The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-12-23
TALKS TO SALESPEOPLE
BY Miss Diana Hirschler, IL. 3.
expert Trainer in Salesmanship.)

soLsTERING UP A Wo95LY WILL.
Mrs. Fly-Away was certainly try.
ing customer. She had no sooner
said she liked certain style when
another caught her eye and she al
ways insisted upon seeing it. In this
way, she see.sawed from one to an
other and, indeed, frequently left
without buying at ALL True, yet dare
say when she got home she felt quite
annoyed at not having anything to
show for shopping. She no doubt
wished then that she had bought the
plaid she had admired so much.
Now, it may be we'll to lament that
there are so many customers of this
type, but the duty Of the sales-person
is to accept this fact and see how to
meet it, not simply to call it bad
luck"
When you engage yourself to this
kind of service you really engage to
deal with human nature ready-made.
Human nature unmakes itself only as
ing Of it's style.
Take the case of Mrs. Fly-Away.
Her need is the need Of many people
to have some one bolster up wob-
bly, will-to catch her up quickly when
she has actually reached the point of
decision.
You must take some distinct action
to accomplish this. You must say in
a decided tone, as if you were speak
ing for her. 81 think you have picked
out just what you want" or something
similar This will prop up her de-
cision. But you must remember this
is merely prop-else you will be dis
appointed-for she will allow it to sus-
tain her only for the moment.
Recognizing the short-livedness of
your prop, pulling out your sales
book with decision. you follow it up
briskly with closing remark: "The
name, please?" Before she has time
again to be distracted the matter is
clinched. After it is over she ap-
proves of you. But if your method
is to let her wander at her own sweet
will she continues to be disconnected
with what she has done and you are
A will that rests not when it actual
ly has arrived at the steppingoff place
is very common. There is only one
thing for the seller to do with the
buyer in this case, that is for himself
to supply as far as possible the in
gredient of decisiveness in manner,
tone, statement, eliminating further
nj q hot o. OF
or turn the trend of thought.
A lady asks to see dollar shirts for
an 11-year-old boy. The sales-person
throws out on the counter one shirt
after another until there are eight or
ten different ones lying there The
customer looks confused. She fingers
them all and gets further and further
from decision. 1t is a question of
"were t. other dear charmer away"
An inspection of the pile by cool
looker-on displayed the fact that there
were in reality only two types of de-
signs, the shirtings themselves being
the same.
Therefore the sales-persOn need
only have thrown out shirt with a
dark ground in blue-for blue is the
| most commonly desired. The Gus
toner then would have said: Il
wished lighter colored shirt" or
''Have you no other color in that same
design? He has had so much blue"
In this way the sales-person very
quickly might have found what would
satisfy best without confusing the Gus
toner and making her forget what she
had in mind when she approached the
counter
The desirable thing is to sense what
the customer thinks she wants. If
you have something that you believe
will satisfy her better in the long run
show it intelligently and with effect.
If you have not keep her to what she
had in mind by cautious and careful
display Of the goods and finally help
to a decision with your own decisive
ness.
When the customer asks for some.
thing and you hesitate and finger your
own goods, looking about as if you did
not even know it's alphabet, size be-
gins to catch the trouble and gets into
a hesitating frame of mind.
But on the other hand if you so at
once to your stuffs, as if you already
knew exactly and precisely what was
| good for her, her mind begins to settle
| down. Then, if your tones themselves
are confident in sound, she is still far
| ther treasured. You watch now her
| facial expression, and catch by its
| more alert, waked-up look that she ID
beginning to find the thing she wants
| little further plotting on your part
brings her to where she expresses her.
self favorably; then it is time for you
to make your decisive move, you fold
up the article and accept her attitude
as hnal. 1t will be final, il you do not
distract her again.
Anyone who tends to become con.
fused in making choice of one among
many courses Of action-and who
among us does not?-likes this treat.
ment. There is always this proyiso,
however, that you are square in your
dealings and sell your customer what
you believe is the right thing for h.,r
to buy This is story by itself