UC-NRLF SB E4D 517 -Mil v> I flfi .-..,, SALESMANSHIP FOR WOMEN Salesmanship for Women Gleanings from an experience of years in handling the sales problems of women in the field. A complete analysis of the fundamental principles involved in a sale. Advice concerning the selection of the right article, preparation necessary to become successful, and a discussion of sales principles as woman. kind should apply them. By ADELAIDE BENEDICT-ROCHE. Published by the Author ADELAIDE BENEDICT-ROCHE Cochranton, Pa. PRICE, ONE DOLLAR POSTPAID. Copyright 1913 by Adelaide Benedict-Roche. A tribute to the unflagging energy of the thousands of American saleswomen in the field who are making good. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Women Especially Qualified to Succeed as Repre- sentatives ii CHAPTER II. Personal Appearance 29 CHAPTER III. Selecting the Right Article or Goods to Represent . 34 CHAPTER IV. Belief in Your Goods 40 i CHAPTER V. Importance of Committing Selling-Talk 43 CHAPTER VI. Building the Sale 51 CHAPTER VII. First Impressions 75 CHAPTER VIII. The Special Representative Sometimes Called "General Agent" 81 CHAPTER IX. How to Overcome Objections 90 CHAPTER X. What to Do When a License Is Required 96 CHAPTER XI. Conclusion 101 Inspiration 105 FOREWORD. MY occupation for the past several years has been helping to solve the sales problems of saleswo- men. The work has been crowded full of interest and knowledge; for it has brought me into intimate asso- ciation with all the varying degrees of success and fail- ure and the contributing causes that led to each. Long ago I became convinced that a training for salesmanship as practiced by woman should be essen- tially different from that required to fit man for the same profession. Men are verily creatures of liberty women, so hampered by hide-bound conventionalities, that it is difficult to adapt a universal application of the sci- ence of salesmanship to both sexes. More and more this fact obtruded itself in my daily work, and made me recognize the need of something tangible in the way of salesmanship for women. I cast about for some particular volume that would meet my purpose. None was to be found. Persever- ingly I scanned trade journal after trade journal, book catalogues innumerable. Everywhere could be found evidence that salesmanship from the viewpoint of man's requirements had been ably taken care of, and the knowledge well classified. I knew that the fundamental principles of salesmanship are always the same whether the thing called a "sale" be reared by either man or woman. Still I realized that the technic of the application of these fundamentals must vary ac- cording to the sex of the seller. I wanted something specifically applicable to woman's selling problems, and I found nothing. To supply this deficiency is the mission of this book. It does not seek to claim originality so much as help- fulness. The kindly counsel of many friends, ex- pert in selling, has helped to make it possible. To these the writer feels a deep measure of gratitude is due, and it is here publically offered. "SALESMANSHIP FOR WOMEN" enjoys the unique distinction of occupying its field alone. If its perusal helps to stimulate a higher degree of efficiency in the woman in the field, the author shall have been fully repaid for its production. CHAPTER I. WOMEN ESPECIALLY QUALIFIED TO SUCCEED AS REPRESENTATIVES. BOOKS innumerable have been written upon Sales- manship in its relation to man and his efforts to sell. At least a dozen good periodicals base their claim for existence upon the help they impart to sales- men in the formulating of a sale. There are "House Organs" galore whose pages are veritable "correspond- ence courses" in the art of selling. Last but not least, the Correspondence School itself advertises its pre- scribed courses in salesmanship. None of these splendid helps openly limits their in- struction to "men only." Nevertheless, such articles mostly have been written by Sales Managers or veter- ans in the selling game, who have had but their strug- gling brethren in mind when directing the volleys of their logic and epigrams. Nowhere in all this mass of literature does it appear that woman is to be seri- ously considered if indeed thought of at all as a possible competitor for honor in salesmanship. It cannot be denied, however, that she has already ii Salesmanship for Women. entered this field. The past ten years have seen her invade a great many avenues of barter and exchange formerly thought to be possible only for men. "Invade" is about the best word we could select here for it tells most of the indomitable courage dis- played by the gentler sex in elbowing her erstwhile lords for positions of honor and trust. To-day, she is the mainspring of every great office system ; she smiles out at us from Receiving and Paying Tellers' win- dows; her signature graces many a check when the rough cowboys of the plains get their monthly wages for "rounding up" on a two thousand acre ranch ; she runs great railroad systems, school systems, municipal systems with the same sang froid she does her big touring car. Through her own assertiveness, cour- age in the face of her very sons' stubborn and unrea- sonable opposition, she has mounted to her seat of equality with man, and in many instances has proven his superior. It is openly admitted that she has al- ready become a dominant factor in the realm of sales. Therefore, it is only justice that at least a part of the instruction which the science of selling has developed, be directly addressed to the peculiar needs of her sex. So far as the writer's knowledge extends this has never been attempted in a separate work. Let the above fact serve as an excuse if any be demanded 12 Salesmanship for Women. for the attempt which here follows. The facts, in- stances and helps herein set forth have been culled from a continuous experience of years in handling a force of thousands of saleswomen, scattered through- out the entire United States. That the underlying principles of successful salesmanship are the same, re- gardless of geographical conditions, I desire to assure you in all earnestness. Women are admirably adapted to become success- ful selling factors. More and more are large corpora- tions beginning to realize this fact and recruit them for their field ranks. A few short years ago the female drummer was the exception. To-day she is accepted as a matter-of-course, brought about by the readjust- ment of commercial activities. She is accorded the same respect at hotels, given the same careful atten- tion by buyers, as is her gentleman co-worker. To deny womanly charm is to openly repudiate one of Nature's most important laws. Certainly it exists, and its value to the woman who is selling a product to the sterner sex cannot be disputed. This does not at all mean that she should either openly or brazenly use to advantage this influence which exists within her. To do so defeats the very end she seeks to accomplish. It is impossible for a woman to cheap- 13 Salesmanship for Women. en herself in the eyes of a buyer without excessively cheapening the product she sells. There is a power in womanly dignity which all men are quick to recog- nize and to respect. When you have gained the re- spectful attention of your prospect, you are on a fair road to a sale. The point I wish to bring out is that since this womanly charm does exist it will wield its influence in your behalf, without your conscious recognition of it at all. Nor will the buyer himself be cognizant of the fact that he is paying closer attention to your argu- ment simply because you are a woman. Nevertheless, under normal health conditions of both parties, that advantage is ever yours. I merely mention this in furthering my argument that women are most admir- ably adapted to become successful in the art of selling. Again I wish to impress upon you the fact that to at- tempt to exert this power consciously tears down the structure you seek to build. Simply know that it ex- ists, a count in your favor, and then forget it. Of course, it is distinctly understood that anything done to enhance the personal appearance greatly aug- ments this magnetism. Men love beauty, cleanliness, attractiveness and harmonious dressing in women. All these things minister to the ideal of womanhood he un- 14 Salesmanship for Women. consciously holds in his mind, and upon which he men- tally stamps his approval. But it is not alone with men that woman exerts sell- ing persuasion. When it comes to dealing with her own sex, she again puts man to disadvantage. Wo- men are not bold as a rule, and when a salesman knocks at the door she continually retards his efforts to sell because of her natural timidity. Unconscious- ly there lurks in her mind a fear which prevents her from becoming openly receptive to the facts being ex- pounded. This fear element generally induces as speedy a conclusion to the visit as politeness will per- mit. If, on the other hand, the Representative be a lady, she hastens to invite her in, and at once listens to the talk with interest, since she and her visitor are upon common ground. It is all the better if the article for sale be a household necessity or wearing apparel, for here the Representative may develop the points to comprehending ears. Every woman is naturally in- terested in any device that will lighten the burden of household duties and give her more hours to herself. If it be something of adornment for the home, her in- born aesthetic nature instantly responds. If something in wearing apparel producing more comfort, better style, a longer term of wearing service, the bargain 15 Salesmanship for Women. instinct that is a traditional trait of woman instantly asserts itself. But mark you! The mere exhibiting of the article itself seldom, if ever, induces a sale. Point by point, step by step, must the advantages to the purchaser be developed by a logical sales-talk. Then as interest is created and desire manifests it- self, the clinching argument to buy NOW must be driven home with eloquent, convincing force. Thus is the science of salesmanship put into effect and the re- ward is earned because certain well defined steps have led up to the end sought the sale. Those steps in their elemental form, stripped of the embellishments each particular sale calls forth, will be treated in a later chapter entitled "Building the Sale." A splendid appreciation of the advantages open to woman through salesmanship and her right to in- dependence in taking up the work, was recently given by Mrs. W. W. Kincaid before a convention of cor- setieres at Pittsburg. The subject was so ably ex- pounded and the thought so pertinent to the purpose for which this book was written, that I have secured her kind permission to re-produce here the major part of it: "Womankind may be roughly divided into two broad classes the useful women, that is, the true wo- men, and the dolls. Useful women may be divided 16 Salesmanship for Women. into two broad classes: The women who are merely useful thoughtlessly, conventionally, habitually use- ful and the women who are as useful as possible; that is, the women who in calm self-reliance proceed to use to the best advantage all the powers with which a beneficent God has endowed them. You who have taken up salesmanship are in this latter class. "Among men it is considered unprofitable for a potential railway president to waste his powers on a janitor's job; and now, thanks to a broader civiliza- tion, it is coming to be thought allowable among wo- men for those who can do large things to do them. You are yourselves, by your very connection with a responsible firm, examples of the present day higher grade woman's economic emancipation. I congratu- late you. "Why should one-half of the human race be eco- nomically barred from representation in this great world of affairs ? Surely in all departments of life wo- men are needed. From the earliest times they have been contributors to our present civilization. Why should they not be duly recognized as fellow-contribu- tors and be paid for what they do in accordance with what they accomplish? Why be contented with re- flected glory and a few "honey dovey" words of flat- 17 Salesmanship for Women. tery or appreciation, even though the words be true and sincere? "We women want more than this. We want the right to be recognized as individual factors in this great world of affairs. We want the right to .broaden, to unfold, and to develop the intelli- gence and skill God has given us, and be creative workers not only at home, but in the mart, the office, the government in fact, everywhere that our ca- pabilities will enable us to do well whatever task we may find waiting. We ask this, not as a usurpation of man's prerogatives, or to lessen or curtail whatever he may now enjoy in the way of rightful personal lib- erty or opportunity ; but we ask it simply that we may be able to share with him the cares, responsibilities, and anxieties of life in a way that will be more ra- tional and efficient than we could should we spend all our lives staying at home alone, darning stockings, washing dishes, cleaning, sweeping, dusting, and rock- ing the cradle. These things, in due proportion, are perfectly right and necessary, but they are not the all and end of woman's existence. "There is no more reason why the wife and moth- er should confine her activities within the four walls of home than that the husband and father should con- fine his activities absolutely within the four walls of 18 Salesmanship for Women. his office, if he have one. Every mature single wo- man should be self-supporting. Away with that out- grown feeling prevalent now-a-days solely among snobs, that there is anything praiseworthy in a wo- man's being economically dependent on father, hus- band, or brother, while she remains practically, if not absolutely, idle and unproductive! All hail to the sensible, lovable, useful, admirable, up-to-date wo- man, who takes her due part in the necessary activi- ties of humanity! "The time has come when 'wifey' should stop de- voting her brains and energy to the saving of an ex- tra ten cents by her darning and patching in order that "hubby" may have one more cigar to smoke. "Wifey" will much more wisely work and think until woman's home work can be done by some such organization and time-saving division of labor as men employ every- where in their occupations. The "wifey's" housekeep- ing then will take only a little of her time and she will have more leisure for other things among them, having fun with "hubby/' becoming his chum, joyous, happy, contented, instead of his housekeeper, tired, irritable and cross, the willing half of a family row. "Woman must stand on her own feet and herself work out her own destiny. No one can or will do it for her; and if she would permit it to be done for 19 Salesmanship for Women. her she would not be worthy of the better conditions when they become hers to enjoy. She has had born to her many gallant, noble sons, who love her, and there are sympathetic fathers and loyal husbands who wish her God-speed, and will lend her a helping hand when they see she needs it ; but she must prove to so- ciety that she is worthy of something more than the position of either doll or slave if she would expect other recognition than that now, too commonly, ac- corded her: "Slowly and surely through the centuries, at the point of the bayonet and at a terrible sacrifice in blood and treasure, mankind has demanded of the indolent, unproductive, dominating class, an opportunity to en- joy the privileges and economic representaion to which its service and sheer humanity entitled it. During this long hard struggle, which even now has only been par- tially won, men have had able assistance from noble self-sacrificing wives, mothers and sweethearts who asked no other recognition or reward than men's suc- cess. "The women have toiled on patiently and uncom- plainingly, enduring hardships and deprivations that have narrowed their horizon and made them less self- reliant, and naturally more dependent. "Generation after generation has by inheritance, 20 Salesmanship for Women. training and education enhanced and exaggerated these deficiencies in the female offspring and eliminated them as far as possible from the male; so that now we have in the average woman a tendency to shirk responsibility, to be babied and coddled, and to have no definite aim or object in life beyond getting a hus- band to support her. What has she ever done that should render her exempt from economic, industrial service? She surely consumes as much as any hus- band she will ever get under present conditions prob- ably consumes more. "Why does woman suppose that some man will consider it a high privilege to burden himself for life with her maintenance if she is only an idle, extrava- gant doll ? In that case she contributes nothing what- ever to the financial support of the family, and unfort- unately, neither general society nor employers consid- er a married man entitled to more pay than he earned at the same labor before he married. Husband and wife and all that may come after them, are supposed to live, move and have their being on what heretofore has sufficed for one. When the wife is a doll, this frequently cannot be done. Where the wife is a work- er, this is supposed to be accomplished by her. "Such a wife is supposed to be happy and con- tented, simply to bask in the effulgence of her ador- 21 Salesmanship for Women. able's beaming smile, while out of the cheapest materials she sets before his astonished gaze a meal that would satisfy an epicure. Her ability to make bricks without straw must be her long suit if she is to receive even favorable mention from her mother- in-law. Like her husband's salary she is not supposed to have any auxiliary aid, even if the family increase be portentous. Neither does the husband work any more hours, nor, in many instances, have less enjoy- ment than before he increased his responsibilities. His wife on the other hand is simply engulfed in econom- ics and manual tasks, and, in many instances, degen- erates into a fretful, sour, unattractive drudge, in whose society no intelligent, progressive man would care to be. Yet there are people who contend that to change these conditions would cause the fabric of our present civilization to crumble and wither like flow- ers in the oases of the desert at the breath of the dreaded Simoon. "But change will come ; it is now at our very doors. It makes no difference who prefers the old conditions. They, like everything else outworn must step aside for the law of progress which slowly but surely replaces the lower with the higher. Evolution is inexorable, it reaches everything, and it works toward ultimate betterment. 