When mailing an envelope to a business address it is always best to be able to mark it to a specific person's attention. The majority of mail received by a business is processed through a mailing room. If it is not clearly addressed to a specific person your mail will be sent to a general department and then resorted again.

It may or may not wind up in the right hands in a timely manner. Knowing how to add an "attention" to a mailing envelope in such a way as it neither confuses the address for the postal service and delays delivery, and so it provides direction to the mailing room of the business is essential to getting your envelope into the right hands at the right time.

1. Ensure You Have the Correct Name and Spelling

Consult the personnel directory of the business or school you are mailing your envelope to and make sure you have the correct name and spelling of the person to whom you need to mark the envelope. If you do not have a directory, call the main switchboard of the place you are mailing it to and ask them for the name and correct spelling.

2. Address Your Envelope

Address your envelope. Place your return address in the upper left hand corner and the address it is being mailed to centered on the envelope. The address you are mailing to should be written in a larger type then the return address. Both addresses should be printed in all capital letters with permanent ink (either pen or marker).

3. Add "Attention" or "ATTN" on the Envelope

Mark the envelope to the specific person's attention. To do this print "ATTN" or "ATTENTION" above the first line of the address it is being mailed to and then write the person's name after it in all capital letters. So, if your are marking an envelope to John Doe's attention, above the first line of the mailing address you would right "ATTN JOHN DOE" or "ATTENTION JOHN DOE."

Things You Will Need

  • Personnel directory (for the receiving business or school)

  • Permanent ink pen or marker

  • Extra envelope (if needed)

Tip

For added surety that your correspondence goes to the right person use an extra envelope. Type or print the persons name on the center of the front face of the envelope, place your correspondence inside this envelope and then place the envelope inside the one that you will put the mailing address on and postage. This way if the wrong person opens it they will immediately know who it needs to go to.

Warning

Envelopes that do not include the proper mailing address and zip code will not be delivered in a timely manner if they are delivered at all. Make sure you have all of the correct information before posting your envelope.