Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-07
HINTS FOR THE TRADE
Courtesy Behind the Cigar Counter.

Courtesy Behind the Cigar Counter.
The cigar dealer should always insist
upon courtesy on the part of his clerk. not
forgetting to exercise generous share him
SELF
The cost of courtesy is so small that any
one can invest in It, but 1t sometimes pays
enormous dividends.
single courteous attention is worth
dozen apologies for neglecting to be courte-
GUS and attentive.
Importance of Trade knowledge.
A good general knowledge of the entire
cigar and tobacco business is essential to
the man behind the cigar counter If he
is to make the most of his opportunities.
The field is prodigious one, and the most
experienced has always something to learn.
and none, no matter how we'll informed,
should feel that he knows it all.
One can be forgiven for not knowing every
brand that is issued. but is there an excuse
for a salesman sending a customer away
when the particular type of tobacco, cigar
or cigarette wanted Is right under his
nose? Keep informed as much as possible
on the new brands coming out and be able
to give an intelligent reply to all who may
come to you for information.
Never send customer away without the
knowledge he may seek when 1t Is at all
possible within your power to furnish it to
him.
Try to equip yourself with every detail
Of the cigar business, and don't feel that
keeping the dust off the cases and shelves
is fulfilling your duty as a salesman behind
a cigar counter.
A few hours careful reading of a good
trade paper-advertisements and all-eyery
week will keep you well posted as to the
leading brands in the various lines.
Adapting Displays to Different Lo-
calities.
The progressive man realizes the import
ance OF novelty as an element Of attrac-
ton, but it should always be remembered
that tastes differ with communities, and
hence the Importance of studying the peo-
pie to know how to please and interest
them through changes in designs.
If a display in a store in another section
interests you, don't repeat that display, but
let it be suggestive only for display. that
will suit the people In your section. Bear
ing these facts in mind, one Will readily
realize why q certain style of window de-
sign proves popular in one place and fails
to attract attention in some other. If the
window dresser would not weaken the effect
of his productions he must keep these facts
before him.
A Good Rule to Follow.
Whenever practical sell the goods that
bring the most profit, but do not lose Gus
toner by insisting on selling goods of that
character.
Have Advertisements Ready to Hand.
An up-to-date dealer should always try to
have on hand number of advertisements
ready for use. When you see good idea
or argument in an advertisement jot 1t
down in your notebook, If you have one for
this purpose.
hoxya on = mill
pay you well. The notes in this little book
will help you prepare your advertisements
when 1t will seem as If there were no more
ideas in your overworked brain.
Having a few advertisements prepared
against busy day will go a long way to-
ward helping you to keep the matter on
your bulletin board, or in your newspaper
or theater program space, or whatever me-
dunn you employ. fresh and new.
The Clerk and the Salary Question.
There Is many clerk in the cigar bust
ness, as there is In every other business.
who Is continually thinking he Is worth
just about twice or three times as much
as he Is being paid. II you are one of these
make up your mind to forget 1t and start
In to make yourself worth even more than
you are at present
There are many people In this world who
are not earning what they get, and their
position Is a sad one, for the simple rea-
son that they are always on the brink OF
precipice for fear their employer will find
Il out and get some one who Is willing to at
least earn all he gets
Then there are more workmen than can
be counted who are earning just what they
get and no more If they think much about
It their position Is an uneasy one, too, for
they know that their employer is likely to
have no particular reason for keeping them
on his pay roll II he takes notion to save
their salary or to replace them.
But IL they make 1t point to feel that
they are earning more than their salary
they can rest secure that their boss VIII
notice a good thing And If he gets the
idea that he might be going to lose it he
will increase the mans salary to forestall
him. 1t Is not often that an employer will
Increase the pay of his salesman for any
| fine fellow, steady and respectable, and has
been there q good while" seldom enters
into the question In any important degree.
The man who has to pay the salaries Is not
a sentimentalist.
1t might be argued that IL a salesman's
salary was voluntarily raised by his en-
ployer In recognition OF the fact that he
| had been earning more than he had been
getting the clerk on his increased wages
would then be earning no more than he
| was getting and would be placed back In
that class.
! That Is not the fact for the reason that
more work than Is called for will always be
worth more than he Is getting. The en-
ployer is able to feel that he has man
whose interests are thoroughly Identified
with his own and who will at any time go