The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-29
From the Boston Gl3hc.

From the Boston Glohc
IT. HE theory advanced IN recent
@ lecture by one Of the officials
of a Boston department store
that successful craftsmanship is just as
important as a profession as law, nedi-
cine. theology and journalism, can be
highly commended.
A salesman, If he is not professional
man in the strictest sense OF the TERM
holds a very importaa. position in the
world and without his 1aborious and Sic
cessful work there might not be much
money to pay the fees of the professional
men.
1t is a true saying that 1T is sales that
move the wheels OF business" and In
any community where there is not much
general business activity the population is
small money is scarce and professional
men find it difficult to make living.
The successful statesmen, whether upon
the road or at the home office, must
show executive ability, have as much
determination and possess as good an adj
dress as do successful lawyers, physicians
and journalists. They are dealing with as
large a number of clients, with as varied
temperaments, as are the professional
men.
In the financial world much is heard of
the achievements of the brilliant pro-
moter, how he is gifted with a fine ad-
dress, fluency of speech and energy and
how he places gigantic enterprises upon
the market, the result of which is the ac-
emulation of fortunes for mis- employers
Does not a salesman have to possess
qualities almost identical. and does ne
not introduce the productions of his
house far and wide and make them sell:
Is he not obliged to make good and
required to succeed, whereas many pro-
fessional men can fail with their cases
and not lose the confidence of the COM
munity. The professional men have all
kinds of assistance, but the commercial
traveller must depend upon himself alone
and rise or fall on his sales
Honesty of purpose must be a charac-
teristic of all statesmen who would sue
coed. A commercial man who goes over
ceived, are not up to his description of
them will meet with disaster sooner Of
later. What profession is there that calls
for one to be more on his guard against
dishonest methods than this occupation
of selling goods to merchants who are
approached for the tirst time? In this
respect salesmanship, upon the road or
at home. is stamped with an importan e
equal to that to be found in medicine Or
law.
a young physician or young lawyer has
to hustle for clients. Each of them, as
rule must pick UP new clientage. 1t
is equally important for travelling sales
man to do likewise--he must find new
customers for his concern. To accom-
plish this he must 'blaze a new TRAIL" as
it were, study his territory carefully and
go after sales vigorously and with a deter
mination to succeed
Honesty and confidence not dishonesty
and brag, will land big deals for a house
if the conditions are right for selling any,
thing of consequence in the territory
selected. And if that territory does not
s'pan OUT the wise salesman tries an
other. and yet another, until he does finI
the new customers.
This enterprise by statesmen in cover
Ing new territory and winning sales is
characteristic of the men who possess
the power of initiatlve-they require no
prompting, but men of original ideas ami
fine executive ability.
1t is agreeable to find a representative
of the business discussing the impor,-
ance of the calling of salesman and he
is warranted to considerable degree IN
likening it to a profession so far as rs
Importance is concerned. Too much praise
cannot be given TO the large army OF
statesmen who are travelling in the United
States and by their efforts are adding
to the nations wealth by building up conf