Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-01
sAlEsMANsHlP THEME OF Last
ADDRESS az MERCHANDISE.
ING EXPERT.
ENTHUSIASM MARKS
CLOSING MEETING
Valuable Suggestions on Salesman
ship Given to Retail clsrks-Tsrss
Masirhs Of Salssmanshlp Ar Linked
Together In interesting and Profit.
able Address at Msrshalite~n CLUB.

craftsmanship was the theme Of the
fifth and last address Of the series on
merchandising by Frank stockdale'
Friday evening. at the Marshalltown
Club. A large audience, made up
mostly Of retail salespeople, was
present and listened attentively TO
one O, the most helpful disconrses OF
the week. The message was intended
10 reach both merchant and salesman
and it was enthusiastically received
by both.
The salespeople must be prepared
10 go over the top" said Stockdaie III
opening his address, "or the meT-
chant will not win many battles. rne
Job of the employer is not only 10
know how to sell goods but also hoy
70 transmit that knowledge TO his
salespeople Many stores now are
centering attention on training sales
people. The salespeople represent the
store-they are the store. The success
OF the store depends on them. The
H(Ilt pI Op! AClOA iSSSA'Ncf
times out OF ten, is not about Sthe
goods but about the service. People
who serve behind the counter are OF
two classes, salespeople and store
walters"
When does a sale happen is a
question often asked of Stockdale
and he said the best answer was
given him - retail merchant, who
said: The sale happens when the
salesmar influences the mind Of
customer TO buy more goods or bet
ter goods or more goods and better
goods"
Salesmanship More Difficult.
Craftsmanship daily becomes more
Of an art. Salespeople declare Gus
toners are becoming very particular
and the customer says salespeopie are
growing Indifferent In the final a,.-
alysis, said StoCkdale. the customer is
right. for the customer is always
right. From Il business standpoint.
ne added, this assertion is true. The
merchant, he added, should say, My
customers are always right: when
they are not they cease to be my
customers"
y sales manager. preparing a book
Of instructions for his assistants, be-
gan with the axiom, a good sales
man never argues with a customer.
Agreeing with a complaining GUS
toner, added the speaker. and then
convincing the customer he is wrong
is the art OF craftsmanship
Satisfaction" said Stockdale, sis
one OF the biggest words in salesman
ship. The customer pays for goods
and service and you must deliver
satisfaction. Endeavor 10 approach
perfection in rendering satisfaction"
To illustrate the speaker called at
tention to the shoe business where
the salesman must decide whether
the customer wants size. satisfaction,
style satisfaction. durability satissac-
ton or comfort satisfaction. The
clerks JOB is to determine the kind
OF satisfaction the customer wants
and then supply il. In giving salts
faction you bring together the right
goods and the right people he said.
"Sizins Up" the Customer.
Many salespeople,' said the
speaker make the mistake Of sizing
up a customer by their own stand
ards. The line separating the locker
from the buyer Is very narrow. The
salesman should always watch the
locker as future buyer. Every
locker who comes into the store is
prospective customer. The best adj
vertisement for your store Is a salts
fed and enthusiastic customer witj
the time to tell about It,"
.
sale is reached Is an important
feature Of good salesmanship. There
is a Chinese proverb. said Stockdale,
that "a door Is either open or shut"
This is applicable to trade, he said.
for "a sale is either made or is not
made and in these days we have
swinging DOORS"
1he-Non Committal Customer.
The hardest customer to sell, said
the speaker. is the one who refuses to
commit himself. Some salespeople, he
added, fail to give the customer an
opportunity to talk, and many sales
arc lost because the salesman starts
all wound up and don't know when he
reaches the closing point Of the SALE"
One way to get under the defense OF
the non-committal customer, he said
is to show merchandise without a
word. Eventually the customer must
and will give some expression Of his
opinion Of tho goods and the sales
man will gain an impression OF the
| customers desires.
"Nothins Else" Costly Expression.
When the salesman feels that he
has sold all he can to q customer OF
has failed TO interest the customer and
says, Nothing else" the customer re-
plies, Nothing" and the profit on the
| transaction Is nothing. When the
| salesman asks. us there nothing
else!" it Is his sign Of surrender. The
equivalent in German 10 "Kamared."
zone rule Of salesmanship," said
Stockdale, "is never to ask question
which can be answered by yes or no,
especially by no. Grocery statesmen
have developed suggestive selling more
than any other class OF 5aisspeopie"
| Suggestive selling may be developed
and results in increased sales. 1.-THE
indispensable thing in salesmanship.'
said Stockdale in conclusion, 10 to
make the people know You want te
serve them, to work for them consc.
cautiously. That Is the spirit of ser.
ice. 1t is the fundamental principle Of