Example: Letter Comparison

Original Letter

Gentlemen:

The operations at our outbound-rail-receiving station are handicapped because a material percentage of the total business is delivered to us in the late afternoon. This condition results in congestion, overtime on the part of our forces, delays to trucks and in some cases delays to freight. On November 10, we received from your company a lot of 510 pieces, which reached here at 4:20 P.M.

We solicit your cooperation toward overcoming the undesirable effects arising form the late receipt of freight. May we ask that, on days on which you ship the volume which was received on the above date, effort be made either to get the truck here earlier or to deliver us part of the freight during the morning.

The advantage would be that of more expeditious discharge of your trucks and the assurance that your business would go forward on the date of its receipt.

Very truly yours,

— Bla Bla

Revised Example Letter

Dear Mr. V,

Your company has been one of our good customers for fourteen years. Naturally, we are very grateful for your patronage and are eager to give you the speedy, efficient service you deserve. However, we regret to say that it isn’t possible for us to do that when your trucks bring us a large shipment late in the afternoon, as they did on November 10. Why? Because many other customer make late afternoon deliveries also. Naturally, that causes congestion. That means your trucks are held up unavoidably at the pier and sometimes even your freight is delayed.

That’s bad, but it can be avoided. If you make your deliveries at the pier in the morning when possible, your trucks will be able to keep moving, your freight will get immediate attention, and our workers will get home early at night to enjoy a dinner of the delicious macaroni and noodles that you manufacture.

Regardless of when your shipments arrive, we shall always cheerfully do all in our power to serve you promptly.

You are busy. Please don’t trouble to answer this note.

Yours truly,

— Bla Bla

Closing the Deal

• Get the other person saying "yes, yes" as soon as possible.
  • Emphasize things all parties already agree on.
  • As Socrates suggested, win one concession after another until, without realizing it, your opponent is forced to agree to a position that would have otherwise been fiercely rejected.
  • In today’s information dense environment, we actively seek to reject proposals and information. Getting others to say yes immediately drives momentum in the direction of acceptance.

• Dramatize your ideas.
  • It helps to make a visual, visceral demonstration of your ideas:
    • When presenting a competitive assessment of MP3 players, bring the competitors’ products to your meeting.
    • When selling an anti-theft devices for cars, a dramatic video demonstrating the experience of getting one's car stolen will help sales.

• Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
  • People are more committed to their own ideas.
  • Make suggestions and let others come to the desired conclusions.
  • It may be in your best interest not to claim any credit.

• Appeal to the nobler motives.
  • People often have multuple reasons for doing something. At least one will sound good as an external justification. The real reasons may often be hidden. Appeal to the one that sounds good.
  • Example: As a tenant gives notice that he is preparing to break his lease, his landlord praises the tenant’s good character. The landlord insists the tenant is a man of his word and will live up to the terms of the lease he signed.
  • Example 2: A celebrity wanted to avoid having an unflattering photo published. He asked the paper who owned the photo not to publish it, as his mother disliked the picture.

• Throw down a challenge.
  • Stimulate competition among co-workers.
  • Challenge someone’s capabilities/self-perceptions.
    • To a body builder: “Is he strong enough to get the job done?”
    • To help persuade a job applicant to take the job “This job will require someone really motivated to succeed, it isn’t a position for everyone