Inquiry letter is also 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. 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. In short, Letters of enquiry describe what the writer wants and why. The more unusual the request, the more convincing the reason needs to be.
2.Kinds of Inquiry Letter Letters of inquiry come as either solicited or unsolicited inquiries.
a)Solicited inquiry letters occur most frequently when a business advertises its product or service. The business advertises its product in the hopes of triggering the curiosity of prospective clients. In instances where the consumer cannot inspect the product on his or her own, the consumer must contact the business through a solicited letter of inquiry.
Solicited Example: Grants and Funding
Many foundations or companies offering grants prefer receiving a letter of inquiry before receiving a full grant proposal. This typically solicited letter of inquiry must fully explain your need for funding and may exceed the basic three paragraph format, but should not exceed three pages. Aside from the basic introduction, a successful letter of inquiry for a grant or funding request must include a short description of your organization, a statement of need, the methodology you plan to use in order to achieve your desired result and any other funding sources you plan on taking advantage of.
b)In an unsolicited inquiry letter, the recipient makes no prior offer of information. The sender requests information from a source believed to have the answer to a question, without an invitation to do so from the source.
Unsolicited Example: Internships and Jobs
Most inquiry letters for jobs and internships come in an unsolicited manner. Consider sending inquiries when you admire a company and think you could share a mutually beneficial work relationship. Begin your letter by introducing yourself and your interest in employment with their company. Follow up by briefly including, in one or two paragraphs, information about your qualifications and how you believe experience within the reader's company will benefit both you and the company.
3.How to Write an Inquiry Letter The following are how to write an inquiry letter.
a)Be courteous. Remember, by making this request you are imposing on the reader’s time and/or resources.
b)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.
c)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.
d)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.
e)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.)
f)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.
g)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.
h)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.
4.How to Respond to an Inquiry Letter Following are how to respond to an inquiry letter.
a)Specifically indicate the inquiry that was made, as you understand it.
b)Express your appreciation for the person’s interest.
c)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.
d)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.)
e)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.
f)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.
g)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.
Following are the tips for inquiry letter.
a)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.
b)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.
c)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.
d)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.
e)Include the date by which you need the information, services, etc., that you are requesting, and indicate that you await the reader’s response.
f)Thank the person for his/her time.
