Business Correspondence - Anonymous (best classic books of all time .TXT) 📗

lines the spacings may be either single or double but the latter is preferable. Greater spacing tends to separate the address too much to allow it to be read quickly.

Another approved, though less popular form of address does not indent the lines at all.

Any radical departure from these forms should be made cautiously, especially if the various items of the address are separated from each other.

The address, like a paragraph, is generally read as a unit—as a single, distinct idea. The closer the address conforms to the generally accepted forms, the more readily are the envelopes handled by the postoffice and the less danger of delay.

 

Getting a UNIFORM Policy and Quality in Letters

PART IV—THE DRESS OF A BUSINESS LETTER—CHAPTER 14

 

Every correspondent naturally reflects his own personality in his letters. His distinguishing characteristics, good, bad and indifferent, inevitably tend to find expression in his correspondence—UNLESS THOSE TENDENCIES ARE GUIDED. That is exactly what the modern business house does. It directs the work of its correspondents by means of general and specific rules as well as by instruction in the policies of the house until ail of its letters are uniform in quality and bear the stamp of a consistent personality—the personality of “the house”

 

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A number of years ago, the president of a company manufacturing carriages felt that he was not getting adequate results for the money he was spending in the mail sales department. One day he called a meeting of all his correspondents and asked each man what arguments he used in writing to prospects. He discovered that eight correspondents were using eight different lines of talk. One emphasized this feature of the carriage, a second based his argument on another feature, and no two correspondents were reaching prospects from the same angle or making use of the same arguments.

“Here are eight different approaches,” said the president. “It is certain that one of these must be more effective than the other seven. They can’t all be best. It is up to us to test them out and determine which one is best and then we will all use it.”

When the proposition was presented in this way, it was so elementary that everyone wondered why it had not been thought of before. A series of tests followed with the different arguments and presentations and by a process of elimination the company proved conclusively which was the strongest approach. Then all of the correspondents used it in the first letter and the second strongest argument was used in the second letter, and so on through the follow-up. It was no longer left for each man to develop his arguments and his selling talk according to his own ideas. Through tests, consultation and discussion, every point was considered and all the correspondence was on the same level.

By adopting a uniform policy the efficiency of the sales department was increased, the quality of the letters was raised and the work was handled more expeditiously and more economically.

One cannot write to all his customers and prospects; that is why it is necessary to have correspondents in the various departments. It is an easy matter to adopt rules and establish policies that will make their letters of a much higher standard and give them greater efficiency than if each went his own way without rule or regulation to guide him. Every correspondent represents the house in a dignified manner and handles the subjects intrusted to his care in a way that will reflect the best thought and the most successful methods of the house. Not everyone can be developed into a master correspondent but it is possible to establish a policy and enforce rules that will give quality and at least a fair measure of salesmanship to all letters.

Many businesses have grown so rapidly and the heads have been so absorbed in the problems of production and extending markets that little time or thought has been given to the work of the correspondents. And so it happens that in many concerns the correspondence is handled according to the whims, the theories and the personality of the various men who are in charge of the different departments. But there are other concerns that have recognized the desirability of giving individuality to all the mail that bears a house message. They have found that the quality can be keyed up and the letters, even though they may be written in a dozen different departments, all have the family resemblance and bear evidence of good parentage.

And it may be certain that when all the letters from a house impart this tone, this atmosphere of quality and distinction, it is not because of chance. It is not because the correspondents all happen to use a similar policy. Such letters imply a deliberate, persistent, intelligent effort to keep the correspondence from falling below a fixed level. Such a policy represents one of the finer products of the process of systematically developing all the factors in modern business—the stamping of a strong individuality upon all of the correspondence of a large organization.

To secure this uniformity in policy and in quality, it is necessary to adopt a set of clear, comprehensive rules and to impress upon the correspondents the full significance of the standing, the character and the traditions of the house.

There are certain tendencies on the part of some correspondents that can be overcome by a general rule. For instance, there are the correspondents who try to be funny in their letters. Attempts at humor should be forbidden for the day has gone when the salesman can get orders by telling a funny story. Another correspondent may deal too largely in technicalities in his letters, using words and phrases that are not understood.

