A hotline at a mailing address directs your mail to the correct person or department in a company. Although it is not always necessary, including a hotline can speed up the delivery of your letter or package in an organization by distinguishing it from junk or mass mailings.
Unless a piece of mail is not a standard size or requires special handling, mailing addresses are machine scanned. The USPS processes an average of 20.2 million pieces of mail per hour, so a clearly written and properly formatted address is an important part of getting mail to recipients quickly.
The attention line is the first line of an address, followed by the company name, address, and the city, state, and zip code. here is an example:
attn william jonesabc company456 walnut stboston ma 02133-0123
Notice that the word “attention” is abbreviated as “attn”. Note, also, that the address is formatted using all capital letters. there are no periods after the abbreviations for “attention”, “street” and “massachusetts” and no commas between “boston” and “ma”. removing punctuation and using all capital letters creates a clean format that is easily readable by a machine.
Private delivery services such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL also use scanners to read addresses for delivery processing. When using an ATTN line, follow the formatting rules established by the United States. postal service.
If possible, call a business or do an internet search to find the name of the specific person you want to send your mail to. check the spelling. When you can’t get a person’s name, it’s perfectly acceptable to use attn with a title or department in the company. for example:
attn human resources directorxyz company1812 7th avecorning ny 14830-4567
attn sales deptwidgets inc91 business rdpleasanton ca 94588-0091
In the two examples above, abbreviations are used for “attention”, “avenue”, “incorporated”, “highway”, and the names of the states. The USPS has a list of standardized abbreviations on its website that you should use when sending letters and packages for delivery. private delivery services also use these abbreviations.
A handwritten address is perfectly acceptable when using any of the formats shown above. write clearly, using block letters and blue or black ink. You can use a pen for an envelope, but use a permanent marker when addressing a package because it’s easier for the delivery person to see. avoid red ink because it is the same color as a postmark and may be missed by the scanner.
You can print labels from a carrier’s website when you pay for the shipping or shipping service. The USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL websites have instructions that guide you through the process. When you transact through PayPal, Amazon, and some other e-commerce sites, you have the option to purchase postage at a discounted rate and print an address label. When you enter an address, the site may display a preferred address that uses standard USPS abbreviations.
When sending a business letter, format the inside address block the same as the outside address on the envelope or package, but use capitalization and normal punctuation. for example:
attn: george smithacme products, inc.104 main st.anytown oh 43123-0123
Emails are intended to be short, easy-to-read communications. use “attention” when emailing a department or person when all you have is the organization’s general email address. put “attn:” and the name in the subject line so that whoever opens the general email can forward it to the right person. it is not necessary to use all capital letters. Email etiquette suggests refraining from using all caps in any situation because the reader may interpret it as yelling or an angry tone.