Business Envelope Etiquette

Addressing a business envelope gives you the opportunity to present a positive image to the recipient of the letter. The goal is to make the recipient feel respected and obliged to reply to your correspondence.

Impression

An envelope done right offers a great first impression.

An envelope is an opportunity for you to offer a positive and professional first or second impression. Write neatly or select a professional font, if necessary. If available, use preprinted company envelopes for a professional edge.

Recipient Name

The recipient's name should be double-checked for spelling. If he uses a middle initial for professional purposes, include it. The recipient's name should also include prefixes (Dr.) and suffixes, some of which represent professional designations (Esq., Jr., CPA).

Attention Line

If applicable, include an attention line first--not at the bottom of the envelope.

International Correspondence

Do not translate place-names from the original language into English except for the name of the country.

Recipient Address

Left-justify the address. Use the "small-to-big" rule when addressing correspondence: name, department, suite/apartment number, street, city, state/province, country, zip code. Use a zip + 4 for an address in the United States and include a dash (for example, 21157-4121).

Return Address and Postage

Postal service workers help deliver your envelopes on time.

Include a return address left-justified in the upper left-hand corner. If using company letterhead, you may include "Attention: John Doe" so the recipient recognizes you. If you are affixing postage manually, try to place the stamp evenly in the upper right-hand corner.

References

• Business Writing