10. How to gain the reader's ex ecutive who believes in making a cooperative study of the letter-writing of his concern by means of weekly conferences with all his correspondents, says that there are two simple and fundamental rules to be ob served in writing letters that will command confi dence : (1) Tell the truth. (2) Prove, or omit, all statements that might not be believed. The gist of his opinion is given here: It is not easy for most of us to tell the truth; but to tell the unvarnished truth is the easiest way to get belief in our statements. At least, that is the experience of my force of sales correspondents. But, of course, telling the truth is not enough. To the reader the plain truth would often be "stranger than fiction." Convincing expression of the truth is as important as the truthfulness of the facts expressed. On the other hand, many a plain fact is often killed because the writer tries too hard to prove it. His great effort to convince causes the reader to feel that the effort is necessary.
Whenever a writer in this organization makes a false statement, usually it is found that he thought that he was telling the truth. In some cases, however, he knew he was not telling the truth. The manage ment considers either offense a serious matter. It has discovered that one of the most frequent causes of fail ure among new men is inability to tell what is strictly the truth. This trait is soon discovered and the man is immediately dismissed. The executive does not feel that it would pay to transfer such a man to other or to try to help him acquire the habit of truth fulness. He tried both in several cases, and failed each time. He is convinced that the home is the place, and that youth is the time, for this kind of training.
11. Perplexing ethical question in volves a perplexing ethical consideration. Many feel that good salesmanship requires a certain amount of exaggeration. But this seems to be true only in so far as exaggeration of facts is necessary in order to give the prospective buyer an impression of the true value that the facts possess for him. Apart from the neces sity of doing this, exaggeration or misstatement of any kind is not good salesmanship ; because "good sales manship" always means permanent satisfaction for both buyer and seller.
12. Example of a letter that commands belief.— The following letter is a good example of the kind that wins the reader's confidence and commands be lief.
Dear Sir: Your inquiry is in our hands. Thank you. The circular and the booklet you asked for are inclosed. They describe a variety of sound 6 per cent serial bonds, secured by the best class of newly improved, income-earning, well-located real estate in Chicago and other prosperous cities.
You doubtless are considering a problem like this: I have money to invest. Where is a safe, sound, secure investment that will be convenient in every way— pay me a good rate of interest, around 6 per cent, regu larly and punctually—and free me from worry, care and supervision? If this is a fair statement of the investment problem you are now working out, it will be worth your while to check up carefully and see how completely the bonds we offer meet each and every one of your requirements.
The rest of this letter talks with the reader about the way in which the bonds offered by this house meet all 'the requirements ; and the arguments are convinc ing. The letter is one of a series that succeeded in the very difficult task of selling bonds by mail.
The following comments on this letter were made by a man who writes effective letters almost invari ably, and who knows why his letters are effective.
"Your inquiry is in our hands—in our hands," mind you: an expression which suggests safety and caution and care fulness on the part of this concern. I would prefer to buy bones from that kind of concern. Just compare "in our hands" with "your inquiry is received," which would be a colorless statement, entirely unnecessary because the reader would know his inquiry must have been received. "In our bands," therefore is a case of convincing expression of an obvious fact, and not less convincing because the fact is obvious. It is a natural, and therefore a sincere, and there fore a convincing expression. Combine the naturalness of stating the obvious fact at the beginning of the letter with the subtle suggestion of "in our hands," and you have a good beginning, from the standpoint of getting confidence.
13. The "you," attitude and the use of the word, men who were asked to criticise this letter thought it would have been better to begin with, "You are considering a problem like this : 'I have money to invest,' " etc. Perhaps they were express ing their idea of the "you" attitude. But one should not be misled to think that the use of the word, you, is necessarily evidence that the writer has adopted the "you" attitude. "I" may be more effective than The correspondent should be especially care ful not to begin with you a sentence which tells the reader something he knows as well as the writer, or perhaps better. A letter which began, "You can't defy nature's laws of health and expect to live long and work efficiently," was not successful, chiefly be cause it overused the word you. The reader re sented, the slight implication that he might not know that obedience to nature's laws is necessary if he would have good health.