Although it may seem like a fairly straightforward task, writing a letter to request an appointment can actually prove to be a rather difficult thing to do. You’re asking someone to grant you their time and attention, and an affirmative response is never a given.If you’re writing to ask for a meeting with someone you’ve never met, the person you’re writing to probably knows nothing about you and is thus less likely to grant you an appointment. The person you’re writing to may also have very limited time and not accept many appointment requests. If you take a too-friendly or too-aggressive tone in your letter, it can backfire.Even though there can be some challenges, our request for appointment letter templates give you the tools to help you ask for that important meeting.
Request for Appointment Letter Template
In the letter below, Jeffrey Sampson writes a letter to request a meeting with his state district representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is participating in a grassroots advocacy effort and wants to discuss an issue that is important to him in person at his legislator’s local office. In his letter, he makes an effective request by clearly stating his objective and his issue and providing all of the necessary information required for a follow-up.
The Honorable Marsha Wilson
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative Wilson:
I am a constituent and a special education teacher from Hartford, in your legislative district. As a member of the National Association of Special Education Teachers, I would like to meet with you in your local office to discuss the current education spending bill, which from my understanding would limit funding to special education programs across the country.
As I am sure you’re aware, legislation has reduced special education funding in our state by 10% over the past two years. This has had a dramatic and negative impact on the day-to-day tasks of educating children with special needs; the reduced staff and lack of needed resources make providing sufficient education a challenge.
Thank you in advance for considering this request. I will be in contact with your office soon to determine when you may be available for a meeting. You can reach me by phone at (555) 555-1593 or via email at j.sampson@email.com, should you or your staff have any questions or require further information.
Respectfully,
John Sampson
How To Write a Request for Appointment Letter
This type of letter has a specific purpose and goal: to ask for a meeting with someone. In the case of the request for appointment letter template, the writer is a constituent writing to his congressman to ask for an in-person meeting. Regardless of the person you’re requesting an appointment with, you must craft your letter effectively to achieve your goal.
Legislators, executives, and other leaders you may want to meet with personally have limited time and busy schedules. That’s why it’s imperative for you to get right to the point in the introduction. Briefly introduce yourself and, if writing to a legislator, mention that you are a constituent. Then state clearly in the opening of your letter that you are writing to request an in-person appointment at a specific location.
The second paragraph of your letter should briefly explain why you want to schedule an appointment. It’s important to keep this section concise by providing a general summary of your concern or issue and what you hope to accomplish with a meeting. Keep in mind that you’re requesting time and attention from this person. That means your letter has to quickly convince the person or his or her staff that your meeting would be worth the time.
Close your letter strongly by mentioning you intend to follow up by contacting the person, or his or her staff, directly by phone to ascertain an available time for a meeting. This shows the seriousness and determination in your request. Provide your contact details as well, with a phone number and email.
What To Avoid in Your Request for Appointment Letter
One mistake you definitely should avoid in your letter is assuming the person you’re writing to has an obligation to meet with you. If you come across as presumptuous or seem as if you don’t respect his or her time, he or she may decide not to meet with you. It’s essential that you express appreciation in advance for his or her consideration of your request.
Since this is a formal setting, the letter needs to reflect that. Draft your document as you would any other business correspondence, with a professional tone and correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If you come across as prepared, your recipient will take your request more seriously.
Avoid being too wordy or detailed in your request letter. If and when you obtain a meeting, that will be the time to go into more detail about your issue or concern. The letter is simply to make an initial contact, so keep it short and stick to the point.
How To Follow Up After Sending Your Request for Appointment Letter
It’s critical that you follow up after sending your letter; otherwise, your request may go unanswered or ignored. Depending on the position your letter recipient holds, a staff member may serve as an initial filter for correspondence. Following up ensures your letter doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Call the person’s office after the letter arrives, and refer back to your letter. You may want to inquire about the person’s schedule and availability. Reiterate that you’d like to schedule an appointment. Don’t be afraid to be assertive. The person you wrote to may have many appointment requests and limited availability, so you want to stand out from the crowd. Always remain respectful and professional in your follow-up.
Top 5 Request for Appointment Letter Writing Takeaways
1. Get right to the point
Don’t meander in the introduction of your letter. Be specific about who you are, your connection to the recipient (constituent, employee, etc.), and the reason you are writing: to request an appointment.
2. Add some detail about your request
Give a bit of information about why you are requesting a meeting. This will help the recipient to determine whether the appointment is worth his or her time. However, avoid going into too much detail. Be brief and concise.
3. Express gratitude in advance
Recognize that you’re essentially asking for a favor, and express thanks in advance for consideration of your meeting request. This shows respect for the person’s time and availability and indicates you recognize it as valuable.
4. Follow business correspondence best practices
This is a formal request, so make sure you proofread and check spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Write in a professional tone of voice and ensure you don’t make the letter sound too informal.
5. Close strong with a promise to follow up
Mention that you plan to follow up your letter with a phone call to ascertain availability for the appointment you’re requesting. This gives your letter added weight and shows your commitment to your request.
