Business English Part 84

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Dear Madam:

Did you ever envy another woman's smooth, white hands?

You looked at hers, and then you looked at yours; you sighed and thought, "It's dishwas.h.i.+ng."

But what can you do? Haven't you tried everything to make dishwas.h.i.+ng less drudgery? Haven't you tried patent soaps and tepid water, only to find that the dishes were not clean? Haven't you tried dish mops, sc.r.a.pers, and rubber gloves, only to find that the mop and the sc.r.a.per saved but one hand? As for rubber gloves, as likely as not, the first time you used them they were caught on the p.r.o.ng of a fork and were thereafter useless. Yes, you've tried everything; haven't you?

No, you haven't. You have not tried the only sure help that there is. Stop your drudgery and let the Fairy wash your dishes.

For thirty days--ninety trials--we will put the Fairy Dishwasher in your home, absolutely free of charge, guaranteed to wash and sterilize your dishes in boiling water, without a touch of your hand.

Do your manicuring while the Fairy does the dishes.

Pay no money, but send the enclosed postal card to-day. It will bring the Fairy at once.

Very truly yours,

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Dear Madam:

An extra hour of leisure every day! What is it worth to you?

Think what you could do if some one would give you an extra hour of leisure every day. There's the book you would like to read, the call you ought to make, the embroidery you wish you could finish. There are the thousand and one things that a housekeeper continually wishes she could do--but where can she get the time?

And yet you waste at least an hour each day was.h.i.+ng dishes when the Fairy Dishwasher will not only save you the time but rid you of a distasteful task. You pay 16-2/3 cents a day for five months and the Fairy does your dishes every day; you buy yourself an extra hour every day,--you are an hour ahead every day for the rest of your life.

Is it worth the price?

Remember that we allow you to use the Fairy for thirty days--ninety meals--before you pay a penny. Then for five months you send us five dollars a month, and we guarantee that you will declare it the best twenty-five dollars that you ever spent.

Send the enclosed postal card to-day. It will bring the Fairy and a booklet of full directions.

Very truly yours,

=Exercise 245=

You have bought a big tract of land in Alabama. You wish to sell a part uncleared, to set out a part in pecan trees, and to devote a part to truck farms. Write three letters to the same man, making each one stronger than the one before. Keep in mind the five essentials of a good letter. (See page 230.)

1. Offer the uncleared land at a very low price. Offer as many inducements as you can, such as desirability of location, fertility of the soil, and comparison in price with other land in the same neighborhood.

2. You received no response from (1). Try to sell the section in which you are planting pecan trees. What inducements could you offer that might reach a man who was not affected by (1)?

3. You received no response from (1) or (2). Try to sell a truck farm. What inducements could you offer that might lead a man to buy a truck farm when he had no interest in either uncleared land or pecan trees?

=Exercise 246=

1. The _Modern Magazine_ offers a set of Mark Twain's complete works absolutely free if you subscribe for one year for the _Modern Magazine_ and the _Household Magazine_ at the regular price of $2 for the _Modern Magazine_ and $1.50 for the _Household Magazine_. This offer expires ---- (date). Write the letter.

2. You have not responded. The _Modern Magazine_ feels that you could not have understood its offer. These are no cheap books. To prove this, the firm is willing to send you the books to allow you to examine them before you send any money. If you accept them, pay the express agent; if not, return the books at the expense of the _Modern Magazine_. Remember that this offer expires ---- (date).

3. You have not responded. The magazine extends the time. Give a reason for the extension of the time.

What criticism can you make on (3)?

=Exercise 247=

A druggist was obliged to move from his corner store four doors east on a side street. He decided to advertise by sending a series of follow-up letters embodying the following ideas:

1. Change of location because ----.

2. Stick to your druggist because he holds the key to your health.

3. What is the reason that my trade is staying with me? (Prizes for the best answer.)

4. The reasons why trade stays with me--what my patrons say.

5. The pure food question--why we must handle only fresh drugs.

6. We are registered pharmacists--what this means to you.

7. Why our sales expense is smaller now than formerly--how you profit.

=Exercise 248=

A furniture house selling goods on monthly payments decides to advertise by sending a series of follow-up letters, using the following reasons why you should buy, one in each letter:

1. Variety of stock; a.s.surance that they can please, no matter what you wish. Amplify.

2. Reliability of the firm.

3. The small profit on which they run their business gives you an excellent opportunity of buying good values at low prices.

4. Buying on the "easy payment" plan enables you to have the use of your furniture while you are still paying for it.

Why is (4) a poor argument?

=Exercise 249=

Write a series of letters to sell an electric was.h.i.+ng machine, using the following items:

1. The machine is ball bearing; therefore very easy to work. You can sit down while you do your week's was.h.i.+ng. The only work required is hanging the clothes out of doors.