glossary below.

Useful vocabulary for formal letter while requesting information

• I would like to request
• I would like to suggest if you can
• I would be grateful if you can
• I would like you to kindly
• I am entitled to request that
• I was wondering if it would be possible for you to

Now, let’s understand with an example how to write an informal letter requesting information.

Informal Letter – requesting information

Question:
You want to apply for work permit in a city abroad where you had never been to. Hence, you want to seek information about that city from a friend who is living in that city.

Write a letter to your friend to request information about the city you are planning to move to and in your letter, write the following:

• Where and when you want to work
• What type of job it is
• For how long you want to work there

This prompt is asking you to request information about a city, but is an informal letter as you are asked to write it to your friend. 

Now that you know that it is an informal letter, let’s look at its structure.

Steps to write an informal letter while requesting information:

1. Identify letter – Informal
2. Write salutation (Dear Carol,)
3. Write greeting statement (I hope you are doing well.)
4. Describe the first bullet point
5. Describe the second bullet point
6. Describe the third bullet point
7. Write finishing statements (I hope we would meet soon in the next month.)
8. Sign-off (Yours truly,)

Sample Answer:

Dear Suresh,

I hope you are doing well and enjoying your life.

It’s been quite long that I couldn’t write to you as I was planning my visit to your city, London. I feel lucky enough that my company has selected me for a project in London and I would be reaching there in the next month.

My London based project is a great opportunity for me where I would be interacting with some clients for presenting business proposals and further finalizing the deals. This is a full-time job of day shift but sometimes, I may need to work in night shifts. As I am new to the city, I need some help from you if you can give some information such as the rent charges, food prices, availability of public transport, facility of banking and others. Since you are already in the city, I think you can be of great help in gaining familiarity to the city.

I would be staying in London for 2 years after which the project ends and I hope we will have great fun together in London.

Yours truly,

Pratham

(186 words)

To improve the quality of your letter, you should include vocabulary from the glossary below.

Useful vocabulary for informal letter while requesting information

• Well, you know
• As you know,
• It would be great to see you
• I have got a
• A lovely view
• On the bright side
• It would be nice
• Prices are crazy
• It was quite good
• Hope to see you soon!
• All the best!
• Good bye!
• Take care!
• Keep in touch!
• Contraction words: It’s, It’s been, can’t, haven’t etc.

Exercise:

1. You have planned to study a distance course online from an international university. Write a letter to the university officer requesting information about the course. In your letter, write:

• Why you are writing
• Which course it is and when you plan to study
• Why you want to study this course

2. You want to spend your holidays in the country outside India where your friend resides. Write a letter to your friend and in your letter, write:

• Where and when you want to spend holidays
• Why you want to visit there
• When you are planning to visit

3. You recently purchased a product from an online store and are unsatisfied about its quality. Now, you want to avail refund for the product but are unaware of the company’s return and refund policy. Write a letter to the customer relationship officer requesting information about the refund policy and in your letter, write:

• Why you are writing
• Why you are seeking refund
• When you want refund

This page will teach you the how to properly format a business letter, as well as provide a wealth of examples, templates, and writing guides to help you write yours.

Table of Contents

1. Business Letter Examples
2. Sample Business Letter Template
3. Business Letter Format & Writing Guide

1. Business Letter Examples: Common & Career-Specific Types

We’ve provided extensive how-to guides for writing the following common examples of business letters. Just click the images below to download our free letter templates.

2. Sample Business Letter Template

The business world is filled with intricate behavior guidelines and overly formal communication styles. A business letter allows multiple parties to exchange relevant information professionally. It can also be more impactful to a reader than an email, due its formalized structure, content, and tone.

Our general business letter template can be used for any kind of professional communication/correspondence, including cover letters and letters of interest. Simply decide if you want a letterhead, click the download button, and let our template guide you through the writing process.

3. Formal Business Letter Format & Writing Guide

When it comes to how to format a letter, you need to pay attention to the format of both the page and the content. Both are essential for creating the professional look that is the foundation of any proper business letter.

Page Format – 5 Key Rules

Before you begin writing, decide which layout you want to use. There are two common formatting styles: block and modified block. The block format has a left-aligned address and closing, while those in the modified block are right-aligned. While the block format is used more often, both are acceptable for a formal letter.

The following are the standard rules that should be adhered to when formatting the page of a formal letter:

1. Alignment:

All proper business letters should be left-aligned, any other type of alignment is considered unacceptable in most professional settings.

2. Spacing:

Your letter should be single-spaced. In addition, there should be a space between the date, address, salutation, and each paragraph. Include four line breaks between the closing and your printed name to leave space for your signature.

3. Font:

The standard font style is Times New Roman, size 12. However, you can use other sans-serif fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Courier, or Geneva, also at size 12. Sans-serif fonts have been credited with increased readability because of their balanced typeface.

