Opening Letters
Letters are properly opened by inserting a knife or other convenient instrument under the flap at the end and cutting across the top of the envelope.
SOME SPECIAL POINTS IN BUSINESS LETTERS.
1. Be brief and to the point without being blunt or offensive.
2. Be courteous in your requests and polite in your demands.
3. Never write a letter with a lead pencil; always pen use and ink.
4. Avoid the use of flourishes.
5. Blots and errors due to slovenliness are inexcusable.
6. Avoid interlining; rather rewrite your letter.
7. Aim to write as legibly as you know how.
8. Never discuss or refer to matters of a social nature in a business letter.
9. Never write a letter when angry or vexed.
10. Write on one side of the sheet only.
11. When requesting information always enclose stamp for reply.
12. If your letter contains money or an enclosure always state the amount, or what the enclosure is.
13. Take a copy of all letters containing matters of importance. It may save you trouble.
14. Be prompt in acknowledging the receipt of a business letter, mentioning its date.
15. Never write an anonymous letter; it is the coward's weapon.
16. See that your letters are divided into paragraphs and properly punctuated.
17. Write as though your correspondent was at your side and you were talking to him.
18. Letters ordering goods should state plainly the articles wanted, giving full directions for shipping, and the name and address of the person ordering.
19. Money should be remitted by draft, P.O. order, express order or registered letter.
20. Money orders or other enclosures should be folded in the letter; not put in the envelope separately.
21. Do not use figures in the body of a letter, except to denote sums of money, dates, street or P. O. box numbers.
22. Do not forget to sign your name.
23. &c means
“and so on in the same manner.” Etc. is entirely different and means
“and other things.” Use them only in their correct sense.
24. In requesting payment of money due you, avoid being offensive. Remember, it is better to have a person a friend, than an enemy.
25. Do not mix up an order for goods in the body of a letter. Either use a separate sheet, or make it a separate part of your letter with only one style or kind of goods on a line.
26. Use care and neatness in addressing your envelope, and if writing a number of letters be sure that John Smith's letter does not go in Tom Brown's envelope.
27. Never write a dun, or any matter of importance, on a postal card. To make a threat of any kind on a postal card renders it unmailable, and to use indecent language thereon is a criminal offense, under the laws of the United States.
28. A prompt acknowledgment of the receipt of an order for goods is a commendable practice.
29. Avoid abbreviations and the use of postscripts.
30. Never write a threatening letter; in most of the States it is made a criminal offense by statute.
RULES FOR WRITING A POSTAL
1. A card should be dated either on the upper right-hand corner, or on the lower left-hand corner.
2. Always sign your name in full.
3. If you wish an answer, give your full post office address, unless it is well known by the person to whom you are writing.
4. Never write a demand or a request for on a postal. It is disrespectful to the person receiving it.
5. Never write an invitation on a postal. Society prescribes polite forms for this purpose.
6. Do not important matters to a postal card, for it is open to inspection, and the law does not provide for its return to the writer if it fails to reach its destination.
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