# Formal Request Email

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 17, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100 "2002-11-17T00:43:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100/1 "2002-11-17T00:43:13Z")

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I run a site which supplies a particular product and would like to contact other websites for the purpose of submitting a demo for them to review. How should a formal/business letter type email look? Who do I address it to? And how do I conclude it? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100/2 "2002-11-17T01:45:15Z")

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_bump_

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**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100/3 "2002-11-17T03:49:56Z")

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Heh, I didn’t realize this question was unanswerable =P

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**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100/4 "2002-11-17T04:09:05Z")

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I would do it exactly the same as I would a regular professional business letter- use the business letter template in Microsoft Word or look up the format with Google, that’s all.

I would address it “to whom it may concern” or I’d find out the website owners name and use that. I’d conclude it with “Sincerely, Zette”

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**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100/5 "2002-11-17T05:05:05Z")

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But what it his name’s not Zette?

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/formal-request-email/137100/6 "2002-11-17T05:16:23Z")

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The best thing is that it be personal, not mass-mailed. Nothing turns someone off faster than spam, or unsolicited bulk email (commercial or not, but most is commercial). Don’t go down that road: People are getting sicker and sicker of spam-filled mailboxes.