Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-05-03
ELLEN YOUNG
DOCTOR OF SALES
BY Ruth Leigh
Author Of THE Human Side of Ne
tail selling" The A b c Of Retail
Ing" etc

"whew." / didn't expect to see
such a young woman merchandise
ing expert" exclaimed Ed. k-oener,
bookstore proprietor. studying the
Young. fashionably dressed sales doc
tor before him. "C'm in and take
a look, Miss Young. l dunno II
there's much wrong with "a store,
but stores, like people. ought to be
looked over by doctors sometimes,
even IL they're not sick"
Ellen looked around the bookstore.
1t was neat enough, but with no per-
sonality. Counters lined both sides
a. well as shelves with books pack
ed tightly. One or two customers,
apparently selecting books. were
lowered over by well-meaning sales
women. The light at the back OF
the store was white and glaring.
Ellen Young saw this in a glance;
a prim, neatly kept bookstore. like
a severe New England parlor.
At her own request Ellen Young
stood around the store for the rest of
the morning. In the afternoon she
reported to Ed Kroener in his little
Office behind the store.
Pretty good store, eh ?" the own
er remarked proudly.
"Yes-but / have some suggestions
that will make 1t even better"
"C'm on. Let's have EN-. That's
what We got you here for Miss
well, to begin with" remarked
the young doctor of sales, you must
remember that books are not regu-
lar merchandise, in the sense that
gloves or underwear are. Book buy
ers don't approach the buying Of
books in the same spirit. It's n
of adventure when you buy a book.
But may / suggest that any spirit
OF interest OF adventure Is conspicu-
ously lacking in your store? You
have your bookstore fixed like any
other shop-counters, shelves. cash
register and all the accessories"
Sure. why not? Isn't 1t a store?"
"Of course. But don't you real
lie that books are better sold in less
OF a bookstore atmosphere? Have
you ever visited the most successful
bookstores don't meal book de-
partments in department stores nee
essarily. but bookstores with an at
mosphere? How are they fixed up?
With wicker chairs, tables, lamps,
shaded lights, book cases-above all,
WITH COTnIOrldDlc CudlTs. lIty CHI
courage people to browse"
"Oh, they can do that here-we
don't mind"
They can, but do they? There's
not a chair in your store, not a lamp,
not a table. Nothing but tiresome
counters and white. glazing lights.
What book-lover wants to browse in
the atmosphere with a saleswoman
lowering over her all the timer"
you mean that we ought to nix
up this place more like a room?"
Certainly. Get away from the
store idea. It's a store, but you
needn't thrust that before customers
all the time. Fix your store up like
a comfortable living room, with
chairs. tables. lamps. pottery and
flowers. Instead of rigid shelves
all around, have certain corners
with low bookshelves, such as one
might have at home. Encourage
people to sit around. Cultivate the
browser. He's one of the most val
liable customers a bookstore can
have. Don't you know that a real
book-lover will often so without a
meal and spend money for books?"
Ed Kroner leaned back, putting his
cigar.
Another thing. Mr.. Kroener. stop
your salespeople trotting on the
heels of customers. Teach them to
let people alone. Nothing is more
exasperating to a book-buyer than to
have a salesperson lowering around.
Have your people ready to serve and
to assist when their services are de-
sired, but don't let them be a null
sance to one who wants to browse
around unassisted. ! repeat again
that selling books may be a business
similar to selling underwear. but 1t
should be more or less disguised"
Tremendous excitement prevailed
In the Offices of the Mansfield Pub
Using Company. Mr.. Reed. sales
manager, was taken suddenly i'll. and
the affairs of the ONCE were at a
standstill.
Darn it all, he kept everything in
his head. No n knows how he
handled orders, sales records, or
anything" The president of the
company scratched his head. I'VE
never knew how much work Reed
put in until he stayed away. He did
everything around here"
IF you want my opinion. I should
say that Mr.. Reed was a mighty
poor executive" Ellen Young re-
marked biuntly.
Some interesting facts for business
executives in tomorrow's paper.
Let Miss Leigh answer your bust
ness questions on buying, selling, ad-
vertising, employment. etc. Ask your
questions clearly and give all the
facts. Questions requiring technical
W will be sent by mail. Others
will be answered in this issue.