The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-05-20

toonE one customer has insisted that
we put him on the mailing list"
I'VE began with six men," said the
sales manager. ''and broke into new
territory with new package goods. II
was hard plugging the first winter and
occasionally blue letters came to my
desk. One day our man Jones wrote
In from Crete, Neb., and said he was
going to quit Sales had been dull.
He did not like to take money for no
business. ] sat down and drew a
rough plan of the relative standing Of
our five other men. then arranged
the figures and showed the men run
ming race. Jones was second, but
rapidly gaining on Smith, who led.
When Jones got that letter he wrote
back that he would stay.
Then one of our bookkeepers who
had taste for drawing volunteered
to sketch a weekly cartoon. First the
cartoon represented foot race. Each
man had piece of paper protruding
from his hat for the past weeks sales,
and the standing of each man was
thus given. The possibilities of this
plan broadened until I directed our
staff artist to use other cartoon ideas.
We went through the whole list of
races, including the potato race, sack
race, egg race and others"
From time to time these cartoons
are varied. Not long ago a picture was
sent out depicting Johnson, one Of the
Missouri statesmen, running down a
village street in pajamas with an inn
keeper after him. 1t occurred that
Johnson had quarreled with a hotel
keeper in the ozarks and the latter
had given him a drubbing Under
meath this exciting chase were the
words: I'VE note that johnson is at
the end of the list this week. Perhaps
if that gentleman would stop quarrel
ing with innkeepers he might sell more
goods. Cheer up, Johnson"
The item had been copied by a
western newspaper and Johnson is
still. wondering how the firm got on
to 1t.
A cynic might perhaps condemn or
laugh at the method of keeping the
salesman "alive." But the splendid
results which we invariably obtained
from them cannot be questioned.
~ low lllOhbA4c d6O w ACOAA, OhO Va
our best men, was given territory
which had been neglected and which
we intended to develop. OF course, he
was not expected to make as good a
showing on his new territory as he
had made on his old; but. although he
knew perfectly well that we were
willing to give him all the time he
wanted, he soon became discouraged
when things wouldn't come his way.
So, after a month, a cartoon was
gotten up showing race course, a
sign at the gate telling of the big
Handicap Race" and the different
statesmen as Jockeys. The man for
whose special benefit this cartoon was
made was shown violently whipping
bis horse, and a pennant with the
words, Previous Records" flying from
his saddle.
Though this cartoon cheered him up
a little, his poor showing during the
following week increased his discour-
agement. The following weeks car
toon showed a hurdle race, wilson's
horse falling over a hurdle, bearing
the inscription Encouragement"
The sales manager received letter
from him two or three days after the
cartoon had been sent out, thanking
him for the dandy cartoon and as
surfing him that he would pull up his
horse and catch the other fellows
within three months.
Wilson said that all the encouraging
talks and "cheer-up letters in the
world could not have done what this
last cartoon had effected.