INQUIRY

EMAIL
Here starts the
lesson!
Table of
Contents!
Introduction Useful Notes
What is an Inquiry Email? Some Helpful Notes

Format Sample
The Basic Format of an Inquiry Inquiry Email Sample
Email
 01
INTRODUCTI
ON
What is an Inquiry Email?
 Introduction
Nowadays, information is a worthy
asset to the modern business world.
They are the key factor which helps
businessmen make decisions. No
matter who you are: a CEO, a manager,
or just an employee, you always need
information. But where and how to get
the facts and data you need? Using an
inquiry email to ask for information is a
must-have skill for office workers
recently.
 DEFINITION
The word inquiry means an act of asking for information. So, business
inquiries email is email used to ask for information. It is very simple: you
write an email to ask people for the information you need.

Most of the time, you use an inquiry email to express your interest in a
specific product. You have seen an advertisement or received a sales call
earlier. You want to know more about their services. Hence, you write this
inquiry email.

Information help create a basis for businessmen to

evaluate the options they have. After that, they can
decide which company to work with or which supplier to
Email
buy from. There are many different types of information. Inquiry
For inquiry email, there is no limit as well. You could ask
for anything.
 You can ask for :
Moreover, you can use business
inquiries email to ask for a job
 A fashion
brand’s Sp
vacancy of a company
ring catalo
you can cho gue so
ose which o
ne to sell in
store Samp your
le product
of a suppli
e r to
As long as you write them
check their
quality properly, they are your tool to get
 Milk tea in
gredients
price whe literally any information.
want to ope n you
n a drink sh
 op
An agency’s
campaign a
id to launch
company ’s
new produ
your Your inquiry email’s recipients are
ct
 A studio’s
photograph your potential business partners.
y service fo
customer r your
The Recipients Company
It can be a wholesaler, supplier, a
firm, or an agency.

Person
It could be the Sales, Marketing, or
HR Department. If it’s a person, he
or she can be a manager, team
Similarly, yo
ur recipient
s leader, or an executive.
could be an
yone. To be
with, the ty gin
pes of So, writing an inquiry email is extremely important. It helps
companies
you can inq you create a good impression and moreover, a credible
about are d uire
iverse. image. To write a nice email, you can try our guide on the
business inquiries email below. We also prepared an inquiry
email sample for you!
 02
FORMAT
The Basic Format of an Inquiry Email
Before it is an inquiry email, it has to be
an email. And every email should follow
some plain, traditional email etiquettes
to show the sender’s professionalism.

Here are 5 steps to write an inquiry email:

● Subject

● Opening

● Body

● Closing

● Signature
 The other one is your email address. Hence,
you should make use of this chance to save
time. In the subject sector, state directly what
this email is about so they can have some
initial clues about what to do next.

Do not skip this part: a no-subject email can

leave your reader confused, even irritated. As
a result, they might even choose to ignore it!
It probably only takes you one minute to type
down simple subjects such as
Subject
The subject is one of A Company | Product inquiry: frozen mango
the first 2 parts that or
directly show up to the BB Ltd. | Inquiry about strategy consult service.
recipient’s sight.
 Opening
There is a surprisingly simple yet very effective flow
you can use at the beginning of an inquiry email: Greet –
Introduce – Reference. This makes sure your opening
satisfy the basic requirements: polite, short, and straight.
1. Greet
Firstly, greet your recipient using
traditional salutations:
– If you don’t know the recipient’s name: write
Dear Sir/Dear Madam/Dear Sir or Madam. You
can also address the whole company or
department: Dear Sales Department.
– If you know the recipient’s name: use Dear +
courtesy titles (Mr., Ms., Mrs.) + their last
name.
2. Introduce
I am [name], [title]/from … department of … company.
Our company is a retailer/supplier specialized in ….
My name is [name], [title] from … company. We are one of
the biggest companies in … dealing with ….
…
3. Reference
Thirdly, tell them where you get their contact. It could
be from an advertisement or a sales call.
Based on your reference, the recipient can identify which type of
partner you are. Consequently, they can deal with your request in
the most suitable way.
Mr. A of X company, one of your current customers, gave us your name.
We were referred to you by Ms. B from AB Bank, your exclusive partner.
Mr. C, your former supplier, suggested that we should contact you.
 Body
● An effective body should always be easy to read. Moreover, in this case, they should
be able to help your recipient collect information and answer some basic Ws and Hs:

Why are you writing this email? What is your

Why purpose? How can they be of help?

