The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-25

~"~y ~ AsS oWh HAokGc ana mn
own arguments that he fails to-
tally to, follow the movements Of
the mind of the buyer opposite to
him. In the critical moment there
is failure Of contact and no sale.
The other extreme is the sales
man who possesses the nervous
ability to follow every twist and
turn Of the buyers brain. But in
80 doing he loses the upper ground
in the maneuver. He is not MAX
ing the impression he wants; an.
other mind is forcing an impress.
sion on him. He falls into a lead
Ing attitude of subservience which
Ia fatal to success. The buyer
at once becomes elusive and the
salesman loses control OF the inter.
view.
1t has been well said that the
seller is the courtier and the buyer
is the king; but the great courtisr
never cringes.
These are the faults Of the ex
tremes. The salesman will aim a.
the combination OF power and per.
suasiveness, personality and tact.
He will walk an intellectual tight.
rope. swaying now his way and
now the other TO maintain his
proper balance. He must key him
self up as though he were fight.
ing duel to the death, and ex-
hibit In turn strength and subtle
ty. His personality will be allowed
just 30 much free play as will
make the requisite Impression
and not an inch more; the other
inches must be given as a tribute
to the nature of the buyer.
But. as in the duel. all depends
on the last stroke. Salesmanship
depends on the power of clinching
the bargain. 1t is to this climax
that the whole conversation must
lead up. The great salesman has
that decisiveness of mind which
enables him to grasp the right
moment and close in an instant.
1t IL this lack Of sheer resolution
which invalidates the great major.
tty of those negotiations which
fail. A salesInan Is too often like
the second-class tennis player-he
has pretty stroke, but he cannot
carry through.
MAKING A SALESMAN.
Can the combination Of these op-
posite qualities which make the
salesman be acquired? Perhaps
not. But If the elements are there,
and in nine cases out of ten they
are, the inherent power can be de-
veloped indefinitely. Self-knowledge
and reliance will bring the power
which character exerts, experience
Of men and life will bring tact.
In 30 far as a man is ready to Gull
tivate his character and his conf
dence. and to apply his imagina.
ton to his experience. he can make
himself a salesman.
And it is no mean ambition, and
is the second of the arts which have
directed humanity into the paths of
civilization. 1t is not the first, be.
cause the man who can make with
his hands the fine things or the
practical instruments Of human de-
sire. or the man who can help the
hands to Great these objects. stand.
first in the roll OF those who min
lister to humanity.
The craftsman and the industrial
producer come first. But second
only to them in the long roll of CIV
liking agents is the salesman, the
merchant. the trafficker in unknown
economic seas. bringing the individ-
uals and then the nations together
through the medium Of exchange.
FORERUNNERS.
The Tyrians who sold the silk and
coins Of the East for the tin Of Corn.
wall and trafficked in the marts Of
Tyre and Alexandria, the traders
who took skins and amber from tho
Baltic in exchange for the produce
Of tho Mediterranean civilization, the
mon who organized the caravan
routes between China and Western
Europe and made their bargains in
Rome or Constantinople, tho sea ad-
venturers to America and the East,
and the merchants they dealt with
in London were the forefathers of
tho salesman Of today. They made
production possible and profitable by
selling the products of one man to
another, of one district to another,
and Of one country to another. The
individuals and the nations on
either side Of the process Of ex-
change work with their hands. The
Intermediates work with their
brains to put the handiwork of one
nation into the possession of another.
While the creation Of nation or
a civilization depends on the pro.
Queer, its economic success and its
place in world polity depend on the