CHAPTER 14
Replies
The letters included in this chapter serve as models that you can use in a variety of common situations. Whenever you are writing a response to a letter, it’s good practice to make sure that you read the letter to which you are replying a second time to make sure you are addressing that letter writer’s issues.
Many of the letters in this chapter can be sent as emails or as attachments to emails. For those letters that can be adapted to emails, it’s simple enough to copy the text of the sample letter into the text of your email.
Letter Acknowledging Order
Sample Letter 14.1 was written to acknowledge an order for a product. The letter writer explains that more information is needed before shipment can be made, and clearly explains what the reader must do to ensure timely delivery of his order.
Sample Letter 14.1. Letter acknowledging order.
[date]
Mr. Blake Brinne
Hanley Hascomb & Doyle
327 Merrimac Trail, Suite 4B
Williamstown, MO 63045
Dear Mr. Brinne:
Thank you for your order for 250 customized executive desk calendars. We will ship your calendars as soon as they are printed.
Before we ship, however, we need to know how you would like us to ship the calendars. You failed to indicate on your order whether you wanted overnight delivery, first-class mail, or parcel post. If you will check off your preference on the enclosed postage-paid card and return it to us, or call us toll-free at 800-555-6563, we will ship you your calendars immediately.
Thanks again for your order. We look forward to filling it as soon as we receive your instructions.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey L. Oscar
jlo/jls
Letter Acknowledging Registration for Conference
Sample Letter 14.2 was written to a person who had registered for a conference. In the first paragraph, the letter writer politely thanks the reader for his registration and lets it be known right off that his letter confirms the registration. The writer continues by explaining some specifics about the conference and closes by offering any help the reader might need.
Sample Letter 14.2. Letter following up on registration for conference.
[date]
Mr. Mark Holden
Pover Products, Inc.
45 Savin Avenue
Boonton, NJ 07005
Dear Mr. Holden:
Thank you for your recent registration to the Independent Wholesalers Trade Exposition at the Elmira Inn. This letter will confirm our receipt of your registration form and fee.
The Wholesalers Trade Society registration desk will open at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, April 28, 20X5, followed by the opening general session. The national exposition will conclude at 5:30 P.M. on Saturday, April 30. Please note the enclosed pamphlet, which provides general information about the conference.
We look forward to welcoming you to Elmira and to this innovative national conference. Should you have any questions, please call me.
Cordially,
Simon Lexington
Education Coordinator
sl/pp
encl.
Remittance Letter
Sample Letter 14.3 is a remittance letter that was written to accompany payment for a product. It is brief and clearly states what is included with it. By writing such a letter, the writer minimizes the chances of a mistake on the part of the recipient. Sample Letter 14.3 could also be used as a guide for transmittal letters (see Chapter 11).
Sample Letter 14.3. Remittance letter.
[date]
Mr. Oscar T. Rodman
Rodman and Sons Stationery, Inc.
5432 Red Bank Drive
Chelmsford, MA 02145
Dear Mr. Rodman:
I have enclosed a check for $119 for the stationery and envelopes I ordered from you for our business. Also enclosed is a copy of your invoice number 3352217. Please credit the $119 to my account number 12-26-5631.
Loudon P. Schlenger
lps/kpc
encs.
Response to Request for Clarification
Sample Letter 14.4 was written as a reply to a request for clarification on an account. The letter writer clearly explains what he is enclosing with the letter and offers an explanation for the discrepancy in the account. He closes by apologizing for the discrepancy.
Sample Letter 14.4. Letter responding to a request for clarification.
[date]
Mr. Alan Lahsram
The Lahsram Literary Agency, Inc.
55 Nosidam Street
Los Angeles, CA 90023
Dear Mr. Lahsram:
Enclosed is a copy of the original royalty statement for the period January–June 20X3, and corrected copies for July–December 20X2. An error in our computations caused the problems you cited in your letter to me.
