If you cultivate a magnetic personality you will increase your sales and lessen your work, besides getting a lot more enjoyment out of life than you otherwise would.
Remember, customers are drawn, not pushed. Trade to-day is largely a question of attraction, and the salesman who is the most magnetic, who has the most affable manners, who is a good mixer, will attract the largest amount of orders.
CHAPTER XXVII
CHARACTER IS CAPITAL
Character is greater than any career.
Manhood overtops all titles.
Character is the greatest power in the world. Nothing can take its place; talents cannot, genius cannot, education cannot, training cannot. The reputation of being absolutely square and clean and straight, of being a man whose word is his bond, is the finest recommendation.
Simple genuineness, transparency of character, will win the confidence of a customer whether he is prejudiced or not, and the confidence of the purchaser is half the sale, for no matter how pleasing the speech or the manner of the salesman, if he isn’t genuine, if he doesn’t ring true, if he doesn’t inspire confidence, if the customer sees a muddy streak back of his eye, he is not likely to purchase.
Lack of absolute integrity often keeps salesmen in inferior positions. Take the average salesman in a retail clothing store. A customer tries on a coat. “How does it look?” he asks the salesman in a pleased tone.