3. Comparison with rival goods;
4. Degree of conformity to prevailing modes or fashions.
5. Adaptability to buyers’ needs, price, etc.
Around these may be woven a brief or a lengthy talk, according to the needs and the disposition of the customer with whom the salesman is talking. Let your selling talk be direct, natural, and as brief as possible.
The presentation of your proposition involves, principally, a clear, simple and suitable description of your goods. The cleverest salesmen arrange the points in a logical order, working up from the least importance to the strongest.
Always put the question of price off just as long as possible, unless the price is so low that this point alone adds much to the other selling points, as for instance, setting forth the prices in a 5 & 10 cent store, or giving the prices of special bargains.
Be willing to answer all questions and objections made by your customer, but forestall, as far as you can, the objections he is likely to make. You can do this by exerting the power of a strong personality, especially by showing much enthusiasm, which tends to burn up the objections a customer is inclined to make. No matter how positive or how graphic you are in your descriptions, always be natural, otherwise your mannerisms will detract from the effectiveness of your talk.
The best authorities consider it a decided handicap if the customer “turned you down” at the start by a negative answer, or a negative attitude. When you foresee that the customer is about to say, “No,” or to turn away, strive to keep his mind in the balance until you can attract his attention to some new features of your goods, or to some old features, in a new way.
The length of time given to a presentation, will vary with the goods and with the customer. Experience with each particular line, and the advice of your sales manager always should be followed.