Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-06
BUSINESS CAREER
OF PETER FLINT
A Story of Salesmanship by
Harold Whitehead

CCLXIII,
DHEw! Going into business Is no
L cinch. It's easy to say, I'm going
into business" II you say 1t quick. But
getting in Is some job.
I've got my furniture in. the name is
on the door and I've given a printer an
order for some stationery and contract
blanks.
This is what I ordered:
Five thousand sheets Of letter paper.
Five thousand envelopes.
Two thousand contract blanks (<el-
lett drew 1t up for me).
One thousand receipt blanks.
One Thousand business cards for my
self Gas manager).
Five hundred postcards Co remind
people of appointments to see the land).
Francis said I'd ordered ten times too
much. That's just like you beginners;
you go reckless on office supplies It's
easy to get less and it's better to pay
little more than to buy more than you
need and waste it."
I felt there was something In what he
said. SO phoned the printer and told
him to cut the order In half. Unfor-
tunately It was too late. for he said he'd
of the items.
, That printer Is mighty quick. Dads
always kicking because his printer never
gets anything to him on time.
I've bought some books-a ledger. a
cost book. a journal and also little
book for petty cash.
Just after I bought them I read In
"Progress-the business mans maga-
zine"-that real estate business is best
H., lt.1 h,y yta1H
understood something about bookkeep-
ing Still, Kellett's bookkeeper is to
go, over the books once a month, so
he'll virtually keep them straight for
me.
I've a stenographer coming in on Mon
day. got hel from the "Quickrite
Typewriter Company" I bought ma
chine there for $100--S10 down and IS
month. She will get SIS per and can
look after the books as well. Her name
Is Minnie Sloan.
My bank account has sure had a
crimp put in 1t this week. I've paid out
more than a hundred dollars and am
obligated for above twice that amount.
This morning when I realized that
I've less than $500 and that I have not
yet started to sell, I decided to make a
few calls to see If l couldn't get few
prospects to take down to Clearvale on
Sunday.
After five fruitless calls Isdecided it
was best to get the office fixed up and
all that kind of thing first. for ! couldn't
give my mind to selling at all
I've arranged for a telephone to be
installed. A party wire Is all I ordered.
Had to give a deposit on that. Gee, but
the money does go!
I went to my office to get 1t all
! Strengthened Mrs Semper had sent me
a little rug with a note saying she sent
1t to make things a little more COM
Portable for me and wished me good luck.
She's a good old scout.
This morning I received my first let
ter at the office. 1t was from mother.
Isn't 1t wonderful how mothers think
+ of things! 1t was only brief letter.
saying she wished me good luck and all
that, but 1t has bucked me up.
Strange to say, this afternoon I re-
ceived another letter from Farmdale
addressed to Peter Flint Realty Com
pany personal attention Of the manager.
1t was from Mary Gillespie.
This Is all she said:
Oh, Peter. boy, I wish you Joy
| In selling real estate;
hope that folks will buy and buy
From early until late.
lulHh VI lI-lhS oihJ tAh0S ioAhS
who've written me at all are women.
! mother, Mary and Mrs. Semper 1t
makes a fellow want to win out when
his women folks seem to expect It, ]
wish dad had written to me.
1t seemed to me that l ought to ngure
on my prospects, SO I spent a couple of
hours this afternoon doping them out.
This Is how 1t seemed to me:
On each lot sell I make a profit of
500, $125 or $3.50, depending on the To-
| cation Of the land
l reckon my office expenses. including
a salary of $25 a week to me, will be
| about $500 a month. To that l expect
/ to add $50 month for taking people
to Clearvale $50 a month for personal
expenses and 500 month for adver-
tising. That will make a total expense
Of $500.
/ felt worried at the amount, for I
realized that I'd got to sell right away
or else be dished.
! If I sold on the plan of S25 a lot
cash. which planned to do, I'd have to
sell forty lots to break even. OF. course.
I'd collect $1,000 on front lots, but halt
of it has to go to Kellett to pay for the
lots.
Naturally the first month is the worst,
for after then I shall be getting pay
ments on lots already sold as well as
! the first payment on lots just sold
I'd figured to pay half the train fares
of salesmen's prospects; that would
not be big item, but would help me to
pull men away from people like Lee, who
made their men pay all the fare. Also,
! ! intended to give the statesmen full COM
mission GO per cent is what I'm going
to give) on all leads give them.
That reminds me, l want to get an
| "adn In the paper SO will go and do