The Columbus journal., 1908-12-23
TALKS TO SALESPEOPLE.
BY Miss Diana Hirsehier, L.. 3.
Expert Trainer in SalesmaEshipD

BY Miss Diana Hirschler, L.. B.
Expert Trainer in SalesmaEship)
sOLSTERING UP A WoeelY WILL.
Mrs. Fly-Away was certainly try
ing customer She had no sooner
said she liked a 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 50 much.
Now. it may be well 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 1t. 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
you meet it with a right understand
ing Of its style
Take the case of Mrs. Fly-Away.
Her need is the need of many people
to have some one bolster up a 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 tore. as if you were speak
ing for her. Il 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 fer the moment
Recognizing the shOrt-livedness Of
your prop, pulling out your sales
book with decision. you follow it up
briskly with a 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 il 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
made part of her discomfort.
A will that rests net when it actual
ly has arrived at the stepping-off 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
every circumstance that might disturb
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 question of
were t other dear charmer away"
An inspection of the pile by a cool
looker-nn displayed the fact that there
were in reality only two types Of de-
signs, the shirtinSs themselves being
the same
Therefore the sales-perscn need
only have thrown out a 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
come: 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 inteiligently 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 its alphabet, she be-
gins to catch the trouble and gets into
hesitating frame of mind
But on the other hand, if you 20 at
once to your stuffs. rs 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 fur
Their treasured. You watch now her
facial expression. and catch by its
more alert, waked-up look that she is
beginning to find the thing ste wants.
A little further plotting on your part
brings her to where she expresses her
self favocably; then it is time for you
to make your decisive move, you fold
up the article and accept her attitude
as final. 1t will be final, if you do not
distract her again
Anyone who tends to become con-
fused in making a 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
yoR believe is the right thing for aim
Z to buy. This is story by itself