4. Lines:

When using a letterhead, be sure to add a horizontal line underneath it. You can refer to our letters above to see some examples.

5. Margins:

Keep your margins between 1 to 1.5 inches. Generally speaking, 1-inch margins are the most widely accepted format for professionals.

Content Format & How To Write a Business Letter

The following tips cover all the parts of a business letter in order from top to bottom.

Part 1 (a). Letterhead – Formal Letter Format

Most professional business letters include a letterhead – which is comprised of your name, address, phone number, and email address. 

Letterheads are meant to make your letter unique, as well as help verify its authenticity to the recipient. Likewise, you can include your company’s logo on the letterhead for brand recognition and a more trustworthy appearance.

Check out the example letterheads below — both of which are acceptable methods for displaying your name and contact information. For more ideas, you can check out ourcover letter templates. See the letterhead sample:

Part 1 (b). No Letterhead – Formal Letter Format

Using a letterhead is always preferable when writing a business letter. However, if you decide to not use one, you must use the following format to maintain a professional appearance:

• Write your contact information on the top left of the page, just above the date.
• Do NOT include your name in this section — when selecting this style, it simply looks better to sign off with your name at the end of the letter.
• Only include your street address, city, state, and zip code.
• Double check our business letter sample to make sure yours is perfect.

Example of format when not using a letterhead:

Part 2. Date

The date should be the day on which you completed the letter, written in standard U.S. format (eg. October 28, 2017). It should be written underneath the letterhead, or underneath the address on the top left of the page.

Part 3. Addressee – How to Address a Letter in 4 Steps

Write the recipient’s (or “addressee’s”) address on the top left side underneath the date. Begin with the name of the addressee on the first line. Some research may be necessary to find the name (LinkedIn, the company’s website, even Google search are all great tools).

• Step 1: Address them properly as Ms., Mrs., or Mr. Also, make sure to include their title — such as Dr. — if it applies.
• Step 2: Beneath their name, write their current title. If you are unsure what their title is, do the necessary research to find out if possible. If they have no title, leave it blank.
• Step 3: Include the name of their company underneath their title.
• Step 4: Write out their company’s street address, city, state, and zip code. If they are located outside the United States, include the country name after the city.

Part 4. Salutation

The salutation you will use depends on the title of your addressee, your familiarity with them, and also the context of the letter.

If you are familiar with the addressee, then use their first name (unless they have specifically asked you otherwise).

• If the addressee has earned a Ph.D. or an MD, then refer to them as Dr. (or Professor).
• Military titles such as General, Colonel, Major, etc., should be honored as such.
• If you do not know the contact person or you are addressing a group, use an appropriate salutation such as Sir or Madam, Hiring Manager, Director of Human Resources, Members of the [Name] Committee (hiring committee, organizing committee, acceptance committee), Board of Directors.

When it comes to salutations, it is always better to err on the side of caution and be polite as possible.

Part 5. Body

The body of the letter is located underneath the salutation, and is the field where you get down to business and discuss the reason you’re reaching out to this person. Usually, the body includes several strategic paragraphs meant to inform, persuade, and convey gratitude.

1. In the first paragraph, get to your point quickly and state it concisely in the first line. Do not wait until the second paragraph to tell your audience what your main point is – they most likely won’t get that far.
2. In the second paragraph, use evidence and persuasive reasoning to justify your main point. If needed, use an extra paragraph to further support your point via empirical evidence.
3. The closing paragraph should restate the point of the letter, and most importantly, include a call to action. A call to action is a passage that compels your reader to do something. Ask yourself, “what do I want my reader to do right after reading this letter?”

Examples of calls to action:

• “Please call me at [phone #] or email me at [email address] at your earliest convenience.”
• “Please get in touch with me at your earliest convenience to schedule a meeting.”
• “Please let me know how I may be of assistance during this period.”

Part 6. Closing

You should always close with a positive sign-off, such as “Thank you,” “Sincerely,” or “Respectfully.” Remember to only capitalize the first word of this closing  line, and to leave four lines of space between the closing line and your typed name to make room for your signature.

Part 7. Enclosure

An enclosure note is an often neglected aspect of letter writing in the digital era. In fact, not many people actually know what ‘enclosure’ means. When you write “enclosure” in any letter you’re implying that another document is attached to the file.

Think of it as something akin to a “see attachment” note in an email. It alerts the reader to another part of your correspondence – and helps prevent them from overlooking a crucial document.

The image below shows where the word “enclosure” should be placed:

6. Conclusion

Knowing how to write a business letter is a fundamental skill for your professional life. A proper one will have most or all of the elements mentioned above. Be sure to carefully review the grammar, spelling, and format of your business letter numerous times before you send it out, to avoid leaving a poor first impression with your correspondent.

Looking for some more ideas on how to write a letter? Our experts have written of guides on how to write various types of formal letters. Check out our comprehensive letter of recommendation sample libraryfor more inspiration!

Written by the Resume Genius Team