What kind of information do you need? How

What much/How many of that?

How do you want to receive your information? Do you

How need a document, a call, or a brief meeting? If you want to
make a call or hold a meeting, then When and Where?
 Body
Why
Firstly, start by stating the
reason you write this
email. Briefly introduce
your company’s business.
Tell your recipient you are
interested in collaborating
with them.
What
Point out very, very clearly the type of information
you want. You can also use a numbered list or bullet
list like this:
For example, you can I would want to inquire for some details about your
write: We are a beverage company’s service, listed below:
manufacturer and would
like to know more about
your products. They are This will certainly
increase your chance 1.Your service
our main ingredient
of getting a sufficient proposal/profile/brochure
sources. Or My company
response. 2.The portfolio of previous
is launching a new
campaigns executed
cosmetic product and we
3.The current price list
are interested in your
marketing service.
 How
Suggest how you want them to deliver your information.
You can ask them to send it as a document or in a package.

You can also invite them for a call or meeting. Leave your contact details
so they can easily reach out to you whenever needed.
We suggest you use the below sentences:

- We prefer that you send our requested information all-inclusive in one file, if possible.
- Could you please set up a meeting with us for further discussion on this matter?
- We would be really happy if you could provide us with detailed information through a
video call at a convenient time.
- Should you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me at
[phone number/email address].
Closing ● Thank you for your time.

● I look forward to receiving

the information. We look
forward to hearing from
you.

● Then, choose a proper

closure (Yours faithfully,
Yours sincerely, Best
Regards), followed by your
End your email with a
name.
simple closing part.
 Signature

● Finally, do not forget a

standard signature.

● The signature should include

your full name, job title, and
contact information.
 03
USEFUL
NOTES
Some Helpful Notes
 Be short, sharp
and concise
Effective Inquiry Email Writing: Get
the Information You Need!
The first thing you must do to
respect others is not to waste their
time. Time is valuable to everyone.
So, you would not want to spend
time tracking a lengthy and
complicated email right? Likewise,
nobody wants that.
Therefore, always keep your email
simple and on point. However, as a
short email can become rude,
remember to maintain courtesy as
well. Write clearly, use basic
structure, don’t go off-topic – make
the reader understand your message
in the shortest time.
Make your needs
clear
You need to make sure the
recipient fully understand your
request. By that, they can provide
a proper response.
Let them know which and how
much information you look for.
Describe the item you need as
specific as possible. Avoid lengthy
sentences. Try using a list so they
can easily check if they have
satisfied your needs.
You can check out the sample
email (right below!) for a detailed
example. We used a numbered list
and described exactly the items
needed.
Set up the next
steps
For things to operate smoothly, you
better set out some deadlines or
next steps. Instead of just letting it
be, mentioning an expected deadline
can create reminders for the
recipient.
For example, you may say It would
be great for us to get this
information within the next 10 days
to maintain the rate of our process.
Because of that, the recipient will be
more likely to try replying to you
within 10 days. If there is no time
limit, they would put your email
aside and might only come back after
everything else is done.
 04
SAMPLE
Inquiry Email Sample
Subject: M Company | Product inquiry: Frozen mango puree

Dear Sales Department,

First of all, I am Kath Vu, Purchasing Officer of M Company. Mr. Dane Nguyen from N Company,
your current customer gave us your name. He also referred to your high-quality frozen fruit and
beverage ingredient. Our company, M Company is a beverage manufacturer. I would like to
express our interest in doing business with you. We are broadening our product range. Because of
that, we are looking for new suppliers. Your product is also one of our main ingredients.
Hence, we would like to inquire about the frozen mango puree product. We have listed below the
details we need:

1. The frozen mango puree’s information: origin, manufacturing process, nutritional facts, and
quality standards

2. The frozen mango puree’s wholesale price list

We prefer you send the information above in PDF format. It would be great for us to receive the
package within the next 10 days as it will help maintain our process rate.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,
Kath Vu
Business area:
Subject

Salutation

Introduction

Why

What

How

Closing

Signature
 05
THANK YOU !
Prepared by Nur Ain Farhana Binti Anuar 