How To Write a Letter to Multiple People (With Examples)

Updated September 22, 2023

Letters are a common form of professional correspondence used across industries. There may be several reasons for sending a professional letter to one or multiple recipients. Understanding how to address a letter to multiple people correctly may help you maintain professionalism in your workplace communications.In this article, we discuss when to address a letter to multiple people and offer a step-by-step guide—with tips and examples—to help you address your letters properly.

Image description

The image is titled "Business Letter Format" and shows an example letter with the parts of the letter identified on the left side. The left side includes:

Date
Name and address
Greeting
Opening paragraph
Closing paragraph
Complimentary close and signature

The letter reads:February 1, 20XX

Deborah Jones
ABC Company, Inc.
1234 East Main Street
San Diego, CA 92101

Dear Ms. Jones,

I am submitting this request for a leave of absence to tend to important personal matters beginning next month. If possible, I would like to take my leave beginning March 15 and return to the office April 3, 20XX.

I can make myself available intermittently to answer questions via phone or email, and am happy to do whatever necessary to ensure a smooth transition before my leave begins.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Johanna Jansen

When do you need to address a letter to multiple people?

Understanding how to address letters to multiple recipients may be helpful for individuals who use professional correspondence as a form of communication in their careers. Addressing letters to multiple people may be helpful when you need to convey the same information to more than one person. Professionals from various departments and industries may send letters to multiple recipients when:

Communicating between departments
Communicating with clients and stakeholders
Updating customers about organizational changes
Sending offer letters to clients and vendors
Sending letters of intent
Requesting funding
Sending letters of resignation
Sending thank you letters
Circulating office memos
Finalizing contracts
Announcing new policies

How to address a letter to multiple people

Consider using this guide to help you address a letter to multiple people:

1. Decide on formatting

The first step in addressing a letter to multiple people is determining whether you need to send your letter to multiple addresses and how to format your header. For example, if you're writing to multiple people within the same organization, you'll only need to list the address once at the bottom of your header. If you're writing to multiple people within different organizations, you'll need to specify each address. The formatting options for addressing multiple recipients are:

One address: When sending a letter to multiple people within the same organization, you may simply list the full names of each recipient on separate lines before including the single address at the bottom of your header.
Over one address: When sending a letter to multiple recipients at multiple locations, it's often best to send each of your recipients an individual copy that includes only their name and address. Consider including a "cc:" after the names of your recipients to inform them of who else has received the letter.
Large groups of recipients: If there are too many recipients to realistically write a customized copy for each, like if you're writing to members of a large committee, it may be appropriate to write a single letter addressed to the entire group.

You may write your header in the top left corner of your letter. Be sure to include any formal designations or job titles when writing the names of your recipients and to separate each recipient with a comma.Related: How To Address a Letter To a Business

2. Write your salutation

After addressing your letter in the appropriate format, it's important to write a salutation that fits your situation. Try to remember to include any formal designations or job titles and to make sure they match the ones used in your header. Consider beginning your salutations with "Dear..." and ending your salutations with colons instead of commas to remain formal and professional.When writing to one recipient or a group of people, you may simply write their full name and job title or the name of the group. If you're writing to multiple recipients at the same address, you may list each of their full names and job titles separated by a comma. If each recipient belongs to a different group, department or place of employment, you may include a parenthesis that designates this information. You may also include an additional "cc:" in your salutation to recipients at different addresses.Related: Top Email Etiquette Examples for Professional Communication

3. Check for accuracy

It's important that you use accurate information when addressing multiple recipients to ensure your letters reach the correct individuals and that you address them appropriately. Be sure to check the following details for correct spelling and accuracy before sending your letter:

Job titles
Designations
Organization names
Addresses
Departments

Examples of letters addressed to multiple people

Below are some examples of successful headers and salutations that address multiple recipients:

Example 1

Below is an example of a letter addressed to multiple recipients at the same address:Mr. James Lockwood, Ms. Bella Ramsey, Mrs. Jenna Larson
Department of Security
Bloomfield Cyber International
1234 W Chester Rd, Suite 300
Miami, FL 44499Dear Mr. James Lockwood, Ms. Bella Ramsey and Mrs. Jenna Larson:

Example 2:

Below is an example of a letter addressed to multiple recipients at different addresses:Dr. Mark Pearson
CC: Dr. Lilly Jones, Dr. Richard Weiz
Cardiology
Mitchell General Hospital
1234 Medical Dr., Suite 25
Rochester, NY 33445Dear Dr. Mark Pearson:
CC: Dr. Lilly Jones, Dr. Richard Weiz:

Example 3:

Below is an example of a letter addressed to a large group of people at the same address:Members of the Admissions Board
Admissions Department
University of Richfield
1234 Learning Lane, Suit 900
Richfield, WI 55440Dear Members of the Admissions Board:

Tips for addressing letters to multiple people

Here are some additional tips to help you successfully address a letter to multiple people:

Consider formality

The level of formality in professional correspondence is an important thing to consider. If you're writing to colleagues you have an established relationship with, you may be able to use less formality in the language of your letter. If you're writing to new acquaintances, supervisors or investors, it's best to keep the language of your letter formal and professional.Related: How To Start a Business Letter (With Examples and Tips)

Address individuals in a salutation

When addressing a large group of people in a header, such as a board or a committee, consider addressing each group member individually in your salutation if there are less than eight members. This can add a sense of personal connection to a letter that is addressed to a large group and may help your readers feel personally acknowledged.

Match your envelope with your header

It's important that the formatting of your header matches the formatting of the mailing information on your envelope. Be sure the information is consistent between the two to ensure your correspondence remains neat, professional and free of discrepancies.