The prepublication sales that you refer to in your letter were not as great as we originally thought. Those are also reflected in the corrected royalty statements.
I’m sorry for the delay and the error in royalty statements.
Sincerely,
prl/ajh
encls.
Response to Request for Information About Member of Organization
Sample Letter 14.5 was written to respond to a request for information about a member of a professional organization. The letter writer indicates in her opening paragraph that the professional in question is no longer a member of the organization, but provides the letter reader with what information she can about the former member. She closes by thanking the letter reader for his letter.
Sample Letter 14.5. Letter responding to request for information about member of a society.
[date]
Mr. Jacob L. Irons
Investigative Management Magazine
25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408
Boonton, NJ 07005
Subject: Membership of Bill Senyl
Dear Mr. Irons:
As we feared, Mr. Senyl is no longer a member of the Investment Managers Society of America. He was a member for just one year from May 20X2 through May 20X3, at which point he allowed his membership to lapse.
In his application, he indicated licenses and registrations in accounting, life insurance, law, real estate, and securities. He also indicated he was a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He indicated his highest level of education was a Ph.D., not a Masters degree as you mention he suggested to you. He also stated that he had memberships in the American Bar Association, American Society of Certified Life Underwriters, and the Million Dollar Round Table.
We certainly appreciate your interest and assistance. Your information will be lodged with the membership department of the Investment Managers Society of America.
Sincerely,
Lisa Antolini
General Counsel
la/js
Letters Responding to Requests for Materials
Sample Letter 14.6 responds to a request for an article to be submitted for a publication. The letter writer expresses an interest, but first wants to know more about the publication. She clearly spells out her questions in a numbered list in the letter.
Sample Letter 14.7 responds to the recipient’s request for materials. The letter writer briefly explains what he has enclosed with the letter and mentions that some of the material may change as a result of the gathering of more information. If this letter is adapted to be sent as an email, the press kit may be sent as an attachment.
Sample Letter 14.6. Letter responding to request for material and asking for more information.
[date]
Mr. Marvin Hopping
The Armchair Reader’s Review
350 Bixley Hall Drive
Boonton, NJ 07005
Dear Mr. Hopping:
Thank you for inquiring about my interest in submitting an article for The Armchair Reader’s Review. I am interested in this opportunity to put my ideas about deposit insurance reform before an audience of financial services marketing professionals. Before committing myself, however, I would like to know more about the Review and its editorial policies:
1. Is this a new publication or have you published one or more issues? A recent copy of the publication would be appreciated, if it exists.
2. Will the published article be subject to peer review, in-house editorial review, or both?
3. What is your objective for my article in terms of style and technical complexity? An example of a “typical” article would be a good response to this inquiry.
4. Do you offer an honorarium for solicited articles?
Again, many thanks for thinking of me. I hope we can find a way to work together.
Yours truly,
Eleanor Elypdiva
ee/dp
Sample Letter 14.7. Letter sending materials requested.
[date]
Mr. Evan Efferen, Editor
The Reader’s Review
25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408
Boonton, NJ 07005
Dear Evan:
Enclosed is the media kit you requested. As I told you this morning, we will be updating this kit with more specific information about ratings and demographics. We are currently gathering the information from WLEE-TV, channel 37 in Bayonne.
I hope all is going well for you and that you might find our show an interesting story for your publication. If I can be of further assistance, please call.
Sincerely,
LI/mn
enc.
Letter Replying to a Sales Letter
The letter writer in Sample Letter 14.8 is writing in response to sales materials sent him. He clarifies what he is interested in and expresses interest in the recipient’s product line if it can meet his needs.
Sample Letter 14.8. Reply to a sales letter.
[date]
Mr. Compton P. Davidson
Balliwick Planning Guides, Inc.
76 Lathrop Avenue
Boonton, MO 63090
Dear Mr. Davidson:
Thank you for the information you sent me about your company’s planning guides. While I believe such guides could be very useful to any professional organization, the guides you sent information about were targeted at engineers and architects. I’m not sure that these are easily applied in a professional school setting in which I operate.