22 Salesmanship for Women. "It may be that human dolls will never be elimi- nated; but never before were they so unpopular and never before were average women so able or so self- reliant. We are headed toward economic independ- ence and we have already traveled far on our way. When we remember the broader opportunities en- joyed everywhere by women to-day as compared with those of even a hundred years ago, we have much reason to rejoice. Then married life was the only occupation open to women, and unfortunate, indeed, was she who must always prefix "Miss" to her name. Then it was considered a disgrace for a woman to be caught reading a book or a newspaper, and to such as were so caught the ignominious title of "Blue-stock- ings" was applied. "As noted a man as Benjamin Franklin, who cer- tainly did as much as any of our Revolutionary fore- fathers to make this glorious republic possible, had a sister who could neither read nor write. No doubt she was as ideal a house-keeper as could anywhere be found, but imagine the intelligence of a man to-day who would be either satisfied or happy with so ig- norant a domestic paragon to share his monthly sti- pend. Yet the average man still thinks that an intelli- gent, thinking, cultured woman ought to be perfectly happy and contented in the same old routine of cook- 23 Salesmanship for Women. ing, dishwashing, and drudgery for her board and clothing as was Miss Franklin whose brain was devel- oped to no other mode of expression. "It was not until 1861 that the first college was open for the higher education of women, and that one was opened to women at all was deplored by the "old fogies" of that day. The girls "might much better be married and rocking the cradle than attempting to pry into matters never intended for their limited compre- hension and to usurp the prerogatives of man," it was said. "At the beginning of the Civil War, two cultured, educated Southern sisters came North to speak on the great evil of slavery, and were hooted and jeered from the platform. "The idea of women daring to speak in public !" "It was preposterous !" "They had much better attend to their domestic duties and keep in their proper sphere !" "Who is the judge as to what constitutes a woman's sphere? Are any criticisms ever offered as to a man getting out of his sphere? No! Not even when he assumes to dictate to his wife in matters about which he knows nothing. I contend that a woman has the privilege and the right to do whatever honorable pro- ductive labor she can do sufficiently well to create a demand for her service, no matter where or what it 24 Salesmanship for Women. may be ; and for said service she is entitled to the same remuneration as man, providing she accomplishes as much in the same length of time and does her work as well. "In the case of many of you, great cataclysms in your lives have brought you into direct touch with this busy, throbbing, selfish world, and in sorrow and tears, and under great stress of circumstances you have been compelled to depend upon your own wits to provide bread and other necessities, not only for your- selves, but likewise in many cases for others dependent upon you. To some of you doubtless this change came suddenly and unexpectedly; and being cast from an atmosphere of love, care and protection into the cold air of the work-a-day world, there to experience the disinterested indifference of strangers, was even harder on you than all the toil and labor incident to the supporting of yourselves. "It may have been with some of you, as it was with the mother of a precious youngster who was noted for his ability to spell correctly and give the right defi- nition of words. His teacher asked him to spell mat- rimony. "M-a-t-r-i-m-o-n-y" was the immediate re- sponse. "Now, Johnny, tell me its meaning." "Well, I don't know exactly, but anyway, Ma's got all she 25 Salesmanship for Women. wants of it." If such be your case, it is probably be- cause you made a vital mistake in your choice. "It is not likely that the inharmony and disappoint- ment were due to the fact that your girlish ideals of what you felt was your prerogative as a wife, were at fault. An ideal marriage did not mean to you a life of comparative ease, with little to do aside from mak- ing a display of fine clothes, entertaining or being entertained by your supposed friends ; you did not wish to be a restless moth, preying on society; your lover husband did not go down in the unequal industrial struggle, either into a premature grave or degenerate into a tobacco-steeped, cranky, disagreeable money- making machine, with no appreciation of aught else but dollars and cents. You are business women. But many marriages have gone to wreck because the wives were what you are not, namely, because they were lighted-headed dolls. "I feel deeply for you who have faced difficulties and you have my sincere sympathy in your struggles. Many of you are tugging at heavier burdens than you should carry alone. I know just how in sunshine and in rain, in the broiling heat of summer or through the ice and snows of winter, sick or well, disheartened or elated, successful or unsuccessful, you plod patiently on, missionaries of light into thousands of homes, in- 26 Salesmanship for Women. creasing their cheer and happiness, because of the added comfort and capacity for enjoyment of what you sell. "I know your disappointment and discouragement when, tired and weary, you believe your hard-earned money is at last within your grasp, and yet the pur- chaser fails to keep her agreement. Sometimes the customer has unaccountably changed her mind a thing too many women think they are at all times privileged to do. Maybe the factory, or the postof- fice, or the express company made a mistake. Maybe your shipments were delayed until your customers can- celled their orders. I am familiar with all these try- ing situations, for I have personally faced these same circumstances ; and there is no experience in my life of which I am more proud than the fact that when I was twenty I took 107 orders for corsets, and made as many dollars, in four weeks, working only a few hours a day. * * # "The coming woman the ideal woman will take her place by her husband's side, as a constant com- panion, an inspiration, a safe-guard, an ever-present helper in time of need, discouragement or sorrow, a participator in his sunshine or happiness, a sharer of all his aims, hopes and ambitions but not necessarily 27 Salesmanship for Women. of his pocket-book, unless ill-health, sickness, or mis- fortune make such dependence necessary. In that case it should be his good pleasure and privilege to care for her tenderly and sustain her as it would be her duty and wish to provide for and cherish him during mis- fortune. "There is in certain quarters a foolish pride that feels called upon to apologize for business enterprise when exhibited by a woman ; but I have yet to meet the man who did not honor and respect the self-reliant, self-supporting business woman; and as proof that such admiration of business women on the part of capable men is real, I can point to some of the happiest marriages I know, that have resulted from business acquaintances. "You, saleswomen, can cherish a sound and ration- al pride in the part you are taking in the world's work and in your position among women ; for you are in the van of that growing army of the economically inde- pendent. You are helping place woman side by side with man in rights and privileges as nature has placed her abilities. Success to you always and to her and to man, her equal companion and lover." 28 CHAPTER II. PERSONAL APPEARANCE. WE shall now discuss the question of what is the most appropriate dress for the woman who seeks to earn her livelihood by influencing others to purchase what she has to offer. We can do no better than to preface our remarks by the words of the poet who thus admirably sums up the requisites of a busi- ness woman's apparel: "In words, as fashion, the same rule will hold; Alike fantastic, if too new or old; Be not the first by whom the new are tried. Nor yet the last to lay the old aside" p ^ n 6* i d*vv*^ All women will concede the advantage of a pleas- ing initial appearance. We must first secure a hear- ing before we can present the merits of our goods and push our arguments to the conclusion of a sale. Many a lady with a really meritorious article and a thorough knowledge of her goods has been denied the opportunity of coalescing these important factors be- 29 Salesmanship for Women. cause her personal appearance so off-set her magnet- ism as to prevent a favorable conclusion to the inter- view. It is, therefore, highly important that there be that quality about your dress which pleases rather than repels. This does not argue that your garb should be an expensive one. That in itself would detract from the attention of the article you seek to sell be- cause most people would recognize it as out of place and wonder why you need work at all if you can af- ford such expensive clothing. Quiet, tailored simplic- ity must be the keynote of your dress. The thing to be brought most prominently into the foreground is the thing you seek to sell, the wonderful advantages it possesses and its usefulness to the purchaser. Any- thing about your personal appearance which stands out to the extent of detracting your prospect's atten- tion from the selling talk to yourself is detrimental to the development of the sale. A soiled or "oily" face, straggling hair or finger nails in half-mourning are here a crime for which you will pay the penalty. The hat should be unobstrusive. There must be nothing of prominence about its trimming nor must there be such combinations of colors as to make your prospect wonder "who on earth got up that contrap- tion." Especially in dealing with women is the ad- 30 Salesmanship for Women. vantage of a plain tailored hat of inestimable value. Women dearly dote on millinery creations and when you sit before a woman prospect with a study in trim- ming gracing your head, the prospect's attention cen- ters first on the hat, while she apparently listens po- litely to what you have to say. By the time she has satisfied her curiosity, she has lost some of the vital points of your sales-talk which she necessarily should know in order to arrive at a favorable conclusion. Practically the same is true of the dress itself or of the outer garment. The plain tailored gown or outer coat in quiet, becoming style is always good form and instantly stamps you in the mind of the prospect as having good taste. This in itself leaves a valuable impression which means much in installing yourself into the good graces of the prospect. These are little things, it is true, but they mean much where a first impression practically decides whether you shall be granted time enough in the presence of your prospect to develop the steps incident to the sale. The less jewelry or .personal adornment by trinkets of any kind, the greater the chances are for having the prospect focus her entire attention upon what you are saying. In the matter of personal appearance you cannot study too closely, observe too accurately, the details Salesmanship for Women. which go to make up the dress of the woman who car- ries herself in quiet, dignified elegance; yet who with- al chooses only the simplest and most unobtrusive modes of fashion. Personal appearance is not dependent alone upon proper selection of dress. "Fine feathers do not al- ways make fine birds." Other qualities which go to make up a right personal appearance are serenity, per- fect poise, graceful manners, thoughtful considera- tion for others manifested in all you do and say. There must be an air of confidence about you which leads the prospect to determine at once intuitively that you are trustworthy. Rarely can this trait be successfully simulated see to it then that this laudable requisite be genuine within you. Let your countenance always reflect that serenity which shows power held in abeyance perfect poise of all the reasoning faculties. This can be cultivated just as easily as you can learn music or shorthand or any other study requiring practice. The first thing to do is to remove every vestige of the fear element or misgiving from your mind. Realize the power that is within you because of the perfect knowledge you have of your proposition. Think how much better you are equipped to discuss all the points favorable points of your article, than is your prospect. 32 Salesmanship for Women. Within you then resides the power to lead your customer along your road all through the interview. Knowing yourself possessed of this power, why should fear assail you? Why should not your countenance reflect consciousness of power, which brings poise? Do not become obsessed with self-consciousness. Act naturally and freely. Study graceful ways of moving about, of handling articles, of sitting and aris- ing of standing properly and easily. Some women fall into a chair like a bag of wheat dropped several feet. Others win our admiration by the graceful, easy manner in which the movements of the body are con- ducted. All these things are amenable to more and more cultivation and are worthy the best study of any woman who desires to attain the largest measure of success. 33 CHAPTER III. SELECTING THE RIGHT ARTICLE OR GOODS TO REPRESENT. THE majority of women take up selling as a busi- ness because some firm has practiced salesman- ship upon them to the extent of selling their proposi- tion. The selling may have been effected by corre- spondence, or through the visit of the firm's General Representative, sometimes termed "Special Represent- ative." A few women decide, possibly through necessity, upon taking the agency for some good article, and then cast about for what appeals to them to possess most merit. Recourse is had to the classified columns of newspapers, magazines and different trade journals. They become absorbed in a maze of startling oppor- tunities. One advertisement reads, "Grab this winner nothing like it under the sun," another tells how "Smith worked four hours, took twelve orders and made $48" another advises that if you feel you are qualified to earn $5000 yearly to write immediately. Thus is the gamut of opportunities run from self- 34 Salesmanship for Women. threading needles up to selling automobiles or real estate. Most of these advertisements are written in a Bar- num and Bailey style of diction which leads the un- sophisticated woman to believe that merely answering the ad is the first step upon a long road of prosperity. She perhaps writes for the details of several of the propositions. The literature and follow-up letters are even more glowing than was the ad. She is admon- ished that only a spineless, jelly-fish person would re- fuse this generous offer to enter the millionaire class. She is disappointed, however, in finding that most of the articles offered savor of the five-and-ten-cent counter, with perhaps the added novelty of one or two additional features worked out by inventive gen- ius. She notes the low price of the article usually one dollar or less, and begins to count up the number of individual sales she would be obliged to make in order to clear a fair daily profit. Stripped of the gla- mor of the sales argument developed in the literature, the proposition does not appear nearly so alluring. Be- sides, most of the articles are of metal or some material which makes them "everlasting" and hence does not soon permit of repeat sales. She wonders if there is really anything worth 35 Salesmanship for Women. while being advertised which can offer her the right kind of inducement to take up its sale. Believe me, there are numbers of them; and it shall be my mission here to help you to select the wheat from the chaff. Knowing, as you doubtless do, something of the relative needs of your community, you should have no trouble in selecting from a carefully-considered list, some article of utility for which a market can be created. Do not, however, make the mistake of allowing your own enthusiasm for some particular article to warp your real judgment as to whether the article would prove popular in the community as a whole. Remember that the primary consideration in taking up the sale of an article is to make the work profitable to you even though you may deplore the want of discrimination upon the part of your customers. Any article to merit your time, attention, study, or investment if the case may be, should be able to stand the rigorous test outlined opposite : Salesmanship for Women. THE ARTICLE RELIABILITY OP COMPANY ADAPTABILITY - QUALITY BULK OB WEIGHT REPEAT ORDERS COMPETITION TERRITORY PROFITS '1 Is the Company well rated in Dun's or Bradstreet's ? 2 Does it advertise extensively enough in better class magazines to help me make sales? 3 What do they offer me in the way of literature or instruction to help me sell . their product? 1 Am I qualified to sell this particular article? 2 Is it needed in the locality where I expect to offer it? 3 Is it more expensive than what is now being used and if so, has it special advantages to offset this? {1 Is it made of cheap, shoddy mater- ial, liable to give dissatisfaction and bar repeat orders? 2 Is its construction solid and sub- stantial or weak and flimsy? Jl -Is it too heavy or bulksome to pro- hibit carrying sample easily? 2 Will the goods sold weigh enough to I eat up my profit in expressage or freight I and cartage? ( 1 Is the article capable of being sold \ often enough to the same customer to in- l sure a permanent business? 1 Can I successfully meet competition with this line? 2 Is there enough competition now oc- cupying the field to make sales difficult ? 