FRESHEN-UP THE SELLING TALK
The purpose of the selling talk is to assist the customer along in the sale from the start up to the point of his decision to buy. To exercise a helpful influence requires of the salesman life, spirit and freshness. Everyone, in order to make a living for himself, is required to have and to use a certain amount of selling ability, and in proportion to his skill in using it will depend the value of his services. The best newsboy is the one who puts the most life and spirit into his efforts, the one who lets you know, even though you may be across the street, or around the corner, that he is on the job and that he has papers to sell. In short, the most successful newsboy is the one who is the best salesman.
The president of any business organization, no matter how large his salary nor how great his importance, must be a salesman. He does not have a free hand to do as he pleases, but must get his authority on important matters from the directors, who represent the interests of the stockholders. Unless the president is salesman enough to convince the directors that his plans are sound and that they will prove profitable to the business he cannot expect to receive authority to proceed with them, and therefore he cannot succeed in his work. In other words, his problem is exactly the same as that of the shoe salesman except that he must sell an idea or his opinion, whereas the retail salesman sells merchandise.
If in presenting a plan to his directors the president of the company should attempt to do so in some half-hearted, dull and uninterested manner he could expect to receive in return no greater interest or enthusiasm than he himself showed. On the other hand, if his selling talk is stimulating, if his manner indicates confidence, if he is actually “on fire” in the interest of his proposed plan he can be assured of having it received and considered favorably. The salesman is dealing with a live subject. He is called upon to present facts concerning his goods in such a way that the customer will recognize them as being facts rather than mere opinions. This means that the selling talk must be made to live—it must be freshened-up. The salesman must continually guard against becoming mechanical or stereotyped either in his manner or his sales talk. He must realize that it is just as important for him to “launder” his selling talk as it is to launder his linen.