Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-08
GIRLS ADVISED TO TRAIN
FOR sALESWOMAN'S JOB
IEatremc Youth and lncNpericnce
Are Handicaps in Selling
~ on Road.
MUST UNDERSTAND BUSINESS
Told to Learn Game by Actual
- Work In Stores Before Under
taking to Go Out in Wider
Field
By ELEANOR GILBERT.


Encouraged by the report tina, there
: is great future for the travelling
I saleswoman, young Eirl of eighteen
:, wrote me recently inquiring where She
could get a job.
Now. it is true that youth and good
I health are necessary assets III an oc-
/; cupation of this sort. bu, extreme
youth is . handicap. In the first
place, a job as travelling saleswoman
presupposes some other experience or
S"traininE for business. and il is hardly
> likely that a girl of eighteen has an
adequate amour, of such experience.
Expect Intelligent Tnik.
= The travelling saieswoman comes in
contact with retail salespeople or pro-
: prietors of storee They expect her TO
talk about business intelligeatly. and
the successful women are those who
are BILE TO able &c make suggestions 70
these retailers about improving bust
III Any woman who attempts to go out
on the road" without first filling her
mind with substantial business infor-
: OF merchandise. And If she can't make
ner business conversation interesting to
deer p9osn n,d naTer he isn't likely
- Here is suggestion to the woman
who wants TO be travelling sales
woman:
First-lf YOU are under Twenty-Five,
get some experience OF business before
you concentrate on training for travel,
1e saieS;manship An eYesilen, kind
obtain by retail selling. Get job
in some retail or department store and
Technique of retail selling. When you
know what goes on behind the scenes
Of retail store you will understand
people YOU eventually hope to sell
goods to.
Cannot Answer Arguments.
You see; when the travelling sales
woman calls on retailer she is en-
All about his type Of business. If she
displays ignorance she cannot possibly
answer his arguments or objections.
and he easily overrides her feeble at
tempt to convince him TO buy
y second suggestion is to get some
speeislized training for the work. Time
born with gift for selling. and the
superstition was. that II YOU weren't
quire the ability. But the attitude
about selling goods, has changed in re-
cen, years. ,Nooody expects sales
pected is that seller of goods has
an intelliGent understanding OF bust
ness IN general. and the ability 10 de-
scribe well his own merchandise This
conception has made science OF SELL
ing possible and science can be taught
should Take Course
Many OF the firms that employ trav-
etns Saies"omen give them a course
OF training right in the organization.
~ not, YOU can SCI 4 course in sales
!. etnSnship in some OF the good schools
fhmner through personal training or
through correspondence. It is inter
estine TO know. too. that the nationa!
organization OF statesmen admits NO
men 10 membership. and >,readv sev-
( era. capable women are on their board
I, OF directors.
Ihere is tremendous amount OF
opportunity for women in rho Asia ~
outside selling. and women who have
good health. some business experience
achieve great success in the field Rut
DON'T plunge in hastily without some
i. preparation or good basis for feeling
self-confident 9