It affects YOU! It is so important I must forego the pleasure of a personal letter in order to write 5,000 people to-day--500 of whom--the wide-awake ones who read this letter through--will be able to coin it into dollars--real money--money you can spend.

What we now offer you has never before been offered by any body in the world. It is a combination we are fortunate enough, just at this time, to be able to offer you, because of an important deal we have just closed--a deal that may easily spell dollars to you.

Read every word of this letter--it may be--possibly is--the only thing to make you a successful and wealthy man... .

5

R F D 4 Logansport, Ind.

8-26-11.

Mr. M. H. Smith, etc.

Dear Sir:

I acknowledge getting your telegram over the telephone yesterday, and if I had been in funds would have answered by return telegram, but such is life. I accommodated a friend by loaning him $750, which will probably be paid the last week of never. I thank you for the offer, and when I am in funds will call on you either personally or by letter.

Very truly yours,

=Exercise 225--Opening an Account=

Imagine that you are manager of a wholesale dry goods house. You have received an order from P. H. Powley, 23 Water street, Franklin, Mich. As you do not know Mr. Powley, write him, stating in as courteous a way as possible that, since this is his first order, he must either furnish references or send a remittance. Make your letter direct and personal.

Include some good selling talk.

The exercise above ill.u.s.trates the method that might be adopted in case of a small order. If Mr. Powley had sent a large order, the wholesale house would no doubt consult a financial agency to discover his financial condition; his _rating_, it is called. If his name were not found in the book of the agency, the wholesale house would require Mr.

Powley to send a correct account of his financial standing; that is, a list of his a.s.sets and liabilities. If he refused, they would not do business with him. Why? The princ.i.p.al financial agencies are Bradstreet and Dun. Besides these, there are many mercantile agencies. They give any information that is required concerning a business man. All such information is confidential.

In connection with this exercise study the letters that follow:

REQUEST TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT

Madison, Wis., Sept. 16, 1915.

Wilson, Brighton, & Co., 68 Broadway, New York.

Gentlemen:

Until recently I was in the employ of Samuel Stratton & Co. of Milwaukee, but I have now started a business of my own, for which I should like to open an account with your house. As to my business ability and financial standing, I refer you to my late employers, Samuel Stratton & Co. of Milwaukee, and to the Madison State Bank of this city.

If on investigation you decide to accept me as a customer, will you please send the goods on the enclosed order, deducting your usual discount for cash? Upon receipt of the goods and of the invoice, I shall at once forward a sight draft on the Broadway National Bank of your city.

Respectfully yours, George R. Scott

REPLY NO. 1

Dear Sir:

In seeking information through the usual outside channels for basing credit for you, we find our reports have not been sufficient in detail to permit us to arrange this matter satisfactorily. These reports all speak very highly of you in a personal way, but do not give us the required information financially.

We a.s.sume you want our goods for your Christmas trade.

It is imperative, therefore, that we ship immediately.

We suggest that on this order you send us a draft, in consideration of which we shall be pleased to allow you a special discount of 4%. Understand that we suggest these terms on this first order only, as we feel confident that we can easily arrange a credit basis for future shipments. We sincerely trust you will take no offense at the above suggestion, as we have made it in your interest.

Yours very truly,

REPLY NO. 2

Dear Sir:

Thank you for the order you sent us yesterday. Its size confirms the belief we have always held that D---- is a rapidly growing business center, the right place for a retailer to settle and prosper.

After careful consideration of your letter, however, we have decided to hold back your order for a short time. You cannot regret this more than we do. We do not like to lose your account, and yet, under the circ.u.mstances, we feel we cannot send you the order.

We hope you can sell the property you mentioned in your letter and thus clear up the balances against you. Then we shall gladly open an account for you.

We are especially sorry we cannot send the order at once, as you no doubt need your fall stock now. Don't you think it would be the best solution if you would send us your remittance for $250 now, so that we may send the goods? We know what it means to buy in the open market so late in the season. We a.s.sure you that on receipt of a remittance the order will go through immediately.

Yours truly,

=Exercise 226=

1. Order from the Grand Rapids Furniture Co., Grand Rapids, Mich., 5 mahogany rockers, 1 Turkish rocker, 2 bra.s.s beds, 12 dining room chairs, 2 dining room tables. Supply catalogue numbers and give shipping directions.

2. The Grand Rapids Furniture Co. replies, acknowledging the receipt of the above order (give date) but stating that you did not mention how you would pay for the goods. On receipt of a certified check to cover the amount, or of the names of two reliable references, they will be pleased to send you the order. Make this a good sales letter.

=Exercise 227=

1. You are a florist of Rockford, Ill. Write to S. M.

Porter & Son, 155 S. State Street, Chicago, saying that this fall you are opening a new department of Landscape Gardening. Judging by advance orders, you will need approximately 200 shade trees, maples and poplars; 200 fruit trees of various kinds; and several hundred flowering shrubs. You will probably duplicate the order in the spring. Ask for terms, saying that you would like to open an account. Give two references.

2. S. M. Porter & Son reply, acknowledging your order, and saying that they will be pleased to do business with you on sixty days' credit, terms 50 and 5%. If this is satisfactory, they will add your name to their books. Make it a sales letter.

=Exercise 228=

1. Samuel Radford of Douglas, Mich., wishes to buy a motor boat. He orders of the Modern Steel Boat Co., manufacturers of high grade motor boats, Detroit, Mich., boat No. 172. page 425, catalogue No. 10. The price as listed is $192. He accepts the offer they made him ---- (date), of ---- (terms) and encloses a certified check for the amount. He gives full shipping directions. (Be sure you can do this.) He asks how cheaply he can obtain cushions for the boat.

2. The company reply: They have shipped the boat. (Is this sufficiently detailed?) A set of new cushions to fit the boat costs $25. They have a set of secondhand cushions in excellent condition for $15. If Radford desires either of these, he should wire at once at their expense.

3. Telegraph his decision.

=Exercise 229=

1. Messrs. Lee and Watkins, druggists of Gallon, Ohio, wish to open an account with Pierce, King & Co., 17 S.

Albany St., Baltimore, Md., for the purchase of large orders on ninety days' credit. They say they do a very large business as they have the only drug store within a radius of several miles. They give several names as references. Write the letter.

2. You are a traveling salesman for Pierce, King & Co.