The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-18

Va ftP aiE ht''N II aiAith 40 @At't NAtN''"'
The head al the firm or corporation,
the business is not TOO large. usually
attends to most Of The eSpondenee,
hough he may know very little abou;
he subject 81 half OF the letters, and
nothing az al about the art OF writ
ing letters Pope. that poet Of tho
marching couplet satl.
s'rue ease h. writing comes from art,
NOT chance.
As those move eases who have
learned 70 dayce.
This is q very profound truth. APP
piled - business Spoudence. X
+ au AIT 20 write good business let
ers, ana &" the difference there is
Aetweca good and mediocre husIne so
et;crs = lear profit. or sheer loss
There Is 80 difference n ;he cost OF
esthe~
Supr Letters Cost as Much.
Tho invest usnf for mediocre or
ro0- settcr~ IS exactly the same as
Cor good ones. Yet Il Is a fact that
hc @rea proportion o. all business
e:tcrs are written ny men who have
70 appreciation 81 This truth. and
would not know how 20 apply Il If
'y sor7a chance they dj1 gee an ink
!nE OK =
In one ~ his excellent articles Mr.
HiEs rhotham As saving. anent the
t3iEg.r earho01 as saying ameDt the
&etir- ~ business letters
4 good writer = business letters Sc
enc e. tao most a.fHcut OF men 70
1ad--aHd there = uo department of
business IN which he can do 50
much mischief as in the credit dc.
; srjment Here IL becomes necessary
oustaHtjy to deny favors to the very
men from whom you must expect
ontinue9 patronage In word
here IS "A department Of business In
which il is imperative that the finest
shad nGs OF meanings shall oe DEITY
and accurately conveyed.
II Is granted that the credit de
partmeni needs the services Of a
clever letter writer az letters from
hat department must have the dual
purpose Of collecting money and re
tanning the good will OF the custom
ers Yet il ia apparent that in every
ether department there Is need also
II good letter writing Poor letters
an work havoc all along the line
Takes Good Men 10 Write Letters.
How are good letters to be had for
sH the departments OF business Il
here are not good men Cor women)
10 write them And how are there
10 be good men or women 10 write
hen2
How ne GOOD and practical people
a<a+ = '0 -a. highly specialized
work In other lines of business ga
r. '...sa -sHf.-f-, auditors. book
feepers statesmen etc? These people
arc all trained for their work some
q them arc trained as professional
c+f rxyv4tn -
rot trained At all
il does not take great amount OF
bought 30 convince a person who Is
Inclined 10 look at The matter reason
ably that She art Of writing good bust
ness letters is a subtle and difficult
art. TO learn and 70 practice. It re
4ulres Il variety OF accomplishments
'orne ~ which may be attained and
some u which must be heritages from
ancestors
The Professional Correspondent
T h professional correspondent
must first OF all be able to put him
sell IN tune with the party to be
written 70. 50 that the letter will
nave that indefna bile quality Of in
cNtgent sympathy. and SO that il will
Sem a De really written to and for
me PARTY addressed. This is one of
he pr mC qualities Of the letter. He
must be able TO phrase his letter SO
NAT l VIII serve the purposes OF the
rt'se he serves AMI at the same time
'sppoar to) serve tle person TO whom
'S '-ti'tcn This IS another of the
PRIME qualities OF the letter. writer
tua possibly the r. ost important Of
y
II The writer OF letters il not able
ip stFadale IN his motive ia this man
aer his letters are sure 10 he inferioi
ID business buildin&. IT Is not actually
StTaodle al all. II is faculty tina
- sHoviedges that there are two side
20 every liHd al business, and that tn,
general results Of business are sur
SO he fixed according 10 some give
"uG-take principle
Letters Must he Fair In Both Parties
There should he some zeal hasi
pom which to predicate this quaut,
IN business letters. but If there Is no
i ls stan UP TO the correspondent 4
impress the correspondents OF IN
house with the excellence OF tn
theory. and make them feel that thei
interests are the interests OF tn,
houst BE must have the idea him
salf an8 not only must he have ~,
tdea but he must know how to &c
the idea INTO the consciousness o
he people to whom he Is obliged e
write
That IS the art o. the letter writer
and y is an art. II is not likely 4
he possessed by every man who es
says to write business letters. It il
10 sacf possessed by very few bus
ress letter writers. unfortunately
and there is no way Of estimating tn,
loss 70 trade and commerce that an
aually occurs because OF its paucit,