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Rh again, one is reminded of the necessity of studying debtors. A cultured, educated debtor has contempt for an incor- rectly written letter, while an entirely correct letter sent to an uneducated or less educated debtor (and there are many of them) is sometimes beyond his reach. This does not mean that gross errors are to be countenanced, but it does mean that some very effective collection letters could be severely criticized by the schooled rhetorician.

In closing the letter, there is seldom any need of any definite closing sentences. When you have finished what you have to say, close the letter with “Yours truly,” “Very truly yours,” “Cordially yours,” or whatever you wish and sign your name. Writing “Hoping you will give this your early attention” or “Trusting to receive a check soon” adds little weight to the letter and can be generally omitted. It seems to me that a letter should always be signed in pen and ink with the correspondent’s title beneath the signature, if it has any claim at all to personality. Never under any circumstances should the signature be rubber stamped. Whenever one receives a letter with a rubber stamped signature, one generally re- gards the sender as a conceited imbecile who is indiffer- ent to his work and who regards the people to whom he writes as occupying a sphere in life far beneath his own. At times, if it is desired to make the letter more personal, the firm name can be omitted in the signature and just the writer’s name be signed, over his title, although this is not just correct practice in letter writing.

In mailing a series of collection letters, an interval of seven or eight days should be allowed between letters. But they should be sent out promptly at the expiration