Evening journal., 1918-02-19
MANY merchants
III ATTEND institute
James W. Fisk, Expert in
Salesmanship, Delivers
Profitable Address
PLEASE EVERYBODY
NEW TRADE MOTTO


Under the auspices Of the Retail Mer-
chants Committee OF the Chamber Of
Commerce, the FIRST meeting Of the
newly formed Business Institute was
held ia the rose room Of the Hotel
DUPONT last evening and was ad-
dressed by James w. Fisk, an expert on
practical salesmanship. His address to
store proprietors and sales people
proved to be one Of the most interesting
and instructive lectures given before a
local organization Of business men on
practical salesmanship. ElWood Davis
presided at the meeting.
The. Business Institute was organized
with the view Of giving better service
10 the people Of this city. The crowd
that attended the first meeting lsa
night crowded the rose room TO
capacity.
In beginning his talk Mr.. Fisk en-
phasIzed the fact that there is no
method Of selling to everybody. 'There
is some percentage Of the sales which
much inevitably float out Of the
city" he said, lust the same as some
Of the sales Of the Fifth avenue dist
rlct must leave for Paris every year"
He attributed the escape Of the small
percentage Of sales from one city to
another to the very nature Of some
people to like the thing that is bought
in some other town.
Blu. out Of the sales that remain"
he said. "is the essential that we make
400 per cent. sales and that no GUS
TONER be permitted to so out with
some want untitled.
"People want things" he continued,
'and as long as human nature re-
mains the same viii always want
things" II remains for the salesman
10 so bring the attention of the Gus
TONER to the things that he wants and
make him feel that he is in contact
with the proper salesman and the pro-
per goods in the proper store I'm order
10 make the largest aud best number
OF sales.
The speaker then cited instances
where customers who have come in TO
purchase cents worth bought over
81 worth due 10 the proper sug . tive
ness OF the store and the ST man
Illustrating his theories with Cincrete
examples, not lacking in humorous
touch. the speaker continued to out
line some of the fundamentals required
for successful salesmanship.
To promptness he gave the first place
IN the list Of requirements for sales
manship that increases the number of
sales
s.r,- "a ...tt ...t.1 a., .,,rt..,.... ,..t-
tired Of waiting for a sales person. Be
on the spot and give the person who
had already been attracted TO the store
the proper reception"
'Remember," he continued, i'that the
customer is the important person. not
the salesman. and try TO adapt yourself
20 the customer rather than the GUS
TONER to yourself"
no the cultivation Of the habit Of
genuine cheerfulness. he gave the sec
ond place in the list Of requirements
for successful salesmanship.
1T Is easy to sell to people who are
really anxious TO buy" said he. "but
the art Is to sell to difficult custom
ers." and continued to show the vari-
Gus methods which may be applied
under certain circumstances.
To the asking Of unnecessary ques-
fions which do not advance the MAX
ing Of the sale. he gave the third place
in the list Of requirements.
10 not ask the customer whether
there's anything he wants Be sure
that as long as he or she came 10 the
store there is something he or she
wants. Let the customer make the first
statement and then size him up and act
accordingly"
To the sizing up Of the customer and
his or her ability to pay certain prices
he devoted q good deal Of interesting
instruction, and emphasized the human
element Of the art Of salesmanship and
The inherited instinct Of mortals to
want 10 make a "shOw" and not TO like
70 say that they cannot afford TO pay
The high price. AS a remedy for that
he advised his hearers TO begin with
the lower priced article and continue
higher up. so that the customer. not
the salesman may stop at whatever
price he may choose. and that again
he may be led TO choose a higher priced
article because Of the comparison be-
tween the good and the better article
OF goods.
"Comparison," said he, sis one Of the
essential methods Of selling"
He also paid his tributes to the value
Of advertising, by advising his hearers
70 try and sell advertised articles first
because they" he said. "are half sold.
already having been introduced to the
customer through the daily paper or
the national magazine" He closed his
talk with a plea for an attempt on the
part OF all salespeople to apply the