Writing an email (or letter) request may seem very simple, but it needs care and attention to get it right. A poorly written request is much less likely to get the results you want so the effort is worthwhile.

Probably the main thing is to do some research beforehand so that you know who you are writing to. This includes using the name of the person, and probably even their business. By knowing a bit about the person/business, you can save yourself from looking ignorant.

For example, many website owners receive emails saying something like “We would like to have a link to our website from yours and we will then add a link to your site on [our site]” However, they ignore the fact that the site only takes paid listings or does not have a links page.

Sometimes, these emails go further by asking for additional promotional activities from the business owner – again, not noticing whether these details are listed on the site or if the site even offers any sort of promotion to others.

The end result? The website owners disregard the email and the sender does not get any new links to their site.

And frankly, for the best results in a search engine, you should be selective about who you link with, rather than sending a standard email to every site you can think of in hope that some will accept your offer. But search engine rankings is a whole other subject!

Once you know a bit about the person/business you are writing to, you can aim the email directly to them.

To use the same example, asking for a website link exchange, a better request could be “We see you have a links page on your website. If you would like the benefits of another link to your site, we would like to suggest a link exchange.”

If you are writing a request email/letter, my tips on how to encourage someone to do something may also help.