How to Address Two Organizations in a Formal Letter
As a business owner, you might find yourself corresponding with two organizations on the same topic. Correspondence may pertain to a partnership, a new product being developed or a legal matter. Regardless of the reason, there are two recipients, and it is important to keep everyone in the loop with the same information. Address the letter to both organizations, using standard business correspondence protocol.
Address two recipients in the same fashion as you would if you had one recipient. This means that you will include the recipient's names, and the company name and address for both parties. The order of the addressees will be in alphabetical order by company. State the full name of the recipient and his title. For example, Mr. John Doe, President. On the next line, write the company name. Make sure you have written the complete company name, including "Inc." or "LLC." Go to the next line and place the street address [including the suite number], if any. On the next line, write the city, state and zip code. The second recipient follows the same format. Skip one line after the last line of the address for the first recipient and address the next organization. To expedite delivery, make sure to include any department names on the line below the company name.
Block formatting is the accepted business correspondence style. Use a traditional font such as, Courier or Ariel, and keep font sizes between 11 and 12. All new sections must align with the left margin, including the address, date, salutations and body of the letter. Each section is called a block; separate the blocks, such as the section between the address and paragraphs, with one line space.
Make sure you have the correct details when sending formal correspondence to organizations. Call the recipients' office assistants or the office manager to confirm the spelling of names and addresses. Make sure you have the complete business name. In the greeting, make sure to address both parties, separated by a comma. Follow the order of the address section.
Make two copies of the letter to sign and send. Since both parties are receiving the letter, the signature should be original. You would only use a copy of a letter if you were carbon copying the second party. Every recipient gets an original. Make a copy for your files to reference at the next meeting or the next phone call with the recipients.