96. Length of a Letter.-Several times, in this Section, mention has been made of the length of a letter. The writer must not get the idea that a long letter is better than a short letter or that a short letter is better than a long letter. There is no set rule. If written interestingly, the prospect might read a letter though it were two pages long. If not written interestingly, the prospect might not read three lines of the letter. Long letters are not good if a short letter can tell the whole story well. Short letters are ineffective if they leave out something the prospect wants to know. The advertiser should write naturally, say all he has to say interestingly, then go over the letter and cut out any superfluous phrases; let short, terse sentences take the place of lengthy, involved phrases; make the whole letter live and full of real interest and enthusiasm.

97. Stationery for Letters.-For most classes of letters well-designed and well-printed letterheads on good stock should be used. There is a growing tendency toward specially designed letterheads.

One noted letter writer goes so far as to refuse to accept commissions for the writing of letters for which he does not design the letterhead. He tells how a manufacturer of baby carriages secured a remarkably good letter to go to happy mothers of new-born babes. He tried out the letter on his factory letterhead to 2,000 names and secured a return of 1 per cent. Then 2,000 were sent out printed on a sepiatinted stock covered with laughing, naked infants done in soft undertones all over its surface, and in the last inch at the bottom other babies riding gayly in the manufacturer's go-carts.

These letters produced to the extent of 81⁄2 per cent. because of the sentiment aroused by the unusual letterhead combined with copy in line with the design. The nature of the business and of the special appeal will, of course, determine whether the expense is worth while. Most lines of business could have an occasional specially designed letterhead. Fig. 6 shows a letter and specially designed letterhead aimed to sell Florida land to denizens of the colder North.

HOUSE PUBLICATIONS

PURPOSES, FORMS, AND METHODS

INTRODUCTION

1. A house publication, or house organ, is a magazine or bulletin published by a business house and sent to dealers, customers, or employes, to promote good-will, increase sales, induce better salesmanship, or develop better profits.

House publications are distinct from publications issued as independent enterprises and for which a subscription price is charged. Some house publications, or house organs, as they are known in the advertising world, charge subscription prices to certain readers under special circumstances. Occasionally house publications are later converted into magazines. System, "the Magazine of Business," now published in Chicago and sold by yearly subscription, was at first the house publication of a firm making filing devices.

There are approximately one thousand house organs published in the United States and Canada alone. Many house organs are discontinued every year, and the idea commonly prevails that the death rate among house publications is high. However, if the field and the objects for which they are pub

lished

are considered, the death rate, or discontinuance, is much less than in some other forms of advertising. The fact is that house publications form such a prominent advertising medium that their discontinuance causes more comment than the discontinuance of blotters, enclosures, or almost any other form of direct advertising.

COPYRIGHTED BY INTERNATIONAL TEXTBOOK COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

§ 42

The first American house publication was Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac, a publication advertising Benjamin Franklin's print shop, and now known as a classic. A similar house publication used by a firm of electrical contractors is known today as Poor Richard's New Almanac.

2. The results from a house publication may be direct or indirect. Good-will cannot be measured in dollars and cents, but the good-will value of some trade-marks is worth millions of dollars.

The sales manager of a Chicago firm made up a list of 209 concerns whose business could not be secured by his salesmen. These prospects' names were put on the mailing list, and every issue of this firm's sixteen-page house publication for a year was sent to them. At the end of a year 136 of the 209 prospects had become customers and their business had amounted to over $200,000. A large proportion of this result was undoubtedly due to the house organ.

A large Philadelphia concern issued a sixteen-page booklet entitled The History of the Houghton Line, which carried as its subtitle "The Book That Built a Million-Dollar Business." The booklet tells in detail how this firm, after trying all other forms of advertising, finally solved its publicity problem by issuing a house publication, which started with 300 copies and 9 years later circulated among nearly 100,000 readers. This firm uses no other form of advertising now, and publishes the following indorsement in the booklet: "In 9 years the Line is credited with having earned over a half million dollars in profits. It has reduced the cost of obtaining inquiries through advertising 90 per cent."

Not all house publications are so successful. Owing to the cost of editing, printing, and mailing, the method of advertising by means of a first-class house publication is expensive, and requires close attention to the plan in order to be profitable.

CLASSIFICATION OF HOUSE PUBLICATIONS

3. From the standpoint of the reader of the house publication, and his viewpoint is a most important one to consider,

I.C.S.

MESSENGER

Published by the International Correspondence Schools, Scranton, Pa., U. S. A.

Vol. 36, No. 6

ENROLLED BY WIRELESS

1. HAAS

R

ESOURCEFULNESS is the middle name of the I.C.S. Field Man who puts them across in big bunches-quality business in quantity. Comb the Organization fore and aft and the truth of this statement is at once apparent.

Representative Haas, of New York, has carried resourcefulness to the limit. Canvassing one of his students for prospects the other day. Haas finally brought out the fact that the student, a wireless operator aboard a vessel plying between New York and Texas, had a friend operator aboard another boat whom he thought should enroll in the I.C.S.

But there appeared no way of getting in touch with the prospect who was about his duties many a knot out of reach-when all at once Haas thought of the wireless. The student got in touch with the prospect immediately, an appointment for an interview was made, and the preliminary part of the work was as good as finished.

Haas was on the job when the boat came in and arranged to close the case a few days later when the prospect would have his money. For good reasons, however, the boat had to leave its moorings ahead of schedule and when Haas got to the pier he saw his future student's vessel well out in the river. Prevailing on a tug master to put him out to the ship, Haas once again interviewed his man, got his enrolment and bade him bon voyage.

And Thus a First-Class Enrolment Was Taken
That Otherwise Might Have Been Lost Forever

FIG. 1

house publications are divided into four rather well-defined classes: (1) Salesmen's or agents'; (2) dealers'; (3) employes' or internal; and (4) consumers' or users'.

From the standpoint of the publisher, house publications may be broadly classified as (1) those going to people who sell, such as salesmen, agents, dealers, and so on, and (2) those going to people who buy, customers of the house, in other words.

Most house publications are issued monthly; some going to salesmen and agents are issued weekly, and a few are published quarterly; some advertisers unwisely send out house publications "now and then."