How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters), Mary Owens Crowther [book series to read txt] 📗

assumption that the dimensions of the property are such as have been represented to me.

I am

Very truly yours,

Martin Fields.

(Note—The above letter replying to an offer to sell would of itself close the contract and the formal contract of sale is unnecessary. A contract is, however, advisable because it includes all the terms within a single sheet of paper and therefore makes for security.)

Letter inquiring as to what may be had

534 Gramercy Park,

February 8, 1923.

Home Development Co.,

Hastings, N. Y.

Dear Sir:

I am writing to learn what property you have listed in your vicinity that would seem to meet my particular requirements. I want a house of not less than ten rooms, with some ground around it and not more than fifteen minutes from the railroad station. The house must contain at least two bathrooms, have a good heating plant, and either be in first-class condition or offered at a price that would permit me to put it in first-class condition without running into a great deal of money. I am willing to pay between ten and fifteen thousand dollars.

Will you send me a list of properties that you can suggest as possibly being suitable?

Very truly yours,

Julian Henderson.

Renting apartments

YOUNG & REYNOLDS
48 GREEN STREET
BROOKLYN, N. Y.

May 15, 1923.

Mr. Robert Pardee,

29 Prentiss Place,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Dear Sir:

Your name has been handed to me as one who might be interested in leasing one of the extremely attractive apartments in the Iroquois at Number 20 East Third Street, which will be ready for occupancy on September 15th.

I enclose a descriptive folder which will give you an idea of the grounds that we have for basing our claim that this is the most convenient apartment house that has ever been erected. The apartments vary in size, as you will see on the plan, and for long leases we can arrange any combination of rooms that may be desired. These features are common to all of the apartments. Every bedroom has a private bathroom. Every living and dining room contains an open fireplace, and every apartment, no matter what its size, is connected with a central kitchen so that service may be had equivalent to that of any hotel and at any hour from seven in the morning until midnight. There is a complete hotel service, all of which is entirely optional with the tenant.

We invite your inspection. A number of the apartments have already been leased, but many desirable ones still remain and an early selection will permit of decoration according to your own wishes in ample time for the opening of the building. The renting office is on the premises.

Very truly yours,

Young & Reynolds.

Bank Letters

The qualities which make a bank popular in a community are, first, safety; second, intelligence; and third, courtesy. One bank has potentially nothing more to offer than has another bank, excepting that of course a very large bank has a greater capacity for making loans than has a small bank. The amount which by law a bank may lend is definitely fixed by the resources of the bank.

However, this is not a question of particular concern here, for very large and important accounts are never gained through letter writing. The field that can be reached through letters comprises the substantial householder, the moderate-sized man in business, and the savings depositor. A bank has no bargains to offer. What a man or a woman principally asks about a bank is: "Will my money be safe? Will my affairs be well looked after? Shall I be treated courteously when I go into the bank?" The answers to these questions should be found in the conduct of the bank itself.

A bank is not a frivolous institution. Therefore its stationery and the manner of its correspondence should be eminently dignified. It must not draw comparisons between the service it offers and the service any other bank offers. It must not make flamboyant statements. Neither may it use slang, for slang connotes in the minds of many a certain carelessness that does not make for confidence. Above all, a bank cannot afford to be entertaining or funny in its soliciting letters. The best bank letter is usually a short one, and it has been found effective to enclose a well-designed, well-printed card or folder setting out some of the services of the bank, its resources, and its officers. Bank solicitation is very different from any other kind of solicitation.

Soliciting savings accounts

GUARDIAN TRUST CO.
BAYVILLE, N. J.

January 15, 1922.

Mr. George Dwight,

Bayville, N. J.

Dear Sir:

Some time ago we delivered to you a little home safe for savings, and we are writing to learn how you are making out with it. Have you saved as much as you had expected? Are you waiting to get a certain sum before bringing it in to be credited in your passbook?

We are often asked if it is necessary to fill a home safe before bringing it in to have the contents deposited, and we always recommend that the bank be brought in at regular intervals, regardless of the amount saved, for you know the money begins to earn interest only when it is deposited with us.

We give to small deposits the same careful attention we give to large deposits, so we suggest that you bring in and deposit whatever you have saved. That will make a start, and once started it is truly surprising how quickly a bank account rolls up.

I hope that we may have the benefit of your patronage.

Very truly yours,

The Guardian Trust Company,

(Handwritten) J. D. Wallace,

Secretary.

