The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-09-09
SALESMAN SHIP AS A PROBES
SION.

The caption to this article may no
attract you. You may think you are
not interested or concerned in the sub
ject. But you are. The argument
gives a broader significance to the
term Craftsmanship, than You think.
You may be salesman without know
ing it. If you are not one, you are
interested in some one who is; and if
you will read this article through
thoughtfully, studiously, it will help
you to help that one.
1t is in no sense an advertising ar
ticle, though it is from "Ad Sense. /"
It is by A. F. Sheldon, IN the August
number and reads as follows:
Il believe that the business life is
the greatest profession in the world,
from the standpoint of opportunities,
for the truly worthy and proficient.
There was a time, and state of
society," when the business of trade, or
merchandising, was looked dow upon
and Stunned as an occupation I'M
worthy of refined intellects and gifted
natures. But the world has long got
ten over that nonsense and, at the best.
it was only silly prejudice based on
narrow judgment.
Who are the statesmen of the world?
1t seems to me that, broadly speak
ing, our business institutions. great
and small, are the statesmen. Eacn as
a whole is composite salesman, the
object OF the whole institution being the
sale of goods for profit, and everybody
from the head of the institution down to
the office boy, is a part of the whole.
The item of profit in the balance sheet
is the one that tells the story as to
whether or not good salesmanship has
been exercised. Merely disposing of
goods, large volumes of them, does not
require craftsmanship. True salesman
ship has not been exercised unlesss that |
ITEM of profit, and a substantial profit, |
IS present.
This item of profit in the balance |
sheet, much more than many imagine,
depends upon how thoroughly every
body IN she institution does his or her
WORK Therefore claim that, IN final
analysis, everyone engaged In com
nerclal life, no matter what his duties
ire, is, in one sense. salesman.
when l was out in California, sew
raj years ago, | had the pleasure of
operations in the great
edwood lumber districts | have seen
S many as twenty oxen hitched to one
Dg. 1t is an InpsirIng sight when
hey all get down and pull together,
nd when they do that they can pull
Mighty load. but occasionally they
7ould get a loafeI in the team, an OK
Thich would simply walk along with
ut pulling. and then occasionally they 1
'ould get baker. one which would !
ull the wrong way. Though the I
,afeTs or bakers in that team could {
OF stop the team. yet they could /
realty hinder its power. and it is Just I
} in business. A few loafers OF {
alxers in any business institution may 4
OF eliminate the element of profit, but '
ley can greatly hinoer it. I
The loafers and bakers in business 4
rgely account for the great numDer 4
failures, both of individual sales
EN- ana of institutions as whole. II a
ems % me that the interest of en- y
oyer and epmlove is entirely mutual I,
be better the individual does his OF r
II work the larger the element Of 4
oft is sure TO be at the enc Of the a
al. and just in that proportion IL Is II
'Ssible for the institution to promote v
e individuals who have contributed N
swelling the item Of profit. L.
a business man in Chicago was a