1 Do I get exclusive territory so that the customers I make by my own person- ality are mine so long as I remain with . the company? I 2 Is it extensive enough to absorb all I my best efforts? 1 Is the rate of commission high enough to allow me a reasonable profit for the time I shall expend, the class of work I shall do, and the amount I am re- quired to invest? 37 Salesmanship for Women. Turn this searchlight of investigation upon the ar- ticle you are considering. If it satisfies all the re- quirements outlined above, then you may be reasonably sure that properly handled it will prove profitable. There are scores of manufacturers putting out mer- itorious goods answering to all these demands. Made- to-measure corsets ; hole-proof hosiery ; enameled kitchen utensils ; dress goods ; cloaks and suits ; books ; periodicals ; soap orders ; toilet preparations ; womens' .undergarments ; childrens waists and other garments ; groceries ; knit goods ; vacuum sweepers ; fireless cook- ers ; correspondence schools ; mops, brushes and polish- ing cloths ; musical instruments ; insurance, and doz- ens of other high class articles can be used to form the basis of a lucrative selling campaign. Individual taste, aptitude and possibly previous ex- perience must be the guide which directs you in the choice of the article you shall sell. Supplementing the above must be a careful consideration of the relative profits each has to offer, and which meets best the re- quirements of the entire outline discussed in the fore- going pages. Decide upon the line you desire to take up, and then stick to it until you have given it a thorough trial and have proven to your satisfaction whether its possibilities warrant your continuing to sell it. Re- 38 Salesmanship for Women. member always that this is the age of specialists and to become proficient in any line of thought or endeav- or, one must needs give it the best that is in her. In- deed, most high grade companies to-day embody in their contract giving you exclusive territorial privi- leges, a clause prohibiting you from selling any other goods but their own. It is only justice to them that you handle their goods exclusively. As a rule they give you in the form of instruction the best thought that master minds, drawing princely salaries, can form- ulate. They expect in return the best you can give them in the form of growth and development as ap- plied to their product. Therefore, I urge again, that you become a specialist. 39 CHAPTER IV. BELIEF IN YOUR GOODS. THE woman who takes up the sale of an article usu- ally does so only after due deliberation. She has carefully considered the physical merits of the article itself, its adaptation to the needs of the community in which it is to be sold, and its possible expansion and consequent profit. Having satisfied herself upon all these points, the article is selected. From this time on it becomes your adopted pro- tege. Abiding faith in its virtues, its construction, its superior uses, must become a real sales creed with you. All this you must believe so unalterably within your- self that your very words and actions manifest your confidence. Real, unadulterated enthusiasm is as catching as measles. When your prospect perceives that you believe heart and soul in your proposition, she becomes inoculated with your spirit in spite of her- self. We will assume that the article you have chosen is one that would catch the eye and incite appreciation, which we know intuitively can be used by humanity 40 Salesmanship for Women. and which will render a service. Such things when first brought to our notice, cause us to involuntarily exclaim, "Why didn't someone think of that before?" or "How have we gotten along so many years without it?" Now, Representative, do you feel that way about the article you have adopted for sale? Is there any of the real self-conviction mixing itself with your sales argument, or is your talk merely the babble created by the vision of the dollar to be yours in the end if you succeed in battering down the opposition ? After all, isn't it only the weak, the foolish that we can convince into purchasing anything that we our- selves have no faith in ? Are those the sales we really feel good over? Isn't it the sale made upon the real merits of the goods the conviction that service and value have been rendered commensurate with profits received, that gives us the real elation? How many re-orders are ever recorded from the customer lured into purchasing a thing through the oily persuasion of an orator-saleslady? If then the orders which you value most are sold upon their merits to customers who have been brought to this realization because of your earnestness and honest convincing power, how important it is that you yourself have the absorbing conviction that no oth- 41 Salesmanship for Women. er article equals your own. Mr. Walker, in a little pamphlet recently published, conclusively proves that "Thoughts are Things." If thoughts are real, tangible things, influencing the thoughts of others, how much easier will be your labor of convincing to the extent of a sale if you are first convinced yourself. Then the^|*is the justice to yourself to be consid- ered. You i&ve no moral right to take money for that which you believe in your own heart to be not worth the price. No company can afford to have you with them unless you are actually with them in all that the spirit of the word "with" implies. 42 CHAPTER V. IMPORTANCE OF COMMITTING SELLING TALK. MOST high-grade salesmen readily agree that a beginner in the art of selling should prepare and learn, word for word, a comprehensive "Selling Talk." This talk should be a carefully prepared anal- ysis of all the advantages your article possesses, the best points in its construction, and most important of all, where it will save your prospect money or add to her convenience or comfort. In the preparation of this talk, eliminate as much as possible the "I" element. Bring constantly into prominence the "You." The most vitally interesting thing about your proposition to the customer is "What service will it render me ? What advantages will it give me which I do not now possess?" Of far more importance to her to have the assurance that the article will afford her perfect satis- faction than to know how large your factory is or how many years the inventor struggled to produce the fin- ished product. Here is a test you can make for yourself bearing upon what I have just written: Meet a friend some 43 Salesmanship for Women. day and talk flatteringly of yourself for fifteen min- utes. Note carefully the degree of interest displayed. In about a week arrange another meeting and this time talk flattering of your friend for the same length of time. Then you can readily decide at which meet- ing your friend waxed most enthusiastic. Human na- ture is always the same, and this known truth exempli- fied above must be woven into your Selling Talk. I am much indebted to my good friend, H. C. Dol- lison, himself a past-master in salesmanship, for much that appears in this article. His thoughts are prefaced by quotation marks. "Have you ever tried to write out a definite Sell- ing Talk? It is really surprising how much positive benefit comes from this plan. When you try to write out an exact statement of the proposition you will find many little points you are not clear on and you will need to look them up to write them down accurately. You will realize how much this will help you when you try it. Do not make any statements to a customer that you are not prepared to prove. Before she can share your own confidence in your line, she must be shown that your confidence is a matter of fact and not a mat- ter of faith. Give her a reason for the faith that is in you. Can you do this clearly concisely effectively? "Lord Bacon was right when he said, 'Reading 44 Salesmanship for Women. maketh a full man, conversation a ready man and WRITING an EXACT man/ Do you wish to have your statements exact explicit definite effective ? Then reduce them to writing. Trim off the unneces- sary and unimportant statements. The mere process of transferring your thoughts to paper helps to crystal- lize your best thoughts into definite, tangible forms that will constantly recur to you when at your work and greatly increase your efficiency. Your success will be measured largely by the extent to which you use a definite, earnest, positive, convincing, straight- forward Selling Talk, or statement of the merits of your goods. "This statement of your proposition, commonly known as a Selling Talk helps to make the sale. It must be definite, positive and thoroughly convincing. It is extremely important that you know what you want to say and how you expect to say it. Extempor- aneous effort is not satisfactory. What would you think of a minister or teacher who would appear be- fore an audience or class without a thorough prepara- tion of what he had planned to say and how he had planned to say it? TO KNOW IS NOT ENOUGH ; YOU MUST KNOW YOU KNOW TO MAKE OTHERS KNOW. "Some of the largest concerns in the country con- 45 Salesmanship for Women. sider this matter so urgent that they will not permit anyone to begin work until that person has first memor- ized and can deliver freely and convincingly their stan- dard Selling Talk. They consider they have no time to lose with those who will not take the trouble to master such an essential feature of successful selling methods. Nor is this a foolish notion. The largest business con- cerns are large because they have proven themselves efficient. They cannot afford to insist on non-essen- tials. The strong emphasis placed on mastering the Selling Talk is justified only by its tremendous import- ance. It is absolutely essential to the best success. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that under all cir- cumstances with all classes the carefully prepared Selling Talk is most effective. It sells the goods it brings in the profit. "There is a vast difference between slightly adjust- ing a positive, logical Selling Talk to a particular case, and that of making every case special without a rigid course of procedure. Those who have made a great success of Salesmanship know, absolutely, that they must have a clean-cut, positive, definite Selling Talk memorized and at the tip of their tongues. Otherwise their best effort results in a weakened miscellaneous conversation which does not get anywhere in particu- lar and lacks real, genuine force and selling power. Salesmanship for Women. "The excuse is sometimes given, "I would not want to recite a piece parrot fashion." This is a fair ex- ample of accepting a partial truth for the whole truth. She has actually confused the MANNER of giving the Selling Talk with the SUBJECT MATTER of the Selling Talk itself. She has confused the HOW with the WHAT. Just because someone some time somewhere did give a talk in parrot fashion, she is willing to condemn the whole plan, the plan that has absolutely proven its merit wherever tried. She as- sumes that this is the only way the talk can be given. She does not stop to consider that by studying a talk until its thought and words become second nature to her, she can use them with perfect freedom, with splen- did effect and with genuine Selling Power. "Don't forget that expression "Selling Power." Some words some expressions have definite power to induce sales ; just as some expressions some state- ments will retard sales. The line of talk of that saleslady who just visits with her customer, is usually lacking in Selling Power. This Selling Power is strongly marked in the crisp definite positive state- ments of your Company's literature. Study them faithfully. Go over them again and again until their thought is entirely your own and you can use it with real Selling Power. Better write out that Selling Talk 47 Salesmanship for Women. and memorize it to make sure you have it accurately. "After memorizing the definite Selling Talk, a little practice will enable you to state your proposition in a natural and thoroughly effective manner. Let us not hold too strictly to our previous manner as the final standard it may not be so valuable after all. Rather, let us cultivate an efficient -energetic positive man- ner that will keep the customer alert and expectant. Such a manner has a positive influence in helping the customer reach a favorable decision. Study carefully the effect of every statement you make. Remember always that WHAT YOU THINK AND HOW YOU THINK IT WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU DO IT WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT will have much to do with your success in the sale of your article. "Do you honestly believe you could sit down right now and write out a Selling Talk that would grade over 50% even with a serious effort? Few Representa- tives can do this. Then how much weaker must be the usual extemporaneous effort. Is it any wonder that the orders fail to come more rapidly ? A good, strong, convincing Selling Talk comes only as the result of much study and effort. THE SELLING TALK THAT WINS SUCCESS IS NOT CHEAP IT COSTS STUDY, EFFORT, HOURS OF READ- 48 Salesmanship for Women. ING AND CONCENTRATION AND PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. "I have in mind the case of a student who went out from college some years ago to take subscriptions for a book during the Summer vacation. He studied his prospectus and really thought he knew it. No doubt he had a great deal of information about the proposition, but when he attempted to sell he found his talk did not produce results did not get the orders did not bring in the cash. Being determined to win, he analyzed the situation carefully and concluded his weak spot was his Selling Talk. "He went to his room at the hotel, locked the door,' took up his prospectus and a complete copy of the volume he wanted to sell and faced the situation squarely. He resolved he would not give up until he had written out and memorized the strongest and most perfect Selling Talk of which he was capable. He stayed by his task for two days, taking time out only for his meals and a few hours for sleep. But note the result: When he again began work, he found him- self almost invincible he found he could sell to prac- tically any person approached. As a result he came back to college in the Fall with a substantial bank account. 49 Salesmanship for Women. "Perhaps you are already engaged in selling and are facing the same situation that this student faced. Have you the courage to apply the remedy ?" CHAPTER VI. BUILDING THE SALE. EACH and every science has certain fundamental principles which underlie its construction. Upon these principles are built and added the relating facts which complete the science. Language forms a good example of this. The seven parts of speech are the fundamental principles Upon which the whole structure of our language has been reared. Electricity with its million and one applications, when analyzed for its principles gets back to chemical affinity, the volt, the ampere, the static quality, the dynamic, etc. Salesmanship being admittedly a science must also have its fundamental principles. These it assuredly has. Clothed in the vernacular of present business terms, these principles are called "Steps." The word is a most fitting one, for in building the tangible thing, a sale we necessarily mount from one state of knowledge and emotion to a still higher one until the sale has been consummated. These steps in the order of their development follow : Salesmanship for Women. Attention, Interest, Appreciation, Desire, Conviction, Decision, Action. By all means commit them to memory in the logical order given above. All the different states of feeling, emotion and willing embodied therein must be the experiences of your prospect before you can hope to land the order. Having them committed, with your Selling Talk arranged accordingly, and interpreting them as they arise in your customer, give you the clufc when to press for the order in other words, to arouse Action. There is a psychological moment in every sale when one step merges into the one next higher up. It is fatal not to know when that psychological moment has come for Action. The saleswoman skilled in her art can, upon inter- viewing her prospect, at once adjust herself to condi- tions as she finds them. She quickly ascertains the mental development of the prospect, and proceeds to open her talk upon lines of knowledge common to both. In following the steps of a sale, always start upon a basis of facts already known to your customer, 52 Salesmanship for Women. and then build upward with convincing facts she may not heretofore have been aware of, but upon wnich your Selling Talk enlightens her. Mr. E. E. Fowler, Executive Sales Manager for the Spirella Company Inc., a firm with an interna- tional reputation, is an acknowledged authority upon Salesmanship. In a recent address before his sales- women, he analyzed the seven fundamental steps of a sale so comprehensively that I importuned his consent to allow a part of its reproduction here. He has gra- ciously consented, and the analysis follows: "One difficulty which faces him who would teach salesmanship is the fact that too many salesmen and saleswomen, so called, are content with their present knowledge of that subject, be it ever so small. To be content with what we know today is to shut our ears to conviction and is to close the door to opportunity. We must take the knowledge we have, add to it from day to day, improve upon it, and as we progress it is possible that many times we must unlearn that which we had previously learned, must throw aside that which we had previously considered good; must for- get some ideas that we have held in high esteem in the past, because with the acquisition of newer and larger knowledge there comes the need to make room for the things to come. 53 Salesmanship for Women. "The manufacturer does not hesitate to discard ex- pensive machinery, even though it has been in use but a short time, just as soon as he can get machinery that will do that work better. Just so in our work as indi- viduals. We must oft-times throw aside treasured knowledge of yesterday in order to make room for an application of the better things of today that have come to us because of