The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-04
ON CLINCHING
THE SALE
WHAT DOES THE MOST lNTELLl-.
GENT "APPROACH" AND THE,
MOST CONVINCING "SELLINGi
TALK" AVAIL IF YOU DON'T
LAND THE ORDER?

c.. L. Chamberlain in Sample Case:
This time l met the old timer at a lit
tie back country hotel. Just at dusk
as the candy man, the cigar man and
myself we're drifting from the dining
room into the public sitting room, no
longer the bar, the outer door swung
open and medium sized figure, straight
as the prOverbial arrow, came breeZ-
lily into the room with all the elastici-
ty which We usually aSCribe to youth
full vigor and health, but which in this
case the scanned face and irOn-gray
hair seemed to deny. 1t was the old
timer and we thought ourselves yet
unseen as be moved directly to the
clerks. desk, signed up for a room but
with the laughing remark that some
one else might use it after 2:30.
"When!" whispered the candy man
to me, whats he going to do after
that our of the night?" ,
Catch a freight to the next town
and sell his man before We have
breakfast" l replied, as 1 knew my
and knew that if he gave such advice
about catching trains in the night to
others he was ready always to follow
his own advice. ,
A moment more and he was with US
his rowing eye had included the en-
tire room and its contents the instant
he entered. A few minutes later we
had disposed of the small talk such
meetings usually draw forth for a
few seconds silence reigned in our
corner. The candy man SPOKE up.
Il have heard Of your record break
ing sales and he ease with which you
apparently go into a new territory and
sell goods. Now just what do you con-
slider the hardest part Of the actual
selling game? 1 do not mean looking
, up new business, laying plans for new
; towns and the like but when you have
; Egai&d the presence Of the man who
; may buy what is the most difficult
: thing you nave to do? l ask not for
l idle curiosity but for real information
l since the actual selling process Is
where l go down.
The old timer had given the closest
/ attention and at the close of these
t words his usual friendly smile lighted
up his rugged features as he replied:
Son, you nave struck a snag thai
4 many a man falls over instead of try
= ing to remove. OF every part of the
sales I.eriod there is n on which
l many a good man goes wild. l call i
'clinching the sale, since it is the las
t step, the signing the name, the little
word, yes"
There is much said about getting
= an interview and sometimes it's {
- mighty hard thing to do. Then the!
, say present a line of arguments baset
= upon the working of the articles the!
l sell. A good line they say sells itself
1t does furnish the materials for win
lining an open-minded man to see tn
good points and if they are STATED
clearly he must appreciate them. Blu
when the closing point is reached tn
prospect is not quite decided, man.
= deem it an evidence of Vacillation ant
e ~unsteadiness of mind to make a deci
;, sion at once. This is the Ioint Wher,
r mind acts on mind is accordance witt
v the laws Of mental action and the on
= moving with the greatest force win
a out.
MANY statesmen carry a prospec
. along with them up to the final wore
e when they seem to lose the grasp an
r allow him to drift away into q serie
h of excuses and delays from which a.
effort and ability is unable to recall
him. They fail for want of CAREFUL
prepared plans for handling the pros
. pect a THAT point. They make a care
Q full study Of the steI+s of a sale an
lay their plans until they have over
a come objections and secured the af
"a frmative answer to questions relatln
to the high qualities Of the goods sol(
II From that point they have made n
: preparation hence are at sea n I'm
l. able to fall back upon prev1ousl
It thought out methods as they do a
It other steps when other talk fail
them. .
preparation should include tn
closing step, securing the sale, tn
name on the contract or sales bill, {
- the simple agreement in small deal
~ Your selling talk which proves sue
- cessful in presenting the goods mu!
~ include the time emen as well. 1t
~ well that you prospect should u tt
"a goods. and it is just as important ths
"a ~ he buy them now. The present hol
W. should be emphasized just as strongl
80 80 as the high quality. You w 1t
e, your employer to close the deal. You
~ time has been wasted and all that yo
~ have done avails nothing if you do NJ
- - close the sale. Do not let the prospe'
> carry you with him in the matter
buying. Stand firm and hold him Wi
- you. 1t is often a test of mental pow
ers and the salesman by his exI"er
" ence should prove the stronger.