In Selling, Donlt Knock

An old adage, Oo, ". true today as when it first was uttered.

The knocker is becoming a rare specimen in the field of ' salesmanship, but he is still present with his little hammer.

And every time he strikes a blow at his competitor he is driving another nail in the coffin of his prospective sales.

The hopes of many misguided salesmen lie buried neath an avalanche of d,isgust and distrust, and with them is buried the business of his employers.

It is an old stunt to run down the product ,of your competitor, and many a man has learned to his sorrow that it is the sure road to failure, while still a large number oI others have not yet learned the lesson.

Discrediting your neighbor's goods is the surest way ol arousing suspicion of your own wares in the mind of your prospect.

He may know your merchandising is better, but your competitor .may happen to be o,n more friendly relations with him, and naturally, he will feel a sort of resentment at your attitude.

On the other hand, /our prospect probably knows all about the merits and demerits of your competitor's stock.. What he wants to know is how your own line matches up with it-and he ,alone is the judge of that.

Tell him the good points about your own merchandise and let him rnake the cornparison. It is well for you to know the weak spots in your competitor's product so that you can be in a position to emphasize the virtues of your own, and if you can do that you have made a sale.

If. the goods you are trying to sell can,t stand up on their own merits, it is time for you to quit and'get a new line.

COMPLETENESIi OF STOCKS IS A BIG ASSET TO THE SALE$ MAN CAI.LING ON THE CALIFORNIA TRADE.