GUIDELINES
- You should give a polite response if you are rejecting the reader's suggestion. Acknowledging the customer's or employee's idea can serve as a useful public relations tool. In spite of using a positive tone, you should clearly state that you are turning down the suggestion.
- Offer a compliment or thank the reader for presenting a suggestion.
- Explain why you turned down the idea.
- End with a positive comment.
SAMPLE LETTER
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Letter Date]
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Subject: Normally bold, summarizes the intention of the letter] -Optional-
Dear [Recipients Name],
I was greatly impressed with the proposal you submitted yesterday regarding the pedestrianization of our most famous street downtown. I was especially awed by the amount of research you must have done before submitting the suggestion to me. While I agree that it would bode well for our environment and promote a cleaner and greener outlook in our city, I feel like we cannot implement your suggestion because of the criticism and objections we would receive from the businesses established on that main street. It could adversely affect the number of customers who will visit their stores.
I hope you understand my position regarding your proposal. Even if we cannot implement this suggestion of yours, I do encourage you to continue sending me your ideas in the future.
Sincerely,
[Senders Name]
[Senders Title] -Optional-
[Enclosures: number] - Optional -
cc: [Name of copy recipient] - Optional -
Sample letter to decline a suggestion to put pedestrians.
Further things to consider when writing rejection letters to citizens, neighbors
Rejection Letters
Rejection letters are letters written to inform people that something they have made, written, etc., has been turned down. These letters can be used, for instance, to inform people that they have not been chosen for a job or school enrollment or that a book they have written has not been chosen for publishing. Conveying rejection can be difficult because most people don't know how to say the words without hurting the recipient. Actually, in most cases, people don't write rejection letters at all. They just drop communication with the concerned person, (which is rude). Rejection letters are important because they help build trust and develop goodwill between the parties involved.
After rejection, the people affected will be frustrated no matter what. However, well-drafted rejection letters can soften the blow and encourage them to keep trying. An excellent rejection letter is brief, considerate, and to the point. Begin by thanking the recipient for trying. State your decision politely and assertively, giving reasons for it. If you are rejecting a job application, for instance, give a genuine reason for it and encourage the recipient to apply for other positions. End on a positive note and wish the recipient success.
Letters to Citizens, Neighbors
Letters to citizens and neighbors are letters written to residents or natives of a certain town or city or to people who reside near or next door to the sender. These letters could be formal or informal depending on the sender and the content. For instance, a local government official may write an inform letter to notify citizens of a major security alert in their area of residence. In this case, this will be a formal letter. In other instances, a person may write to invite his/her neighbors to a house party, to offer condolences, to say thank you, or even to apologize. In such situations, the letters are informal and usually have a casual tone.
The best letters to citizens and neighbors are brief and carry only the intended message. State the purpose of your letter clearly in the introductory paragraph so that the recipient can have an idea of what the letter is about. Convey your message and provide any other information you feel might be important to the recipient. End the letter positively and thank the recipient for his/her time, wishing him/her well. If your letter is formal, your full name and signature will be required.
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