How to Write Bank Letters

So much communication – even business interactions – is done by phone, email, texting or video conferencing these days. Written communications are becoming more and more reserved for formal, important or legal matters. Reviewing how to write bank letters – such as how to write a letter to a bank to close an account or how to write a letter to a bank for a change of name – can help you convey what you need, get what you want and make sure you communicate correctly and effectively.

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You'll organize and write your bank letter based on what your purpose is. You might be requesting a bank loan with a letter to a bank manager for a loan. You might want to set up a meeting to discuss a business line of credit. You might have a customer service issue or want to close an account.

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The last thing you want to happen with a letter you send to a bank is for it to get lost or misplaced once it gets there. This can happen if you don't address and send your letter to the exact person you want to help you. For example, if you send a letter addressed to "Business Loan Manager," your letter could end up on any of several employees' desks.

Call the bank to find out exactly who you need to connect with, advises DocPro.com. Tell the person you're talking to exactly what bank product or service you want to discuss – look on the bank's website to see if it lists departments.

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Make it easy for your letter recipient by getting to the point in your letter. You'll do this by organizing your letter before you write it. List the things you're going to put in your letter, then rank them in order of importance.

For example, if you're going to want to discuss a small business loan, let your letter recipient know who you are, why you're writing, what you want to discuss when you come in or call, what documents or information you're bringing and what you want the results to be.

This will allow the letter recipient to contact you and let you know if you need to bring in any specific documents, or if you need to take other steps before you come in. Whether you're writing a letter of complaint, asking to set up a meeting or requesting a specific bank product, always include a desired outcome in your letter.

Start your letter by clearly stating your purpose. Don't meander by telling the recipient how long you've been a customer, how much you've enjoyed working with the bank or other pleasantries. Those are nice, but you can put those toward the end of your letter.

Make it clear why you're writing, such as, "I'd like to set up a meeting to discuss a U.S. Small Business Administration Loan," or "I'd like to report a problem I had with one of your tellers, John Smith, I had on Friday, September 18^th."

After you've told your letter recipient what you want, explain why she should approve your request. This could point out that you've met the bank's requirements that are posted on its website. Bankers can't make personal decisions – they generally make approvals based on math, such as your credit score, income or down payment amount.

If you are writing a letter to dispute something with the bank, provide as much documentation as possible to support your arguments, recommends the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau.

If you're writing a letter to get something specific from the bank, make sure you end your letter with a call to action. This is where you tell your letter recipient that you want something by a specific date. This is especially important if you are wondering how to write a letter to a bank to close an account and you don't want to be charged additional fees.

Examples could include, "Please contact me by the end of business on Wednesday, September 14^th, to discuss this," or "Please send me an application for a business line of credit and a list of any information I need to provide by next week."

You'll finish your letter with your name, contact information and a postscript if you want to add an important piece of information you want to stand out. If the letter is extremely important, send it registered or certified or use a shipping company that requires signature confirmation.