How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) | Page 9

the message. But even
in this we should be chary of following inflexible rules. We can
conceive of circumstances where it would be advisable to have the
letter come from a department rather than from an individual.
Of course the management of many business organizations still holds
that all letters should be signed by the company only. If the personal
touch is permitted at all, the extent of it is to allow the writer of the
letter to subscribe his initials. This idea, however, is pretty generally
regarded as old-fashioned and is fast dying out.
Most companies favor the plan of having the head of the department
sign the circular letters emanating from his department. If he doesn't
actually dictate the letter himself, no tell-tale signs such as the initials
of the actual dictator should be made. If it is a sales matter, the letter
would bear the signature of the sales manager. If the communication
pertained to advertising, it would be signed by the advertising manager.
Where it is desired to give unusual emphasis to the letter, it might
occasionally be attributed to the president or to some other official
higher up. The big name idea should not be overdone. People will soon
catch on that the president would not have time to answer all of the
company's correspondence. If he has, it is evident that a very small
business must be done.
A better idea that is coming into wide vogue is to have the letter signed
by the man in the company who comes into occasional personal contact
with the addressee. One concern has the house salesman who waits on
customers coming from that section of the country when they visit
headquarters sign all promotion letters going to them. The house
salesman is the only one in the firm whom the customer knows. It is
reasoned that the latter will give greater heed to a letter coming from a
man with whom he is on friendly terms. Another company has its
branch managers take the responsibility for circular letters sent to the
trade in that territory. Another manufacturer has his salesmen bunched
in crews of six. Each crew is headed by a leader. This man has to sell,
just as his men do, but in addition he acts as a sort of district sales
manager. All trade letters going out in his district carry the crew

leader's signature.
There is much to be said in favor of this vogue. Personal contact is so
valuable in all business transactions that its influence should be used in
letters, in so far as it is practicable to do so.
The signature should not vary. Do not sign "G. Smith" to one letter,
"George Smith" to another, and "G. B. Smith" to a third.
A man should never prefix to his signature any title, as "Mr.," "Prof.,"
or "Dr."
A postscript is sometimes appended to a business letter, but the letters
"P.S." do not appear. It is not, however, used as formerly--to express
some thought which the writer forgot to include in the letter, or an
afterthought. But on account of its unique position in the letter, it is
used to place special emphasis on an important thought.
7. THE SUPERSCRIPTION
In the outside address or superscription of a letter the following forms
are observed:
A letter to a woman must always address her as either "Mrs." or
"Miss," unless she is a professional woman with a title such as "Dr."
But this title is used only if the letter is a professional one. It is not
employed in social correspondence. A woman is never addressed by
her husband's title, as "Mrs. Captain Bartlett."
A married woman is addressed with "Mrs." prefixed to her husband's
name, as "Mrs. David Greene." This holds even if her husband is dead.
A divorced woman is addressed (unless she is allowed by the courts to
use her maiden name) as "Mrs." followed by her maiden name and her
former husband's surname, as: "Mrs. Edna Boyce Blair," "Edna Boyce"
being her maiden name.
A man should be given his title if he possess one. Otherwise he must be

addressed as "Mr." or "Esq."
Titles of those holding public office, of physicians, of the clergy, and of
professors, are generally abbreviated on the envelope except in formal
letters.
It is rather customary to address social letters to "Edward Beech, Esq.,"
business letters to "Mr. Edward Beech," and a tradesman's letter to
"Peter Moore." A servant is addressed as "William White."
The idea has arisen, and it would seem erroneous, that if the man
addressed had also "Sr." or "Jr." attached, the title "Mr." or "Esq."
should not be used. There is neither rhyme nor reason for this, as "Sr."
and "Jr." are certainly not titles and using "Mr." or