Business Letter of Introduction
From LoveToKnow Business
A business letter of introduction is very much like it sounds: it is used to introduce either an individual or a company to another person. It may also be used to introduce a product or a service to fellow members of the business community.
Introduce a Person or Company
A basic business letter of introduction should include the following information:
- Name of the person or company
- Reason for the introduction
- Some background or additional information
If possible, address the letter to a specific person within the organization. Tell the reader what you hope to accomplish by sending the letter. Will you be following up with a phone call to make an appointment with him or her?
Background or additional information takes the form of a personal comment such as, "I've known/been doing business with [name of individual or Company X] for [number] of years now and I think you may be interested/be able to benefit from [list benefit here].
Write the letter in a clear and concise style. A business introduction letter should be no longer than three or four paragraphs in length. Be sure to include contact information so the addressee knows how to contact the person or business being introduced. The letter's tone should invite the recipient to take action without feeling pressured to do so. Instead, finish the letter by stating that you feel that contacting this person or company will be a positive move for the addressee.
Introduce a Product or Service
With this form of business letter of introduction, get right to the point. Tell the recipient the name of the product or service in the first paragraph. Go on to list the features and benefits of the new offering:
- Is it more economical than similar products or services?
- Is it a new version of the product being offered?
- What makes this product better than those sold by competitors?
- Is a special price being offered to those who sign up for the service by a certain date?
Provide brief background information about the business offering the product or service, including the name of the founder(s), why the business was formed, and how long the company has been in business.
Make it easy for the recipient to learn more. Include a flyer and/or a business card with the letter. If the business has a website, then be sure to include the web address and/or a toll-free number that current and potential customers can call. If you include a phone number, specify the hours that a representative of the company will be available to respond to questions or concerns.
Why Use a Business Letter of Introduction
A number of people are familiar with the concept of business-to-consumer direct mail advertising campaigns. Advertising of this type may take the form of:
- Flyers
- Postcards
- Personalized Letters
- Product Samples
A well-written business introduction letter can be part of a business-to-business direct mail campaign. Direct mail advertising makes good sense due to the fact that it is:
- Fast
- Economical
- Targeted to a Specific Market or Location
Another advantage of a direct mail campaign is that the effectiveness of the campaign can be measured very simply: Keep track of the number of letters or flyers you send out for each campaign and make note of the number of responses you get back. You should expect to get a 1-2% response rate for this type of advertising. In other words, if you mail out 1,000 flyers or packages and you can expect to hear back from 20 potential customers.
Examples of business letters of introduction can be found on these websites:
This page has been accessed 1,764 times. This page was last modified 14:03, 23 August 2007.
© 2006-2008 LoveToKnow Corp.
