Q&A for How to Address Email with ATTN

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What is the meaning of ATTN?

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ATTN is an abbreviation for the word Attention. It is meant to immediately draw the reader’s attention to the person the envelope, email or letter is actually meant for.

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Question

Where do you put the attention line in a letter?

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Usually the Attn is placed on the envelope (see How to Address Envelopes with Attn ) but if you want an Attn line in your actual letter, then place your name and address in the top left corner first, followed by the date and then the recipient’s address. The Attn line is then placed immediately after the recipient’s address. This will make it clear who should be reading the letter if someone else opens the mail and prepares it for reading, especially if you only know the person’s position in a company and not their actual name.

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How do you start an email when you don’t know the recipient?

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In the context of a business email, you could write something like: "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam." For detailed help on starting the email off, check out the wikiHow How to Compose a Business Email to Someone You Do Not Know . For more personal emails, such as when a friend has suggested you contact another friend or family member of theirs, start by saying "Dear X," and then explain yourself with something like: "My friend Gigi suggested I contact you about XYZ, so I am emailing in the hope you may be able to help me." This gives the reader immediate context about who you are and why you're contacting them.

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Do you put Attn before or after the address?

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Place the line with Attn at the top of the envelope and then write the address. For help with addressing an envelope with Attention on it, see How to Address Envelopes with Attn . For an email, you write the Attn directly into the Subject line (see the steps above).

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