our broader and deeper study. We cannot be content with what we know today. We must be prepared to unlearn much that we have learned. "One phase of knowledge particularly valuable to the saleswoman is a knowledge of what it is that causes the human mind to act and how it is that the mind does act. We spoke but a moment ago of the difficulty confronting the teacher of salesmanship. Is it not a fact in your own experience, if you will be absolutely honest with yourself, that in the beginning of your work of selling, you deemed salesmanship of little importance ? We don't mean that you discarded it entirely, but you felt that if you understood your goods you could sell them without any specific study along the line of salesmanship as a science or an art. "Your observation has led you to some conclusion upon this subject, but is it not true that you had ac- cepted what we sometimes term "glittering-generali- 54 Salesmanship for Women. ties" instead of specific truths in connection with this subject? You recall some man or some woman, you said, was a good salesman. He could present his sub- ject glibly, possibly eloquently, perhaps effectively; that is, in such a way as to induce a sale. But, did you stop to think that any specific thought had been given by that salesman as to how the sale was to be made ? "There is another difficulty that faces any teacher, and that is this: The hardest person to teach is the one who is ignorant of the fact that she is ignorant; who doesn't know that she doesn't know. To illus- trate: Attempt to prove to the unlettered man that some common phrase which he has used from boyhood and which is grammatically incorrect, is not the proper phrase to use in a given case and you at once run up against an obstacle that is exceedingly difficult to over- come. "We are not criticising this man for his lack of knowledge of the English language or for what he doesn't know about construction, diction, spelling and grammar, but are placing before you the difficulty we have in showing him that, when he uses the expres- sion: "They hain't no such animal," he is violating the laws of English. So, in teaching salesmanship, it is difficult, judging from our experience, to convince 55 Salesmanship for Women. some people that there is such a science or a need for it. "Ignorance of certain subjects or certain forms of knowledge for which we can have no possible use is not an offense, but to remain ignorant of that par- ticular brand of knowledge which we need to use in our every day work in order to make our work more efficient, if not a crime, is at least an unpardonable offense, and should be so considered by the one who remains in ignorance. So, if we can arouse in you an appreciation of what there is in salesmanship, can arouse in you an appreciation of the fact that there is information to be had and that you have sufficient opportunity to study this subject, then should you fail to grow in this knowledge, you have no one to blame but yourself. "False opinions held by unthinking business men have also stood in the way of the advancement of salesmanship as a science. It has been held by un- scrupulous business men in the past that the best sales- man was the one who could sell the biggest bill of goods to a customer whether the customer had any use for these goods or not. These men failed to grasp the fact that by selling goods which a customer could not use, they were tearing down instead of building up business. A knowledge of salesmanship will not per- 56 Salesmanship for Women. mit the salesman to sell an article that the customer cannot use to advantage. This leads up to the ques- tion "What is a sale?" "Consult your Webster, your Worcester, your Standard, your Century dictionaries and you will find diverse definitions. For our purpose, that we may have something specific before us, let us say that a sale is 'Transferring to some party an article of which that party previously did not have complete know- ledge and which he had not made up his mind to possess/ ********* "What are the factors essential to a sale? They are simple. They are the goods, the salesman and the customer. We can't have a sale without these three factors. By some authorities, these three factors form the first principle of salesmanship. Do not, however, let this statement disturb you, because we have been advocating for some years that the principles of sales- manship are attention, interest, appreciation, desire, conviction, decision, action. A sale cannot be made by the elimination of any one of these factors. The goods must also contain certain elements which make them salable. Among these we can name attractiveness, utility, specific points of excellence, adaptability to the needs and requirements of the customer, and a price 57 Salesmanship for Women. fixed in proportion to the merits shown. This can be called the second principle of salesmanship. These elements can be studied to advantage. "By attractiveness we mean the general appearance of the goods, as to color, form, size, proportion, work- manship, etc. In this way they appeal to the eye, the sense of taste or any one or more of the senses. In your article, some of the elements of attractiveness would be the general appearance of the article, the style which it carries ; the customer would also be attracted to it because of the need which she has for it, because of the economy there is to her in purchasing it. The more attractive we can make the goods which we are selling, the stronger will be the first impressions created by those goods ; hence, first impressions made by the goods are an important factor in the making of the sale. "The utility of the article must also be presented. Certain novelty houses throughout the land make a great deal of this particular factor in selling goods, by putting up articles which can be put to a dozen or more different uses. I presume some of you have bought a little wire device ranging from the lifter of a hot lid for the stove to scrambling eggs, and I am not sure but it could be converted into an article with which the baby could be corrected. In this particular 58 Salesmanship for Women. case, the probabilities are that the utility idea has been overworked, but it establishes the point which we are trying to make. The goods must possess specific merits. ********* "Right along in this connection, we come to what we will call the third principle, and that is that the price of an article is always secondary to the proper presentation of its merits. If you are trying to sell your article for $6.00 when the prospect has been ac- customed to paying only $3.00 for a similar article and you are confident that your article possesses the merits which warrants this increase in price, you must pro- perly present those merits to make the sale. It is true, too, in this connection that the price paid for the article is not as important as the service, in the full sense of the word, which that article renders. We will put this thought before you in other ways, namely, that you forget the price paid for the article in the comfort or service or both as the case may be, that you get out of the article itself. ********* "Then we come to the next principle which depends much upon what has just been said, namely, that the proper demonstration of the factors of salability in an article, plus the customer's ability to buy, equals the 59 Salesmanship for Women. A'i f * ' & ' 'I. sale. That is, given these factors of attractiveness, of usefulness, of specific merit, of adaptability, of rea- sonable price, together with a proper demonstration of these factors, adding to them the customer's ability to buy, and a sale is made. "The last principle of salesmanship is that the ele- ments of the sale must be arranged in such order as to secure the attention, the desire, the conviction of the customer. This we call the mental form of a sale. "If your article is not attractive, it will not appeal to your customer. If it is not useful, your customer certainly would not be acting wisely in purchasing it. Granted that it is both attractive and useful, if it does not possess specific merits, your customer may not want it. If it does possess specific merits and those specific merits are not adapted to your customer's requirements, you can't create in her mind a desire for it; but let it possess attractiveness, utility, specific merits, let it also be adapted to the requirements of the customer, if the price is beyond the customer, or if the price fixed is not in proportion to the merits you have shown, your customer will not purchase it. "We must realize that an article which would be attractive to one customer might not be attractive to another; so, in one sense this question of attractive- 60 Salesmanship for Women. ness is a relative term. So is adaptability to the cus- tomer's requirements. "We have said, too, that it requires a proper dem- onstration of the factors of the sale plus the customer's ability to buy to make a sale, but what do we mean by a proper demonstration ? We mean this : You cannot make a general statement as to the good qualities in your article if you are going to make a sale. To demonstrate the presence of these elements in your article, you must impress each and every one upon the customer's mind in such a way and with such effect that she is willing and even anxious to exchange her money for that which you are selling. "The elements on the part of the customer which go to make up the sale are attention, interest, appre- ciation, desire, conviction, decision, and action. Let us hold in mind, however, that these mental stages must be aroused in the mind of the customer. It is a fact, too, that the intelligence of the customer, her ability to observe, consider and decide are going to have possibly as much influence upon her action, as will the speech of the saleswoman herself. That simply means that an inexperienced and perhaps ignorant saleswoman can sell a first class article to a customer who is able to decide for herself that the article should be hers. 61 Salesmanship for Women. "This comes from the customer's recognition of these factors of salability of which we have spoken. She sees that the article is attractive, has utility, pos- sesses specific merits, is adapted to her particular needs and the price is in proportion to the merits pre- sented, and makes up her mind. This, however, does not warrant the saleswoman in ignoring the fact that a business which depends upon the customer's doing her own selling that is, selling herself the arti- cle from your stock which you would sell her is go- ing to be a precarious business. "Let us dwell for a moment upon the elements of a sale. Were the average salesman asked to explain the elements, or in other words, the constituent parts of a sale, if he understand the question at all, he would be very likely to answer : "Well, I never make a sale twice alike. Of course, you have got to get hold of your customer and then sell him as you can." It is undoubtedly true that a salesman informed upon the laws of salesmanship will never approach two custom- ers exactly alike; neither will he say the same things to these customers, but he must present his proposi- tion in such a manner that attention, interest, appre- ciation, desire, conviction, decision to buy follow in the order named. Then follows action. No one of these steps can be taken until the preceding steps have 62 Salesmanship for Women. been covered. A sale is a thing just the same as a manufactured article is a thing. It is the business of the salesman to manufacture the sale. He must, there- fore, know its parts or its elements. This is just as necessary as to lay the foundation of a building be- fore trying to erect the building itself. "The method of producing these several elements attention, interest, and the rest may vary; princi- ple, never. An auctioneer would secure attention by the ringing of a bell, possibly by putting out a red flag; the huckster walking or riding up and down the street with his wares may ring a bell, blow a horn, or start the air to vibrating with unintelligible cries which can be translated into "Strawberries" or "Bananas," "Old rags wanted," "Scissors to grind." The merchant would advertise in the local papers, put displays in his windows. The commercial drummer or the saleswo- man will seek the personal interview. So, it is the personality of the saleswoman that determines the method to be employed the principle remains intact. "Attention is the first thing to secure. This atten- tion can be divided into a number of different stages. To illustrate : When you first present your proposition, you may meet with an uncivil reception. You may meet with abstraction on the part of your customer ; that is, your prospect's mind is not dwelling at all 63 Salesmanship for Women. upon your presentation of your subject. You may not meet with indifference; that is, your pros- pect's mind is upon what you are saying, but is not taking it in. There may be something a little farther along than indifference and yet it is not attention, which we will call the ordinary manner. There may be spontaneous attention; that is, your customer is listening to what you say, is taking it in, is not indifferent, but this spontaneous attention is not so marked as what we will call concentration of mind. Just as soon as we secure this concentration of mind on the part of our customer, she begins to formulate ideas regarding the goods themselves and gives us what we have been working for at this stage, namely, fixed attention. So attention runs the entire gamut from incivility to fixing the mind upon the proposi- tion you have to present. "Let us at this point consider by what means we arrive from incivility to fixed attention. Your cus- tomer is uncivil. What overcomes it? Your physical poise, your courtesy, your confidence in yourself, your earnestness, your concentration upon your subject. If your mind is fixed firmly upon the work you are do- ing that in and of itself being a positive quality, is go- ing to have its influence upon the negative quality of your customer's mind, which is represented by abstrac- Salesmanship for Women. tion. If she is indifferent, how do you remove this indifference? By your positiveness ; that is, by your confidence, your courage, and this without manifest- ing desire; by your perseverance, by your continuity, holding right to the one thought in mind, by your power to impress her with the truth and value of the statements you are making. "If she manifests but an ordinary degree of atten- tion, your affability will have its influence upon her. You respect her opinions, her position and it influences her your way. You put yourself on an equality with her or put her on equality with you and this, her ordi- nary manner, gives place to spontaneous attention. Here, your agreeable manner, your clearness of ex- pression, the well formulated ideas which you place before her change her to "concentration of mind," this, by the close attention you are giving to your work gives her the "formulative ideas" and your earnestness and enthusiasm and mastery of your subject bring her attention upon your article. "Attention must be watched closely to note whether it is natural or assumed. If this attention is natural, then it becomes a strong factor in your favor. If this attention is assumed, it is pulling against you it is a factor to be overcome. This assumed attention will become natural only as you are able to convince the 6s Salesmanship for Women. >* - |l ! .