Offer a Suggestion • Example Letters, Guides and Samples
Guides
When offering suggestions, always keep your tone helpful. Don't put your reader on the defensive. Explain the situation objectively, stating why your suggestion may solve the problem or improve the situation.
How to write this suggestion letter:
- If needed, give any background information the reader will need to understand your suggestion.
- Explain the situation or problem that prompts your suggestion.
- Give your suggestion, explaining why the reader should follow it.
- Make a final plea for your reader to accept your suggestion. Give the reader any information needed to follow your suggestion. If you want a response to your suggestion, ask for one.
Example Letter #1
I am very pleased with our neighborhood watch committee's success so far; however, one major problem remains. While our program has effectively reduced the number and frequency of crimes committed at night, during the day, when many of our neighbors are at work, thieves still threaten us. Just last week three homes in the neighborhood were robbed.
I suggest we dedicate our next committee meeting to discussing some practical solutions to this serious problem. I believe if we work together, we can find a workable answer.
Example Letter #2
We who live in the University Garden area of town have 25 elementary school children who must cross busy Main Street to attend Springfield School. Please consider permitting University Garden students to attend Doe School, which is on our side of Main Street. This would be advantageous for the following reasons:
1. The children would not have to cross Main Street
2. It would relieve crowding at Springfield School
3. The school district would save the cost of the crossing guard.
Even though the children would have to walk an additional two blocks to school, the increase in safety would be worth it. Please consider this suggestion at your next board meeting. I am willing to address the board if you think it would be helpful. I shall look forward to your reply.
Example Letter #3
I wonder if your weekly newsletter would be better received by the rank and file employees if they were given space for articles they wish to share. Such articles could include giving advice about specific tasks or describing motivational methods. They could be signed or printed anonymously.
Example Letter #4
You did a great job with your presentation yesterday. Your visuals were especially effective; however, I would like to make one suggestion. A few of your jokes were inappropriate to your audience. Though seemingly funny, off-color humor can quickly alienate people. I would eliminate that kind of humor when addressing a business gathering. There are enough "clean" jokes left to spice up a presentation that do not risk offending your audience.
Write Your Letter Step-by-Step
1 If needed, give any background information the reader will need to understand your suggestion.
Sample Sentences for Step 1
- I am writing to express an idea concerning the new management policy.
- You asked for suggestions concerning the departmental productivity report.
- Sometimes it takes a while to determine the best credit plan for a customer. That may be the case with your account.
- I have learned that agreements must be very specific. Both parties must clearly understand what is expected.
- I believe I have an idea that will benefit us both.
- We have a large number of applicants to process in a very short time, yet somehow we have to be able to make wise choices without extensive testing.
- As you know, our boys are involved in the youth group. They were disheartened with our former pastor's lack of enthusiasm, so when you arrived last winter, they hoped for an increase in activities. I can see that building the program is not an easy thing to do and I suggest that the youngsters be invited to express their ideas.
Sample Phrases for Step 1
- am writing to express an idea
- arrive at the best credit plan for a customer
- as you know
- as you probably know
- as you are well aware
- asked for suggestions concerning
- believe I have an idea
- believe I have a suggestion that will help
- both parties must clearly understand
- both of us will benefit from
- concerning the new management policy
- concerning the productivity report
- finding the best solution to the problem
- from what several of you tell us
- have a complaint about the design
- have studied your situation
- have a large number of applicants
- learned that agreements must be very specific
- make valid judgments without extensive testing
- not an easy thing to do
- process in a very short time
- received your letter about
- sometimes it takes a while to
- think I might be able to help remedy
- want to suggest
2 Explain the situation or problem that prompts your suggestion.
Sample Sentences for Step 2
- In my opinion it is too restrictive. Weekly employee reviews make employees feel defensive, and they become less productive.
- Production is down ten percent from last year, and I think I know the reason.
- As you know, your account balance frequently exceeds your credit limit. (Your current balance is $4,395, which exceeds the maximum allowed)
- Your proposed agreement with Doe Corporation has merit, but I hesitate to sign it without stating that services will be rendered only during the upcoming fiscal year.
- I know you cannot test every individual in every skill area, but I believe you could test them on a handful of basics. You might also consider checking applicants' references as another way to check their skill levels.
- We hope the youth will be involved at church because the group was organized to that end. It should be a place where they can be themselves, prepare for adulthood, and see Christianity in action. We realize that they are sometimes hard to please, so we recommend that they be involved in planning the program.
