“You must use your judgment in gauging him as to what to show him.
“The important thing is to get at the picture he has in mind, and the price too, if you can do so without asking him to name the figure.
“Never ask a customer how he liked the last suit you sold him. Let by-gones be by-gones. This is a new deal. Whether he was entirely satisfied is not the point now. Don’t raise dangerous questions.
“There are a dozen reasons why his last purchase may not be remembered with pleasure—reasons that have nothing to do with the value he received or the actual merit of the clothes.
“If he voluntarily mentions the last suit with praise take it as a natural occurrence and pass it over; you will try to do even better by him this time.
“If he complains of his last purchase don’t argue. Leave the subject as soon as possible and get down to the question in hand.
“Have confidence in your goods, in your prices and in yourself as a salesman.
“There are more sales lost for lack of firmness and decision at the right time than for any other cause.
“Among the clerks in the best and biggest of stores there are ten good openers of a sale to one good closer.
“Be a closer.