-.,! ua.nf IL woman of the reasonableness of the statements you are making. It is a simple matter to fix the mind upon an attractive object. By the term attractive, we do not mean that which appeals merely to the eye. It is not so easy to fix the mind upon an unattractive object. "The little child finds nothing attractive in the printed page, but he finds much of information in a picture, and so gives it his attention. That attention grows as the fond parent tells the little child the story of the picture. In that manner, the parent arouses in the child's mind the desire to read, to be able to find out for himself the wonders of the printed or the pictured page. This classification of natural and as- sumed attention brings up this thought that it is a part of the saleswoman's business to direct attention. To direct attention, then, she must be able to turn the mind to those things she is presenting and to hold the customer's mind there until that purpose is complete; that is, until that attention is fixed. "Having reached the point of fixed attention, we reach interest. Interest, from the standpoint of sales- manship, is attention intensified. Thorough attention puts the customer in a receptive mood. Just as soon as she is interested she has a share, a part in the thing that you are presenting. What is it that interests us? Whatever comes near to us, touches us, touches our 66 Salesmanship for Women. circumstances. Interest is personal. It may be based upon profit or loss. It may be based upon advantage, upon amusement. It is simple, but let it be what it may, come from what source it may, it binds us to that object and makes us think of it, and so, in presenting the article, we must arouse the interest of the customer and make her think of it. This interest can't be mani- fested, remember, until the attention has been firmly fixed. We build up interest in much the same manner that we build up attention. "There is a difference, however, that must be noted. You may be able to secure a woman's attention to your article without regard to the application that wo- man can make of it to meet her own personal require- ments; that is, she may be interested without any thought of the goods being hers. You cannot, how- ever, arouse interest in the mind of a customer with- out, at the same time, laying the foundation for a de- sire on the part of that customer to own the article that you are presenting. So, you as saleswomen must know that when you secure a woman's attention to your article, there is a strong probability of your in- teresting her in the article if you lead her up to the point where she desires it for her own. If a customer can't buy it is a waste of time to secure attention. We, on our way home to-day, may have our attention Salesmanship for Women. called to and firmly fixed upon some object which we have no thought of purchasing, which we could not purchase if we desired. "This element of interest may be awakened, first, by an appeal to our emotions ; second by an appeal to our reason, but a discussion of this phase comes else- where. Going on with interest; just as soon as inter- est is created, the mind desires to know more about the object. When you have created this condition in your customer's mind the opportunity presents itself to you to increase this interest so you bring to bear upon that mind the knowledge which you have of your article, the reasons in favor of it, its points of merit. As you proceed in this work, that interest becomes greater. We have said just as soon as the woman shows interest, she becomes a part, she has a share, a part, in the thing itself. As this interest grows, she has a larger part in it. It touches her more closely, and we come to the next stop, which is appreciation. This is more than interest. "Appreciation leads her to see the adaptability of the article to her own requirements. It leads her to analyze more closely the specific merits of the article itself and strengthens in her mind the utility of it; that is, the use she can make of it the value it will be to her. 68 Salesmanship for Women. "At this stage you demonstrate the proof of the statements you are making. You enumerate the differ- ent advantages which your article possesses, bringing out its most favorable points. You compare your article with others of a similar class with which she is familiar and so demonstrate to her the truth of your statements. As you demonstrate these things to her mind, you force her mind to a conclusion by her own perception. This conclusion to which she comes is the necessary result of her transmitting to her own mind certain ideas and comparing them favorably with the statements you have made. "As this appreciation grows, as your customer sat- isfies herself of the logic of your argument, of the truthfulness of your statements, there comes into her mind a DESIRE to possess the article. Now, desire may come from any one of many qualities. They may be qualities of the emotions ; they may be qualities of the reason. The qualities that arouse desire are such as love or hatred, generosity or jealousy, greed for money for its own sake or necessity for money to meet pressing want, ambition, pride, etc. It is neces- sary to know which one of the qualities of want ap- peals most strongly to your customer. If you are able to detect the particular quality of want which appeals Salesmanship for Women. to her that is the one upon which to place most em- phasis. "But, there may be a desire and also at the same time, some objection on the part of the customer to gratify that desire, for example the price of the article. If we have presented its attractive qualities, if we have shown its specific merits, if we have set forth its adaptability to meet the requirements of that particular customer, and there remains nothing but the price as an objection upon her part, then we make the adaptability to her specific wants so strong that there comes a time in her mind when that desire to possess the article because of your clear and logical presentation of its merits, overcomes her objections and she gives the order. "Bear in mind, too, that the words which you speak may not, alone, bring about the end desired. Your actions, your poise, your manner, your facial expressions, have much to do in bringing about this desire in the customer's mind. Therefore, at this point, add to your spoken word, enthusiasm of manner as well as of speech, confidence of bearing as well as convincing argument and courtesy in its fullest sense. Do not be afraid to make physical effort at this point in the way of proper inflection, proper emphasis, prop- er position in standing or sitting. If you cannot put 70 Salesmanship for Women. enthusiasm into your sale, how are you going to cre- ate enthusiasm in the mind of your customer? A customer may appreciate the merits of your article without enthusiasm on your part. Her observation may be clearer than yours and she may see in the article certain qualities which appeal to her and quali- ties which you do not see. In that case, she becomes enthused, or, in other words, creates her own desire. If a sale be made in this way, it is made not through the saleswoman's ability, but the customer's intelli- gence. "Following desire comes CONVICTION. This step in the sale follows immediately after desire. The time required will depend upon your ability to demon- strate the factors of salability in your article and upon the ability of your customer to perceive and understand these factors. Whether this takes a few minutes or an hour, no sale can be made until your customer has reached the stage of conviction. You convince her that she needs your article. With conviction comes the decision to buy. If conviction be lacking although de- sire has been properly created, this lack of conviction must be due to the incomplete evidence which you have produced. Your customer doubts what you say. Doubt suggests suspicion. Suspicion leads the custom- er to mistrust you. This distrust, suspicion call it Salesmanship for Women. what you will is as likely to come from your manner as it is from your spoken. words; for, do not "actions speak louder than words?" We repeat at this point because we want to convince you of the emotional part in making a sale; that is, the courteous bearing, the confidence, the enthusiasm, the determination and all of the positive qualities which make for conviction. "Conviction is a belief established by argument or by evidence which appeals to the reason of the buyer. Consequently, every step taken in the process of mak- ing a sale must be taken with a view to taking another step. It is like building a brick wall ; if the foundation be poor, there can be no lasting wall. If the founda- tion be well laid and the mortar which unites the brick be omitted or be of such a character that it crumbles and wastes away, the wall will not stand. If some brick be laid too far to one side, the wall is not plumb and will fall. See to it, then, that in build- ing up this sale every brick is in its proper place, that the connecting link is sufficiently strong to unite and to hold your structure together and that the sale is properly built throughout its every step. "In studying this subject so important to your work, do not forget the value of your own experience throughout. Many of you are temporarily convinced, we assume, that a knowledge of salesmanship is worth 72 Salesmanship for Women. all it costs just now you are willing to pay the price. Will you be willing to do this when you approach its study, when the bill comes due? In your experience at some time possibly a woman has given you an order; you congratulated yourself on having made a sale, you spent the profits of that sale before delivery was made. After you had left this customer she be- gan to inquire of herself whether her action was wise or unwise, and ended up by saying "Why did I buy that?" or "I was a fool for buying that article," or "I don't need it," and notified you that the sale was off. As a rule when this condition exists, it is due to the incompleteness of the sale's structure you built in your interview with her. * * * "One other thought and we are done. Paderewski is perhaps the most famous pianist of to-day. His achievements in this direction are known. To you and to me and to the great body of people, it seems there can be no more musical worlds for him to conquer; yet, is Paderewski content with his present knowledge ? Does the fact that he can produce a larger quality and a finer quantity of harmony, of concord, of thrilling music from the masters of the past and the sub-masters of to-day than any other pianist lead him to suspend study? Is he content with his present knowledge? 73 Salesmanship for Women. Does he, the master of the piano, believe that there is nothing more for him to learn in playing the piano? Far from it. His constant study, his constant practice, attest his faith in the fact that he has not yet reached the limit of his powers. Just so those of you, if there be such, who think that you know all that you need to know of salesmanship, can well emulate the example of this man, and by constant study, by constant prac- tice can continue to grow stronger and stronger in this work in which you are engaged." 74 CHAPTER VII. FIRST IMPRESSIONS. WHERE the prospect to be approached is a stranger, the importance of first impressions cannot be over-estimated. Intuitively you are "sized- up," weighed in the balance, estimated. In proportion to the approval your prospect entertains will be the ease whereby you establish yourself upon a harmoni- ous basis. There should be no trace of timidity in the knock upon the door or the ring of the bell. Make either vigorous enough to instantly awaken attention. Should the door have a glass panel or side lights, it is always policy to step aside after ringing the bell. Your prospect is then obliged to open the door before she can ascertain whether the caller is a local visitor or someone else. If you are carrying a sample case, set it at the side of the door until later developments of the sale at least until you have gained the favorable attention of the prospect. This often makes it easier to secure the coveted invitation to enter the home. To be obliged 75 Salesmanship for Women. to give your selling talk at the door is usually embar- assing to both parties, often subjecting the prospect to the curiosity of passers-by if the house is located close to the street. Should the prospect appear dilatory in extending the invitation to enter, ask her in your most pleasing manner if she will not spare you a few minutes in which to discuss a business proposition. Assure her that your time is limited, and that you will be brief in presenting its merits. After you have been invited to come in you can then talk as long as is necessary to build a sale. All this time your countenance should be radiating sunshine, good cheer. There is something infectious about shining features that seems to find a responsive chord in the other party. Look frankly into the eyes of the prospect and let your whole demeanor be one to engage confidence. When invited to be seated, secure if possible, a position where the light will fall strongly upon the face of the prospect. You can then watch closely the play of her features, noting which of your arguments win her approbation which ones to press harder, also what to pass lightly over. Hon. A. J. Palm, at one time a very successful salesman, gives this pertinent advice : Salesmanship for Women. "A very essential qualification for a Saleswoman is the power of concentration, the ability to fix her mind intently on a proposition and keep it there as long as may be necessary. In other words, she should have will power, for it is this that enables us to focus our attention on some object and hold it there. The will should be cultivated to such a degree that the saleswoman may be able to rivet her thought on the subject in hand and keep it there until she has either accomplished her purpose or demonstrated that it is beyond her reach. She must also secure the attention of the prospective buyer and maintain it, if her work is to be highly successful. Without attention there will be no consideration and without consideration no sale. "One of the vital things in salesmanship is to se- cure an interview under the most favorable circum- stances possible. The saleswoman who finds a pros- pective purchaser at an unfavorable time or under un- favorable circumstances should not attempt to talk business, but simply arrange for an interview under more favorable conditions. There are times with all of us when, if we are not positively cross and irritable, we are at least not in condition to consider a proposi- tion which involves selling us something that we have not been thinking of buying. It isn't profitable to call 77 Salesmanship for Women. on a woman when she has thoughts of preparing din- ner in mind, nor on a man when he fears a scolding on account of being late in keeping an engagement. "In fixing a time for an interview the saleswoman should give the prospective customer to understand that she would like a time when she can have undi- vided attention. If the prospective buyer is a woman and so industrious that she attempts to knit or sew or do fancy work while listening to the proposition, it would be well for you to suggest that you can get through in less time and far more satisfactorily, if she will lay aside her work and give the matter her thought- ful attention. "Men, as a rule, are not so industrious, and, if they fix a time for an interview, are usually courteous enough to give the saleslady a respectful hearing. If one should be found so forgetful of the proprieties as to try to read a newspaper or glance over his mail, it would be well to suggest to him that you fear you are not presenting your proposition with the force it de- serves and he will perhaps take the hint. In doing this, however, either with man or woman it must be done in such a way as not to cause the slightest of- fense. "Some saleswomen have a way of saying almost anything without giving offense while others do not 78 Salesmanship for Women. possess the happy faculty. Each must be the judge of her own limitations along this line. It would hardly do, for example, to stop suddenly in your talk and declare that you are tired of casting your pearls before swine. "You should never dispute with a prospective cus- tomer nor contradict her unless necessary to correct some false statement that may be made, or some false idea that may be held in reference to the article which you are selling, and then it should be done so as to avoid giving any offense. Some saleswomen endeavor to find out before calling on their prospects what sub- jects they are especially interested in and then try to so direct the conversation as to bring up one of these favorite topics. If you will then give him a chance to please himself by talking on his favorite theme he will be pleased with you and perhaps give you a more favorable hearing than he might otherwise. The great secret of having people pleased with those they meet is to afford them an opportunity of being pleased with themselves. "The saleslady should be able to decide when she has said enough and not overdo it. There are more sales lost perhaps by talking too much rather than too little. As soon as the listener has fully grasped the proposition in all its aspects, further talk is unneces- 79 Salesmanship for Women. sary if not actually detrimental, and especially so if the talk has been clear and convincing. No saleswo- man should attempt to tell all she knows about her proposition if she knows as much about it as she should. "You should occasionally ask the prospect, during the course of your talk, to endorse what you say, by saying, "I am sure that appeals favorably to you; you would appreciate that, wouldn't you?" or some other question or expression that will bring out an endorse- ment, for that will help to commit the prospect to your proposition. "There is a best time to bring your argument to a close and to ask for the order. This is known as the psychological moment and your success will depend in no small degree on your ability to recognize when this moment has arrived. If allowed to pass without ask- ing for an order it is likely to require further talk to renew the interest. The Saleswoman should be able to talk convincingly on every feature of her proposition and assume as a matter of course, that the prospect has no other thought than to accept it." 80 CHAPTER VIII. THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE SOMETIMES CALLED "GENERAL AGENT." A COMPANY marketing its product through agents plans upon the most economical meth- ods of securing these field workers and how best to keep the organization intact and increasing. Dozens of firms with good articles and actual de- mand upon the part of the public for them, fail be- cause they do not understand the most advantageous ways of securing distribution. Unless the distribu- tion problem be satisfactorily solved, the best proposi- tion will go begging. Anyone with proper machinery and skilled labor can apply those requisites to a clever idea and manufacture a meritorious article. Hundreds of machinery firms can supply the most intricate ma- chinery needed for any manufacturing purpose ; skilled labor can be had in abundance, if the wage scale be made attractive enough. Therefore, the manufactur- er's problem lies not so much in the manufacture of the article itself as it does in getting it into the hands of the consumer who, of course, furnishes the capi- tal to keep the entire system operating. 