Neal Kaplan Follow I'm a director of technical communications working for a data analysis startup in Redwood City. I started as a technical writer, and since then I've also been learning about information architecture, training, content strategy, and even something about customer support. I'm also passionate about cross-team collaboration and user communities.

Home » Letter » How do you address a formal letter you don’t know who the recipient is?

How do you address a formal letter you don’t know who the recipient is?

November 6, 2021 35 sec read

“Dear First Name, Last Name” is what you should use if you don’t know the gender of the person.
Stick with the “Dear Sir/Madam” if you must be formal.
It’s all about the dance.
If there is doubt, just reciprocate in kind.

You can’t tell the gender of every single name in a multicultural environment. Stick with “Dear Sir/Madam” if you have to be formal. It is less personal and less hassle when working in an African context.

If the recipient responds to your first email with “First Name only” in their signature, please address them with “Dear First Name only” in your next email. If you know you are sending an email to a woman, stick with “Ms. Last Name”.

How do you address a letter to an unknown recipient?

When writing a letter to an unknown recipient, there are two traditionally acceptable salutations. Show respect to anyone who is the intended reader, to whom it may concern or Dear Sir or Madam.