CHAPTER VII

=THE CORRESPONDENCE FILE=

No specialist, or physician who conducts a general practice by publicity methods, can hope to make a lasting success, except in rare instances, without a well-managed correspondence department. In the beginning the physician may attend to this himself but, as the business grows he will need the services of a smart, competent man. Newspaper men do the best in this position. The right kind of men command from $50 to $100 a week, and in many cases get a working interest in the business. They are worth every cent they get.

The physician with a large office or out-of-town practice is too busy to give attention to the details of correspondence. He has not the time during office hours, and after his work for the day is done he is too weary to dictate the many letters that should go out every day. Not only this, but there are very few medical men who know just what to say. Letter writing is a gift, and the men who have this gift make a business of it.

Every letter that comes into the office should be indexed by the card system and then filed away by number with the copy of the reply attached. This work, as well as the opening of the mail and the dictation of answers, should be done in a room convenient to the doctor’s office, but away from it far enough so that the patients will not suspect the connection.

A letter arrives from Hiram Oxbow, of Valparaiso, Indiana. The man in charge of the correspondence opens it and finds that, according to the printed heading Mr. Oxbow is conducting a cooperage plant. The letter runs about as follows:

HIRAM OXBOW

MANUFACTURER OF COOPERAGE

VALPARAISO, IND., August 10, 1910.

_Dr. G. H. Wilkinson, Chicago, Ill._

DEAR SIR: I have read of your success in the treatment of locomotor ataxia, and would like to know whether you think you can do anything for me. I am 45 years of age, and have been afflicted for the last eight years. Have doctored with nearly everybody in the country without results. Can you cure locomotor ataxia? Please let me hear from you soon.

Yours respectfully, HIRAM OXBOW.

Sorting out all the letters of this kind the correspondence chief gives them to one of his stenographers with instructions to look up the financial rating of the various writers as given in Dun’s or Bradstreet’s. Every well-equipped correspondence room will have a copy of a commercial guide of this kind. The girl marks on the letters such ratings as are given in the guide. Mr. Oxbow, for instance, is quoted as A 4.

When the answers are written each new enquirer is given an individual card and number, the numbers running consecutively. The last number in the file we will say is 6345. Mr. Oxbow’s number will be 6346. One of the girls then makes out a card which reads:

No. 6346—Hiram Oxbow, Valparaiso, Ind. Rating A 4.

1907

Aug. 11. First enquiry. Answered with No. 3.

Mr. Oxbow’s letter with a carbon copy of the reply thereto is then placed in a manila paper pocket, numbered 6346, and filed in the letter cabinet. If at any time it is desired to get the correspondence in the Oxbow case the card, which is filed alphabetically, will give the correspondence number and the location of the letters themselves will then be easy.

An entry in brief is made on the card every time Mr. Oxbow is heard from so that the card itself will show at all times an outline of the status of the case. Suppose that a number of letters pass, and Mr. Oxbow finally decides to come to Chicago to see the doctor. The card will then show entries like these:

No. 6346—Hiram Oxbow, Valparaiso, Ind. Rating A 4.

1907

Aug. 10. First enquiry. Answered with No. 3.

Aug. 15. Wants more particulars. Asked him to come to Chicago.

Aug. 21. Enquires about fees. Told him it was impossible to fix amount in advance of seeing patient.

Aug. 26. Will be in Chicago Aug. 30th, 9 a.m.

Every letter received from Mr. Oxbow and a copy of every reply is filed in the same manila pocket so that when wanted they are all together, and can be taken out in a minute.

Suppose Mr. Oxbow is not rated in Dun or Bradstreet? It is the correspondence chief’s business to ascertain his financial standing if it is possible to do so. Frequently this is done through the doctor’s bank, or the doctor may be a subscriber to some commercial agency. In either event a confidential enquiry is made as to the responsibility of Mr. Oxbow. The answer may say: “Good for $10,000;” or “credit good, pays bills promptly;” or “credit poor.” In the great majority of cases information of some kind will be secured which can be entered on the cards for future reference.

