The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-08-16
With THE TRAVELLERS
RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE SALESMAN
C. F, ToMLlNsoN OF NORTH CAR
OLlNA STATES THAT TRAVEL
ING MAN is AS MUCH A PRO-
FEsSIoNAL MAN AS HE Is A
BUSINESS MAN.

The whole game of business is a
game of handling, convincing and di-
recting men. In business, you cannot
carry out a single plan, nor earn
single dollar without overcoming some
mans opposition, or converting some
mans belief.
There is no man engaged in business
who more fully realizes the sourdness
of this proposition than the one whose
responsibilities. .are now under discus
sion-the salesman.
Salesmanship is a science, and the
practice of it is an art, yet in broad
sense, every man. woman or child that
has something to sell is a salesman.
The merchant has his salable COM
modities; the manufacturer his manu-
featured articles; the laboring man his
muscular skill; the lawyer his knowl-
edge of the practice OF law; the
preacher his sermons, and the news
boy his papers. All of them have
something to sell and they all want
what they have for profit. 1t Is q
part of human nature for every sales
man-whether he be a lawyer, doctor.
laborer, merchant, or manufacturer
to feel that what he has to offer. is
better and ought to bring better
price than anything the other fellow
has.
In it's restricted sense the word
salesman" has reference to the travel
er. There are several hundred thous-
and of them in America today, and
just as many more are needed. The
consumers of the world are missing
some of the best things in life, all be-
cause there are not enough competent
salesmen to 60 the rounds.
The travelling salesman is as much
professional man as he is a business
man. The profession is based on GER
tain scientific principles. The prac-
tice of it is an art. The salesman is
necessarily a traveller. He spends his
time going from place to place-ap-
preaching men, persuadtng men, con-
ciliating men, inspiring men, and spur
ing them on to greater achievements,
and lifting them up to 81 higher bust
ness level. The travelling salesman is
the human factor in business. To
thousands of customers he is the house
for he is the only part of 1T they ever
see. The policy of every business
house in the country shines through
the reflected light of the salesman.
Strange to say, people who make 1t
their business to pass on the faults
and virtues of other people, see more
faults than virtues in the average
travelling man. But his true analysis
shows him to be a many sided cheer
full. good-natured human being - of
commanding personality, of fine in
telligence and character, a judge Of
human nature, a man OF health and
vigor-of an amiable disposition and
generous heart. He comes very near
getting all the gold out of his quartz
He hates sham, demands square
deal, and every dishonest dealer fears
him. u.
A man such as I have described in
the abstract is necessarily man OF
Influence. The one thing he goes
about to do is to exert an influence
over his clients - the buyers
| Wherever influence is found there re-
sponsibility is also found, even II
! greater measure. The responsibility
! that comes from influence is probably
i as great as that which comes from
! either power or Wealtn.
The suggestion is frequently made
/ hy local political economists SUCH AZ
| ara found in the average town, that
! salasroen in general are all insincere
ana have little regard for the truth
when It comes to making sale, al
/ claiming to have the very pest In tne
| line they handle-an dthat 1nasmuef
as every line cannot be better thar
every other one, therefore all are mis-
| represented and the salesman is tne
| man who does it.
This suggests to my mind that In
every one Of your towns, you have at
least six or seven different church
denominations. Each one is different
from all the others. Each pastor be-
Iieyeg his church is better than any
Of the others, and he says SO openly
and without reservation. They all tell
the truth; SO do the statesmen.