It's important to address mailing envelopes properly for three reasons. One, it assists the post office in delivering the letter in a timely fashion. Two, including the return address on the envelope ensures it can be returned to you if the addressee is no longer at that location. And three, any correspondence sent from your company represents your business: A neatly written and addressed envelope gives a nice impression of your enterprise. Whenever your address one, print all the information in capital letters to make it easy to read.

Things You Will Need

  • Mailing address

  • Stamp

  • Envelope

  • Pen with dark blue or black ink

Verify the title and name of the addressee and the address where you are sending the envelope. Check with that person or review previous correspondence between the two of you to see what title they use--for example, a woman may be called Ms., Mrs., or not use any title. Verify the numbers, the name of the street and if there is an apartment or suite number. Check the spelling of the town or city, the two-letter abbreviation for the state and the complete ZIP code, which is a five-digit code with a four-digit affix.

Neatly print the addressee's name in the center of the envelope with a pen. Beneath the name, print the street address. If there is an apartment or suite number, write that information next to the person's name. Under the street address, print the town or city, the two-letter state abbreviation and the whole ZIP code.

Print your full name with your title, or your name and "care of" and the name of your business, in the envelope's upper left-hand corner. Under your name, print the street address of your business. Then print the name of your town, the two-letter state abbreviation and the full ZIP code beneath the street address.

Affix a postage stamp in the upper right-hand corner of the envelope.

Tip

If you make a mistake, use correction fluid to cover the error and rewrite it. Don't cross out errors: It makes the envelope look messy and the address hard to read.

If you want to write "Attention" on the envelope, write it above the person's name. Do not write it below the mailing address or in the bottom corners.

You can print a company slogan or add a logo to the envelope, but they can't be printed below the delivery address. You can print them next to or below the return address, but make sure the address isn't obscured.