Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-20
BUSINESS CAREER
OF PETER FLINT
A Story Of Salesnanship by
Harold Whitehead

Ny; Whitehead pi'l gnsrcr pour bus, snsinesss s
o. oasg yonr seg gntsons rsarD a
oire al The facts. Your correct ndme ond
~ address must be sioaed TO 81, - ,namTsss. ns
bv moii. Other gnss'ions 'ein b. Gnswsrsd sc,s
story Of Peter Flint.
NIHEN we got out MT Springfield sta
w ton Saturday. Francis Graham
said to me. Now | shall be busy for
about two hours what are you going to
do with yourself?"
"oh, think I'll drop into a movie for
a couple Of hours
What for?"
"Oh. just to kill time"
He caught me by the elbow and said,
What has poor Father Time done to
you
Done to me? What do you mean?'
why. the dear old gentleman has
| never done you any harm--hss he? He's
done you nothing but good. for every
hour of the day he gives you an oppor-
tunity to progress In some way or other"
Il cant see any opportunity here just
for couple of hours ! replied
II suppose you have heard the time
| worn saying. There is a tide in the af-
| fairs of men. which, II taken at the flood.
carries us on to success I don't know II
I have the words just right, but that Is
| the gist Of It.
The man who wrote that unconsciously
| fam-flammed the world. There Is no one
minute when man has to seize his op-
portunity and Immediately achieve big
success. Time is more kindly than that.
Every hour of the day time sends op-
portunity knocking on your door:
THE trouble Is that we fail to see op-
portunity in little things. and instead of
benefiting by Father Times kindly Of
fees. we 20 after him with the shotgun
Of laziness and kill Time-just as you
thought Of doing moment ago"
say, you talk like copybook," I
said. We'll, what would you reckon I
could do here for a couple Of hours-get
a job selling-or something?"
The worst Of you young fellows
grinnett Graham. rs that you are so all
fired sure of yourselves that you think II
to be old.
I'll were in your position as sales
man and wanted to Use two hours t? ad-
vantage I would go into department
stores and observe methods Of selling.
would drop into the smaller specially
stores and buy some little odd trlfe just
to see how tie salesman handles him.
self. and while in that store I should try
to watch how other salesmeii wait or
their customers"
Gee" I exclaimed. II never thought
of that. 1t listens like more fun thar
the movies Me for it! What time vii
you be back?"
There is train for Farmdale a.
1:1s."
How did you know"
Il looked 1t up. Suppose I meet yol
here at 1890. Then we can have ligh
luncheon before the train starts"
Funny thing, you know; I neve,
thought OF that way of using spare time
And yet. wher. you come to think Of It
it's pretty good advice--isnt It?
AS was short of collars. decided I,
buy two at time. see three differen
stores and find out their different meth
ods of selling. This Is what happened
When went into the first store sal,
wanted two collars and the salesman
said. "Size?"
Fourteen and half" l replied.
"Style?'
II don't know; something like the on
I've got on
. The man walked a yard or two dow,
the store and beckcned with his finger
I trotted meekly after him. He stoppe
in front of glass case and pointed witt
his finger to about fifty different style
and said, Something like this?"
We'll. is that like the one I've 60
on?"
You ought to know the kind of cola
you are wearing better than l."
We'll. let me look at it."
II am showing 1t to yO." he replie
without stirring.
Il mean l want to see one out of tn
case"
without a word he walked furthe
away still. and again beckoned to me
Well, once again got her on too low
and anIbled to where ne was then stand
ing He took one collar out Of the bo
and placed 1t On the counter without
word.
That's about like what I've got or
isn't it?"
Yes"
well, give me two"
Without answering he wrapped the tw
up and passed them over and saG
Thirty cents"
Il thought they were two for twent,
fve cents
His only reply was, Thirty cents"
I gave him a half dollar. He slppe
it into the cash carrier and then wake
up to another clerk and began to tai
with him. The change came back sGone
than he did. hut he walked slowly back
- still talking to the fellow clerk. II
: took the change out of the carrie
q planked 1t down on the counter and lei
,e me.
n I don't know as I would have notice
e all these things II Francis hadn't put m
l. UP to them. As left the store I though
n We'll, that's some bright, salesman-ni,
y That guy seems to think his head is ju.
g something to wear a hat on. Somebod
N ought to tell him that he's dead from tn
: neck up"
J, When I compared that sale to tn
n other two don't wonder the store locke
on the blink
l. TODAY'S BUSINESS EPIGRAM