If there is a Balliwick Planning Guide specifically targeted at professional schools like ours (we cater to training hotel management personnel), I’d like to look it over. Please send me a sample. Once I’ve evaluated it, I’ll give you a call if it seems like something that will benefit our students.
Thanks for your interest in our school. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Denzel Dress
Curriculum Director
Letter Responding to a Request for Free Products
The letter writer in Sample Letter 14.9 is responding to a request for free products. The letter writer clearly states that he can accommodate the request and lays out the specifics of what he’ll send, how much, when, and where.
Sample Letter 14.9. Letter responding to request for free products.
[date]
Mr. Alan Satin
Conference Coordinator
Incorporated Magazine
45 Rooster Place
Wootton, NJ 07890
Dear Mr. Satin:
We’ve arranged to ship 900 bags of Fritter’s Gourmet Potato Chips to your attention at the Bristol Hotel and Convention Center. These should arrive early on the morning of November 3.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to showcase our products. We are pleased to be able to participate in your conference and trust that it will introduce the business owners among your attendees to all that Bristol County has to offer.
Please call on me should you need anything else from Fritter Potato Chip Company.
Sincerely,
Mr. Forrest Kirk
Marketing Director
Letter Responding to Request for Information About a New Product
The letter writer of Sample Letter 14.10 is responding to a request for information about a new product. She quickly and clearly tells the customer what’s included with the letter and offers any other help the customer might need.
Sample Letter 14.10. Letter responding to request for information about a new product.
[date]
Ms. Jeri Corridor
Owner
The Children’s Corridor Bookstore
56 Tystimond Way
Raleigh, MA 02133
Dear Ms. Corridor:
Thank you for your inquiry about Amherst’s Sock Puppet Assembly Kits. I am enclosing some literature on this product as well as information about the complete line of educational craft kits we manufacture. I have also enclosed a sample kit for you to review.
Please call me if I can be of further assistance. I look forward to doing business with you.
Sincerely,
Jane Coleman
encs.
Letters Responding to Requests to Be a Speaker
Both letter writers in Sample Letters 14.11 and 14.12 are responding to requests for them to speak at an event. In Sample Letter 14.11, the writer accepts the offer and states which of the dates presented to him works best for him. In Sample Letter 14.12, the writer regretfully announces that he must turn down the invitation because of a schedule conflict, but offers to speak at another time should the opportunity arise.
Sample Letter 14.11. Reply accepting a request to speak.
[date]
Mr. David R. Friedman
Program Director
Automated Carriage Suppliers of America
756 Corporate Boulevard
Fishbein, WI 53065
Dear Mr. Friedman:
Thank you for your invitation to speak at your annual convention of the Automated Carriage Suppliers of America. I welcome the opportunity.
You mentioned that you were interested in having me deliver a keynote speech at either the breakfast session on Saturday, February 3, 20X2, or at the luncheon session on Monday, February 5. The session on Monday, February 5, works better for my schedule. Please let me know if this works for you.
I’m looking forward to the event and appreciate the opportunity to speak. I look forward to word from you on the confirmation of the date.
Sincerely,
Wess Daniels
Sample Letter 14.12. Reply declining a request to speak.
[date]
Mr. David R. Friedman
Program Director
Automated Carriage Suppliers of America
756 Corporate Boulevard
Fishbein, WI 53065
Dear Mr. Friedman:
I am flattered by the invitation to speak at your annual convention in February. Unfortunately, I have a conflict in my schedule that makes it impossible for me to accept the offer.
You mentioned in your letter that you also have regional meetings throughout the spring and summer. My schedule is more flexible for the months of March through May than it is for the month of February. I would be glad to try to find a date that works for both of us for me to speak at one of your regional meetings. Please give me a call to explore possible speaking dates.
Thank you for your interest in me. I look forward to talking with you.
Sincerely,
Jerry Collins