How are enquiries from prospective patients secured? Some of them are made voluntarily, being induced by the enquirer having read in some city paper about the doctor’s success in certain lines of practice—one of those articles which the clever press agent, who is usually the correspondence chief, has had inserted in the guise of news. Generally, however, enquiries are drawn out by a systematic campaign through the mails, or by resort to publication in the country papers.

No wide-awake, progressive correspondence chief will wait for voluntary enquiries. He will make an arrangement with a clipping bureau by which for $5 a hundred he will be supplied with clippings from all the papers, large and small, in his territory announcing the illness of citizens. When the Beeville _Bugle_ publishes the news that “Abner Skeets, a prominent resident of Beeville, has become a victim of chronic arthritis,” the paper is not in the office of the clipping bureau over a few hours before the correspondence chief has received the paragraph. In this manner he comes into possession of hundreds of similar news items every week.

All the various publicity articles which the city papers have published about Dr. Wilkinson and his wonderful success have been reproduced by the zinc-etching process and thousands of slips printed in a manner which makes them bear the appearance of having been torn out of the original publications.

As fast as the clippings come in Mr. Press Agent sorts them by towns and has one of his stenographers make a card index, giving the name and address of each prospect and the nature of his disease, as well as the date of mailing the first clipping. Then he has plain envelopes addressed to each prospect, and encloses in these envelopes one of the prepared news items applicable to the ailment with which the party addressed is afflicted. There is no printed business card on these envelopes and, as they are invariably addressed by hand, the recipient is under the impression that the communication has been sent by some unknown friend who desires to let him know of this doctor’s success in the treatment of just such cases. The recipient does not connect the doctor with the sending of the clipping as he argues that, if it came from a doctor, the envelope would bear his business address, and there would be some note of explanation. Besides, there is not one chance in a million that Dr. Wilkinson ever heard of him, or knows where he lives, or what the nature of his trouble is. Of course it was sent by some friend.

This method excites the curiosity of the sufferer, and he gives careful attention to the clipping and begins to ask himself whether it is not worth while to write to this wonderful physician and ask his advice about treatment.

As fast as a batch of clippings is sent out the cards from which the addresses were taken are moved to the back of the receptacle, and a date card, a little higher than the others and of a different color so as to be readily noticeable, is placed in front of them. This date card shows when, if no reply is received to the first communication, it will be in order to send a second.

If the first communications are mailed on the 10th of the month, the date card behind which these cards are placed will bear date of the 30th, thus showing that on the 30th of the month another clipping, or some other form of literature should be sent.

Whenever one of the parties thus addressed is heard from this card is given a file number and transferred to the prospective list, the purport of the enquiry and the nature of the reply being noted on it. There is never lack of material to work on. People who have heard of the doctor are writing to him all the time, and the clipping bureau is continually sending in items about people in various parts of the country who have become afflicted with serious chronic troubles.

Every physician who practises in this manner should have a neat pamphlet descriptive of his treatment and the results obtained in various ailments. It is the duty of the press agent or correspondence chief to prepare this. It should be modest in language and give an outline of the pathology of certain diseases as well as the therapeutic effects of the treatment in a rational, plausible manner. Exaggerated statement, or defects in technical description will defeat its purpose. The typography must be neat and in good taste, and the paper of high quality.

Right here it may be stated that many physicians are penny wise and pound foolish in the matter of literature and stationery. The best is none too good. Neat, handsome work attracts attention, while the cheap, slip-shod variety repels.

If the clipping first sent has not brought an enquiry by the tenth day, mail one of the pamphlets. The recipient will read this with interest and note particularly what has been accomplished in cases strikingly similar to his own. On mailing the pamphlet the fact should be entered on the card, with date of mailing, and the card moved back another ten days, ready to be taken up again on the 30th. By this system there is a constant stream of mail matter going out every day, and each card contains a record of just what printed matter has been sent to each prospect, and when.