81 Salesmanship for Women. This is the reason why Salesmanship for either sex offers such splendid opportunities. The seller is the real outlet for the manufacturer and in proportion to the aggressive selling ability of the field force will be the prosperity of the company. The necessity for a well organized and accurately trained field-force for any firm marketing its goods through agents, now becomes apparent. How may this organization be most effectually se- cured and maintained? Some companies solve this question one way; some another way. The smaller firms employ the medium of classified columns to ad- vertise for agents, or purchase from firms dealing in classified lists of occupations, the names and addresses of persons making a profession of selling and endeav- or to secure their services through correspondence. The larger firms usually require their Representatives to have a certain amount of training which they be- lieve can be imparted best by sending a trained Special Representative to appoint them. The Special Representative employs all the ele- ments of- Salesmanship in inducing the prospect to take up the work which means becoming the com- pany's Representative. Here not only the specific merits of the goods themselves are elaborated upon, but to the prospect must be sold the idea that he or 82 Salesmanship for Women. she can successfully pursue the work and make it profitable. All the fundamental steps of a sale are developed, the only difference being that desire for profits is awakened instead of desire for the article itself which merely forms the basis for the awakening process. When the prospect becomes convinced (CONVIC- TION) that money can be actually made from the proposition, and has decided (DECISION) that she can make it, then the Special Representative presses for ACTION, which usually means the signing of the Company's contract and the payment necessary for any Sample Line to be left with the new appointee as working tools. In nearly every case the Special Representative is promoted from the ranks of local or traveling repre- sentatives. This is only natural ; for no Special Rep- resentative can hope to succeed in the work of ap- pointing agents unless she has first acquired the basic training which only actual field-selling can give. Spe- cial Representative work is something to be looked forward to by the ambitious saleswoman. It is a high- er grade of work and its commissions sometimes sal- aries make it the best paid profession open to women who are willing to pay the price in hard work and study, to become successful. A large number of wo- 83 Salesmanship for Women. men in the United States to-day are earning $10,000 a year or better at this class of work. Bear in mind, however, that when a woman is selected from the ranks to become a Special Representative, the choice always falls upon the one who has made the highest sales record and who has also fitted herself in other ways for the peculiar requirements of this particular calling. Rarely is she chosen until she has had at least from three to five year's of actual selling experience. Bearing this true statement in mind you will not fruit- lessly allow your ambition to seek prematurely this pro- motion. Sales Managers are constantly upon the look- out for suitable Special Representative talent, and when you have without doubt developed this talent, it will be recognized and rewarded. The work of the Special Representative is to find local Representatives for her company. All reputable companies demand a high grade of personality, energy, character and integrity upon the part of its field work- ers. It, therefore, behooves the Special Representative to locate the one person best fulfilling these require- ments, and to contract her if possible. How shall she most expeditiously perform this task? She usually comes into the town an entire stranger. A majority of the towns do not have a daily paper in which to advertise and the Special Rep- Salesmanship for Women. resentative cannot afford to await the issue of a Week- ly. In this connection let me say that it is never neces- sary to advertise for your prospect. There is a quick- er and surer route to your goal, and that is SECURE PROPER INFORMATION FROM RELIABLE SOURCES. Information-getting is an art in itself equally as important as the application of salesmanship principles. I very much regret that the limits of this volume do not permit me to treat the subject as exhaustively as I should delight in doing. The excerpts here given from my own experience may, however, be the means of starting you rightly upon the road and the different shades of technic will dawn upon you as you grow older in the work. I want to lay emphasis upon the fact that your in- formation as to who is the most desirable party for your work, must come from RELIABLE SOURCES. If your proposition is a high-grade one capable of producing excellent profit for the local representative, I want to place BANKS at the head of reliable sources of information. It is a part of a bank's business in any community to aid conservatively in the betterment of its deposi- tor's financial possibilities. When the depositor be- comes more prosperous the bank naturally enough 85 Salesmanship for Women. profits. Do not, therefore, feel any misgivings upon approaching any bank official for the information you desire. Tact, courtesy and open frankness must be the keynote of such an approach. State your business in clear, concise terms. Don't attempt cajoling flattery, but incidentally remark that if the party recommended takes up the work it means increased deposits from her. Insist upon having the Banker refer you to one of his depositors, for then you have settled the ques- tion as to whether the prospect has sufficient money to purchase readily the Sample Outfit. Banks of necessity are conservative. They must know that the Company you represent is well rated. See to it then that you know where to quickly refer in the leading financial directories for the rating of your Company. If a generous rating, ask the Banker to kindly note it. Establish confidence in his mind and invariably he will name the party best fitted for your work. When you go to your prospect and tell her that her own Banker especially recommended her of all women in the town for your proposition, you minister to her pride and make her receptive to your arguments. Ranking next in importance to Banks, I prefer Furniture Dealers and Undertakers. These two 86 Salesmanship for Women. trades usually know the inner workings of most homes in the community. The furniture dealer knows who are striving to furnish a home and possibly in debt some through doing so. Such women will gladly wel- come something that will add to the income and aid in paying off the indebtedness. As a rule, if they do not possess money enough to purchase the Sample Outfit, they can solicit the small loan required from friendly neighbors. Undertakers always know the bereaved widows of a town who are forced to rely upon their own resources; and to such your work should prove attractive. Undertakers are a leisurely class and generally are not averse to spending plenty enough time to discuss the habits and personality of the prospects they may recommend. Reliable information can be secured in many in- stances from pastors or leading spirits in women's fraternal organizations, such as Daughters of Rebekah, W. C. T. U. presidents, etc. It is rare indeed that the right kind of information can be secured from hotel keepers, post-masters, sta- tion agents or mail carriers. This class of public serv- ants are usually pestered to distraction by inquiries such as yours, and generally have some broken-down, cheap canvasser to recommend, seeking only to get rid of you as courteously as possible. If you have the 87 Salesmanship for Women. right mental conception of the dignity of your work and the necessary confidence in your company, you will seek only the highest grade of sound business citi- zens for your information. Then your results as a whole will not be disappointing. The prospect having been contracted, it is of vital importance to yourself as well as the appointee that the proper instruction or training be given. Most Special Representatives in addition to deriving a profit from the Sample Outfit placed, receive a commission upon the sales of the one appointed. These are usually due and payable quarterly and are based upon the cash remittances the local Representative sends in to the House. The necessity for getting the new agent start- ed rightly and leaving her in the most optimistic frame of mind possible is apparent. A little more time spent a careful drill a thorough knowledge imparted on how to order goods, how to study the company's liter- ature is sure to develop later on into larger commission statements. Since your real profits are to come in later on in the shape of commissions upon the sales your ap- pointee makes, do not commit the error of appointing a questionable prospect for the sake of the immediate profits to be derived from the Sample Outfit. Sooner or later usually sooner this person will give up the 88 Salesmanship for Women. work, to the detriment of the record you are making at the House. QUALITY Representatives always mean QUANTITY commissions. 89 CHAPTER IX. How TO OVERCOME OBJECTIONS. THAT sale is a remarkable one in which more or less objections have not been offered by the prospect. The successful saleswoman has anticipated all this, however, and is not in the least nonplussed when they crop up. In many cases she recognizes them as neces- sary to the proper unfoldment of her sales-talk. Often that sales-talk has been so formulated that an objection upon the part of the prospect serves to bring out more forcibly a certain argument in favor of the proposition. The stock-form expressions you will encounter are, "Haven't the money," " may take it up later," "try Mrs. Jones on the next street/' etc. It is always a wise plan to practically ignore such remarks and keep pressing to awaken APPRECIA- TION of what you have to sell. Thunder indicates the approach of rain just so surely do objections up- on the part of your prospect indicate that not yet has her appreciation been aroused. Therefore, recognize the fault as lying within yourself, and strive with all your power of intellect to get that APPRECIATION 90 Salesmanship for Women. awakened. If you have a line of good testimonials for your goods, bring them to bear here. Let your voice ring with your own CONVICTION, and you will succeed. I am, of course, presuming that you first satisfied yourself fully with the knowledge that the prospect is in a position to purchase provided you could interest her in doing so. The mediocre saleswoman goes down before ob- jections the live-wire one, NEVER. To the latter they are but the spur that urges on to victory. She realizes that there is a battle on Intellect vs. Intel- lect; and she knows she is the better equipped to win because she knows her proposition better than does the prospect. Why should she not win? "The question of price seems to give the inex- perienced Representative more trouble than any other. After all, is there really such a thing as a price ob- jection? True, a considerable number of your cus- tomers may say "The price is too high," but do you think they really mean the price is absolutely too high that they actually could not afford it ? Do you real- ize that folks do not always mean exactly what they say? Did you ever call at a residence and have the maid tell you that the lady was "not at home?" Did she mean just what she said? You understood clearly that while she said "not at home," the lady really 91 Salesmanship for Women. meant that it was not convenient for her to see you just then. Women have found that the expression "not at home" saves a world of explanation. In the business world the expressions "Can't afford it" 'Trice too high" serve the same purpose. Only the inexperienced take them seriously. The experienced saleswoman understands the true meaning of the vari- ous commercial terms. She knows there is a clear distinction between Worth, Value and Price. "By Worth we mean the inherent or actual merit an article possesses in and of itself its ability to sat- isfy human need. When we say a thing is worth so much, we mean that it has so much of specific merit. Worth is actual it is a constant quantity and is not determined by the price or by value as this is properly understood. It is well to remember the cardinal prin- ciples that though a person may think of the price of an article when buying it, the quality only will be con- sidered in the use of it. It is real worth that makes the reputation of an article. 'The recollection of qual- ity remains long after the price is forgotten/ "Value is merely the customer's estimate of the worth or merit of the article. It is just an opinion. It may or may not be equal to the real worth or merit. Generally it is not. The great problem of Salesman- ship is to increase the customer's appreciation of the 92 Salesmanship for Women. value until the desire for the article becomes a com- pelling desire, and leads to favorable action. We are successful salespeople only to the extent that we can do this. "Price on the other hand is the manufacturer's estimate of the amount necessary to give a satisfactory return for capital and labor expended, plus the selling cost. This price must not be greater than the real merit of the article and if a larger success is to be at- tained, the price must be less than the real worth. If you are having trouble over the price of your article, you can be sure that the trouble is due to imperfect methods of presenting the real worth of the article. "The customer's estimate of value on the article depends largely upon your success in proving to her . its merits. When a woman says the price is too high, she compares the price with only that part of the merit, or worth, that she has come to appreciate. What she means to say is that you have not, as yet, shown her sufficient merit to justify the price named. Isn't it clear then that the remedy consists in showing more merit more worth? You can get any price whatso- ever for an article if it has merit to justify the price. "The saleswoman's attitude toward the question of price is the one particular point that surely distin- guishes the strong, capable, efficient Saleswoman from 93 Salesmanship for Women. those less efficient. This question, more than any oth- er, serves as the index of her selling ability. If the price question looms up large on the horizon, it is safe to say that the saleswoman is using ineffective methods of presenting the merits of her goods. As she grows in strength as she improves in her methods the price question sinks into insignificance." H. C. Dol- lison. Quite often DESIRE to purchase will be awakened in the prospect when she does not have ready money to complete the sale right at that time. When such a condition arises, insist that she can easily borrow the money temporarily from one of her neighbors. Pro- vide yourself with a knowledge of circumstances where captains of industry such as Carnegie and others were forced to borrow money in order to take advantage of some exceptionally good opportunity. Show her that by promptly getting to work upon your proposition, she will speedily liquidate the indebtedness. If it is merely for the purchase of an article which you are selling for future delivery, you can then, of course, point out to her the fact that the money can be easily accumulated by the time you are ready to make de- livery. If you are a Special Representative and sell- ing an Outfit, and it is necessary for the prospect to go out to borrow the money, insist upon going with 94 Salesmanship for Women. her. The reason for this is that often her friend, be- cause of a lack of a full and complete knowledge of your proposition, may throw a wet blanket upon it, whereas, if you were there you can readily defend yourself against the objections, and greatly aid in encouraging the loan. Often times a Representative is confronted in the midst of a sale by an interruption such as the coming into the room of a relative or friend. The most sensi-/ ble thing to do in such a case is to get back to the be- ginning of your proposition and lead the caller through the steps of the sale with your prospect. By doing so, you disarm the caller of any objections she might oth- erwise offer. Invariably the prospect at such a time asks the advice of the friend, when pressed for AC- TION, and you can readily see the advantage of hav- ing this friend's endorsement. When talking to such a party as the unexpected caller, induce her to com- mit herself at every step of the sale. You can easily do this by asking her a line of questions which will lead her to affirm all that you have said regarding your proposition. This should also be put into effect with the prospect. Most high grade saleswomen welcome rather than deplore the uncermonious call of such a visitor. 