The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-07
BUSINESS AND CIVIC EXPERTS
ADDRESS CENESEO MERCHANTS
AT 2 SESSIONS OF INSTITUTE
fsnecial Correspondence.)

Geneseo. Ill.,, Dec. with the
evening session of the Merchants
and Community institute at 1880
lo'clock last evening, Ben r. Varda-
man. in his talk on THE Art of
Making a Sale" practically contin-
ued his address on Monday evening
when he took as his subject, THE
Master Salesman"
The attendance last evening was
larger than on Monday, being in
dicative of the increasing interest
which is being accorded the inst1-
tute by the people of this city.
In beginning his talk, Mr.. Varda-
man stated that he had been asked
during the morning why it was
worth while, in a place of Geneseos
population. to try to attain the per-
sonality of the master salesman
Simply because human nature IS
alike everywhere, he explained. II
is no different in Geneseo than else
where. But that personality of the
master salesman is not worth While
if it causes any other to feel its IN
feriority. Rather, it must help 9TH
ers to think better of themselves.
"Practicing the art of making a
sale. the master salesman, knowing
his goods, can develop business in
a manner to make the price merely
an incident to the sale. And with
making that sale he also makes a
friend. That personality becomes
a potential factor in the life of your
community because it develops
business permanently"
To illustrate his argument, Mr..
Vardaman likened human nature
to the harp. The aim of the sales
man should be to strike chord
and not a discord in the mental
processes of making a sale. The
customer will not be driven, he
will not be argued into buying
what he does not want, but he can
and will be led by suggestion The
prospective purchaser is DESTROYS
/ of making an easy purchase in
pleasant manner. And as with the
individual, also with the general
| buving public. Make it easy for
the people to come to your town
and to your store, Mr.. Vardaman
stated
| Dwelling upon the power of sug-
gestion, MIR. Vardaman emphasized
the value of positive statements, OF
emphasizing the worthy qualities
found in your customer as well as
in the goods you are showing him.
/ In concluding, Mr.. Vardaman re-
ferred TO the two speakers who fol-
lowed him. Roy Morton Hardy
was in Geneseo today and gave an
address this afternoon at 1870 on
{ ond S0
| "The Dynamics of Modern Bust
ness" will be his topic. He also
addressed the township high school
students this afternoon.
! G. Pryor Irwin will be here to-
morrow and Friday for talks both
/ in the afternoon and evening. His
work as counsellor and retail bus
/ mess investigator is national. He
has the message, Mr.. Vardaman
says. which Geneseo really needs
/ to build for better business and
/ better community.
Afternoon Session.
In the afternoon Mr.. Vardaman
spoke on the topic, Patriotism of
Community Cooperation"
This address was one of the best
and most forceful appeals to the
individual citizen to realize his
position in the life of his commun-
/ ity. The audience listened with
rapt attention.
/ According to Mr. Vardaman.
community cooperation means Gre
ating business and business is not
merely an exchange of values for
/ commodities. In the broadest and
! truest sense business is the agency
| or activity which makes a place a
| better place in which to live while
caring for humanity and supplying
| its needs.
Realizing the demands of pres
ent day conditions the cry is prev
aIent throughout this country,
What can we do to get more bust
ness?" To the general public this
| is only a cry meaning, How can
we get money!" But, upon anal
ysis. this thought becomes pri-
marily that of service. The OBJ
tanning of money is a private mat
ter but the spending or rather in
vestment of money is essentially a
public affair. Business belongs to
no center of commercial activity
unless it is earned and developed
by the merchants of that COM
munity Cooperation will extend
the sphere of that influence many
fold and to far greater limits of
appreciation and influence.
Following the trend of Mr.. Yard
aman's thought it was disclosed
that civilization is the crystaliza-
ton of customs accruing in daily
business life. With the establish
ment of pioneer, primitive trading
posts the four elements of civi1iza-
ton were edeveloped, as illustrated
by the activities of the Hudson Bay
Trading company. With the bust
ness of barter and exchange sue
cessful, convenience to the source
of supply led to the increase of pop
ulation which demanded schools,
then churches and then govern
ment. These four elements of civ
ilization are just as much in evil
dence today in Geneseo as in the
beginning of human relations.
Localize Subject.
Making the burden of his talk To-