12. Reader's questions determine arrangement.— After reading this paragraph, the merchant would naturally wonder, "Well, how did he do it?" There fore, he would probably read the third paragraph with considerable interest, but also with considerable skepticism. But the direct and detailed statements of facts ring true, and there is every probability that after he finished the third paragraph he would be curious to know just what kind of book this is. Therefore the fourth paragraph ought to be made to satisfy him on this point. It reads like this: This man refers to my new book, entitled "The Human Foot," written especially for shoe merchants and their clerks. It is the only book of its kind ever written. Every one of the 390 pages is interesting, altho the subjects—foot anat omy, and foot deformities and their treatments—are techni cal. Those subjects are important to the shoe man who wants to know his business as thoroly as possible ; but you will find much more in this book. Pages 297 to 317, for exam ple, give an interesting history of footwear, from ancient to modern times, and all the changes in style are illustrated with ninety-seven interesting pictures. Chapter 40, on "Fitting Shoes," is a practical treatment of this important subject, while Chapter 41 tells all about proper and im proper kinds of hosiery. A chapter is given to each of the common foot ailments, so written that you not only get a surgeon's knowledge of the human foot—you enjoy the pro cess of getting it.
Thus, the correspondent aims to satisfy the reader's chief interest after it is aroused. This paragraph, placed at the beginning of the letter, would be dull to the reader. The arrangement that has been made is a good illustration of consideration of the reader's point of view. There is strong temptation for the writer, immediately after the third paragraph, to say, "This merchant did it; so can you." But such a state ment would be out of place there, because the ques tion uppermost in the reader's mind at this point is probably, "Well, just what book is this?" 13. Picturing and proving the results of accept ance.—Having gained from the first part of the let ter a definite idea of the contents of the book, the reader is likely to ask himself, as he goes on, "what use would this information be to me?" The next part of the letter anticipates such a question and an swers it effectively.
And after you get this information—What? Increased sales of foot-comfort appliances at big net profits; increased sales of shoes; bigger future business, owing to increased comfort from the shoes you sell—from the same shoes you are now selling; gradual increase of the feeling in your town that you know your business exception ally well. Any one of these advantages is worth many times the price of this book. Will you really get these results?
Listen: Thus the writer gives the shoe dealer a rapid, com pact summary of the benefits he can derive by doing what the former wishes him to do—send for the book. Then he anticipates the doubt that is bound to arise concerning these benefits, and holds the reader's in terest by anticipating another question that the reader would naturally ask—"Will I really derive these benefits?"—and answering it. The answer of the writer takes the form of evidence so strong that it invites belief : This book, "The Human Foot," is really the first funda mental scientific textbook for the retail shoe business. It helps you lift shoe-selling from a trade into a profession— and you will agree that a shoe merchant must make a scien tific profession of his business in order to make real money in these days of rising costs. This book is not in any sense a "get-rich-quick" scheme. But it does offer the chance to get the kind of unusual information that will help you in crease your prestige and improve your business by enabling you to get more people to trust more in you as a merchant who KNOWS his business exceptionally well. Many mer chants, both in this country and abroad, have done what the merchant I quoted above has done.
With its definite point of agreement, that "a shoe merchant must make a scientific profession of his busi ness in these days of rising costs," and with its an ticipation of possible resistance, embodied in the state ment, "This book is not in any sense a 'get-rich quick' scheme," such a paragraph of definite assertions at this point in the letter will constitute strong evidence in the mind of the man who really wants to believe, because he has had a clear vision of the results that he can secure if what is said is true. And the reader will have this vision if the letter has been well planned and well constructed, if the ideas are expressed in both concrete and general terms. The concrete should precede the general. The paragraph last quoted will serve to recall to the reader's mind the concrete case with which the letter starts.
14. Focusing the appeal directly on the Now, therefore, is the time to state more positively and directly the advantages that the book holds for this merchant. He would be ready for such a state ment by this time. He would be much less inclined to resist the following statement than if it were made earlier in the letter, a fact which goes to prove what has already been said—that the credibility of a letter depends somewhat upon the arrangement. The letter continues : No matter how much prestige you now enjoy in your town, this book will help you add to it. If this statement is true, of course you won't want to ignore it ; and without expense you can find out whether or not it is true.