Allowing that neither the newspaper item or the pamphlet bring enquiries Mr. Press Agent will, as his third effort, address the sufferer by letter somewhat as follows:

G. H. WILKINSON, M.D.

SPECIALIST IN CHRONIC DISEASES

—— Michigan Avenue

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 1910.

_Mr. John Peters, Beeville, Wisconsin._

DEAR SIR: Recently, at the suggestion of a mutual friend, I mailed to your address a copy of a pamphlet containing an account of what has been accomplished in the treatment of cases similar to yours by an entirely new method. This I hope you have received and had time to read over carefully as I am confident you will find it of interest.

The gentleman referred to (who requests that his name be withheld) has told me considerable about your case—just enough to arouse professional curiosity. This is my only excuse for intruding upon you. If you will kindly forward details, stating length of illness, nature of symptoms, what has been accomplished in the way of treatment, etc., I may be able to use the information to the benefit of others similarly afflicted.

Should I be able to offer any suggestions or advice which may tend to improve your condition, I shall be glad to do so. For this there will be no fee or charge of any kind—it will be merely exchanging one favor for another.

Yours very truly, G. H. WILKINSON, M.D.

No appeal here to come in and be relieved of a big fee; no intimation that the doctor would like to have Mr. Peters as a pay patient. On the contrary the doctor only seeks information that may be of benefit to other patients. At least this is the way Mr. Peters interprets it.

“Fine fellow, that doctor,” says Mr. Peters as he reads the letter, and he sits him down “with pen in hand” to describe his case, invariably winding up with an enquiry as to whether the doctor thinks there is any hope for him. The reply from Mr. Peters is forthcoming all the quicker because the doctor has thoughtfully enclosed a plain stamped envelope bearing the written (not printed or type-written) address, “G. H. Wilkinson, —— Michigan Ave., Chicago.” No M.D., attached to the title, nothing to give the inquisitive hangers-on at the post office in Beeville a clue to the true nature of the communication. When these busybodies happen to catch a glimpse of Mr. Peters’ letter they have no suspicion that it is a doctor their fellow townsman is writing to. Nothing to show it on the envelope. No doctor’s return card in the corner, no printed or even type-written address.

No sir-ree. Dr. Wilkinson is too smart for that. Experience has taught him that the average man does not like to have his friends and neighbors know that he is corresponding with a strange doctor. Hence the “sent-securely-sealed-in-plain-package tactics.”

It’s different in a big town or city where the facilities for becoming acquainted with the nature of a man’s correspondence do not exist, and the rush of business is so great that even postal cards go through the mails unread by any one except the sender and the receiver.

But in the rural districts where Absalom Squash and Praise-it-all Tompkins assist Hiram Gaylord in his duties as postmaster to the extent of closely inspecting every letter that comes in or goes out—why that’s another story.

“Wonder what John Peters is writing to that fellow in Chicago erbout?” says Absalom Squash as he picks up the letter addressed to G. H. Wilkinson and holds it up to the light in a vain effort to get an inkling as to the contents. But this Wilkinson chap is wise. He has provided an extra heavy envelope, white on the exterior, but blue coated inside, to thwart just such efforts. Against the postal regulations for anybody outside of the postmaster or his sworn assistants to handle the mail? Of course it is. But this regulation is a dead one in nearly every small post office in the country.

When Mr. Squash goes home he reports to Samantha that “John Peters is writin’ to that Chicago fellow again. John had a letter from Chicago day before yesterday, and to-day he sent off the answer, but he didn’t write the address himself.”

“How’d you know ’twas from Peters, then?”

“’Cause his boy brought it to the office,” answers Absalom triumphantly.

