Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-22
Must Inspire Confidence

Here some particular instances of a
very interesting nature were given. 1t
was surprising to one not acquainted
with the business what large number
of women found husbands through their
work in the store.
Now, as to a saleswoman's popular
ity,' the manager continued, "I have
this to say: She must first of all have
the native qualities that inspire con-
fidence in the people who come in con-
tact with her A good woman is for
that very reason the only saleswoman
that a store can afford to employ. The
other kind of woman drives away trade.
Purely as a business matter, the con
fidence of the customer in the sales
woman is necessary if patronage is to
be won and held. l think that depart
ment store managers have learned the
many excellent reasons why the native
qualities of goodness in a woman are
determining factors in building up
successful business. And believe that
the saleswomen of Los Angeles are in
an overwhelming majority women wor-
thy of the greatest respect. The excep-
tions are too few and far between to be
more noticeable than a needle in hay
stack.
"A cheerful disposition and good tenn
per combined with tact and patience
will in themselves make a saleswoman
a large circle of friends. People like
to transact business with a woman who
is good natured, even though she is
less well informed about her line than
another woman of more experience in
1t. We have clerks whom people like
to purchase from, just because they put
the purchaser in a good humor and
rsnV III hn,- WITH
view of life that they did not have
when they came into the store. A long
faced, melancholy, reluctant person
cannot be popular or useful as a sales
woman useless those qualities are more
than offset by other qualities that the
customer recognizes.
Should Be Interested in Work
"Then a saleswoman must be well
Informed on the lines that she handles.
Her patrons look to her to tell them
just what it is best for them to buy.
When a customer hesitates then the
saleswoman must say the word that will
have the deciding influence. She can
not do this without knowing her stock
thoroughly. A nowledge of her line is
indispensable if she is to make rapid
satisfactory sales.
stock is necessary If she is not alone
to sell goods. but to sell them without
waste of energy. A good saleswoman
not only sells goods but sells them
quickly. Method, system, neatness and
attention to business are qualities in
dtspensable in a first class saleswoman
"About 30 per cent of the women be-
hind the counter are really interested in
their work. The rest are not. 1t is
obvious from which class the popular
saleswomen are drawn.
"A woman can make herself popular
as a saleswoman by keeping herself
useful to her customers. If she attends
to business and puts her mind and
heart into giving people the best that
she has in her they will very soon come
to know and like her They will value
her, and she will make firm friends and
be popular in the mo ost worthy sense.
ITO certain extent personal popu-
larity comes to a saleswoman unsought.
But it does not continue unless an eff
fort is made to retain it. And 1 believe
that 1t is both good sense and good
business to say that the most popular
saleswoman is that woman of at
tractive personality who along the lines
of her work makes herself most pleas
antly useful to the greatest number of
people"