Sample Phrases for Step 2
- a bit too restrictive
- actually become less productive
- am sure you are aware
- are again asking for your help
- as encouragement for the future
- complaints seem to have validity
- current balance is
- feel that now is the time
- finding the best solution to the problem
- frequently exceeds your credit limit
- gather additional information
- has been my experience
- have studied your situation
- hesitate to sign it without
- illustrate the difficulties and delays
- improving the situation
- in my opinion
- investigated the benefits
- know from experience
- looked over the information
- may I make some specific suggestions to this end
- might also consider
- organized to that end
- production is down ten percent from
- proposed agreement with
- suggesting how to avert
- think I speak for all salespeople
- think I know the reason
3 Give your suggestion, explaining why the reader should follow it.
Sample Sentences for Step 3
- I suggest we continue employee reviews, but at longer intervals, possibly monthly instead of weekly. In addition, I suggest employee and/or departmental incentives. These would encourage employee productivity as well as teamwork.
- I think they would benefit from feeling more trust and having more flexibility.
- The new policy of having management impose quotas does not motivate the staff. If we return to our former policy of having the staff set their own goals, they will feel more ownership and will respond more positively, thereby raising production.
- In my opinion, the report was well done. It gives a comprehensive look at the department. I am sure that management will be pleased when they see it. My only suggestion would be to include statistics about employee attendance, which may correlate with individual productivity.
- Maybe a type C plan (with sixty-day revolving credit) would be better suited to your needs. Enclosed is a brochure listing our different credit plans.
- Would it be possible to add such a clause to the agreement?
- Giving skills tests to applicants before sending them to interviews would assure you and us that they can perform at the level they claim.
- Maybe you could head a committee made up of parents and youth. It could address some of their concerns and then come up with new activities that would bring the youth group back to life.
Sample Phrases for Step 3
- add such a clause to the agreement
- address some of their concerns
- assure them that
- better suited to your needs
- but at longer intervals
- encourage employee productivity
- feel they would benefit from
- gives a comprehensive look at
- here is where we need help
- here is what I suggest
- if we return to our former policy
- my only suggestion would be
- my proposal is very simple
- my only suggestion is to expand
- my only suggestion is to omit
- my only suggestion is to include
- recommend you consider
- recommend a change of plan
- respond to the enclosed questionnaire
- specifically consider
- suggest we maintain
- suggest departmental incentives
- this might solve the problem
- will respond more positively
- will keep all comments confidential
- would it be possible
- would be happy to help organize
4 Make a final plea for your reader to accept your suggestion. Give the reader any information needed to follow your suggestion. If you want a response to your suggestion, ask for one.
Sample Sentences for Step 4
- I hope you will give my suggestion serious consideration. Please let me know what you think.
- I am sure you are already aware of the problem, but I wanted to let you know of my concern and interest in improving the situation.
- If we have made an error in reaching our conclusion, we would appreciate hearing from you. We want to correct any mistakes on our part. If we don't hear from you soon, we will proceed to lower your credit limit.
- If you agree with my suggestion, return a revised version of the contract to me, and I will gladly send it up to management with my signature. Otherwise, let's arrange a meeting to discuss the agreement further.
- We are available and eager to help in any way we can.
- Do you agree that this might solve the problem?
- What do you think of my idea?
Sample Phrases for Step 4
- am confident this step will help
- appreciate hearing from you
- arrange a meeting to discuss the agreement further
- available and eager to help in any way we can
- decision will be made by the evaluating committee
- do you agree that this might solve the problem
- does this suggestion merit further consideration
- forward any ideas to the suggestion committee
- hope this idea will be useful to you
- hope you will give my suggestion serious consideration
- if you have not thought about this option before
- if we have made an error in reaching our conclusion
- if you agree with my suggestion
- if we do not hear from you soon
- interest in improving the situation
- let us hear from you soon
- please get in touch with us
- please continue to advise me of any other concerns
- please feel free to be as frank as possible
- please let me know what you think
- sure you are already aware of the problem
- want to correct any mistakes on our part
- wanted to let you know of my concern
- what do you think of my idea
- will keep all comments confidential
- will gladly send it up to management
- would appreciate your cooperation
- would you please review the ideas
- would be happy to provide this service for you
- would you drop a brief memo to
