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Writing Results-Oriented Letters: Placing and Acknowledging Orders





No matter what business you are in, you often have to send e-mails, either placing or acknowledging orders. This type of correspondence offers you an opportunity to convey professionalism, and to promote your business products and services.

Let's look more closely at these types of e-mails and how you can make them as effective as possible.

Placing an order

Many companies have online forms to complete to place your order for supplies or equipment. There are occasions in which you need to send an e-mail, either to go along with the form, or as a stand-alone form of communication.

Even if you have placed an order online or over the phone, an order e-mail is a good way to put the details of an important business order in writing. That way, both you and the other company have a copy of the details of the transaction.

An effective order e-mail has the following components:


Whenever possible, find the direct e-mail address of the person in charge of completing the order. Taking the time to visit the company website, or to call the company office for this address is well worth the effort. That way you can avoid your order letter ending up in someone's spam folder.

An effective subject line will make sure your order is read, as well. Be as specific as possible, in terms of product, and indicate that you are placing an order. Here are a few examples:

New order for item #110

Follow-up on online order 071515

Confirmation of phone order for Jan. 20 delivery

Order for 100 copies of Kindergarten Math Fun

Here is an example of an effective e-mail that places an order:

Subject line: Order for 200 copies of Kindergarten Math Fun

Dear Ms. Kingsley,

Thank you for your time talking with me today about your company's interactive teaching tools. I am writing to confirm Jackson Elementary School's order of 200 copies of Kindergarten Math Fun.

I understand that the cost of each book is $45, but that we will receive a volume discount of 10 percent. The cost of our order, then, will be $8100. We understand we can avoid delivery charges by picking them up at your downtown warehouse.

As we discussed, we will have a check ready when we pick up the books on August 15.

Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Your name

Your contact information

Acknowledging an order

An e-mail that acknowledges an order gives you a great opportunity to contact your customer and to offer more information about your company. An acknowledgment e-mail can be an effective sales tool and a way of furthering your customer relations.

An order acknowledgment e-mail should:

You can close your e-mail with a brief paragraph about your company, your service, or your reputation. You can provide a link to your website or social media page, as well.

You also can offer your customers a discount on future purchases as a way of thanking them for their business. Make your e-mail personal by using the recipient's name, and by referring to their specific order.

Here's an example:

Dear Anna,

Thank you for your order of 250 custom wedding invitations, and for your prompt online payment. Your order will be shipped within three to five business days. We will send you a quick e-mail when it is shipped.

We are glad you chose our company for invitations to your special day. We know you have many choices when it comes to wedding invitations, and we are proud to offer you the best quality invitations at the lowest price. We have been in the custom card business for 20 years, and we feel our longevity is because we value our customers.

Have you considered custom thank you notes to go along with your invitations? Many of our customers enjoy using the same design on their thank you notes that they did on their invitations. Please visit our website at (your website address) for details. As a returning customer, you will receive an automatic 20 percent discount when you order by June 30.

Thank you for shopping with us. And congratulations on your upcoming big day!

Sincerely,

Your name

Your position with company

Your contact information

Sometimes a sales acknowledgment e-mail can be a way to ask for additional information such as:

These details must be worded in a professional manner. Once again, the subject line is essential to getting your recipient's attention. You might signal that there is a problem with the order with this type of subject line: Order delay: quantity needed.

Once again, these e-mails reflect the type of service your customer can expect in other dealings with your company. Promptness and courtesy are essential for your e-mail to be effective.

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