The Psychology of Salesmanship

by William Walker Atkinson

The National Cash Register Company instructs its salesmen regarding the First Impression, as follows: "Remember, the first five minutes of speaking to a man is likely to make or break you as far as that sale is concerned. If you are in any way antagonistic or offensive to him, you have hurt your chances badly from the start. If you have failed to definitely please or attract him, you have not done enough. It isn't sufficient to be merely a negative quantity. You should make a positive favorable impression, and not by cajolery nor attempted wit nor cleverness. The only right way to gain a man's liking is to deserve it. The majority of men do not often know just what the characteristics of a man are which makes him pleasing or displeasing to them; but they feel pleased or displeased, attracted or repulsed, or indifferent, and the feeling is definite and pronounced, even though they cannot understand just what makes it. A storekeeper in the smallest way of business in a little country village is just as susceptible of being pleased or offended as any merchant prince. It should never be forgotten that whatever his position may be, 'a man's a man for a' that.'"

It is not so much what a man says when he approaches the prospect, as the way he acts. It is his manner, rather than his speech. And back of his manner is his Mental Attitude. Without going into subtle psychological theorizing, we may say that it may be accepted as a working hypotheses that a man radiates his Mental State, and that those he approaches feel these radiations. It may be the suggestion of manner, or it may be something more subtle—no use discussing theories here, we haven't the time—the fact is that it acts as radiations would act. This being recognized it will be seen that the man's Mental Attitude in the Approach must be right. In the previous chapters we have had much to say to you regarding the factors which go to create the Mental Attitude. Now is the time to manifest what you have learned and practice—for you are making the Approach.

Carry in mind Holman's catechism, of which we have told you. Maintain your Self-Respect, and remember that you are a MAN. Pierce says of this: "One reason for this is that self-respect is necessary in your work. And self-respect cannot obtain where there is lack of confidence either in your own ability or in your line of goods. Assuming that you take only such a line as you yourself can enthusiastically endorse, it must be remembered that your goods place you absolutely on a par with the merchant. Hence, you talk to him shoulder to shoulder, as it were. You are not as a slave to a master! as a hireling to a lord; as a worm to a mountain; although this is the usual attitude untrained salesmen consciously or unconsciously assume. They are timid. They feel they might know their goods better. They feel, perhaps, that the prospect knows their goods or their competitors' goods better than they do themselves. Fear is written all over their faces as the approach is made. Nine-tenths of the fear is due to ignorance of the goods. The other tenth is lack of experience."

Regarding this matter of Fear, we would say that the experience of the majority of men who have lived active and strenuous lives, meeting with all sorts of people under all sorts of circumstances, is that the cause of Fear of people and things exists chiefly in the imagination. It is the fear of anticipation rather than the fear of actual conditions. It is like the fear felt upon approaching a dentist's office—worse than the actual experience of the chair. Suspense and fearful expectation are two of the great sources of human weakness. Experience shows us that the majority of things we fear never happen; that those which do happen are never so bad as we had feared. Moreover, experience teaches us that when a real difficulty confronts us, we usually are given the strength and courage to meet and bear it, or to overcome it—while in our moments of fearful anticipation these helpful factors are not apparent. Sufficient for the moment are the evils thereof—it is not the troubles of the moment which bear us down, but the burdens of future moments which we have added to our load. The rule is to meet each question or obstacle as it arises, and not to add fear of trouble beyond to the work of the moment. Do not cross your bridge till you come to it. The majority of feared things melt away when you come up to them—they partake of the nature of the mirage. It is the ghosts of things which never materialize which cause us the greatest fear. Banish Fearthought from your Mental Attitude when you make the Approach.

But, a word of warning here: Do not become "fresh" or impudent because you feel Self Reliant and Fearless. While realizing that you are a Man, do not forget that the prospect is also one. Impudence is a mark of weakness rather than of strength—strong men are above this petty thing. Be polite and courteous. The true gentleman is both self-respecting and polite. And, after all is said and done, the best Approach that a Salesman can make is that of a GENTLEMAN. This will win in the long run, and the consciousness of having so acted will tend to strengthen the Salesman and preserve his self-respect. Remember not only to manifest the self-respect of a gentleman—but also to observe the obligations of politeness and courtesy which are incumbent upon a gentleman. Noblesse oblige—"nobility imposes obligations."

