that some of the shots will take effect.

There are a hundred things that might be said about this commodity
that you want to market. It requires a knowledge of human nature,
and of salesmanship to single out the particular arguments and the
inducement that will carry most weight with the individual to whom
you are writing. For even if you are preparing a form letter it will
be most effective if it is written directly at some individual who
most nearly represents the conditions, the circumstances and the
needs of the class you are trying to reach.

Only the new correspondent selects the arguments that are nearest at
hand--the viewpoints that appeal to him. The high score letter
writers look to outside sources for their talking points. One of the
most fruitful sources of information is the men who have bought your
goods. The features that induced them to buy your product, the
things that they talk about are the very things that will induce
others to buy that same product. Find out what pleases the man who
is using your goods and you may be sure that this same feature will
appeal to the prospect.

It is equally desirable to get information from the man who did not
buy your machine--learn his reasons, find out what objections he has
against it; where, in his estimation, it fell short of his
requirements; for it is reasonably certain that other prospects will
raise the same objections and it is a test of good salesmanship to
anticipate criticisms and present arguments that will forestall such
objections.

In every office there should be valuable evidence in the files--