The mirror., 1917-01-11


the newer method of selling
specialties. 1t is well known that
it is this selling by plan that has
built up the business of the notably
successful manufacturers; it is SELL
ing by plan that has trained and
developed the most successful in
dividual salesmen,
The handicap under which the
salesman of space has suffered, the
fact that he is selling empty space
instead of attractive merchandise
as the speciality salesman, like
many another seeming handicap,
has been an advantage in disguise,
because it has driven him to a
more careful study of the adver-
tiser's problems and to an investi-
cation of the quality and quantity
of circulation of his medium far
more searching than any analysis
made by statesmen of specialties.
In very many instances publica-
tions are emphasizing their service
departments more and more and
saying less about mere circulation.
This careful study of the adver-
tiser's problem is necessary to the
application of a speciality sales
plan; and, conversely, selling by
plan forces the salesman to place
himself in the position of the buy
er and so gives him greater value
as an adviser in the selection of
specialties.
We all know that ever so often
the best salesman goes stale";;
that there are week-ends when the
road salesman particularly is pref
ty thoroughly disheartened and
discouraged. At such times gin
ger-talks" and cheerful chatter of
whatever kind do not help much;
what the salesman wants to cheer
him up is orders, and the onlss
thing that will set him back on his
feet is a new way, or a fresh re-
minder of an old way, to 60 out
and interest hard buyer early
Monday morning.
It isn't so much whether the
plan will be used exactly as it is
presented, as it is to have some
thing to show the advertiser that
has actually been used by some
other advertiser-some plan for
increasing business to which the
speciality is only an incident in
stead of the whole thing. The
plan excites an interest in the ad-
vertiser which no sample of a
speciality could possibly arouse,
because on it's face it appears dis
interested. 1t is this principle
which governs the success of the
salesman who is always an enigma
to his harder working but less in
telligent fellow statesmen.
Many a time the plan only sug-
gests another in the mind of the
advertiser, but it is selling by plan
instead of sample that gets the
name on the dotted line.
Sometimes I hear sales man.
ayers complain that statesmen are
unresponsive and that educating
them is a slow process. This is
true, but all real progress is slow
and the important thing in a
process slow at best is that the
fundamental principles be sound.
One fundamental principle is that
nothing which is not of real SER
vice lives for long or yields any
but temporary profit.
1t is by teaching speciality sales
men, who are not doing it now, to
sell specialties by the application
of selling plans, that the question
of having a salesman's earnings
keep up with his rising cost of do
ing business be answered. 1t will
also do as much as anything else to
solve the price-cutting evil because
when the salesman renders a real
service he has the nerve to collect
his commission from the client he
is serving and the advertiser is
willing to pay a price for such
service. 1t will also help still
further to dignity the industry in