If you want a maxim of action and manner, take this one: "Act as a gentleman should." If you want a touchstone upon which to test manner and action, take this: "Is this the act of a gentleman?" If you will follow this advice you will acquire a manner which will be far superior to one based upon artificial rules or principles—a natural manner—because the manner of a gentleman is the expression of true and pure courtesy, and will be respected as such by all, whether they, themselves, observe it or not. We have seen many instances in which the maintenance of the true gentlemanly spirit under strong provocation has completely disarmed boorishness, and won friendship and regard from those apparently opposing it at the time.

The first psychological element of a Sale is that of the First Impression upon the buyer. And the impression must be of a favorable kind. There must be nothing to create a bad impression for this will distract the attention from the purpose of the Approach to the particular object awakening the unpleasant impression. The first point preliminary to gaining attention, is to know the name of the man you are approaching; and if possible just where he is. Nothing is more demoralizing to the Salesman, and more likely to break up the psychological influence of the Approach, than a lack of knowledge of the name and identity of the man you wish to see. The miscarriage of an Approach occasioned by mistaking the person should be avoided. If you do not know your man, or where he is in the office, it will be well to inquire of the others present, politely of course, where "Mr. X's" desk is. If you happen to ask this question of "Mr. X" himself, you can easily adjust yourself to the occasion. The fiasco of approaching "Mr. A" and greeting him as "Mr. X" is apt to be confusing and weakening, and tends to bring the element of ridicule into the interview, unless the Salesman has the tact and wit to pass it off. If possible, avoid asking for "the proprietor," or inquiring of a man, "are you the proprietor?" If you do not know the proprietor's name, ask it of some one.

The National Cash Register people say to their salesmen: "It is manifestly improper to describe a definite form of words and require salesmen to use them in all cases when they approach business men at the first interview. What would be proper to say to one man under given circumstances might be unsuitable to say to another under different circumstances. Much must be left to the discretion of the salesman. At the same time there are certain leading statements to be made, and certain ways of making them which experience has shown to be well adapted to the end in view. * * * It is not necessary that this introductory talk should be long. Often a short talk is more convincing. We do not advise salesmen to introduce themselves by sending in a card, but prefer that they should depend wholly on what they are able to say to secure a hearing. We strongly disapprove of obscure introductions and all tricks, and believe that a man who has something worth saying, and is not ashamed of his business, can make known his errand in a bold, straightforward manner. A salesman should adapt himself to his man, but at the same time he should have a fixed idea of what he has to say. He should be dignified and earnest. * * * As soon as you do succeed in reaching the proprietor, and have said to him, 'Good morning! Is this Mr. Johnson?' then say directly and plainly, 'I represent the National Cash Register Company.' This immediately puts you on a square footing, and if he has anything to say against your business it will draw his fire immediately. If he has nothing to say, proceed to business at once, but don't under any circumstances say, 'I called to sell you a register,' or 'I called to tell you about our registers,' but put it rather in this way, 'I want to interest you in our methods for taking care of transactions with customers in your store.' The difference between the two ways of saying it is that one begins with your end of the business—the thing that interests you; while the other begins at his end of it—the thing presumably interesting to him."

We specially direct the student's attention to the above paragraph. It contains in a nutshell the whole philosophy of the introductory talk of the Approach. It is the essence of the experience and knowledge of the thousands of salesmen of the great selling organization of the large concern named, and is right to the point, and what is still more important, it is scientifically correct, and based upon true psychological principles.

The Salesman in making the Approach should not act as if he were in a hurry, nor should he dawdle. He should go about it in a business-like manner showing his realization of the value of time, and yet acting as if he had the time necessary for the transaction of that particular piece of business, just as he would if the buyer had called on him instead of vice versa. Don't swagger or strut, or act as if you were the proprietor. Act the part of the real business man who is at ease and yet is attending to business. Do not try to "rush" the customer in the Approach—you are calling on him and must appear to defer to him in the matter of opening the conversation, in a respectful and yet self-respecting manner. The better poised and balanced you are in manner, the more he will respect you, no matter how he may act. It is much easier for a buyer to turn down an ill-bred boorish caller than one who shows the signs of being a gentleman. In fact the boorish caller invites the turn-down—he suggests it by his manner; while the gentleman suggests respectful treatment. The line of least resistance in suggestion is the one most natural for people to follow.