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 att.i.tude that is to be a.s.sumed 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 mail-order 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.
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 p.r.o.noun "I" when writing as Blank Company. "We" is the proper p.r.o.noun. 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._
In determining a uniformity in policy and quality, the rules may be grouped in three cla.s.ses: those which determine the att.i.tude 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 att.i.tude 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 p.r.o.noun, using the name of the company, as, "It has always been the practice of the Workwell Company," and so on.
Most mail-order houses, on the other hand, get just as far away from this formal att.i.tude as possible. Here it is the policy to get up close to the reader by a "you-and-me" att.i.tude. Some mail-order 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 a.s.set. This does not mean merely the matter of the signature, but the entire att.i.tude 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 mail-order 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 been adopted to emphasize upon readers the fact that the company quotes but one price to all, and it makes an effective selling talk out of the point that special discounts and "inside prices" are never given. As confidence is always the first essential in building up a mail-order business, this policy has done much towards increasing the standing and reputation of the houses using it.
And then come certain specific instructions covering a mult.i.tude of details. For instance, the style of paper is a matter that progressive business houses no longer ignore. The policy of the house may be revealed in the envelope and letter paper before one has had time to read even the date line. Some firms provide different grades of stationery for different departments, the sales letters going out in a much finer dress than letters from other departments.
The style to use is largely a matter of personal taste and preference. The significant thing is not in the kind that is used by certain companies but the fact that progressive business houses now appreciate the necessity for a uniformity in stationery and in the manner of handling it.
Harmony of color is especially desirable--the tint of the paper, the color of the lithographing, embossing or printing, the color of the typewriter ribbon used and the color of the ink used in signing.
None of these points are too small to be considered in the progressive business houses today.
The closing is no less important than the opening and most rule books relieve the correspondent of all responsibility in deciding on what subscription to use or how to sign the letter. For instance, he is told that the house policy is to close with "Yours truly" and that the name of the company is written with the typewriter followed by the signature of the writer and his t.i.tle, such as "President,"
or "Sales Manager."
A publishing house in the east for years clung to the established policy of having all letters go out in the name of the president.
But it was finally decided by the executive committee that this policy tended to belittle the house, for it was obvious that no inst.i.tution of any size could have all its mail handled directly from the president"s office. It was argued that if the president"s name were used only occasionally, greater prestige would be given to the letters that actually came from his office, and thereafter letters were signed by different department heads as "Manager of Sales," "Advertising Manager," "Managing Editor," "Manager of Collection Department," and so forth.
And just so one could go through the book of rules of any business house and find a good reason for every policy that has been adopted.
For while it is desirable to have a "family resemblance" which is possible only through established rules, and while letters written under specific instructions have added dignity and character, yet there is back of each rule some additional significance, the force of some tested argument, the psychological effect of some timely suggestion.
No longer do large manufacturing and mercantile houses send out their salesmen and allow each one to push his line as he sees best.
Many concerns require the salesmen to take a regular course of training to learn thoroughly the "house" att.i.tude, and they are given instructions on the best way to present arguments and overcome objections--just so the men who sell by letter are now instructed in the best methods for getting results.
The best way to secure a uniform policy is a practical question.
Some houses employ a correspondent expert to spend a few weeks in the correspondence department just the same as an expert auditor is employed to systematize the accounting department. In other houses the book of rules is a matter of evolution, the gradual adding of new points as they come up and as policies are tried out, a process of elimination determining those that should be adopted. In some concerns the correspondents have regular meetings to discuss their problems and to decide upon the best methods of meeting the situations that arise in their work. They read letters that have pulled, a.n.a.lyze the arguments and in this way try to raise the quality of their written messages.
While it must be admitted that some men have a natural faculty of expressing themselves clearly and forcibly, the fact remains that letter writing is an art that may be acquired. It necessitates a capacity to understand the reader"s att.i.tude; it requires careful study and a.n.a.lysis of talking points, arguments and methods of presentation, but there is no copyright on good letters and any house can secure a high standard and be a.s.sured that distant customers are handled tactfully and skilfully if a uniform policy is worked out and systematically applied.
Making Letters UNIFORM In _Appearance_
PART IV--THE DRESS OF A BUSINESS LETTER--CHAPTER 15