We don't like to write dunning letters any better than you like to get them, but you see you have a little of our money— $16;50. That isn't much, and of course you intend to pay it.
But let's square this up NOW ; don't read another letter until you have wrapped your check in this one and mailed it back in the inclosed addressed envelop.
That will just rescue your name from our "unfair" list, and you don't know how much we will appreciate it.
Yours very truly, This letter was successful. It does not seem to consider the reader's point of view. But the writer completely and accurately expressed the reader's sen timents, except, possibly, in the last sentence of the third paragraph. There is a slight implication there that the reader intends to pay this bill only because it "isn't much." It probably would have been better to omit the words, "That isn't much„" But this letter compels the reader to feel that the writer is square. "You have a little of our money— $16.50," is original and effective. It shows the reader the writer's point of view, and this is very important in writing difficult letters—for example, letters in which the writer refuses credit and at the same time attempts to get cash with an order. But in order that the writer may influence the reader to appreciate his viewpoint it is necessary that he prove to the reader, beyond question, that he has really put himself in the reader's place.
10. Acquiring the reader's point of view.—Be fore a writer can acquire the habit 1 of taking the reader's point of view he must realize the importance of putting himself in the other man's place. When a correspondent once sees that he cannot write effective letters, if he lacks the ability to do this, he will natur ally take pains to gain that knowledge of the other man which will produce the necessary sympathy and understanding.
Another important means of acquiring the reader's point of view is to cultivate an allowable inquisitive ness in regard to the addressee's circumstances and conditions. Practically every correspondent might easily know more about each addressee, and take greater advantage of what he knows, were he more in quisitive. As a rule, he could know the size, location and character of the addressee's town; its rate of growth; the chief industries; the kind of business in which the addressee is engaged, and its size and finan cial rating; the addressee's place in the business and so on. Even such general facts as these might help greatly in making a letter effective. The location of a town sometimes indicates a great deal about any man who is in business in that town, and the corre spondent should try to judge his man as accurately as possible by whatever information is available. The business man of the South differs, in both the per sonal and the business viewpoint, from the business man of the North ; the Wresterner is different from the Easterner. The correspondent should be alert to
perceive essential differences in his addressees; if he is, he will often be able to tell by the general appearance and the very "feel" of the letter he is answering what kind of person he is writing to.
11. Reading between the lines.—The expert cor respondent will get back of the man's letter to the man himself. He is not limited to a literal interpre tation of the meaning as expressed in the letter, but reads between the lines. This is often necessary if he would accurately put himself into the reader's place; for few writers of the letters he answers say exactly what they mean to say.
For example, a new customer wrote to a wholesale house as follows : "Most of the shipment was in good condition. A little of the glassware was broken." In this case there had been no previous correspond ence to help the correspondent determine whether or not this man was one of those who belittle the cause of the complaint. There are many men in busi ness who feel that they ought not to "kick" unless the cause of the complaint is serious. Therefore, in this instance, the correspondent wished to play safe. Here is one paragraph of his reply: "Even if the damage is trivial, we want to make it right. Perhaps a few of the tumblers were chipped, or some crockery. You will do us a favor by telling us exactly what the dam age was." Thus the correspondent did not really en courage complaint, but he did ask for details and em phasized the fact that his company wished to give customers complete satisfaction.
The following letter, written in response to a letter from a manufacturer asking a merchant why he had not sent in any order lately, is also of the kind that will not stand the test of analysis.
Dear Sir: For the last few years the coal business has been in a pre carious condition, of which you are probably aware, and we have been placing our business closer at home in order that we might help stimulate the soft-coal business a little more. Possibly some time in the future we will be able to renew our business acquaintance when conditions will permit.
Yours very truly, The correspondent knew that the writer's account had been cut off abruptly ; therefore, he realized that this letter was merely an excuse. He found that the last order from this merchant was for goods concern ing which many complaints had been received. ning back this account was, then, a comparatively easy matter.
This ability to analyze, to read between the lines, is an important means of gaining the knowledge of individual cases which is necessary if the correspond ent is to realize and appreciate the conditions that oc casion the point of view of the man to whom he writes.