The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-25

some other salesman who has had ex-.
perience with their line. And how is
the latter to tell his pupil what he does
not know himself? The writer has
talked with great many statesmen,
got him." the time to go in and close,
but has never yet found one who couid
give him a satisfactory definition OF
the term psychological moment" he
has received various answers, such as
when you've won out" when you've
got him." 1.-The time to go in and clos"
etc. Superficial replies altogether and
no real answer to the question. We all
agree on what is to be done when the
moment arrives, but no one seems to
know what the moment is; and IL we
do know what it is, how are we to
know when it arrives, or how to look
for it, how to bring about its arrival?
An answer, viewing the question
from the scientific standpoint taught
in well known course is this: THAT
point on the journey to decision, when
desire for a thing has become deter
mination to possess it." This does not
preclude the possibility of failure, even
though success be so near. For the
battle is not over yet; >this indefinite
determination must be focused on the
present moment, now, while l am
here. The customer must not be al
lowed to put me off with promise to
buy later" If I accept such prom
Use and ultimately lose the order, 1t is
because resolve has cooled off, not
because it never existed.
If one always knew when the psy-
Geological moment had arrived he
should close many sales that he now
loses. He could prepare his closing
remarks; the difficulty is not what to
say or do, but when to say or do it.
In determining the presence of the
psychologist moment, he needs all his
thinking and feeling powers. The bet
ter student of human nature, the more
sensitive to impressions through the
sixth sense" the keener their obser-
vations, the sounder their Judgment
the greater will be their success.
There can of necessity be no set rule
or code of rules for our guidance, for
each man is a law unto himself. Some
prospects indicate their state of mind
by silence, others by speechc. Some
times a question as to price, terms,
etc, will indicate, by the tone of the
voice, that the moment is here. Again,
restlessness may betray it. The sales
man should particularly listen atten-
lively to every word the customer may
let fail, bearing in mind that, in the
majority of cases, the word or phrase
in a sentence which carries the en-
phasis, though ever so faulty, is an
indication Of the thought that is upper
most in the mind of the speaker.
He must guard against a postpone
ment Of the decision just as much as
against a downright refusal to buy at
all. Just as he must not offer a mega
tive suggestion ourselves, so he must
not allow our prospect to make an
unfavorable statement. An unfavor-
able thought is bad enough, but it is
intensified many fold, when it is voiced
and returns to the customers mind by
way of his organs of hearing. 1t is
ION record" then, like the laws of
the Modes and Persians, in many cases,
it "altereth not" We must anticipate
such a catastrophe and interpose a
strong positive suggestion to close now.
A good salesman, though perhaps ig-
norant of the scientific principles of
craftsmanship, knows from experience
the truth of this. Just before the Gus
toner would have said, 'Tll give you
an order next time" he brings positive
suggestion to bear in one form or as,
for instance, by writing out the or
der.
And now what is the most practical
solution to this problem wherein lies
our strength? Genuine sympathy,
founded ON the law of mutual benefit,