Where a savings account is inactive

GUARDIAN TRUST CO.
BAYVILLE, N. J.

August 10, 1922.

Mr. George Dwight,

Bayville, N. J.

Dear Sir:

A little home bank may be made a power for good.

It can accomplish nothing by itself, standing unused in an out-of-the-way place.

It can only be an assistant to the saver.

It can assist your boy and girl to great things.

It can assist you in daily economies upon which big results are often built.

It cannot furnish the initiative, but it can be a constant reminder and an ever-ready recipient.

Why not use the little bank we delivered to you when you opened your savings account with us to teach the children to save, or to collect together small amounts for yourself.

Why not?

Very truly yours,

(Handwritten) J. D. Wallace,

Secretary.

Checking accounts

A letter soliciting a home account:

GUARDIAN TRUST CO.
POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y.

October 14, 1923.

Mrs. Hester Wickes,

59 Market Street,

Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

Dear Madam:

Do you ever have arguments over bills that you have paid in cash? Do you always remember to get a receipt? Do you find it a nuisance to carry cash? Do you know that it is dangerous to keep much cash in the house?

There can be no dispute about an account if you pay it with a bank check. Your cancelled check is a perfect receipt. More than that, your bank book shows you when, how much, and to whom you have paid money. It is not only the easy way of paying bills but the safe way. You escape all the danger of carrying or having in the house more than mere pocket money. You will find by opening a checking account with us not only the advantages of paying by check but you will also discover many conveniences and services which we are able to offer to you without any charge whatsoever.

I hope that you will call and let us explain our services. I enclose a folder telling you more about the bank than I have been able to tell in this letter.

Very truly yours,

(Handwritten) J. D. Wallace,

Secretary.

P.S. We have some very attractive styles in pocket check books that might interest you.

Soliciting a commercial account

THE LOGANSBURG NATIONAL BANK
LOGANSBURG, WIS.

April 15, 1921.

Mr. Fred Haynes,

21 Nassau Street,

Logansburg, Wis.

Dear Sir:

Every man in business is entitled to an amount of credit accommodation in accordance with his resources. It is one of the functions of this bank to help the business of the community by extending credit to those who make the business for the community. We are here to be of service and we should like to serve you.

I enclose a folder giving the latest statement of the resources of the bank and something about the organization. Will you not drop in some time and at least permit us to become acquainted?

Very truly yours,

(Handwritten) R. T. Newell,

President.

General services

Trust companies and national banks are very generally extending their services to cover the administration of decedents' estates, to advise upon investments, to care for property, and to offer expert tax services. In most cases, these services are set out in booklets and the letter either encloses the booklet or is phrased to have the recipient ask for the booklet.

Letter proffering general services:

GRIGGS NATIONAL BANK
28 FIFTH AVE.
NEW YORK

November 16, 1921.

Mr. Henry Larkin,

3428 Cathedral Parkway,

New York.

Dear Sir:

We are writing to call your attention to several services which this bank has at your command and which we should be happy to have you avail yourself of:

(1) The Bond Department can give you expert and disinterested advice on investments and can in addition offer you a selection of well-chosen season bonds of whatever character a discussion of your affairs may disclose as being best suited to your needs.

(2) Our safe deposit vaults will care for your securities and valuable papers at an annual cost which is almost nominal.

(3) We have arrangements by which we can issue letters of credit that will be honored anywhere in the world, foreign drafts, and travellers' checks.

(4) If you expect to be away through any considerable period or do not care to manage your own investments, our Trust Department will manage them for you and render periodical accounts at a very small cost. This service is especially valuable because so frequently a busy man fails to keep track of conversion privileges and rights to new issues and other matters incident to the owning of securities.

(5) We will advise you, if you like, on the disposition of your property by will, and we have experienced and expert facilities for the administration of trusts and estates.

I hope that we may have the opportunity of demonstrating the value of some or all of these services to you; it would be a privilege to have you call and become acquainted with the officers in charge of these various departments.

I am

Very truly yours,

(Handwritten) Lucius Clark,

President.

A letter offering to act as executor

GRIGGS NATIONAL BANK
28 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK

June 25, 1923.

Mr. Lawrence Loring,

11 River Avenue,

Yonkers, N. Y.

Dear Sir:

May I call to your attention the question which every man of property must at some time gravely consider, and that is the disposition of his estate after death?

I presume that as a prudent man you have