Are you looking for a polite way to ask someone for their help or input?
Perhaps you’re worried that just asking for input isn’t okay or comes across as unprofessional.
Fear not! We have the answers for you.
This article will teach you how to ask for input politely in an email.
Is It Okay to Ask for Input in an Email?
It is okay to ask for input in an email. It’s professional and shows you respect someone’s knowledge enough to see what they can give you.
Generally, it’s a great way to ask for someone’s opinions or ideas on your work. You do not have to be afraid to ask for their help! Most of the time, they’ll be happy to chime in.
Pros
- It’s professional and direct.
- It allows you to ask for help in the most respectful way.
Cons
- Some people are ashamed to ask for help, so avoid using related phrases.
- It can make you look a bit foolish if you ask for input with a simple task.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with asking someone for their input. But you do need to know the best phrases to use when you want to be polite and respectful.
So, keep reading to learn the best way to ask for input. We’ve gathered some great alternatives to show you what can work in your writing.
How to Politely Ask for Input
- Could you provide some input?
- Could you share your insights?
- Would you mind offering your perspective?
- May I seek your input?
- Would you be able to provide some feedback?
- Could you contribute your thoughts?
- May I request your input?
- Would you mind sharing your ideas?
- Do you have any suggestions?
1. Could You Provide Some Input?
The best way to ask for input is by asking “could you provide some input?” Think about it! It gets to the point and remains formal. So, you really can’t go wrong with it.
Generally, you can use this when you want to ask someone for their input in an email.
For instance, it can work well when writing to a teacher. It shows you’re happy to hear their thoughts about something, so you’d appreciate it if they could review your work.
For the most part, any teacher will be happy to answer this in an email. After all, it’s respectful and lets them know you trust their knowledge enough to let them help you.
Also, this email sample will help you to understand it a bit better:
Dear Ms. Tuckett,
Could you provide some input regarding my assignment, please?
I’d like to know whether I’m on the right track before I continue with it.
Best wishes,
Shaunice Woodland
2. Could You Share Your Insights?
Feel free to try “could you share your insights” when asking someone for input.
This time, it’s a bit more friendly and light-hearted. So, it’s quite a good choice when asking for help from colleagues.
For instance, you might use it when completing a project. Before you hand it over to your boss, you should run it by a trustworthy coworker to find out whether the work you’ve completed it of a good standard.
As long as you trust them, this tactic will work really well. That’s why we recommend using it when you have a good relationship with the recipient.
Here’s a helpful example to show you more about how it works:
Dear Harry,
Could you share your insights before I hand this in?
I’d like to know whether this is good enough for Mr. Cornforth to accept.
Yours,
Kyla Rae
3. Would You Mind Offering Your Perspective?
For a professional way to ask for input, try “would you mind offering your perspective?”
This is a great question that’s direct and sincere. It shows you respect someone’s opinion a lot, so you trust them to respond with something that will help you improve on your work.
Generally, you can use this when writing to your boss. After all, it’s a good opportunity to get in their good books and let them know that you value their opinion on most subjects.
This email sample will also clear some more things up if you need further help:
Dear Miss Jenkins,
Would you mind offering your perspective?
I’m keen to find out what you think of the work I’ve completed up to this point.
My best,
Andy Davis
4. May I Seek Your Input?
Try simplifying things by asking “may I seek your input?” You really can’t go wrong with this. It’s polite and sincere, making it an excellent choice in most emails.
Generally, you can use this when reaching out to a business partner. For the most part, it’s a good chance to show them that you need their help and value what they have to say.
So, we recommend it because it keeps things professional and respectful. Most of the time, your business partners will be happy to provide you with any assistance before you continue.
Also, this email example will clear some more things up for you:
Dear Miss Darken,
May I seek your input regarding some of these changes I’d like to make?
I don’t want to do anything without running it by you first.
Yours,
Sarah O’Connor
5. Would You Be Able to Provide Some Feedback?
Try writing “would you be able to provide some feedback” when you’d like input from someone.
It’s a direct and humble way to let someone know you could use some advice. So, it works really well when you’d like to encourage a positive response from someone.
We could all do with some feedback at times.
Feedback helps us to grow, and we can learn a lot from people we trust.
Therefore, this works best when contacting coworkers.
It’s an opportunity to let them shed some light on your projects to see if you’re working on the right things.
Here is an email sample to teach you more about it:
Dear Howie,
Would you be able to provide some feedback on my project?
I’d love to hear your thoughts to see if I’m on to something big here.
All the best,
Melissa McCarthy
6. Could You Contribute Your Thoughts?
Try being friendly with “could you contribute your thoughts” in an email.
This works wonders when contacting an employee. It lets them know that you value their opinion and would like to know what they think about a situation.
So, you can use it when remaining polite and humble. As an employer, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Sometimes, employees can be exactly the types of people you need to turn to when you’re stumped. So, you can always ask for their thoughts to see what they can help you with.
Here’s a helpful email sample to show you a bit more about it:
Dear Robin,
Could you contribute your thoughts regarding these changes?
I’d like to hear from someone who works with this system daily.
All the best,
Kylie Austen
7. May I Request Your Input?
Next, it’s worth writing “may I request your input?” It’s a useful way to ask for help or information from someone you trust.
It’s respectful and sincere. So, you can use it when contacting an employer.
Generally, this is a great opportunity to show someone you respect them. It lets them know you trust their opinion in a professional setting.
You can also review this email sample to learn a bit more:
Dear Ms. Jolie,
May I request your input on this project, please?
I’m hoping you’ll be able to shed some light on this that others can’t.
Best wishes,
Tony Bracken
8. Would You Mind Sharing Your Ideas?
Try using “would you mind sharing your ideas” when asking someone for input.
It’s formal and sincere. So, it’s a good option that lets people know you’re happy to hear their thoughts to see if you might change your mind.
Try using it when writing to a teacher. You can use it when asking for feedback to see if your assignment is up to scratch with what they’re looking for.
It’s also worth looking at this example to learn a bit more:
Dear Professor Marten,
Would you mind sharing your ideas regarding this assignment?
I’d be appreciative if you could tell me more about how I can improve.
Yours,
Gregory Taylor
9. Do You Have Any Suggestions?
Finally, we recommend using “do you have any suggestions?”
This is a clear and direct way to ask someone for help. Generally, it’s an effective choice that shows you’re happy to hear what ideas someone might have to help improve your work.
So, you can use it when contacting a teammate in a project. It lets them know that you’re open to any ideas they might have to help you both achieve better results with a project.
Also, this email sample will help you to understand it better:
Dear Damian,
Do you have any suggestions to improve this?
I’m happy to take your ideas on board before I hand this in.
Best wishes,
Michelle Keating