Samantha is interested and runs over to her friend Abigail Simpkins to discuss the strange occurrence. That they are unable to do more than enjoy a little idle gossip is owing to the lack of any clew on the envelope as to the nature of the business or occupation of the party addressed.

In this feature Dr. Wilkinson’s plan is a good one. In corresponding with patients or prospective patients use plain envelopes, or if some safeguard in the matter of return is desired, use a post-office card in the corner such as “If not delivered in five days return to Box ——, Chicago Post Office.” Nothing more. Should anybody make an effort to ascertain who has rented this particular box in Chicago, or any other city of decent size, he will be politely told by the postal officials that it is none of his business.

Sometimes the parties addressed die before the letter reaches them. In cases of this kind the return card in the corner of the envelope serves a good purpose. It is the duty of the postmaster to return it to the address given in the card marked “Party dead.” When this happens the correspondence chief takes the card from the file and destroys it. There is no use wasting time, stationery and postage on dead ones.

About five or six forms of these preliminary letters are prepared, and each is given a number such as No. 1, No. 2, and so on. When they are to be sent out it is not necessary for the correspondence chief to dictate a letter to each prospect. He merely sorts out the cards which are due to be attended to that day and turns them over to one of the girls to send No. 1, or No. 2, or whatever letter may be in order.

The stenographers have copies of all these letters and, as they write them, the form number of the letter and the date of its mailing is entered on the prospect card. After the list of letters has been exhausted the cards are transferred to another file to be used later in connection with the “I have been called to your town” correspondence. This is a great labor-saving system and makes possible the transaction of an immense amount of correspondence at the minimum of expense.

Many invalids, especially those who have tried various forms of treatment without obtaining relief are doubters—they insist upon “being shown.” They insist upon some convincing evidence that this special treatment has merit. This is easy in most instances although once in a while the specialist runs across a hardened old cuss who would not believe the Angel Gabriel under oath, and doesn’t hesitate to say so.

Nearly every physician is sure to have some patients who have been greatly benefited by his treatment and are truly grateful for the relief obtained. The securing of the right kind of letters from these patients is only a matter of request at the proper psychological moment. After a friendly talk with one of these patients some day when the latter is feeling unusually exuberant, and has deftly been led up to the stage of declaring that he can never repay the doctor for what he has done for him, the physician will say:

“Oh, that’s all right, Mr. Brown. I am sincerely happy to know that the improvement has been so great. No matter what we do, there is sure to be scoffers and doubters. But a physician’s hands are tied. There is no way in which he can overcome this bias except with the aid of just such men as yourself. Now, if you could find it convenient to write a letter stating just what has been done in your case I would keep it in my desk to show such doubters as may drop in on me. Not as an advertisement or a puff mind you, but merely as a means of overcoming unfair statements. But I feel that this would be asking too much of you.”

“Not at all, doctor. I’ll be only to glad to do it. But the fact is doctor, I’m a poor letter writer. If you’ll prepare something I’ll sign it.”

This is just what the doctor wants and at the first opportunity he slips out and passes the word to the correspondence chief. The latter prepares a letter which the doctor copies in his own handwriting. When it is submitted to Mr. Brown the doctor says:

“This will look and read better on one of your own letter heads. If you will copy it on your stationery I’ll appreciate the favor.” When finally written and signed the letter will be about like this:

JAMES H. BROWN DEALER IN HIDES AND TALLOW Union Stock Yards

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 1910.

DEAR DOCTOR WILKINSON: I am sure you will be glad to know that the improvement in my case continues and grows, if anything, more noticeable daily. Considering the physical wreck I was three months ago, the change is little short of miraculous. This is not only my opinion, but that of my friends as well.

It is particularly gratifying to have those who called me a fool when they heard I was going to Chicago to be treated for locomotor ataxia now acknowledge that they were mistaken, and congratulate me on my action.

If I can serve you in any way don’t hesitate to call upon me. It is my duty to let fellow-beings similarly afflicted know what you have done for me.

