Simplicity in Salesmanship

By TACK DIONNE

I heard a very clever sales talker recently make THIS statement:

"I used to think that the fundamental rule of salesmanship-the A-B-C of sellingwas 'Always be Clever,' but I hhve decided that this A-B-C stands for 'Always Be Simple' instead."

And he went on to say that he believed the three most important fundamentals of selling ar+BE SIMPLE BE CONVINCING BE CONCLUSIVE.

Because in fact, everyday balesmanship in it's practical application is NOT an art, NOT a science, NOT a modern magic of any sort, but is simply the ability to do the following very commonplace things: l-Call on as many prospective buyers as possible.

2-Know what you have to sell in terms of HIS needs and desires.

3-Meet each prospect smiling, and with dignity, shake hands firmly, look him square in the eye, and tell your story of what you want to do for him, directly, interestingly, convincingly, conclusively.

The FIRST of these three fundamentals is equal in importance to BOTH of the othdrs. There is no substitute for hard work in salesmanship. Absolutely none. More salesmen fail of success because they fail to "expose themselves" to a sufficient number of ordeis, than fail for any other particulai reason. They lack the enthusiasm to keep on going, keep on calling, keep on smiling, and keep on telling that interesting story of theirs to a sufficient number of people who might reasonably be expected to buy.

The history of every big corporation that has given the problem a genuine test, shows that beyond a doubt, regardless of who you are or what you are trying to sell, THE MORE PEOPLE YOU OFFER YOUR PROPOSITION TO THE LARGER NUMBER OF SALES YOU WILL MAKE. No doubt on earth about it. There is something in the idea of selling a man on a golf course. Most of us have done it. There is more than oni.t\hod of selling, and all the good roads must be followed. But when it comes right down to the business of every-day selling of goods, commodities, or services, the three fundamentals here mentioned may well be followed: BE SIMPLE-BE CONVINCING_BE CONCLUSIVE.

And BE those three things to just as many prospects as possible.

We Op"rate Our Own BiS and Modern Creosoting Plant in Connection with our Mills at St- Helens, Oregon.

Attything and everything in creosot' ed lumber timbers' ties, piling, telephone poles, etc.