Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-12-12
THE WOMAN "AD." SOLICITOR.

a. Clever Ruse Through Which She Ac-
complished Her Purpose.
The reason why SO many women fail
as advertising solicitors and agents is
because they have no conception of the
meaning of the word ''time' as applied
to business people.
There is lots of money in it, more
than in almost any line Of work con-
nected with publishing, and woman
starting out to make living for herself
in this line of work must come down to
business principles at once and forget
that she was ever entitled to more cour-
tesy than is shown from man to man.
A business mans time is counted by
the minutes, each one of which is worth
so much money to him. When wom-
an, no matter how attractive, makes
her way into his private office and takes
up SO much of his valuable time that be
is either compelled to give her what she
wants or treat her with rudeness he is
not accustomed to doing she gains very
little in the long run. A small order
given under these circumstances closes
the door forever after against her.
But, on the other hand, if she asks
and is granted an interview, few well
chosen, terse sentences, stating her er
rand, will, if it does not get the order
at once, make good impression, and
in all probability the second visit will
do much more. l do not mean that one
visit is to suffice for all time, but by a
liberal use Of tact and constant re-
membrance that business mans time
is worth so much to him much may be
gained. At all events, what one cannot
accomplish that way it is almost impos
sible to get any other way.
To show exactly my idea ! will re-
late an incident, which was told me, of
a busy woman who earned very fair
income by getting advertisements for
one of New York's dailies.
She had been working at it for nearly
six months when she was told one day
to go and see prominent linen dealer
of Twenty third street and try if she
could get an order from him.
She had heard of him as being queer,
cantankerous individual and extremely
hard to approach, and she knew if she
stated her errand she would not be able
to see him at all.
So, assuming a confidence she did not
feel, she went boldly up to the store
one morning, and seeing a foorwalker
stepped up to him and said in an sac
quaintance of long standing" sort of
voice: elias Mr.. c. come down yet:
1 have looked all over the store and
cannot find him.
ooh, yes, MISS" the man answered,
thinking she was an old friend, che
was in his private Office, over there q
few moments ago."
Thanks, very much," she answered.
1T will go over and see him minute
then,' and she walked deliberately over
and into the office where he was sitting.
Now, she simply trusted to her good
luck to get a satisfactory interview, and
stepping up to the desk she said as
sweetly as possible, GOOD morning!'
Good morning, young lady! What
do you want?" he said gruffly.
''Only to speak to you moment if
you are not too busy" she answered,
with some trepidation, for he seemed a
very tough customer to begin on.
She had been told before going that
no one else had ever been able to get
anything from him, so it was a matter
of pride with her to succeed.
'My time is worth S. minute, he
said very decidedly, as if that settled
the UuestiOn- "and / cannot afford to
waste it. Good morning!'
She felt that it was now or never.
She had just received her week S salary
and had it in her pocket.
VERY well, sir, she answered
promptly. II will take three minutes
if you please. -
Taking out her pooketbook and watch,
she put three S. bills on the desk and
her watch open on top, and sitting down
on chair beside him she began to talk.
She says he looked up in astonish-
ment, with a smile On his face, and
when the three minutes were up by the
watch she had obtained an order for
several weeks and made friend of him,
which stood her in good stead many a
time. Of course he did not take the
money, and she knew he would not, but
she caught him by her promptness and
did a good stroke of business.
She said, though, that she would have
paid the money like man if he had
taken it and considered the order she Sc
cured cheap at that-Printers' Ink