Gratefully yours, JAMES H. BROWN.

In the same manner the doctor secures similar letters from other patients. These are reproduced by the zinc-etching process, business headings and all, and when properly printed few people can tell them from the originals. When copies are sent out to prospective patients accompanied by the right kind of a letter of explanation the persons receiving them believe, as a rule, that the doctor has forwarded for their inspection the correspondence of Mr. Brown, or some other patient, and this impression induces many people to return them so the doctor will not lose such valuable communications.

The author, who has long experience in this line, has had many such letters sent back with notes of thanks for the privilege of reading them. One of these notes, which he still retains, reads as follows:

OSHKOSH, WIS., April 15, 1910.

DEAR DOCTOR: I have read the letters you sent me, with a great deal of interest, and will say to you frankly that they have convinced me that there must be a lot of good in your treatment. I am now making arrangements to come to Chicago, and will do so as soon as I can close a deal which is now pending and get hold of some cash.

I return the letters as I know you must prize them highly, and would dislike to lose them.

Will write you a day or two before I start, as it will be necessary to have some one meet me at the depot.

Very truly yours, ————

Did I get this man for a patient? Yes, and he paid a good fat fee. And the best part of it all is the fact that, after about three months of treatment, he went back home comparatively a well man. On his first visit to the office he was in a wheel chair—he could not walk. When he left he was able to walk a mile or more without undue effort.

It would defeat the purpose in using these letters from patients to send them broadcast as circulars. Discretion must be used as to the manner of distribution. Never send one until you have had considerable correspondence with a prospect, and then be careful that duplicates do not get into the small towns. The smaller the town the faster the news travels. If John Smith, living in a hamlet of 300 population, receives communications of this kind it is only a matter of a few days until everybody in the place knows of it. Smith tells his wife, his wife tells somebody else, and in this manner the news is circulated.

Now, if Aleck Brown, living in the same town, or close by, should get duplicates of these letters Smith and the others would soon hear of it and, instead of being looked upon as priceless treasures submitted for Smith’s inspection, they would naturally be classed as some new-fangled method of circular advertising.

Having passed several preliminary letters with Mr. Smith without getting him to commit himself as to coming in for treatment, pick out a couple of the letters from patients which apply the most directly to his case, the particulars of which may be obtained from the prospect index. Enclose these with a letter of your own addressed to Mr. Smith, and reading about like this:

G. H. WILKINSON, M.D.

SPECIALIST IN CHRONIC DISEASES

—— Michigan Avenue

CHICAGO, ——, 1910.

_Mr. John Smith, Vail’s Gate, Mich._

DEAR SIR: In a recent letter you expressed doubt as to the merit of any treatment that could be applied in a case like yours. In view of the many disappointments which you have had I cannot criticise you for holding this opinion. It is a natural one under the circumstances.

I am not writing this letter with a view to changing, or attempting to alter in any way, your decision on this point. You have probably made up your mind on the subject, and that’s the end of it.

Despite this I am positive that you will be interested in the enclosed letters from former patients in which they express their views as to the treatment, and the results obtained in their cases. After reading these communications I shall be under obligations if you will kindly return them to me, as I would not like to lose them.

Very truly yours, G. H. WILKINSON, M.D.

Again a plain, stamped, hand addressed envelope is also enclosed so that Mr. Smith may be put to no expense or trouble in sending back the precious letters, thousands of copies of which are kept in stock in the doctor’s office.

All communications emanating from the office bear the pen-written signature of the physician in charge, but he sees very few of them. He is not even conversant with their contents, except as he may happen to discuss the subject with his correspondence chief. It is the latter who directs the correspondence and conducts it in the name of the physician. He is the business getter of the concern. It is his duty to get prospective patients coming into the office; it is the physician’s duty to handle them after they get there, and to obtain as large a fee as possible in each instance.