The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-07-13
Hawkins and Chalmers
Arouse Enthusiasm
of Auto Men
THEIR SPEECHES
FULL OF MPEP"
Selling Is Now De.
clared Principal End
of Industry

A country flooded with automo-
biles is the prospect that stares the
American citizen in the face this
year, If the enthusiasm and pep
per" displayed at the departmental
session of the autmobile statesmen
OF the Worlds Salesmanship con-
gress. Wednesday morning, is any
indication OF what is 10 come.
Aroused TO the height Of enthusi-
asm ythe powerful and forceful
addresses delivered by Norval A.
Hawkins, general sales manager Of
the Ford Motor Co, and Hugh
Chalmers, president OF the Chal-
mers Motor Co., the meeting in the
Hotel Pontchartrain, Wednesday
morning. was punctuated by round
after round of applause as point
point after point in expert automo-
bile craftsmanship was driven home
by the speakers.
How TO approach a prospective
buyer, how to demonstrate the car
to him. and then, finally, and most
important how TO clinch the sale;
these were the main topics upon
which the speakers dwell.
This is not a buying age-its a
selling age" declared Mr. Hawkins
THE time when people were look
ing for automobiles has passed
You've got to look for them now
and no longer is manufacturing the
car the most important feature OF
the industry! the distributing end
the selling OF the cars has come to
occupy the most prominent position
In the business"
During a pause after a statement
from Mr.. Hawkins, regarding the
Ford, some one in the audience pass
ed remark regarding the appear
ance OF the car.
When the laughter that was pro
voked had subsidized, Mr.. Hawkins
remarked: 81 have met some very
homely women who had very low
able characters. There are some
things and some people you have to
know to appreciate" A storm OF
laughter greeted the speakers witty
retort and the facetious one was
squelched.
Mr.. Chalmers laid down some au'
tomobile selling epigrams during
the time he occupied the platform
Here are a few:
mo man buys until he Is con
WINGED; and no man is convinced
until he understands.
Statesmen are not born. they
are made. Every man Is a poten-
tial salesman"
1.-The prospective buyer you are
talking 10 now is not less a possible
sale than the one you are thinking
OF going to see. Don't leave the
man you have half-convinced 10
tackle a new prospect that looks
easier from a distance. The grass
you are sitting on is just as green
as the grass twenty feet away"
"The man who makes two sales
on Monday then says he has his
weeks work done, will never be any
thing but salesman. The man who
becomes sales manager Is the fel
low who starts the week with tw.
sales, then says It's my week. and
keeps on going
So impressed were the statesmen
with the force and the magnetism
OF both prominent speakers that
during their addresses an almost
perfect silence pervaded the room
and at the end OF some dynamic out
burst driving home some vital point
a roar Of applause would reward tn,
speakers efforts.
Mr.. Chalmers paid high complI
ment TO Norval A. Hawkins, declar
ing that he was the greatest sale
executive in the world. other
who addressed the meeting were w
c. Standish OF the United State
Tire Co. Detroit: Harry w. Ford
president OF the Saxon Motor Co
and a number OF others.