Then there is the correspondent who has an air of superiority in his letters and writes with impudence and his letters suggest a condescension on his part to explain a proposition; or the complaint department may have a man who grants an allowance or makes an adjustment but puts a sting into his letter that makes the reader wish he had never patronized the house. All such tendencies may be eradicated by a set of rules giving specific instruction on how to handle every point that comes up and the attitude that is to be assumed in answering complaints, collecting accounts, making sales, and so forth.

And in order to have the letters reflect the house, rules have been adopted in some cases that cover every conceivable point from a broad policy in handling arguments to a specific rule regarding the use of commas.

For instance, it is no longer left to the discretion of the correspondent to start his letter “John Smith.” A rule provides that all letters shall begin “Mr. John Smith.” For the sake of dignity, a western mailorder house decided to use “Dear Sir” and “Dear Madam” in the first three letters that went to a customer. But on the third and succeeding letters this house uses the salutation “Dear Mr. Smith” or “Dear Mrs. Smith.”

This is a matter of policy, a rule that will keep the letters up to a fixed standard.

 

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Page from One Firm’s Book of Rules:

_In a long letter, or where two or more subjects are treated, each subject must be introduced with an appropriate subhead.

All letters, long or short, must carry a general subject head between the address and the first paragraph. This general head and the subheads must be in capitals, underscored with a single line, and as nearly as possible in the middle of the sheet from right to left.

Carefully avoid even the appearance of sarcasm.

Be wary of adjectives, particularly superlatives. “Very,” “great,” “tremendous,” “excellent,” etc., have marred many an otherwise strong phrase and have propped needlessly many a good word, all-sufficient of itself.

Never use the first personal pronoun “I” when writing as Blank Company. “We” is the proper pronoun. Where a personal reference is necessary, “the writer” may be used; but even this should be avoided wherever possible.

Don’t forget that certain small words are in the language for a purpose. “And,” “a,” “the,” are important, and their elimination often makes a letter bald, curt, and distinctly inelegant.

Carefully avoid such words and stock phrases as “beg to acknowledge,” “beg to inquire,” “beg to advise,” etc. Do not “beg” at all.

Do not say “kindly” for “please.”

Do not say “Enclosed herewith.” Herewith is superfluous.

Do not “reply” to a letter; “answer” it. You answer a letter and reply to an argument._

 

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In determining a uniformity in policy and quality, the rules may be grouped in three classes: those which determine the attitude of the writer; those that relate to the handling of subject matter; and then there are specific rules, such as the style of paper, the salutation, the subscription, signature, and so forth.

The attitude and policy of the house must be determined according to the nature of the business and the ideas of the management. The same rules will not apply to all houses but this does not lessen the desirability of an established policy. For instance, one large corporation, selling entirely to dealers and to large contractors, forbids the use of the first person singular. Under no consideration is the correspondent permitted to say “I”. And if a personal reference is absolutely necessary, he must refer to “the writer”. The rule is to say “we” and the correspondents are urged to avoid this personal pronoun, using the name of the company, as, “It has always been the practice of the Workwell Company,” and so on.

Most mailorder houses, on the other hand, get just as far away from this formal attitude as possible. Here it is the policy to get up close to the reader by a “you-and-me” attitude. Some mailorder houses have letters written in the name of the company, signed by the writer as department manager, sales manager, or other officer. Then there are other houses that omit the company name entirely in order to get away from the “soulless corporation” idea as much as possible, and letters to a customer are always signed by the same individual to get a personal relationship that is considered a most valuable asset. This does not mean merely the matter of the signature, but the entire attitude of the letter. “Address your reply to me personally” is the spirit of these firms—a policy that has been adopted after tests have demonstrated that it is the one appeal most effective with the average mailorder customer.

A large concern aims to make its points stand out more clearly by having the arguments presented in a one, two, three order, and each paragraph is introduced with a subject printed in capitals at the beginning of the first line, such as Location, Terms, Guarantee. This company, dealing in lands, usually finds it necessary to write rather lengthy letters and the subject heads serve as guide-posts and tend to concentrate attention.

One firm has barred all superlative adjectives, not merely to guard against exaggeration but because the superlative degree lacks conviction. The statement that “This is the best collar ever made” is not believed, but to say that it is a “fine” collar or a “good” collar for it is five-ply, and so forth, rings true. It is a better selling talk and so the superlative is not permitted.

Then there are other general policies that concerns have adopted, such as a rule that the price of articles cannot be mentioned in a letter. A printed enclosure gives this information and reference may be made to it, but the dollar mark does not appear in the letter itself. This policy has