nfortunately sometimes overlooked and the collection letter
made an academic exercise. There is no excuse for a long series of
collection letters--say eight or ten of them. After a man has received
three or four letters you can take it for granted that he is beyond
being moved by words. You must then have recourse to some other mode of
reaching him. Drawing on a debtor is also of small use; the kind of a
man who will honor a collection draft would pay his bill anyhow.

If a debtor has assets and there is no dispute concerning the account,
he will usually pay. He may pay because you threaten him, but most
people with the ability to owe money are quite impervious to threats,
and although a threatening letter may seem to bring results, it can
never be the best letter because on the other side of the ledger must be
recorded the loss of the customer. The average writer of a collection
letter usually gets to threatening something or other and quite often
exposes himself to the danger of counter legal action. (See Chapter XI
on The Law of Letters.)

The most successful collection men do not threaten. The best of them
actually promote good-will through their handling of the accounts. The
bully-ragging, long-winded collection letter has no place in
self-respecting business. The so-called statements of collection by
which papers drawn up to resemble writs are sent through the mails, or
served, not only have no place in business but many of them are actually
illegal.

The letters which are appended have been chosen both for their
effectiveness and their courtesy. They represent the best practice. It
is, by the way, not often wise for the creditor to set out his own need
for money as a reason why the debtor should pay the account. It is true
that the sympathy of the debtor may be aroused, but the tale of misery
may lead him to extend comfort rather than aid. However, several such
letters have been included, not because they are good but because
sometimes they may be used.

_Collection letters_

Most firms have adopted a series of collection letters beginning with
the routine card reminder of an overdue account and following with
gradually increasingly personal second, third, fourth, and so on,
letters.

_First letter--printed card_

THE ENCLOSED STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT
IS SENT TO YOU AS WE BELIEVE YOU
HAVE OVERLOOKED ITS PAYMENT.

STONE BROTHERS

_Second letter_