So far we have dealt with the voluntary or outer mind of the buyer. Let us now consider his involuntary or inner mind. There are many other terms used by psychologists to designate these two phases of mind—the important fact is that there are two phases or planes of mind which are operative in a sale. Let us see how they work, rather than what they are, or what they are called.
Discarding, for the time being, the current psychological theories and terminology, let us take a plain look at the facts of the case. A little consideration will show us that there are two parts to a man's mind—or two phases of activity. In the first place, there is a part of one's mind which acts as does the mind of the higher animal, the savage, the child. That is, it acts upon impulse and without restraint of the will. Its attention is easily attracted, but held with difficulty unless the interest and curiosity is awakened. It is curious, fond of novelty, inquisitive, impulsive, easily persuaded in certain directions, susceptible to impressions, amenable to suggestion, imitative, subject to panic, apt to "follow my leader," emotional, depending upon feeling rather than upon reason, subject to persuasion and coaxing, and acting almost automatically in response to awakened desire. Let us think of this part of the mind as the inheritance of the race from the past—the instinctive mind—the elemental mind of the race before Intellect mounted its throne. This part of the mind is possessed by every individual of the race. No matter how highly developed the individual may be, he has this part of the mind. No matter how much he may be in control of it, it is always there as a background and basis of his other kind of mind. The difference in the self-control of individuals depends almost altogether upon the other part of the mind, which we shall now consider—the Voluntary Mind, in which the Intellect and Will are the predominant elements. The phase which we have just considered may be called the Involuntary Mind, in which Desire and Feeling are the predominant elements.
The Voluntary Mind has come to man in the course of evolution. It is not nearly so highly developed in the majority of people, as one might at first suppose. The majority of the race have the Involuntary Mind predominant, and are swayed more by feeling and desire than by intellect and will. Those in whom the Voluntary Mind is highly developed place the intellect over the feelings—the will over the desires. They submit their feelings to the inspection and approval of their intellect, and hold their desires in check by their will. We are in the habit of thinking of will as a something which acts—but in the majority of instances it is found to be employed in checking action of the desires—in holding back rather than in pushing forward. One of the chief duties of the developed will is that of inhibition, or restraint. And inhibition depends upon the decision of the judgment or intellect. The animal, savage, or child has but little power of this kind—the average individual has more than the child or savage but less than the developed individual—the developed individual has better self-control, and subordinates his emotional desires and feelings to his judgment and will, by inhibition or restraint. Every individual has both of these phases of mind—the Involuntary and Voluntary—the latter, however, being manifested in an infinite variety of degrees of development and power. Back of every Involuntary Mind is to be found the protecting Voluntary Mind—and likewise, back of every Voluntary Mind, no matter how strong it may be, there is ever the Involuntary Mind chafing under restraint and striving to escape its master's eye and express itself in its own way. And the master often relaxes its attention, or gets tired of its strenuous task, and then the hidden nature "plays while the cat's away."
Perhaps the Salesman may be able to remember this classification of the two phases of the mind, by picturing them as two partners engaged in business. The Salesman is trying to secure the trade of the firm. The one brother is an easy-going fellow, possessing curiosity and childish interest, capable of being "jollied," persuaded and coaxed, and apparently acting always from his momentary desires and feelings, desirous of appearing well in the eyes of others, and anxious to make a good impression, finding it easier to say "Yes," than "No"—easier to fall in with the wishes of others than to oppose them, being vain and complaisant. This partner's name is "Easyboy." The other partner is an entirely different sort of fellow. He is cold and calculating, manifesting very little feeling or emotion, submitting everything to his reason and judgment, not moved by prejudices for or against, driving a close bargain and resenting attempts to coax or drive him. His name is "Hardfellow."
In the firm of "Easyboy and Hardfellow," the work is divided. "Easyboy" has much to do about the place, attending to many things for which his temperament specially fits him. "Hardfellow," however, does the buying, for experience has taught him that "Easyboy" is not fitted for the task, being too much under the sway of his feelings and being too easily influenced. "Easyboy" never could say "No," anyway—but "Hardfellow" finds it almost as hard to say "yes." So "Hardfellow" does the buying, but "Easyboy" always "hangs 'round" when a salesman is talking, for he is naturally inquisitive, and, being jealous, rather resents "Hardfellow's" authority in the matter. Sometimes he breaks in, and "Hardfellow" lets him have his say, and at times indulges him in minor purchases, for being a partner he must accord him some consideration in spite of the arrangement regarding duties. A strange thing is that "Easyboy" is possessed of the notion that he would make an ideal buyer, far better than "Hardfellow" in fact, and he loses no opportunity of manifesting his supposed quality, notwithstanding the fact that he usually makes a bungle of it.
For "Hardfellow" is often so busy that he cannot give his full attention to the business of buying; then again he becomes tired and at such times his judgment is not so good, and he is apt to be influenced by "Easyboy" at such times; and, again, he becomes interested in one feature of the purchase and overlooks the others—at such times "Easyboy" "gets in his fine work," and takes a hand in the buying. The Salesmen who visit the firm are fully aware of this condition of affairs, and plan things so as to have "Easyboy" on hand and able to play his part. They can do anything with him, and the more he is in evidence the better are their chances. If he had his way he would buy corner lots in the moon, or gold-bricks minus the plating. He likes to say "Yes" when coaxed, jollied or led. But the Salesmen having a straight business proposition of merit get along well with "Hardfellow," for he is reachable on such lines when logically presented and explained in a business way. Even such Salesmen, however, find "Easyboy" a valuable ally, for he often gets them a hearing when "Hardfellow" is busy or otherwise not disposed to listen. And so, they all find it an important question to get "Easyboy" on the scene at "Hardfellow's" elbow. Some claim to have discovered a method whereby they can "sidetrack" "Hardfellow" and get "Easyboy" to do the buying. And rumor even has it that there have been unscrupulous individuals who have happened around when "Hardfellow" was taking his siesta after a full dinner, and who then played upon "Easyboy's" weakness in a shameful manner. The firm deny these rumors, but there is an old gold brick holding back a door at the back part of the store; and a big bundle of worthless shares in a nicely printed gold-mine and a deed for a quarter-section of the blue sky, in the safe—so there may have been something in the tale, after all.
Every mind is an "Easyboy and Hardfellow" firm. Both partners are in evidence. In some cases "Easyboy" has far more sway and influence than his more capable partner; in others they have equal authority; in a third, "Hardfellow" asserts his right and ability, and "Easyboy" has to take a back seat under protest. But the same principle is true of them all. And this fact is taken into consideration by men of the world who understand the true state of affairs. If anyone doubts this statement of psychological facts, let him analyze himself, and look back over his own experience. He will find that "Easyboy" has played him many a sad trick in the past, and the "Hardfellow" has been "off his job" more than once. Then let him begin to analyze others with whom he comes in contact—he will see the same state of affairs existing there. And yet there is no mystery about the matter—it is all in accordance with known psychological laws. Some writers on the subject of Salesmanship rather solemnly assure us that the "Easyboy" part of the mind is a "higher mind"—but it is not. It belongs to the instinctive stage of mental development, rather than to the rational. It is an inheritance from the past—that past in which men were moved entirely by feeling and emotion, before reason came to its present stage of development. If it is "higher" why is it a fact that the lower races and individuals manifest it to a greater extent than the higher ones? This part of the mind gives vitality and energy to one, but unless it be controlled by Intellect and Will it is apt to prove a curse.
CHAPTER VI
THE PRE-APPROACH