95 CHAPTER X. WHAT TO Do WHEN A LICENSE Is REQUIRED. NOT infrequently a Representative going into an incorporated town or city to ply her work is confronted by the proposition that she must secure a License. She is usually intimidated with the threat that if she does not take out a License permitting her to solicit orders or make sales, she will be subjected to arrest and fine. In a great many cases where an attempt is made to collect such license fees, the act is illegal in others it is not. Much depends upon the peculiar manner in which you conduct your work and also in the residing place of business of the Company whom you represent. "The laws of every state give certain municipalities and communities police power to regulate the selling of merchandise in their midst. This purpose is sometimes accomplished by a mercantile tax, by special tax upon sales, by license, or otherwise. The laws of certain states also provide that foreign corporations must reg- ister within the state before they are permitted to do business therein. There is a long line of decisions Salesmanship for Women. supporting the proposition that no foreign corporation can be compelled to register in a state unless the cor- poration is actually doing business within the state which seeks to require registration. "The words 'doing business' have been interpreted to mean, in the case of a manufacturing corporation, the opening of its manufacturing establishment and the manufacture of its goods. A corporation that does not exercise its franchise power by such acts in any state other than the state of its creation is not 'doing busi- ness' in any foreign state. The selling of goods in a state outside of that in which the corporation is organized and in which it is manufacturing its goods is not 'doing business' but is engaged in Interstate Commerce." If, therefore, the company which you represent has its place of business outside the state in which license is demanded and is engaged in Interstate Commerce and is not subject to registration in the state where license is demanded, the payment of the same cannot be enforced. "Any state has the right under its police power to pass acts regulating the commerce within its borders, provided such acts do not discriminate against the merchandise of foreign manufacturers, and provided there is no interference with Interstate Commerce, the regulation of which commerce is subject exclusively to 97 Salesmanship for Women. Federal jurisdiction. It has been definitely decided that a tax on the occupation of selling an article im- ported only for sale is a tax on the article itself. Any tax or duty which would be repugnant to the Constitu- tion of the United States when levied on an article itself, is equally repugnant when imposed upon the occupation of selling that article." If the merchandise which you are selling is manu- factured outside the state in which the solicitation for order is made, you simply soliciting orders from house to house, and forwarding those orders to your House for manufacture in a state not the one in which the order was taken, then you are not amenable for any legal License violation. It is evident that the merchan- dise shipped to you in this way cannot be interpreted as forming an integral part of the general property of the state in which the order was taken. Besides, each separate order taken has been secured with the definite purpose in view of supplying it to a specific purchaser. "The Supreme Court of the United States has un- qualifiedly laid down the law that a representative of a foreign principal who negotiates sales by sample or otherwise from house to house making executory con- tracts of sale for goods manufactured in other states is engaged in Interstate Commerce and not liable for the Salesmanship for Women. payment of a license tax imposed by the authority of the state. "The International Correspondence School of Scranton, Pa., has had this matter tested within the last two or three years in Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado, and in every case the court has held that the company is engaged in Inter- state Commerce and as such it is not amenable to the laws and regulations of any community, relative to license." Test cases are being constantly tried out in different territories, usually resulting in a victory for the de- fendant. Several months ago a Representative of the Chicago Portrait Company was arrested upon such a charge in a prominent Kansas city. A fine was im- posed which he refused to pay. The authorities con- fined him, but he brought action against the city and won his case. We quote herewith several test cases decided in favor of the Representative which can be of valuable use to you in interpreting the law to any local officials who may seek to frighten you into paying an unwar- rantable license. Copy these so that you have them in manuscript form for instant reference, should you be molested. Defy them in the face of these established 99 Salesmanship for Women. precedents to interfere with your work, and generally they will let you alone. The leading cases in which this decision has been made and affirmed are as follows : Robbins vs. The Shelby County Taxing District, 120 U. S., 489 S. C, 8 Supreme Court Rep. 592. Corson vs. Maryland, 120 U. S., 502 S. C., 7 Su- preme Court Rep. 655. Ex parte Insley, 33 Fed. Rep. 680. Simmons Hardware Co. vs. McGuire, Second Southern Rep., 592. State vs. Pratt, 9 Atl. Rep. 556. too CHAPTER XL CONCLUSION. AN old saying has it, "Every stick must have at least two ends." It is analogous that every book must have its "Conclusion." In some books a severance of ties occurs long be- fore "Conclusion" is reached ; while in others the final chapter causes real regret that the end is near. That you are right now reading these lines furnishes possi- ble evidence that you have followed it from its opening words. If you can lean back in your chair and with closed eyes, reflectively remember some page or pages, some chapter or some treatment of a certain phase of Sales- manship herein that has been helpful to you, then my efforts have not been in vain. Sheldon says, "She profits most who serves best." I have kept this motto constantly in mind during the preparation of this vol- ume, fully conscious that any remuneration accruing could only be realized upon a real service which these chapters may have rendered. Granted then that there is an infallible law which always metes out profit com- 101 Salesmanship for Women. mensurate with service, time will tell, if letters from my readers do not, whether my message, as I had it in my heart, has been conveyed. If my inexperience in the making of books has overshadowed my knowl- edge of woman's problems in salesmanship, then well may I deplore the effort which has resulted in "Sales- manship for Women." I have often noticed my chickens scratching indus- triously at a litter of straw to reach the golden grain buried underneath. Perhaps it has been necessary for you to emulate the example of these industrious fowls by scattering the litter of verbiage that may have con- cealed grains of wisdom, garnered from my years of experience, which I have hoped to make plain in these pages. Much that I have written or caused to be printed herein may not meet with your ready approbation. You may have had formed previously conceived ideas upon the treatment of certain phases of salesmanship which you now find difficult to reconcile to my views. If your ideas have been born as have mine from years of experience handling Saleswomen, and your theories have been reduced to successful practice then but lit- tle other than an additional side-light is your reward for reading this book. If, however, your ideas are not the residue taken from the caldron of experience, 102 Salesmanship for Women. then I ask you to take these teachings in a spirit of faith until time has given opportunity to test their truthfulness. THE END. 103 INSPIRATION INSPIRATION. POSSIBLY in no other profession does enthusiasm count for so much as in Salesmanship. If you are to bring your prospect up to the point of "Desire," it is self-evident that her enthusiasm in the article must be awakened before "Conviction" is secured, to be followed by "Action." I have shown that your own mental state tends to induce a like mental state upon the part of the pros- pect. Therefore, enthusiasm begets enthusiasm, and the reason for its cultivation and use is apparent. But it is not only in the actual steps of building a sale that enthusiasm is of vital importance to the sales- worpan. Dark days come in every line of endeavor when all our best plans seem upset, our best thought and work to be of no avail. During these dark periods of discouragement our finer talents, our better energies become submerged in a sea of despondency. A "don't- care-a-hang," "what's the use" feeling grips us. We get ourselves worked up into such a condition of men- tal nausea that an order could not be rightly booked even though the prospect come to us begging that we take it. 106 Salesmanship for Women. There are a number of so-called causes responsible for such a mental attitude. Poor territory, discourte- ous treatment, delayed shipments, ill-health, and a number of others are seized upon as provocation for "blues." During such temperamental disturbances, many a woman makes the fatal mistake of giving up the work dropping her proposition. She does not stop to think that she has everything to gain by remaining upon the firing line, and possibly much to lose by giv- ing up. No one can afford to cultivate a vacillating na- ture. If upon taking up the work you resolved it was worth while, you cannot afford to weaken your ability to stay upon the track of your resolutions. While doubts, fears, "blues" assail you, sit down and at once commence an analysis of the situation and of yourself. Try to remember that no matter how de- pressing the circumstances may be, there are at that very moment thousands in the world worse off than yourself. Think of the cripples men and women maimed for life, minus limbs, distorted in shape of body, who are each day uncomplainingly earning good livings by the sheer persistency which they bestow upon their work. Many of these are engaged in lines of work similar to your own. Where Nature or cruel circumstances has imposed limitations upon their phys- io; Salesmanship for Women. ical activities, Salesmanship offers excellent opportuni- ties to make money by exercise of brains. Suppose they gave up at the appearance of one or a dozen ob- stacles? What else would be left them? But they don't give up they bore right through the obstruction, often handicapped by the loss of one or more limbs. Yet, here are you with average good health, sound limbs, your ability to move quickly unhampered by any physical paralysis, here are you with your whole sys- tem saturated with the vitriol of discouragement. O, Fie ! where is your grit, your energy that entitles you to be called an American ? Away with the blues ! They are simply distortions of your sick fancy, and exist only in your mind. Readjust that mental attitude. Take down the shutters and let the sunlight of opti- mism get a chance to shine upon your befogged ideas. Your discouragements are simply the booming of big guns being trained upon the stronghold of your Self- confidence. Are you going to become a skulker in the tent until cut to pieces, or a soldier ready to fight for what is assuredly yours? Everything worth having rightfully belongs to "the survival of the fittest." Brace up! Take another grip upon yourself and be the master of your destiny. It is your birthright. You can and will make a success of your work if you WILL TO DO SO. 108 Salesmanship for Women. Whenever you are tempted to give way to dis- couragement, turn to the following pages and drink in inspiration. These are optimistic quotations from men and women who have proved that "no obstacle is so great but that there is a way around it, over it, or THROUGH IT." The author has taken the liberty of changing some masculine words to feminine, that the application might become all the more forcible to our specific needs. For this perhaps unwarranted liberty she owes to those authors humble apology. It is here offered. A GOOD CREED. "To respect my work, my associates, and myself. To be honest and fair with them as I expect them to be honest and fair with me. To be a lady whose word carries weight. To be a booster, not a knocker; a pusher, not a kicker ; a motor, not a clog. "To have my expectations of regard on a solid foundation of service rendered; to be willing to pay the price of success in honest effort. To look upon my work as opportunity to be seized with joy and made the most of and not as painful drudgery to be reluctantly endured. "To remember that success lies within myself; in 109 Salesmanship for Women. my own brain, my own ambition, my own courage and determination. To expect difficulties and force my way through them; to turn hard experience into capi- tal for future struggles. "To interest myself heart and soul in my work, and aspire to the highest efficiency in the achievement of results. To be patiently receptive of just criticism and profit by its teachings. To treat equals and superiors with respect, and subordinates with kindly encourage- ment. "To make a study of my business duties ; to know my work from the ground up. To mix with my brains my efforts and use system and method in all I under- take. To find time to do everything needful by never letting time find me doing nothing. To hoard days as a miser does dollars ; to make every hour bring me dividends in specific results accomplished. To steer clear of dissipation and guard my health and body and peace of mind as my most precious stock of trade. "Finally, to take a good grip on the joy of life; to play the game like a lady; to fight against nothing so hard as my own weakness, and endeavor to grow in business capacity and as a lady, with the passage of every day of time." Dry Goods Reporter. no Salesmanship for Women. "Begin the morning by saying to thyself, I shall meet this day with the busybody, the ungrateful, the arrogant, deceitful, envious, unsocial. All these things happen to them by reason of their ignorance of what is good and evil. But I who have seen the nature of the good that is beautiful, and of the bad that is ugly, can neither be injured by any of them for no one can fix on me what is ugly nor can I be angry with my neighbor, nor hate him. We are made for co-operation; to act against one another, that is con- trary to nature ; and it is acting against one another to be vexed and turn away." Marcus Aurelius. "It ain't no use to grumble and complain, It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice; When God sorts out the weather and sends rain, Why, rain's my choice." James Whitcomb Riley. "Luck is of your own making. Luck means rising at six o'clock in the morning, living on one dollar a day if you can make two, minding your own business and not meddling with other people's. Luck means the appointments you have never failed to keep, the trains you have never failed to catch. Luck means in Salesmanship for Women. trusting God and in your own resources a religion whose motto is 'Help yourself and Heaven will help you/ Luck comes to those who help themselves and know how to wait." Max O'Rell. "Most house to house salesladies have to with- stand a great amount of temptation. They may work for an hour or so and not do any business. Feeling somewhat tired and discouraged, the friendly looking ice cream saloon, or restaurant, tempts them immoder- ately, and almost unconsciously they drift into one of these places and sit down and loaf wasting and frit- tering away the precious minutes which should be de- voted to going after business. In many cases they loaf under guise of visiting homes. "Also house to house salesladies are often satisfied with too small a measure of success. They will start out in the morning, making perhaps ten dollars by noon, and then figure that they have made enough money for the day. They forget that a woman's in- come should be as large as she can possibly make it, and that it is wise to make hay while the sun is shining. "A saleslady, also, usually spends three or four times as much while she is loafing as during the time she keeps busy. There is nothing that hurts a sales- lady so much as idleness. Fully ninety per cent of the 112 Salesmanship for Women. downfalls of salesladies of any class are not to be at- tributed to lack of selling talent, but to some malign influence which induces them to idle away their time. "The house to house saleslady is very often tempt- ed to get orders by methods that are not above board. Indeed, sales managers assert that there are many salesladies who cannot possibly be induced to go back to a customer they have once sold. They will not be present at the time of delivery of the goods sold, nor can they ask a customer of theirs for the names of prospective buyers." "Master of human destinies am I! Fame, love and fortune on my footsteps wait. Cities and fields I walk; I penetrate Deserts and seas remote, and passing by Hovel and mart and palace soon or late I knock unbidden once at every gate. If sleeping, wake if feasting, rise before I turn away. It is the hour of fate. And they who follow me reach every state Mortals desire, and conquer every foe Save death ; but those who doubt or hesitate, Condemned to failure, penury and woe, Seek me in vain and uselessly implore ; I answer not and I return no more." John ] . Ingalls. Salesmanship for Women. ALL IN THE STATE OF MIND. If you think you're beaten you are. If you think you dare not you don't. If you'd like to win, but think you can't It's almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose, you've lost, For out in the world you'll find Success begins with a woman's will. Its all in the state of mind. Full many a race is lost Ere ever a step is run; And many a coward falls Ere ever her work's begun. Think big and your deeds will grow, Think small, and you'll fall behind, Think that you can and you will. It's all in the state of mind. If you think you're outclassed, you are; You've got to think high to rise, You've got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize. Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster one, But soon or late the woman who wins Is she who the task begun. (Apologies for changes.) Author UnkHOWH. 114 Salesmanship for Women. Every particle of progress that has ever been made has been the product of individuals who have love for their work and who, by loving their work, have climbed above the mass, and, by climbing themselves, have developed power to stand. James Logan. "Smile the smile of success; Think only thoughts that are sure ; Figure the figures of actual facts ; Move but the Move that's secure. Smile reality smiles; Think only honesty's speech; Look with one eye as far as the sky, Look with one where you can reach. Smile inside of your smiles ; Think only things you would see ; Choose only friends who have won the same ends ; Failures ? Just let them all be. Smile your smile into things Food and clothing to bless ; Think every one into good in your plan These are real keys of success." Quoted. Salesmanship for Women. "I don't want to convey the idea that new things should be rushed into without any consideration. No thought in such matters is worse than too much thought. The wise woman will investigate and study well each new undertaking before she engages it. She will weigh very carefully the chances of success over failure and then decide and once her decision is made, she will stick to it. If the decision is favorable to the attempt, she will cast to the wind all further hesita- tion and doubt and devote herself heart and soul to the task. There will be no turning back, no weak vacillation, but a determined resolution to put the thing through to a successful conclusion. "Let it be remembered, new things do not usually succeed at the start. There is generally a lot of dis- appointment and grief mixed up with them before they are made to go. And here comes the test of pluck. The average woman lets go too soon. Dis- couragement and disappointment force her out. It's the woman with confidence and pluck that hangs on. "It's wonderful how great is the power of pluck. Every woman who has conquered success, in whatever calling, has possessed it. She has been full of the courage to do, and the pluck and nerve to hang on until it is done." Walter H. Cottingham, in System. 116 Salesmanship for Women. "The human Will, that force unseen, The offspring of a deathless Soul, Can hew a way to any goal, Though walls of granite intervene." IT CAN BE DONE. Somebody said that it couldn't be done, But she, with a chuckle, replied That "maybe it couldn't" but she would be one Who wouldn't say so till she'd tried. So she buckled right in, with the trace of a grin On her face. If she worried, she hid it. She started to sing as she tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and SHE DID IT. Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that; At least no one ever has done it." But she took off her coat and she took off her hat, And the first thing we knew she's begun it ; With the lift of her chin, and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit ; She started to sing as she tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and SHE DID IT. There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure ; 117 Salesmanship for Women. There are thousands to point out to you, one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you; But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, Then take off your coat and GO TO IT ; Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing That "cannot be done," and YOU'LL DO IT. Author Unknown. "KEEP-A-GOIN'." "If you strike a thorn or rose, keep-a-goin J ; If it hails, or if it snows, keep-a-goin' ; 'Tis no use to sit and whine When the fish ain't on your line Bait your hook and keep-a-tryin' keep-a-goin '. When you tumble from the top keep-a-goin', When it looks like all is up keep-a-goin', Suppose you haven't got a dime Gettin' broke aint any crime Fortune favors pluck sublime keep-a-goin'." Quoted. There is a tremendous power in the habit of ex- pectancy, the conviction that we shall realize our am- bition; that our dreams shall come true. There is no 118 Salesmanship for Women. uplifting habit like that of carrying an expectant, hope- ful attitude, of expecting that our heart yearnings will be matched with realities ; that things are going to turn out well and not ill ; that we are going to succeed ; that no matter what may or may not happen we are going to be happy. Success. Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. Roosevelt. Let your customer know that a personal interest attaches to him a real personal interest that is not measured wholly by his orders and his dollars and you will win in return that close personal association and active support that builds up business. George H. Barbour. Success is the hand trained to do its work, The eye that sees that the lines run true, The ear that hears when the truth you shirk, The brain that conceives old truths anew. Success is the strife with the heart aglow, The effort we make for our fellow-man, The pride that laughs at the outer show, The soul that fulfills its highest plan. New York Independent. 119 Salesmanship for Women. Show me a house where ail the employees are edu- cated to think kindly of the customers, so that in speaking of them even they use courteous phrases, and I can safely predict for that house a rapid and continuous success so long as that policy prevails. Daniel Louis Hanson. To say 'Til try" is good intent And maybe fills the bill, But he who makes the most in life Has always said, "I will." Beach. A good way to rid one's self of a sense of discom- fort is to do something. That uneasy, dissatisfied feeling is actual force vibrating out of order ; it may be turned to practical account by giving proper expres- sion to its creative character. William Morris. Write on your doors the saying wise and old, "Be bold ! Be bold !" and everywhere "Be bold ; Be not too bold !" Yet better the excess Than the defeat ; better the more than the less ; Better like Hector in the field to die, Than like a perfumed Paris turn and fly. Longfellow. 120 Salesmanship for Women. The fortunate circumstances of our lives are gener- ally found to be of our own producing. Goldsmith. There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries ; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures. Shakespeare. Verily, brethren, a heap of you fail because, seri- ously, you try to drive a golden spike with a ten-cent hammer. Beach. Defend me, therefore, common sense, say I, From reveries so airy, from the toil Of dropping buckets into empty wells, And growing old in drawing nothing up. Gowper. Within yourself lies the cause of whatever enters into your life. To come into the realization of your own awakened powers is to be able to condition your life in exact accord with what you would have it. Emerson. 121 Salesmanship for Women. Present opportunities are not to be neglected- they rarely visit us twice. Voltaire. "And those who dream too long or much, Must waken, shivering, at his touch, With naught to show for vanished hours, But dust of dreams and withered flowers." Quoted. THE WOMAN WHO WINS. The woman who wins is an average woman ; Not built on any peculiar plan, Not blessed with any peculiar luck ; Just steady and earnest and full of pluck. When asked a question she does not "guess" She knows, and answers "No" or "Yes ;" When set a task that the rest can't do, She buckles down till she's put it through. Three things she learned ; that the woman who tries Finds favor in her employer's eyes; That it pays to know more than one thing well ; And it doesn't pay all she knows to tell. 122 Salesmanship for Women. So she works and works ; till one fine day There's a better job with bigger pay, And the women who shirked whenever they could Are bossed by the woman whose work made good. For the woman who wins is the woman who works Who neither trouble nor labor shirks, Who uses her hands, her head, her eyes ; The woman who wins is the woman who tries. Charles R. Barrett, in Welfare News. What attacts my attention shall have it, as I will go to the woman who knocks at my door, whilst a thousand persons as worthy go by it, to whom I give no regard. Emerson. Discontent is the want of self-reliance; it is in- firmity of will. Regret calamities, if you can thereby help the sufferers; if not, attend to your own work and already the evil begins to be repaired. Our sym- pathy is just as base. We come to them who weep foolishly and sit down and cry for company, instead of imparting to them truth and health in rough electric shocks, putting them once more in communication with their own reason. The secret of fortune is joy in our hands . Emerson . 123 Salesmanship for Women. PROCRASTINATION IS YOUR ENEMY. Don't let it persuade you to put off until to-morrow what you can do to-day. Remember, there is nothing like being right up to time with your work. Don't sad- dle to-day's duty upon to-morrow. If you do, you will push some of to-morrow's duties out of the saddle. "It's the going-to-do who never gets it done." Don't say : "It makes no difference. I will do it to-morrow." It does make a big difference. "For the man who is up and coming, And who keeps the wheels a humming, Is the man who cuts 'to-morrow' from his cry." SET A SCHEDULE for yourself, like a teacher or clerk certain hours for work and keep schedule time. Spirella Monthly. Do little things now ; so shall big things come to thee by-and-by asking to be done. Persian Proverb. Let our life be one of action, Our one aim to reach the top ; With endurance and ability, Need we falter? Need we stop? Each of us has his own value, Yearn to put it to the test ; Concentration of our powers, Ought to lead us to Success. Donahue. 124 Salesmanship for Women. "To become successful and make your life worth while it is not necessary to have extraordinary ability to begin with. It is only necessary to use fully, posi- tively and constructively what ability you already pos- sess." Quoted. "You may have all the learning professors can give, But hark ye, my son, 'tis a fact, That despised and outcast you'll be sentenced to live If you aren't a person of tact. "Observe and you'll find, as you journey along, That every sane man has a soft spot somewhere ; Find out its location, and then go in strong. To tickle the gentleman there. "Now, if a Sale you would make, Where the lady's unkind or gruff, Just smooth her down right, and her order you'll take- But you can't, if you answer her rough. "To her harshness and frowns, return her a smile. Don't notice her bad temper. In fact, Speak well of her flowers, her home or her child Win her order and friendship by Tact." Quoted. 125 Salesmanship for Women. In works of labor, or of skill, I would be busy too, For Satan finds some mischief still For idle hands to do. Watts. There is no royal road to anything. One thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast, withers as rapidly. That which grows slowly endures. Holland. A woman who has nothing to do is the devil's play- fellow. She has no choice in the matter. She can find no sympathy anywhere else. Good women find noth- ing in her congenial. /. G. Holland. Your whole thought current must be set in the di- rection of your life purpose. The great miracles of civilization are wrought by thought concentration. Live in the very soul of expectation of better things, in the conviction that something large, grand, and beautiful will await you if your efforts are intelligent, your mind is kept in a creative condition, and you struggle up- ward to your goal. Live in the conviction that you are eternally progressing, advancing toward something higher, better, in every atom of your being. Success. 126 Salesmanship for Women. Training is every thing. The peach was once a bit- ter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education. Mark Twain. "How few people realize the possibility of mental achievement, the fact that everything is created by the mind first, before it becomes a material reality. If we were better mental builders we should be infinitely better material builders." Quoted. "Tact teaches you when to be silent, as well as when to speak." Disraeli. Yesterday is gone. We can't change it. But to- day is here. Let's improve it and put pleasant things in our bank of life, that we may draw upon in after years. Spirella Monthly. If you live in an attitude of mental rising above these adverse conditions, of meeting them in a positive frame of mind, instead of always expecting the worst, your body and mind will become polarized and poised in positive vibrations. Your power to accomplish things will be increased, your faith will expand, and your happiness in living will be multiplied many fold. The Nautilus. 127 Salesmanship for Women. "The majority of people who are a failure in life are so because they never learn to guard and strength- en their weak points. To correct deficiencies, remedy defective faculties, overcome peculiarities, and bring the mind into symmetry and poise so that it will ex- press its maximum of power, will form a large part of the education of the future." Quoted. "When you have a perplexing day, when things have gone wrong with you and you go home at night exhausted, discouraged, blue, instead of making your- self miserable by going over your troubles and trials, just bury them; instead of dragging them home and making yourself and your family unhappy with them and spoiling the whole evening, just lock everything that is disagreeable in your office." Quoted. Our mental attitude, our heart's desire, is our prayer which Nature answers. She takes it for grant- ed that we desire what we are headed toward, and she helps us to it. People little realize that their desires are their perpetual prayer not heard prayers but heart prayers and that they are granted. Success. The more interest you take in your work, the more you will take out. Wall Street Journal. 128 Salesmanship for Women. As to enthusiasm; a woman might have honesty, health, ability, initiative, knowledge of business, tact, sincerity, industry, and open-mindedness, and without enthusiasm she would be only a statue. Enthusiasm is the whiteheat that fuses all of these qualities into one effective mass. Hugh Chalmers. All men who have achieved great things have been dreamers, and what they have accomplished has been just in proportion to the vividness, the energy and per- sistency with which they visualized their ideal ; held to their dreams and struggled to make them come true. Success. Our visions are the plans of the possible life struc- ture; but they will end in plans if we do not follow them up with a vigorous effort to make them real; just as the architect's plans will end in his drawings if they are not followed up and made real by the builder. Success. The world generally gives its admiration not to the woman who does what nobody else attempts to do, but to the woman who does best what multitudes do well. Macaulay. 129 Salesmanship for Women. LAUGH IT OFF. Are you worsted in the fight? Laugh it off. Are you cheated of your right? Laugh it off. Don't make tragedy of trifles, Don't shoot butterflies with rifles Laugh it off. Does your work get into kinks? Laugh it off. Are you near all sorts of brinks ? Laugh it off. If it's sanity you're after, There's no recipe like laughter Laugh it off. Eliot. Bad will be the day for every man when he be- comes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing ; when there is not forever beat- ing at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows that he was meant and made to do because he is still, in spite of all, the child of God. Philip Brooks. 130 Salesmanship for Women. Fear in all its different phases of expression, such as worry, anxiety, anger or timidity, is the greatest enemy of the human race. It has robbed man of more happiness and efficiency, has committed suicide upon more years of his life, has made more men cowards, more people failures or forced them into mediocrity, than anything else. Success. This is the best day the world has ever seen. To- morrow will be better. R. A. Campbell. DELIVER THE GOODS. The world will buy largely of anyone who Can deliver the goods. It is ready and eager to barter if you Can deliver the goods. But don't take its order and make out the bill Unless you are sure you'll be able to fill Your contract, because it won't pay you until You deliver the goods. Nixon Waterman. Carry yourself with a self-confident air, an air of self-assurance, and you will not only inspire others with a belief in your strength, but you will come to believe in it yourself. Quoted. Salesmanship for Women. DR. CHEERUP. Call in old Dr. Cheerup when the clouds begin to thicken ; He can help you if you'll give him half a chance. When you leave your food untasted and your heart begins to sicken, When your mirror shows a dullness in your glance, Call in old Dr. Cheerup, with his look of healthful joy And his never- failing greeting: "Ho! Why, you're all right, my boy!" Call in old Dr. Cheerup when the girl has left you lonely ; He can give you the prescription which you need. Do not sit alone, supposing that unceasing sadness only Shall come plaguing you wherever you proceed ; Call in old Dr. Cheerup, with his never-failing smile He will help you to forget her in a very little while. Call in old Dr. Cheerup when your hopes have been defeated, When others have upset your dearest plan When, after patient efforts, you have cruelly been cheated Of the triumph that is dear to every man. Call in old Dr. Cheerup, who can quickly make it plain 132 Salesmanship for Women. That a million reasons urge you to take heart and try again. Call in old Dr. Cheerup when you hear the people shouting For your rival, who is favored with good luck ; He can quickly give you something that will cure you of the doubting That has caused you to forget the need of pluck. Call in old Dr. Cheerup, with his never-failing joy, And his hearty, wholesome greeting: "Ho! Why. you're all right, my boy !" 5\ E. Kiser. SPARE MOMENTS AND SUCCESS. The way to do a thing is to go and do it. If there is a particularly disagreeable task before you, begin with that, and so save yourself several hours of dread, aside from having it done the sooner. The men who have succeeded in life have been able to turn the spare moments, which most of us frivol away, into productive work or thought. Even in one's hours of relaxation one often meets with an idea, in reading or conversation, which would be valuable if stored away. Instead it is often for- gotten. Make note of it in your mind at the time, put it on paper at the first opportunity. Swett. 133 Salesmanship for Women. BOOST A BIT. "Here ! you discontented knocker, Growlin' 'bout the country's ills ; Chloroform yer dismal talker; Take a course o' liver-pills. Stop yer durn ki-o-tee howlin', Chaw some sand an' git some grit ; Don't sit in the dumps a-growlin'. Jump the roost An' boost A bit! Fall in while the band's a playin', Ketch the step an' march along 'Stead o' pessimistic brayin', Jine the hallelujah song! Drop yer hammer do some rootin' Grab a horn, you cuss, and split Every echo with yer tootin' Jump the roost An' boost A bit!" Quoted. The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of work. Sarah K. Bolton. 134 Salesmanship for Women. JUST KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON. "If the day looks kinder gloomy An' your chances kinder slim; If the situation's puzzlin' An' the prospects awful grim An' perplexities keep pressin' Till all hope is nearly gone, Jus' bristle up, and grit your teeth An' keep on keepin' on. Fumin' never wins a fight An' f rettin' never pays ; There ain't no good in broodin' in These pessimistic ways Smile jus' kinder cheerfully When hope is nearly gone. An' bristle up, and grit your teeth, An' keep on keepin' on. There ain't no use in growlin' An' grumblin' all the time When music's ringing' everywhere, An' everything's a rhyme Jus' keep on smilin' cheerfully. If hope is nearly gone, An' bristle up, an' grit your teeth, An' keep on keepin 3 on" Quoted. 135 Salesmanship for Women. When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that's just the place and time that the tide'll turn. Harriet Beecher Stowe. 136 RETURN TO the circulation desk of any University of California Library or to the NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Bldg. 400, Richmond Field Station University of California Richmond, CA 94804-4698 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 2-month loans may be renewed by calling (510)642-6753 1-year loans may be recharged by bringing books to NRLF Renewals and recharges may be made 4 days prior to due date DUE AS STAMPED BELOW MAY 1 2007 DD20 12M 1-05 65097 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY