Selling Dangerouslly Elmer Wheeler
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UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
LIBRARIES
SeUlHf
^bcMUf&UHtiltf,
Selling
by
ELMER WHEELER
Englewood
Cliffs,
N.J.
PRENTICE-HALL, INC.
©
Copyright, 1956, by
ELMER WHEELER all rights reserved. no part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission in writing from the publisher and author. Library of Congress
Catalog Card Number: 56-11849
September, 1956
First printing
Second printing
December, 1956
Third printing
September, 1958
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
80499
J
WORLD-WIDE AUTHOR ELMER WHEELER'S
books have been translated and published in 20 foreign ediIn the United States, some 70 printings
into 6 languages tions.
testify to the popularity of this
and expert on
world-wide author
selling techniques.
How to Make Your Daydreams Come True (3 How to Make Your Sales Sizzle in 17 Days (2 How to Sell Yourself to Others (17 printings)
printings) printings)
Tested Sentences That Sell (19 printings) Sizzlemanship:
New
Tested Sentences (10 printings)
Tested Public Speaking (13 printings)
Tested Retail Selling (6 printings)
i
-J
To Mildred
who knows
(Milly) Phillips
the fine hairline between
dangerous selling and selling dangerously.
Jlave Ifou the Afe&ue and Ecdzl
Bfwmk
ta Sell Sbawfefoatedlf?
This book is certainly not for amateurs. It is too dangerous for their inexperienced hands. It is for you who can honestly say "Yes" to the idea of selling dangerously. Can you?
^/any salesmen can't sell dangerously.
They
lack the nerve, sales guts, or spunk needed.
They can handle type of prospect
nicely the ordinary, normal, everyday
who
patiently listens to the salesman's
presentation of fact, sizzle, benefits,
and
proof.
But when that tenth customer-prospect, that toughie, comes along, these normal sellers crumble, fall to pieces, get upset, often become sick at heart with discouragement. This book will show you what to do when the
Tenth Toughie comes along; how to size him up; how to grade and analyze him; how finally to twist him into buying where others have failed— and thus gaining for you the greatest of self-satisfaction and much admiration—plus "found dollars" from these hidden gold mines that others have passed up as "too tough." IX
PREFACE
x
What having the
It is
Is
Sales Nerve?
spunk
sales
to
do something unusual,
different, often startling, to jog a knuckle-buster into
sales line. It is being a good David and finding the "Tested Selling Sentence" or "Tested Technique" to hurl
him on
at your belligerent Goliath, to put
his knees
where he now has you. Sales nerve
is
sales battle! It
is
gaining full
command
again of a lost
a modern method of "atom challeng-
ing" the hard nut, rousing him to a point where he'll show
you who
the real boss and place an order with you.
upsetting the self-satisfaction of contented deal-
It is ers;
is
the complacency of others;
toast in the
front door,
it is
handling the milk-
showrooms, the purchasing office, or at the is too scared to buy because of a hus-
who
band, wife, partner, or job. It is dramatics in selling, featuring a script in which you get a blustering prospect to unbluster; or turn the know-it-all into a booster for you. It's
who
melting the "big bluff" from the perennial bluffer
has every other salesman scared
It is
stiff.
having the nerve to handle "nervy buyers."
Not for the Amateur Selling dangerously is real advanced sizzlemanship found in no other book on the "fundamentals of selling." It is not for the new in selling, the rank and file, the poor amateur or "part-timer." There are enough fine books on the A.B.C.'s of good selling for these chaps.* Selling dangerously
portant. *
It's
is
a modern
Elmer has ten such books.
far too big for them. tool;
Too im-
but only for the skilled
PREFACE
xi
hands of good salesmen, the ones highly experienced who want added dope on how to handle that Tenth Toughie. a lifesaver in their apt hands.
It's
For
tracked, or It gains
gains
them business otherwise passed up,
gets
it
side-
lost.
them money
them the
in the
bank otherwise
lost,
greatest of all personal admiration
and
when
they return with an order that others before them have failed to get.
Indeed, it is the art of meeting slur with slur; snide with snide; sarcasm with sarcasm, when all is lost up to that critical
moment.
own
battle
has failed.
When
meeting that Tenth Toughie on his ground—and winning! It is
What
Is
Selling
something you do
It is
you are
Dangerously?
when
all else
at "rope's end."
When
all is
lost— you pull out tested
ways to
dan-
sell
gerously!
the newest trick of the trade for the good sales-
It's
man's use, gain
by
when he
It is definitely
—but
it is
There
has nothing more to lose and
all
to
selling dangerously.
is
not dangerous.
It is selling
dangerously
not dangerous. a big difference. Dangerous selling
a chance," like passing a car on a curve.
is
"taking
It is foolish
and
stupid.
Selling dangerously, however,
not "taking a chance."
It's
is
tact at
not dangerous. its
"double or nothing." You've nothing to and you double if you win. It is
It is
best. start with,
PREFACE
xii
It is for
use only after
all else
has failed, and you are
about to be bounced or tossed out; or
when the
prospect
has become overly sarcastic, belligerent, impolite, and discourteous.
Then At like
it is
not dangerous to
this critical
dangerously—well.
sell
moment you suddenly change
pace,
a cat that has stopped running, turns, and begins dog who then, himself, starts run-
to chase the angry
ning. ^
You'll learn this
moment
to
change from normal to
selling dangerously. You'll learn
"passing the buck"
buy
later,"
"See
by
me
saying,
when
"I'll
see
the prospect
my
partner,"
is
"I'll
next time,"—whether or not these
statements are sincere or insincere. You'll tell honesty
from
stalls.
What to Do and When Once you've learned how the sincere, you'll learn
how
to detect the insincere
from
the experts handle this one-
in-ten situation.
be given "Tested Methods" to use, depending on whether the customer is dishonest, insincere, or just You'll
scared of his boss, wife, or job. Shall
it
be the milder "reverse
selling" to use or "sell-
ing with English on it?"
Or
the more dramatic
method
of selling dangerously;
the art of reaching for the hat and knowing
when
to
start for the exit; the
time you must rare back and chal-
lenge, "I don't think
you have the authority
to place an
knowing the psychological moment
to use the
order." It is
art of annoying,
amazing, scaring, upsetting, astonish-
PREFACE ing the prospect or otherwise jogging
xiii
him
into a position
where you are again Top Banana. It is real fun—with a purpose.
The purpose
added life back into your staid, hum-drum sales life; and of making money, in this Great New Art of Selling Danof stimulating your soul, putting
gerously.
So
if
you've the spunk, the sales nerve, the guts—or
if
you just want to learn this new, exciting and highly advanced Post Graduate method of selling hard nuts, then this book is all yours. Proceed on, Great One. Mr. Sizzle
8
.
Qantentl CHAPTER 1
PAGE
Not Something New—It's Old-New
The Train "Butcher" Gets Mad The Awning Salesman A Very Extreme Example A Less Dangerous Method The Car Wax Salesman Uses This System
What
Is Selling
Here's a It's
Dangerously?
Few Quickies
Not Dangerous
for
You
Richard Nixon Sells Dangerously Selling Dangerously Is Good 2.
What
Is
Selling
Dangerously?
He
They
Sell
Just
He
Sells
Dangerously, Too
Good Common
3.
All in
How You Do
When Does I
Selling
12
Sales Sense
12
13 13
Way
It
Dangerously Work Best?
Buy Some Specs
I See
10 11
Dangerously It's Not "Dangerous Selling" A Good Example of the Right He Sells Dangerously Well She "Sells" the Guarantee It's
2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 9
10
Sold Dangerously Three Hot Sizzlers It's
1
14 15
16 17 1
19
19
an Optician xv
CONTENTS
xvi
CHAPTER
PAGE
So I Return to My Doc That Was Selling Dangerously Selling Dangerously Takes Foresight Upsetting His Bucket of Satisfaction Scare Him,
Warn Him, Annoy Him
Harry
Hats Dangerously
Sells
More Sales Sizzlers The Yellow Stamp Boys Really Not Just for the Experts 4.
The Time to
Sell
Sell
Dangerously
Erwin Huber Sold Dangerously It's Done This Way in New England
Can
This Art
33
How
Marsh Terry Does
Dangerously The Sandbox System What a Wallop to That Dealer! This Man Sells Dangerously, Too Sells
This
Chap Puts
He Does
It
Bob Watts
It
This
This
Way
Way
Be Used on Everybody?
Puts It This
It
Way
Clyde Phillips' Favorite Stunt John Wolfe Tells This Story John Strauss Tells It This Way It Even Works on Cops Yep, It Can Be Used on Nearly Everybody 6.
26 27 27 28 28 29 30 30 31 32
That's the Big Point
He
5.
20 20 21 21 22 22 23 24 25
"S.R."
They Here
Is
Sell Is
34 34 35 36 36 37 38
Like Sliding in the Back Door
39
"Hot Weather"
40 40 41
How
It
"Sure Hot, Isn't
Was Done It,
Ma'am?"
CONTENTS
xvii
CHAPTER
PAGE
Back Door
Sliding into the
41 42 42 43 45
Monkey-See, Monkey-Do Technique More Examples of the Monkey Method Put This Art into Practice Newest Uses of Selling Dangerously 7.
Dangerously with Fear, Ridicule, and
Selling
1.
2.
"Bad News"
46
Challenging the prospect Selling with fear
46 47 47 48 50
with ridicule with "bad news" Challenging the Prospect
3. Selling
4. Selling It's
8.
The "Millionaire Approach"-How
It
The Other Way Around Now Comes the Next Step He'll Soon Tell You It Can Be Used in Most Any Business 9.
Famous Sell
Here It's
What
I
Mean
All Part of the Selling Act
Never Works in Other Stores Then There is Jimmy Wilson Your Main Street Is No Different Behind All This Selling Dangerously All the World Loves Danger 10.
.
51
52 52 53 54
Stores of Dallas, Texas
Dangerously
Is
Works
55 56 56 57 58 58 59 61
Pinky Finger Method
62
Cans Put a Little Wiggle into the Act
62 63
The
Little
Selling the Larger Size
.
CONTENTS
xviii
CHAPTER
1 1
PAGE
Wiggling the Little Pinky Finger The Great Law of Three It Can Be Used in Reverse A Furniture Dealer Does It Insurance Selling Can Be Dangerous Many Ways to Sell Dangerously
63 64 64 65 66 67
When You Are
68
at Your Rope's End
Ordinary Appeals Fail Him Sells Dangerously It Was Really Selling Dangerously A Banker Sells Dangerously Tactfully This Fellow Sells More Dangerously Rope's End Comes to Us All at Times Warning!
69 69 70 70 71 71 73 73 73
Then Willard
Your Operation! Don't Be Overly Aggressive! 12.
When
the Prospect Says "See
My
Partner'
1
But Not Archie Hunter Door-to-Door Salesmen's Daggers of Danger He Sells Ironrites Dangerously and Wins That's Powerful Sizzle Selling It's All in How You Say It 13.
How to Change the Subject How This Salesman Does It It's
Been Worked on the Ladies, Too Her Off a Fur Coat
Selling
His Next Dangerous Step Getting Up to Leave 14.
It's
Like Fighting
a
Bull,
Making Love The Same in All Games
74 75 75 76 77 78
79 79 80 80 81 82
Fencing,
83
or
of Skill
83
CONTENTS
xix
PAGE
CHAPTER
84 85 85 86 87 87 88 88 90
So It Is with Sizzlemanship Selling Sometimes It's the Whizzle Everything Has Its Whizzle The Whizzle Can Sizzle Sales Whizzle the Tenth Toughie Add Whizzles to Your Sales Kit Curt Sells Stamps Dangerously
Keep the Eye Busy Just Don't Mix 'em Up 15.
16.
It Is More Dangerous Thau Go Ahead!"
"At Times
to
Go Back-
Lloyd Bloom "Tells One Off" Lloyd Can't Back Out-So ... The Tide of Battle Changes Retreat, Yes, But at Right Times Bering Sells Cigars Dangerously The Psychology of the "Call Back" Then Drive for the Close Hard Three Dangerous Chapters
92 92 93 94 95 95 95 97
Getting the Interview
98
He
Gets by Secretaries The Boss Is Also Worried Not So Dangerous After All
Avoid Trick Openings The Johns-Manville Salesman That's the Big Clue When All Is Lost-Get Dangerous Your "Last Chance" to Win The "Wanted Poster" Approach 17.
91
Warming Up
the Hard-to-Sell Prospect
Warming Up Mr.
Surly
98 99 99 100 100 101
102
102
104
105 106
2
CONTENTS
xx CHAPTER
PAGE
Just
Know Your Man
107 107 108
Show Some Spunk, Bud!
Why Does He Act Like This? Handling These Knuckle Busters Fresh from the Sizzle Lab 1
8.
Selling
Dangerously Closes
Many "Lost
109 111
Sales"
"Your Price Is Too High." Think It Over." "I'll Talk It Over with My Partner." 'Til Buy Later from You." Study Your Buyer and Act Accordingly
113 114 115 115 117
"Til
19.
Irritations
Can Lead
118
to Sales
Take the Motorist on Sunday
A
118 119
Heckling Often Helps Ladies and Bald Headed Men He Doesn't Slam the Doors Speaking Lower Often Does the Trick Then at the Man's Door! 20.
Little
How
to Challenge
a Prospect's Confidence
119
120 121 122
.
Comes Along a Good One to Use
Jorge Castenendas
The Challenge Is The Hathaway Story The Challenge of His Competition 21.
When to Tell a Dealer He Is "Behind the Times" You Tell Him He's "Behind the Times" This Is What May Happen So Give Him a Good Sell Attention-Getting Is It
Works
at Retail
What You Want
Counters
1 1
123 124 124 125 126
127 128 128 129 129 130
CONTENTS
PAGE
CHAPTER
22.
When
You're Kept Waiting 45 Minutes!
Why Does He Do It? Fred Williams Does It This Way Here Is the Bob Herz Method Tom Breen Does It This Way "Guts" May Be the Big Clue This Fellow Just Ups and Leaves It's
23.
a Ticklish Situation
Giving the Customer
What He Wants
26.
132 133 134 135 136 136 138
139 140 140 141 142 143
Get Off Easy Street and See What Happens Where Can He Get Fast Action? The Salesman Is Only Normal Get Out Where Business Breeds
144
Salesmen
144 145 146 147
Products Dangerously
148
So He Sells Dangerously Like Those Taxicab Drivers Northwest Airlines Sells Safety William Howard Taft Sold Dangerously
Everybody Uses the Challenge
149 149 150 150 152
People Love to Prove You Are Wrong!
153
25 Seats and 25.
131
So Edit Your Line for Each Call It May Be Your "Approach" Maybe It's an Unintentional Approach We Came Up with This Solution Question Yourself First
Then
24.
xxi
No
Sell Intangible
Advertisers
Do
It
This
Doctors, Lawyers, Setting
Up Anger
Capitalize
on This
Way
Even Undertakers Motivation Instinct
153 154 155 156
CONTENTS
XX11
CHAPTER
27.
And
in
Selling "I "I
Conclusion,
Dangerously
I
Dare You!
Is
Like Speculating
Dare You" Is an Old Appeal Don't Think You Can Do It."
Best Defensive Is an Offensive That's Offensive Language!
Screams the Maiden, "Don't You Dare!"
157 157 158 158 159 159 161
Sailing ujGtiaeiOiidlif
/K£LLING IN REVERSE referred to as sliding in the back door.
you get
(s.R.) IS
By
OFTEN
mean
this I
inside before the prospect realizes
what has
happened. doing something with the
It is diverting attention;
right
that
hand is
to attract attention
unhooking the brief
It is definitely
which S.R.
is
will
away from the
left
hand
case.
not trickery, nor subterfuge, both of
work—once! Then you have
ricocheting the
TV
bullet so that
boulder, then strikes the bandit. It
the prospect, causing
him
to leave town.
to
39
is
it first
hits a
walking away from
walk toward you
faster!
40
LIKE SLIDING IN THE BACK
"S.R." IS
They
DOOR
"Hot Weather"
Sell
Jack Mallory, working for a door to door bakery,
wanted
to sell
more fancy baked goods
to regular bread
customers. Especially after a siege of our Fat
Book
*
on dieting ran
They knew guy who to find
locally in the Times-Herald.
better than to ask bluntly,
and
fixed for cakes
pies,
to
"How
are
you
Mrs. Smith?" So figuring the
started the dieting fad
ways
Boys
overcome
it,
would be the best one
commercially, our Dallas
Lab was employed to find how to sell fancy goods. We did. By selling not calories but "hot weather."
Sizzle
Here
We
How
Is
It
Was Done
went out with many route salesmen using our
Minifon wire recording device, which on a wrist watch
can record
man.
all
that goes
It is real
on between customer and
Dick Tracy
stuff
sales-
brought to actual and
practical use.
We
found that the conventional approaches to
cakes, pies, cookies,
and other fancy (and long
items were of no avail to
Our
tests
sell
profit)
women suffering from the heat.
were conducted
in the
summer
of 1954. It
was
a hot one, hottest in Texas history, according to news-
paper reports.
Then one day Jack Mallory, working on the time, came up with a swell selling-in-reverse *
Wheeler, Elmer, The Fat Boys Book. Englewood
Hall, Inc., 1950.
job at the idea.
Cliffs, N.J.:
Prentice
LIKE SLIDING IN THE BACK
*S.R." IS
"Sure Hot,
Isn't
Jack would have a route
when
the
brow
off
it,
woman
It,
41
Ma'am?"
man rap on
a back door, and
came, the salesman was wiping his
with a handkerchief, saying, "Sure hot,
Ma'am?" The woman, already
when
DOOR
hot,
became
isn't
hotter
she saw the perspiring salesman in that typical
gesture of
"You'd
wipng
like to
his
brow with a
large handkerchief.
have your kitchen 15 per cent
cooler,
man would suddenly ask of the woman. Who wouldn't? And the woman said so, to which the salesman would then say, "Let me do your baking wouldn't you?" the
for you,
and you can then have pies and cakes and
cookies like these on
my
tray without heating
up your
kitchen."
woman didn't catch on. It sounded as though the man wanted to come into her kitchen each day and cook for her until he explained, "We can do At
first
the
down at the plant in the cool of the morning, and deliver it to your home during the day. Your oven and kitchen won't be hot when hubby comes home at
the cooking
night."
That was starting
off
one way, ending up another
way.
Sliding Into the
Back Door
Nothing tricky about that approach.
Common
sense.
Backed up by good showmanship on the back porch. It
was the wiggling
of the right
hand
of the magician,
42
"S.R." IS
while his
left
DOOR
LIKE SLIDING IN THE BACK
hand reached out
for a
hidden playing
card.
immediate attention (Wheelerpoint #2).
It got
had
It
showmanship (Wheelerpoint #3). It also had great use of Wheelerpoint #4, "Don't Ask If—Ask terrific
Which," when he ended by saying, "Would you six or
They
a dozen doughnuts, Mrs. Smith?
calories
and high
like
are low in
in pep!"
Monkey-See, Monkey-Do, Technique This
is
the art of doing something to
person's reflexes respond like other
make
by doing the same
the other
thing. It
monkeys imitating the monkey that nods.
It is real
"monkey
shines" in sound, sensible selling.
For example, you say to the customer, "Would you today?"
six cases
guess not this
He
thinks a
moment and
replies no,
six cases
to say, "You'd like
today, wouldn't you?" nodding your
head up and down, causing the customer's head low
to fol-
suit.
It is
framing your sentences to cause heads to nod.
More Examples It isn't
Try
like
trip.
The monkey-way would have been about
is
it.
of the
Monkey Method
easy to frame a sales sentence to get a nod.
We
have an entire session in our Sizzle Lab
Schools around America devoted to this technique. Think of your
own product
or whatever
you
sell.
Can you put
your sentences into questions that get nods?
)
LIKE SLIDING IN THE BACK
"S.R." IS
For instance, never "How'd you
like
some
of these, Mrs. Smith?"
"How you
fixed for razor blades today?"
"Need any
of our
Model
B's this trip?"
be answered with a
and automatic "No" on the part put
this
43
say:
All of these approaches can
it
DOOR
fast
of the customer. Rather
way:
"Your hubby would like these, wouldn't he, Mrs. Smith?" (nodding) "Your supply of razor blades is low, isn't it, Mr. Dealer?" (nodding) "You'll need another Model B shipment, won't you?" (nodding)
The point
is,
phrase a phrase that ends in a nod! (And
not a sleeping nod, but a yessing nod.
Put This Art into Practice
Take your
now and see how it can many nods as possible, and
entire sales talk
be rephrased
to include as
don't forget the negative shakes of the real reverse selling.
Never
For instance:
"You are running out of size ten." "You are low in Type B." "You don't want to run out of size ten, do you?" (shaking head) "You don't want to get low on Type B, do you?" (shaking head)
say:
Instead:
You
are sliding in the back door this
attention to
head that are
what may happen
Here are other ways
to put
it:
if
way by
calling
the dealer runs low.
44
"S.R." IS
LIKE SLIDING IN THE BACK
DOOR
"Mr. Jones, if you fail to okay this policy today, you are gambling with the future of your child, and you don't want to do this, do you?" (shaking head) "You'd like the cash register to keep ringing, wouldn't you?" (nodding). "But it won't keep ringing if you keep only two of these in stock, will it?" (shaking head)
Selling in reverse
nodding the noggin!
(
S.R.
)
is
often done
by shaking or
Newest Uses of Selling Dangerously Floyd Johnson, vice-president of the Gold Bond Trading Stamp firm, tells of one of his salesmen
who
really sells dangerously.
The
fellow never walks into a store and asks the prospect to buy his stamp plan. Instead, he walks into the store, takes a long minute to look over the shelves, then says to the owner: "I think we can use you. from Gold Bond
Vm
Trading Stamp Company." Another salesman, in using our new "Playing Card Close" wherein he plays cards with a tough prospect and so gets his objections over with in advance, never lets a prospect walk out on him.
When the prospect starts closing him out, the salesman rares up and says, "Listen, you haven 9 t seen the best part of my show yet. Ever play Little Casino?" This sort of visual aid, called by some salesmen "chasing material," chases a tough customer and revives his interest.
Ever try
selling dangerously with "chasing mate-
rial"?
45
7.
and "Bad Meu*"
Ridicule,
the old art of challenging the other persons do something. Even works on the wife! It's
ability, authority, or right to
^HE as
DAY OF HIGH PRESSURE
IS
OVER,
the cigar, the derby, and the gold-plated era of
is
Diamond Jim Brady. Low tific selling.
pressure selling
Selling
is
on
Reverse selling means "I don't believe
you can
of
all,
the
after a period of non-selling.
You tell the prospect, this." To which the pros-
just that.
afford
pect rares up and says, "Of course,
many
here. Scien-
Most important
Sincere selling.
Era of Reverse
is
phases of reverse
selling.
I can!"
Here are
There are their cate-
gories:
1.
Challenging the prospect This use, I'd say,
find
it
is
most popular among salesmen who
useful to challenge the customer's ability to pay
for something.
A challenge
of this type sets
up an anger
SELLING WITH FEAR AND RIDICULE
47
motivation in the customer and, to prove the salesman is
wrong, the customer buys.
The challenge method of selling in reverse is used, instinctively, by one-time salesmen who can risk insulting a customer they will never see again. But, better soften
you see the same people on and
it if
To make
the other person feel cheap
ing. But, in the it
works when
2. Selling
This
hands of one
all
is
skilled in
off.
dangerous
human
relations,
other methods have failed.
with fear
You
excellent use of selling in reverse.
is
sell-
scare
the other person. Instead of telling benefits he'll get, you tell
him
things that
may happen
if
he doesn't buy. In-
surance salesmen like this method. They say, "Suppose
your house burned
money You
down today, would you have enough
to rebuild?" call to the attention of the
that can
happen
if
prospect the things
he doesn't buy, and
this
is
excellent
sizzlemanship in reverse. "Are you fully covered, or just half protected?" asks the It sets
up a
agent
"fear" in the
mind
of the person
may happen, not He buys to prevent
who buys
because of what
because of what he
hopes to gain.
rather than to gain.
A
good form of dangerous
3. Selling
Again
selling.
with ridicule
this
type of "selling in reverse" hinges on the
dangerous element, but some salesmen
like to live
dan-
SELLING WITH FEAR AND RIDICULE
48
and here
gerously,
says "No."
You
is
you want
you
are slightly sarcastic,
you challenge him "If
how. You ridicule the customer who
into
him a
rile
bit,
buying "despite the salesman."
to sweat all
summer
long, I guess that's
your privilege," says the air-conditioner salesman, after all
other appeals have failed.
okay with
"It's life,"
me
says the doctor,
if
you want to gamble with your
and with a
crisp professional
man-
nerism he challenges you to an immediate operation.
As
I said, this third
method
of selling in reverse
is
fraught with danger in the hands of one not expert in
human
sizzlemanship and
get back from the customer, "So it?"
But dangerous
as this
you can
relations, for
what—it's my
method
is, it
easily
life, isn't
can work won-
ders at times.
4. Selling with
Here
is
"bad news"
another method of selling in reverse, bringing
up "bad news" the customer may not have thought until the alert salesman pointed
it
out. Best
are in the ads, showing pictures of a
hands; large bunions;
slips sliding
up
of
examples
woman's chapped all
around a per-
son; red-faced people, all embarrassed at something. It's
the old, "I was embarrassed
down It's
to play,
and
I
friends sat
couldn't"— only in reverse.
the picture of the fellow with the shirt that shrank,
and the copy man who occur
when my
if
tells
him
he buys pre-shrunk
this
awful thing won't
shirts. It's
the picture of
SELLING WITH FEAR AND RIDICULE the
man by
tened to
Use
the wrecked car saying, "I should have
my
this
lis-
insurance agent."
technique
when
living dangerously, so use
stances call for well!
49
it,
it
you can
necessary. But, again, cautiously. sell
When
it is
circum-
dangerously— and
live
It's
You
tell
Challenging the Prospect the wife, "I just
know you won't have
the house clean in time for the party tonight" And, brother, can she prove you are wrong.
challenging the other person's right, audo something, "Of course, if you're not man enough!" is a challenge used by every movie hero on every movie It is
thority, or ability to
bad man, and maybe even by every Eve on every hombre. It's the sort of all around selling dangerously tid'bit that has multi-uses to raise the ego of almost any he-man, from Adam to Mr. Purchasing Agent.
The point lenge
is
is:
the only
challenge at times
way
out.
50
when a
chal-
8.
JfouA 9t
WoJiU
works wonders in getting the other fellow's name so you can make faster sales. It's a real
It
and needs
sales whizzler.
2> an halpin worked out this plan with our New York Sizzle Lab while he was helping Dr.
DuMont
We call it
develop their sales program.
the "Millionaire Approach," and here
it
is
how
works.
Pop and
Mom
Mom tells Pop: the
first
you
TV
set.
"Let's look at some, but listen, don't
buy
suddenly decide they want a
see, hear?"
So the two walk into a typical dealer's dealer's
and
The
salesman rushes at them, yanks them to a set
says,
fights
store.
and
"Here
is
football
a set that will get the finest prize
games
you'll ever see."
51
THE "MILLIONAIRE APPROACH"
52
Pop, then, in a hesitating manner, advises the sales-
man, "Well, you like,
see, that's
what me and
what has been keeping us
so long
Mom
don't
from buying a
TV."
The salesman has
three strikes against him.
The Other Way Around
Mom
and Pop then approach a DuMont dealer who
walks slowly toward them and says, "Good morning.
My name
is
Smith, and yours?"— sticking out his hand.
Now when you reach for
a hand goes out toward you, instinctively it.
Test this out. Reach toward a newcomer
"My name's Cal Affleck, and reach— and he'll blurt out his name. He
at the club or party
yours?" He'll can't hold It's
do
is
it
and
back.
an interesting try
it
say,
and see
bit of psychology,
if it
doesn't
and
all
work enough
you need
to
make
it
worthwhile as part of your tested methods of getting the other fellow's name.
Now Comes the Next Step Once you
get the other person's name, ask him,
are you?" This throws
him
to offer a complaint, or
off gear.
make
He may be
This gives you a
him up,
own
too.
accord
prepared
a positive statement, or
otherwise upset your procedure, but
how he is, he tells
"How
when you
ask
him
you.
moment to
size
him
up,
and
it
softens
Let him alone then and watch him of his tell
you what
is
on
his
mind.
THE "MILLIONAIRE APPROACH" "Me and
He'll perhaps say,
look around at some
Mom
figured
Sell
"What
him
interests
in reverse.
you most
them
like
this
prize fights
sign of
Make him hungry! Ask
Tell
You have asked him what you perhaps
first
TV!"
in
Hell Soon
he'll tell
we might
TV sets today."
Don't rush him to your product at his interest.
53
You
interests
him most, and
way: "Me and
Mom sure don't
and
football games, but
we go
for western movies!"
Ah—he's told you what he doesn't like. Now you won't make a ball
sales error
game.
He
and show him a prize
told
fight or a foot-
you what he wants. So now, again
without rushing him to a
set,
you
say, "If
you were a
millionaire
you couldn't see better western movies than
on
over here."
this set
You've flattered him. You've indicated you have the "millionaire's set," set
and
his eyes will certainly
go to the
and ask you, "What's the make?"
Then— and you lead him This
is
the
only then— do you start direct selling, as to the set.
famed
"Millionaire Approach."
It
Can Be Used
in
Most Any Business
Here is an approach that can be used in almost any business. It has no special handicaps for the user. It is the height of low pressure sizzlemanship. It
makes the customer almost force that sale, for move from the door entrance
the salesman doesn't
until that psychological
tomer It
says,
moment when
the cus-
"What's the make?"
does, all in ten seconds, get the customer's
name, introduces you, and finds out his needs. Thus you have practiced one law of good selling: inquire before you attack! You don't rush the customer to the "greatest, the finest, the best TV in the world" to get prize fights and football games only to find those are just what he dislikes. You find out what he wants, then tell him in all truth that if he were a millionaire, he couldn't get finer western pictures than on this particular set. Make the other fellow feel like a millionaire! That's the big trade secret in this sales lesson.
54
9. tf-amo*ti> Stated,
0/ ^baiicuif 7&XXA
Sell jbcutf&iatulf famed Neiman-Marcus; Wilsons with men, and Kahn's for its "fat boys." Metzger puts its drivers in Bermuda shorts. Your town is no different, as you'll find out. There
its
is
pink
the
outfits for
Sometime ago we famed Neiman-Marcus with our "the store" of Dallas, as often
The
store maintains
its
down by
sales training
program,
by
travelers.
it is
called
unusual reputation from Stanley,
Eddie, and Lawrence Marcus, dition set
"invaded" the
who
follow the good tra-
their father, Herbert, in
"rare" establishment. It
is
running a
unusual in that they
sell
dan-
me
say
this,
gerously.
Good
Stanley would leap
up
if
he heard
providing he didn't read the rest of what to qualify
famous
my
I
have to say
statement. For Neimans, like so
stores, just
cant help but 55
sell in
reverse
many
and
sell
STORES OF DALLAS SELL DANGEROUSLY
56
dangerously
.
.
and
.
well! Selling dangerously
an
is
"occupational hazard" with such stores.
Here
Is
Knowing how famous cant help but
What
Mean
I
their store
is,
the sales personnel
toward cus-
reflect this in their attitude
tomers.
When you
handle mink coats—you assume a "mink
coat attitude," to
if
you see what
I
mean, which
be on the side of hauteur, of Grand
The dime
store clerk can't
someone," for she
same
girl into
many
in the
is
selling
have
dime
Dame
is
inclined
Mannerism.
this feeling of
things.
"being
But put that
a Neiman-type store (of which there are
world ) and watch her attitude elevate. Her
eyebrows are raised higher, her specs change to gnettes,
and she drops her
tant spenders,
and she It's
Such of the
"r's".
herself
She's waiting
lor-
on impor-
must appear important.
All Part of the Selling Act
stores sell dangerously in that this
Grand Dame" may
scare
many
"mannerism
customers,
may
anger others, and disgust a few more. But as a whole does appeal to the majority of such a
Note
too,
it
store's clientele.
they are "clientele," not just customers.
You must
at times actually "approach" the sales per-
son yourself before you are waited on. Shades of Herbert
Marcus! But cess.
this spirit is
The more
something that goes with suc-
successful people get, the
more you must
go to them, not they to you. That's selling dangerously,
STORES OF DALLAS SELL DANGEROUSLY but
you know your ground,
if
it
will
work
as
it
57
does in
the Neiman-style stores.
Metzger's Milk
when
gerously
shorts. Ridicule
Company took
a chance and sold dan-
they put their milk
men
might have reflected in
sales;
TV's Garry Moore and others talked about cool" idea, even the most
in
Bermuda but when
this "sensible,
wobbly legged Metzger's man
got a wallop out of "looking dangerously."
Never Works
Go down
in
Other Stores
the street from Neiman's and you'll find
Titche Goettinger's store, run for years by keen Bill
Brown; or go to A. Harris and see the young Harris and the young
Kramer
You
operate.
in action, or
will not find so
watch Myron Everts
much
selling dangerously,
for the type of customer they cater to won't stand for
reverse English
But
on
Gene
try
their sales approaches.
Sanger's establishment
and see him
boldly and bluntly appeal to "fat boys," the "larger
hard to it
fit
elsewhere." That
is
selling dangerously,
man and
works. Calling
my
diet
dangerously, but
book The Fat Boy's Book was
it
went over with
"fat boys."
selling
Now
"The Fat Man's Book" would have been dangerous,
ing
it
for
no one wants
to
be called a
fat
man.
A
"fat
boy"
humorous. Like Poor Boy sandwiches eaten by the So
call-
it is
with Gene at his Kahn's
pictures of "large
store,
is
rich.
where he uses
men" and sells them "Fat Boy"
along with "regulars" to his regular customers.
clothes,
STORES OF DALLAS SELL DANGEROUSLY
58
Then There
Jimmy and Dallas.
He
his
puts
Is
Jimmy Wilson
dad have a
mens
large specialty shop in
pink underwear, pink socks, pink
Bermuda shorts, and pink sport jackets in the window. Can you imagine a guy wearing that combo on your Main Street? No, nor can Jimmy, but he calls it a "shocker." It stops people. It causes comment. It sells
dangerously.
By that
I
mean, people may think the
caters to "lovers of the pink
mode"
in dress, but not so;
for along side of his canary bird shockers
more
staple
you 11
find the
Hart Shaffner clothing.
You get the yes,
store
feeling that the store
is
high-style minded,
but should you not prefer the canary combos and
the pink ones, you will find the very newest in the charcoals or browns.
The
store has sold itself as a style shop
by
selling
dan-
gerously.
Your Main
Street
I'm talking Dallas because
Is
No
Different
I live in
and understand
the city; but having spoken on sales training in some
500
cities, I
find your city
is
no
different than
You have your Neiman type
any
other.
of "exclusive" selling,
your comfortable Titche and A. Harris type of
stores,
your "shockers" such as Wilson s. You have others sell
and
who
dangerously, such as the store that gets in one or
them
windows, and gives a
two $100
hats, puts
real story
on why you should plunk down that much.
in the
Next to the $100 hat are many
at $7.
STORES OF DALLAS SELL DANGEROUSLY
You have the kind
He
bury has.
now
of store that
my
59
good friend Kings-
and
started selling ties out of a suitcase,
runs a "hole in the wall" type of men's shop, with
a sales talk outside the store always running out of a loud speaker.
when he
He
really sells dangerously,
a three buck
offers
a following of those
who
Old Kingsbury does a
full blast
tie at
like to
but
one smacker he has
buy dangerously
lively business in his price
well.
range
with his type of customers. Behind All This Selling Dangerously
You
will find
behind
group of sensible people
all this
who
selling
live
dangerously a
very under-danger-
ously.
Mary Lloyd,
the training potentate of Neiman's,
is
mild mannered, soft spoken, and at times disturbed when she sees one of her 30-years-with-Neiman's sales ladies
make a millionaire customer walk enough to
to realize that Mrs. Oil
be forced
person
who
to
to her. Yet she
Well deems
it
is
keen
an honor
walk toward such an important
sales
has been serving her and the store for 30
years.
You
will find
Mary Lloyd a deep
believer, along with
Stanley Marcus, in the art of saying the right thing, and in smiling
One
and being
gal there sold
gracious.
them completely out
by informing the customers, "They
of rain coats
are the kind the for-
eign correspondents wear."
A
cosmetic gal completes any
sale,
even of $500, by
60
STORES OF DALLAS SELL DANGEROUSLY
selling another $1.50
worth of "pixie dust."
woman
bottle of varigated crystals that a
It's
tosses
a small
on her
hair for a formal or a special beau.
Calling
sentence
it
"pixie dust"
"It'll
make you
Nothing dangerous
was the feel as
sizzle,
along with the
gay as Peter Pan."
selling like that,
is it!
All the
World Loves Danger
Whenever a movie has a title or subtitle using the word "dangerous" or "adventure" watch the line form to the right. The same way with TV programs, "The Dangerous Adventures of Tim" has a real pull, because people love danger. They watch the motorcycle whirl around inside an inverted "pan" at the fair; and they see a man shot from a cannon. Danger is appealing. has drawing power. it is with a good salesman. He loves at times to sell dangerously, because it gives him a new It
So
lease
on
life. It is
stimulating.
After days of selling his run of the mill customers, a salesman likes to take time off to tackle again that tough nut who never buys. It gives him a new lease on life to match up with this Goliath, and when he sells him, boy, he is happier with that sale than with ten vanilla ones that may pay him twice as much in commission. Go after the ones that require dynamite to blast. Sure, dynamite is dangerous to handle. But in the hands of an expert it can really blast out gold that no other way can do.
61
10. Ike.
liMU Pinkf
Qinxjeb
Method
and your "best merchanbut a trick of the trade.
Selling your "larger sizes" dise." It's not trickery,
%/hile we are on retail selling (and
it
applies to
you
selling wholesale in a
showroom,
door to door, from manufacturer to jobber, or direct to dealer),
let's
see
some
stunts that sell dangerously.
am not in favor of loading up a rug with leaded dust to show how heavy it is, nor in putting stones in carnauba I
wax
that
is
sold to
American manufacturers
weigh heavier. That's not
to
make
it
dangerously— that's
selling
danger—plus! I refer to tricks of the trade that are legitimate,
and
that are not trickery. Tricks of the trade are okay; trick-
Once you are pressure and unreliable. ery
is
not.
tricky,
you are stamped
Selling the Larger Size
A
good salesman
finds that
if
Cans
he holds the larger can
of something over a smaller can,
62
as high
it
appears larger than
THE LITTLE PINKY FINGER METHOD if
held under the smaller can. There
when you hold
optics
You
is
63
a play upon the
the big one over the
little
one.
will find that the eye of the prospective purchaser
always looks at the one on top, for whether
it
be a pair
of nylons or an insurance policy, the eye sees the top
one
first.
Like the "top
man on
the totem pole,"
who
has
the choice position.
Put a
Then, it
too,
if
Little
you
Wiggle
into the Act
will wiggle the
one on top a
will not only catch the eye of the customer,
little,
but hold
his attention. Test this out.
Anything that wiggles catches attention. That a neon sign that blinks catches the eye, and facturers of Christmas lights always
twinkle.
They
like
you
why
why manuthose that
sell fastest.
In holding a pair of gloves you'd like to pair
is
aren't so interested in,
sell
over a
watch the customer's
eye stay glued to the top pair.
Holding an insurance policy worth $10,000 over a lesser
one of $5,000 will do much toward concentrating
the prospect's attention where you want
it.
That's sen-
sible selling.
Wiggling the
You can always
tell
Little
how
Pinky Finger
expensive a tea cup
is
at the
Sunday afternoon serving by the way the hostess wiggles her
little
pinky
finger.
She holds
it
out and really wiggles
THE LITTLE PINKY FINGER METHOD
64 it if
the cup
is
expensive. If not, she doesn't
much
attract that
attention to
want
to
it.
The same with merchandise
The good
or contracts.
salesman holds the better one with a delicacy not given to the lesser priced one. I don't his finger,
mean he
but he gives the same
really wiggles
illusion
which he fondles the one he knows
is
by the care
best for the cus-
tomer.
The dime
store clerk will hold the
beads on her finger
if
they were a dime's worth, while the Evert's sales-
man
holds them as though they were worth a million
as
dollars— against a dark blue background.
You can wiggle
yourself into
many a
sale.
Try
it.
The Great Law of Three
When
the customer asks for a $1 item,
show
it.
Then a $3
item.
Watch
then put a $2 item next to the customer feel one,
But
dislikes the
$1
one—and
so
afford the $3
on the $2 one.
The salesman doubles At times he and wiggle It is
She then
all three.
and wishes she could
settles
it.
will pick it,
and
his sale
on
this
Law
of Three.
up the $3 one from the other two,
attract attention to
it
that way.
amazing how the eye loves to follow motion. It
Can Be Used
in
Reverse
This idea of three can be used in reverse. Put
two items you know
down
are not liked, then in between put
THE LITTLE PINKY FINGER METHOD down one you know
is
a real
seller.
65
In comparison with
the two "dogs," you will find the customer will quickly
make up
mind on the good one. It is like a wife bringing home three hats, a bad blue one, a loud red one, and a nice black one. Hubby rares up with, "For the love of Pete, get that black one. The his
others are awful!" If
she had brought just the black one, chances are
it
would have gone back, with hubby shouting, "What, another hat? What's wrong with the one you got
last
year?" Selling in reverse
is
great.
A Furniture Dealer Does
A
good furniture salesman
in the inexpensive
sit
He
chair.
wants to be
will let
It
you immediately
and highly advertised "leader" fair.
But he
will then
another more expensive chair for you to
push over
sit in,
and you
will soon note the difference in comfort.
He
is
letting less
spilling the
you
milk of content in your
feel a little luxury that will spoil
you take
in that the customer
chair so well he I
and
you
for the
it is
a gam-
expensive items.
Reverse selling can be dangerous, yes. For ble
life,
wont buy is
like the
the lesser one.
can afford that good one."
But the gamble
may
worthwhile.
"I'll
expensive
wait until
THE LITTLE PINKY FINGER METHOD
66
Insurance Selling
Can Be Dangerous
The furniture dealer wiggled his little pinky when he kept putting his hand on the expensive or kept sitting in
it
himself to keep attention on
The insurance salesman does
this
it.
it
hand, letting the other one remain on the desk.
pinky finger
chair,
when he keeps
ing up the better policy, and keeps holding
his
finger
when he keeps holding
pick-
in his
He
uses
the pen in full
view of the prospect, as a signal the pen should be used. I
have seen him
roll
stinctively catches
a pen toward the prospect,
it
before
it falls
on the
seen salesmen actually drop a pen, and pick I
it
up
so that the prospect then
let
who
floor. I
in-
have
the prospect
was holding the pen.
have seen the salesmen write and write
their
own name
on a piece of paper, hoping the monkey-see, monkey-do instinct will
prompt the customer
to
want
to write his
own name. The
point
they are using a version of the Little
is
Pinky Finger Method to center attention where they want. Then, too, with the pen always in
full
view, the
prospect doesn't get signature scared at that
moment when
the salesman
and frighten the
life
Try wiggling your
is
apt to reach for his pen
out of the prospect. little
critical
pinkies!
Many Ways
to Sell
Dangerously
Wild Root Hair Tonic, during the war, was or' dered with all tonic firms to stop the use of alcohol. Did they apologize to the public and offer a "good substitute?" Indeed not. They advertised: "Wild Root is GUARANTEED NOT to have alco-
hol" Then there
9
s
the canning firm
on the California
coast that sells the pink grades of salmon, but does not apologize because pink is not supposed to be
good as red salmon. Instead, they shout: "Our Salmon Guaranteed NOT TO Turn Red in the
as
Can." And, of course, when Lucky Strike failed to get green for its package during the war, they offered no alibi. They merely sold dangerously and said, "Lucky Strike green has gone to war!" then came out with a new package!
—
67
11.
When you Ate at youb Ropek £*td Willard Wiegel found a sizzle loaded with danger, but used it properly and wowed up the use of gas consumption during the depression.
^HE Sons-in-law
weds
moved
left their
DEPRESSION
WAS REALLY
in with mothers-in-law
ON.
and newly-
apartments and went "back to
live
with
the family."
Gas consumption nation-wide lard Wiegel, with the
Lone
Dallas, asked his wife,
"Do you
lights in the front
Why?" are
all
One day WilGas Company out of
suffered.
Star
notice that there are no
rooms of house
after
house these days?
His wife had the answer. She told him, "Folks
huddled
That
in their
bedrooms
set Willard into action.
to conserve gas bills."
WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR Ordinary Appeals
ROPE'S
Fail
END
69
Him
Willard tried the usual appeals of comfort, more pleasure,
and the
fact that
costs more, in the long run, to
it
cut off the gas heat in front rooms at night and turn
it
back on in the day time. Gas advertisements explained that
when you
cold,
and
morning
much more
takes
it
to
shut off gas at night the furniture gets
warm up
the furniture. It would be cheaper
to leave the gas stove
on
all night.
But the public didn't go
for the idea, or
maybe peo-
maybe they just didn't care. consumption went down and down.
ple didn't believe in
Anyway, gas
gas consumption next
it;
or
Then Willard Willard (and
Sells
Dangerously
gas companies nationally) were at
all
They had exhausted all ordinary appeals, save one that Willard went out and "found." He learned
rope's end.
from doctors
at Baylor that cold
that "is catching," especially
germs were from a virus
when people
are huddled
together.
So he started to
tell folks
about
against "huddling in one room." of
sudden changes
in
this.
He warned them
He told them the dangers
body temperature
resulting
from
going from an over-heated room into a cold front room
and back
Home
again.
He
drove
for Health's Sake.
home
the sizzle: Heat Your
He pounded them
with the
phrase "Don't Catch Colds!"
And he won
out as people began to go back to the
WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR
70
and again
front rooms,
a
ROPE'S
live less like
END
animals huddled in
stall.
It
Was
was
It sure
selling dangerously, for the idea could
have back-fired companies at
more
ing
Really Selling Dangerously
in
this
more ways than
one.
But the gas
time were at rope's end and had noth-
to lose— and
much
to gain.
Their appeals to economy had failed. Their appeals to reason were unavailing. But the appeal to self-preservation
and health socked hard and scared the
folks so that they re-lit their
life
out of
rushed back into the front rooms and
gas stoves.
Lights again were seen from front rooms as Willard
drove
down the
streets— and gas bills
went up
again,
and
health improved.
So
I
say
when you
are at your rope's end, he danger-
ous!
A
Banker
Sells
Dangerously Tactfully
Ever have a check returned marked funds?" Chances are you let
may
have, unintentionally,
the account get overdrawn; or you
honest.
Who
can
tell
"insufficient
may be
just dis-
which you are?
So the clever credit manager, when he phones you, doesn't accuse
you or embarrass you by
overdrawn, you bum, I'm holding good?"
saying,
when you gonna make
He
puts a
little
"You are
this
check
reverse English into
WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR his conversation as
he
END
ROPE'S
71
run your check
says, "Shall I
through the bank again?" This
a nice
is
way
you
to cause
to
run to your bank
and see that the check won't bounce again. This
is
good
reverse selling, with only the smallest bit of danger at-
tached to
it.
This Fellow Sells
More Dangerously
know a collector for one of those dollar-down houses who is perhaps less reverse in his English and more posiI
tive in his selling.
He
has phoned, he has wired; he has
sent the usual letters from the attorneys;
decides he call.
He
cigar,
is
at his rope's
end and must make a personal he
does. His approach, as
and
and then he
crosses his legs: "I've
sits
come
down,
for a
lights a
chat—and a
check!"
This usually gets a smile. hurry, for his his legs till
and
the chat
He
mannerism of
often gets the check in a
sitting
down and
lighting a cigar indicates is
over and the check
is
he
ain't
crossing
a-movin'
in his hands.
Dangerous? Yes, he might get a bop on the noggin from some
folks
who
resent being asked point blank for
a check, but the "chat and the check"
work with
little
Comes
We all reach our rope's when
to
danger.
Rope's End
return
combo seems
to go
on
to
end
in mild
Us at
All at
Times
times— that point of no
manner
Like unloading everything aboard
is
waste of time.
when
the plane
is
WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR
72
running out of for that
is all
You make
gas.
you can
The customer, the
ROPE'S
END
for a dangerous landing
do.
prospect,
the end of your rope
is
in sight.
is
duck— and You can mark the case as
dead
as a
closed and go about your business with your easy-to-sell clients,
won t
but you
one chance
if
you've got sales guts.
You have
Something that will annoy, astonish,
left.
entertain, or "bust
wide open" that prospect, and you
take the gamble.
Willard had nothing
left to
do but scare the
life
out of
gas users, backed up, of course, with honest proof credit
manager
failed in his nice approaches so
I
The
he has
developed his reverse English method of getting a
bounced check to pay
off;
and the
collector drops in for a
"chat and a check."
Unconventional, yes; yes; not
found
found! That
And
is
in this
in
off
the beaten paths of selling,
any textbook on how to
until
yes, not
sell,
now.
modern, stream-sizzled world of
each other, the
art of reverse selling, putting
English on the word and selling dangerously,
is
selling
a
little
upon
us.
So when you are at your rope's end, get tactfully dangerous.
Warning! It's
dangerous selling to bring up con-
troversial subjects* Stay off politics, religion, or any subject that is controversial. Or personal. That isn't selling dangerously it 9 s just dangerous.
—
Your Operation Tread lightly on your misfortunes when before a client. That won't make him buy any faster. He doesn't want to hear about your operation, toothache, or newest ulcer. You may remind him of his own! Be tactful not stupidly dan-
—
gerous.
Don't Be Overly Aggressive Sure you must radiate confidence, but overdo it any more than you overdo salt on potatoes. A little goes a
don't
—
long way too dangerous.
much
73
aggressiveness
is
12. It/ken the Pnn&fiact £cuf&
My
"gee
PcriUt&t,"
In this situation the prospective buyer may be sincere in his reasons. However, it might be that he lacks the confidence to make decisions; or that he is just being rude to get rid of the salesman. You must learn to tell which.
$N NINE OUT OF TEN CASES WHEN THE prospect says you should see his partner, his wife
husband), or someone
an
'
out."
else,
then that person
Most partners have authority
is
(
looking for
to say "yes,"
done within reason. But often the passing the done just to get rid So the situation end, and
is
where you've come
you have
you know won't be sold ping,
What
ball
if is
of that salesman.
all is lost if
times before.
or her
to
to your rope's
to try to sell the partner
since you've tried
do? You can take the
silent
you can shrug your shoulders, thank the
and be about your way. 74
many
it
whip-
fellow,
THE PROSPECT SAYS "SEE MY PARTNER"
75
But Not Archie Hunter
He's head city
man
for
Western Union and has told
when he has been given the "see my partner" brush off so many times that he is convinced it is a brush
me
that
off,
he then shoots out one dagger of danger.
"Don't
tell
me
He
says,
your partner doesn't trust you to handle
a proposition like this."
That knifes the cold prospect.
It is
fraught with danger,
of course, but not in the hands of a capable salesman
such as Archie
who knows
the "last chance" and takes it
worthwhile," he told me.
he
said,
"Not once has
He went on to
my
his prospect,
it.
"It
works enough to make
And when
pressed further,
why this bit of selling dansuccessfully. He told me it shocks
gesting such a thing,
at Archie's gall in sug-
and antagonizes others
"Whadda ya mean my
just
I
nose been punched in!"
some customers, amazes others
me—you
this is
explain just
gerously works so
they shout,
knows
to a point
associate won't trust
go ahead and put that system right
in,
and
today!"
Door-to-Door Salesmen's Daggers of Danger
The
favorite "out" of housewives without the courage
to tell a salesman
"No"
my husband." Perhaps see
if
the
woman
is
is
to pull that old
it is
one about "See
well to do so at least once to
really sincere.
But
if
you
feel she
is
not sincere, or can't afford a "call back," then why bother,
THE PROSPECT
76
SAYS "SEE
MY PARTNER"
say the star door-to-door salesmen with time allotted for just
one
call.
But take the
Ironrite store
demo
He
salesman.
has
woman enthusiastic about his ironer. She tells him she likes the way it works with her leg, how it does such a
the
nice job of ironing, but she adds, "you'll have to talk
over with
my
husband."
The poor salesman
at the store, or
on the front porch
or in the kitchen as the case might be,
and
see the husband, leave his card,
is
apt to agree to
tell
the
woman
have the husband get in touch with him. Perhaps is
it
to
this
okay. But not with this salesman.
He
Sells Ironrites
Dangerously and Wins
This other salesman catches the store
way
woman
in another
on another day when again she says she the Ironrite operates,
of the leg "You'll
how
it
likes
handles with a push
and does such nice work. And again she
have to see
says,
my husband."
This salesman has heard that remark so
knows how
the
to shoot dangerously.
He
says,
much
that he
"What day
of
week does your husband do the laundry?" The woman is taken aback. She informs him she does
the
the ironing, not her husband, to which the alert salesman shoots even
"Then
it is
more dangerously (but with accuracy):
your head that aches on wash day, and your
back that hurts—not your husband's!"
He allows that to sink in,
then murmurs confidentially,
"Your husband never discusses with you the labor-saving
THE PROSPECT SAYS
"SEE
MY PARTNER"
devices for his back and head in his
office,
77
does he?"
Shaking his head sidewise to get her head to shake in agreement. That's Powerful Sizzle Selling
The woman begins
to see the
dawn
of a
new
freedom,
wherein she can buy things she wants without the need of hubby. It
was dangerous on the part
to suggest these things,
of the salesman
but in his experienced hands the
danger was low, and the chance to make a sale high with that hot idea of "does hubby consult you?"
Then, to top
it all,
the salesman points another arrow
fraught with danger as he says, "Your husband has confidence in your judgment, hasn't he?"
up and down her head.
"He
to get her
head
sure has. So I
man, send me the
Ironrite
Nodding
this
time
The woman raises you what you do, young
to nod.
tell
and send my husband the bill."
It's
All in
How You Say It
There are six ways to say "I never said he stole if you emphasize a different word each time you say the sentence. And there are many ways to tell a woman she has authority. This Ironrite salesman questioned the woman9 s judgment with a soft smile, almost a twinkle in his eye, and the woman was not offended. He knew his ground. He knew all about that famed "out" about seeing the husband. He cuts down hours of "seeing husbands" by those well* chosen phrases, "What day of the week does your husband do the laundry?" and "Your husband has confidence in your judgment, hasn 9 t he?" He challenged the woman9 s right to buy and she fell for the bait, and to assert her ego she placed
money"
the order.
not high-pressure. It is common sense showing the woman hubby runs the office for his comfort, so why shouldn 9 t she run the home for her convenience. She has the authority, hasn't she!
This
is
selling, that of
78
13. cMaw-
to-
GUcuUfe. the Subject
Plus keeping the wife from buying a new fur coat. It works, boys, but carries no guarantee.
%/hen ALL IS AGAINST YOU, IT IS OFTEN advisable to change the subject for the time being to
The prospect is hamLike an army post being hammered, you
give a breathing and thinking spell.
mering you.
must divert the
fire.
You
can, of course,
pack up and
leave—but that admits defeat. Perhaps the smartest thing to do
low on another
subject,
likes to talk about, or
one he
some
is
is
to get the other fel-
an expert on, one he
current happening that will
divert his mind.
How Here
is
This
Salesman Does
It
a simple trick of the trade to stop the conversa-
tion of a customer, friend, or even the wife:
Ask
for a
match.
The other person
stops his talking, even can
to stop his train of thought, as
he reaches
In most cases he has to fumble for one. 79
be made
for a match.
He may even have
HOW TO CHANGE THE
80
go and get one,
to
mind
all
of
which
SUBJECT good
is
in getting his
off you.
Or
him a cigarette. Light it for him. This bit of courtesy softens him up. Wives often do this to husbands offer
to get their
Ever had about
minds
off
something they are nagging about.
used on you
it
to think
Ever
Been Worked on the Ladies, Too
try to get a girlfriend, or wife,
overeating and running
down?"
It
happens
up a big
"What
will
at the right time
has a habit of
restaurant bill to "cut
many a salesman. Here Hand the menu to the lady and
my plump
guarantee
I can't
who
in the life of
how to handle this one.
say,
you come
that
it?
It's
is
now
it,
but
on the
it
little
pidgeon have today?"
sure can
work magic
right eater! It
is
worth
if
done
trying,
anyway, in these days of overweight-conscious people. It takes their
mind
off
menu and
the
windows—and your check Selling
Again on the
puts
it
on
their
bay
is less!
Her Off a Fur Coat
social side of
what can be done by being
dangerous at times, especially with friends (and the wife )
,
is
the trick of the trade done
be kept deadly
secret. It
is
how he
by a name
that
must
keeps his wife from
getting a fur coat.
He has
learned from experience that to
tell
her he has
no money, or "what's wrong with the one you got?" are all
stock objections against which wives have built
up
HOW TO CHANGE THE stock answers. This bird
is
SUBJECT
81
more tactful— and more dan-
gerous.
When
the Mrs. suddenly announces she wants a fur
he agrees at once. "This
coat,
sort of
makes
a light of suspicion," he quibbs, "but
home
she finds I've been agrees to go
He as
nights
me fall under
when on checking
and a good boy, she
down and pick out the coat."
then meets her ten minutes ahead of time, so that,
he puts
"She won't have a sudden letdown by think-
it,
ing I won't
show up." His Next Dangerous Step
"I
then lead her to the fur department," he goes on,
"so she won't feel I'm hedging. In fact, I'll
wave
at
him and pointing
new
getting her a
Then the chap happy. as
He
he puts
wrong
sits
him I'm
peacefully in the department while
coats.
He
He seems who finally,
smiles at them.
must say to herself, "Maybe
I've got
him
all
after all!"
That's his psychological
He
to the wife, tell
gradually disarming his wife,
is
it,
a friend,
fur coat."
on fur
his wife tries
I see
if
squints at her with a
moment
to sell dangerously.
measured look
in his eye.
"You
know, Mary, those fur coats are wonderful— but don't
you think they make you look a
little
broad in the
hips!"
"That is dangerous on my part," he works. In nine out of ten cases coat!"
says, "but
it
she'll settle for
usually
a rain
Getting
Up to Leave
There are many forms of selling dangerously, such as talking about how the other person looks, his or her weight; or things they are touchy on. But, as with my friend, he had all to gain and nothing to lose by pulling the selling dangerously stunt
on
his wife.
Standing up at a properly timed moment during a sales interview and saying, "I guess I have nothing more to say then," is dangerous, but often very effective. Leaving the other person abruptly often jogs him into a softer position, permitting you to return to your seat and negotiate more fully. Union heads and bosses often use this "getting up and leaving" method. At the right time in the negotiation you often hear about one side or the other walking off with
"We are getting
nowhere!" Learn when to arrive but also learn when
leave.
Leaving
is
—
as important as arriving!
82
to
14. 9ti
like QifktUuj, a
tyettcuuff The magician
MaltUuf Jloue
04.
attracts attention to his left
you won't see what hand. In selling this
^HE
is is
now
so
called the whizzle.
BULL
IS
RUSHING
HIS
2,000
toward the matador, and the "mo-
less,
ment
upon him. With
is
hand
happening with his Tight
pounds, more or of truth"
Bull,
his left
hand the
fighter wiggles the moleta, the red cape,
bull-
and the eyes
movement, while
of the bull follow that "leftish" slight
the right hand of the matador strikes with the sword.
The matador scores. He has "sold" himself to the people. They cheer. They bravo him. He used "reverse movement" on the
bull,
and won!
The Same
The
billiard player
others to get
it,
in All
Games of
aims for one
using reverse English.
to follow him,
but
opponent, he
sells
when you
see
you. 83
Skill
ball, It is
but
hits
two
hard at times
what he has done
to his
ITS LIKE FENCING
84
The
prize fighter feints with his
adversary with his right.
The
OR MAKING LOVE left,
as
he wallops
The audience "buys"
that feint.
football player fakes a pass, turns, reverses,
found running with
it.
and makes a
play,
He has
put a
The
score.
little
In
all
of
first
life
So
ball player pretends to off
the reverse play
It Is
is
with Sizzlemanship Selling casual remark in the Pullman
He times
himself well, for soon a "friend" or two approach
what he
You
to
He plays reverse. Hard to get. He He walks away. He does all in the
to "unselF his selling ability, to a point
your guard
him
has.
reluctant to talk.
book
guard,
part of the game.
about his uranium "find" and then walks away.
is
is
base.
The con man makes a
find out
and
English on the
swat the ball but bunts throws his opposition
and makes
his
down he
crashes
in.
are not a confidence man.
salesman, but you
know
it is
where with
You
are a legitimate
often good selling to walk
away, suddenly appear disinterested, and otherwise play
hard to
get. Cadillac
proved the value of
this technique.
They reached the highest standards any car manufacturer ever had with the American public with this technique
promoted by such Ahrens.
It is
of their
men
as Jack
Roche and Don
not high hatting the customer like an oriental
Prince playing hard to get to boy reporters.
ment
It is
move-
in reverse.
Doesn't a train of old-fashioned boxcars have to back
ITS LIKE FENCING
up before
it
you can go ahead smoothly.
Sometimes
Ifs the
Know what the whizzle is? combined
into a
to describe, except
example,
is
It's
Whizzle the words Wheeler and
newly coined word.
hard
It is
through examples. The whizzle, for
make them a swimming pool to make
the red put into red drawers to
seem warmer, the blue put into it
85
can go ahead? You often must back up to
tighten up, too, before
sizzle
OR MAKING LOVE
appear cooler. Blue seems cool and red seems warm,
but
this is
not
so.
the bitterness put into some medicines to
It's
make
them seem better for you than a sweet medicine. The whizzle
is
make him good bond letter-
the high hat the magician wears to
appear more magical.
It's
the snap of a
head that makes you think the lawyer his stationary wilted
when you read
Everything Has
The
Its
is
better than
if
it.
Whizzle
you
sizzle
is
some
The whizzle
is
apt to be an elusion, like the snap of the
actual, real-life benefit
shoe shine boy's rag. The snap
on
it,
is
receive.
over the shoe, not even
yet you get the feeling you are receiving a better
shine.
The whizzle
is
the click of the barber's shears, six
inches from the head. Yet you get the impression he's a
good barber. The more whizzle
is
clicks the better the barber.
The
often invisible, like the butler's mannerisms.
You feel them rather than see them. The feeling you
give
ITS LIKE FENCING
86
a prospect
what you why the Tenth Toughie
often as important as
is
say and do.
OR MAKING LOVE
Which
is
taken back by the mannerism of an extremely
slow talking gent crosses his legs,
you
ain't
who
and
buying
walks into his
says,
cattle
"Now,
feel
is
tall
office, sits
partner, tell
often
is
and
down,
me just why
from me!"
The Whizzle Can
The whizzle
actually
Sizzle Sales
something you make that tough guy
about you, that you won't take any nonsense from
him, won't be bluffed, fooled, or otherwise badgered
by him detect
as
he has others preceeding you.
what
it is
He
can't quite
about you that holds him down, but he
certainly can sense
you
aren't a
man
to
monkey
with.
The whizzle, you see, might be the perfume that makes the girl seem prettier than she
Love
is.
is
often just a
prolonged whizzle. It
look
might be the thick glasses that make the doctor
more
like the scientist
he
makes a salesman appear more
is;
or the brief case that
like
a star salesman.
What is your whizzle in life anyway? What is the feeling you give others? Can you capitalize on it? Can you make it work for you? Is it something that isn't good that needs correction? Look for your own personal whizzles, the things about you that give effects to others, that
make them sure to
say,
may be
"He
sure looks business-like," or
"He
a star salesman, but he looks like a dope
me."
Find your whizzle and
you'll find success.
ITS LIKE FENCING
OR MAKING LOVE
87
Whizzle the Tenth Toughie
Get the case history he
like?
What
you think
of the
has he done?
Tenth Toughie. What
What
is
whizzle or sizzle do
will stop his cussedness or flatter his ego? Dis-
cover them and where others have failed you will succeed. like
Ask others what he does, what he thinks—then
a good General plan your campaign of approach,
warm
up, and close.
Be prepared
to
be
nice, firm per-
moment you know you are all wet. Then
haps, but willing to bend, until that
he
will
bang on the desk and say
have your own procedure to follow. Give old Bean Face a chance. But be ready to handle him to
when he
starts
handle you. Toss a whizzle at him!
Add
Whizzles to Your Sales
Kit
The whizzle is the white they use to put in hospital rooms to make you feel they are more sanitary; yet black that is clean is just as sanitary. The whizzle is the olive in the martini, the cherry in the
whizzle stick
itself in
Schwepp's
an
John Zorski
the
The whizzle is Mr. Hathaway of those famed
likes to sell. It's
Commodore— all
illusion. It's like
it's
certain "tall ones."
the patch over the eye of shirts that
Manhattan;
the beard on the
designed to give you a
feel,
putting Chivas Regal Scotch in a
"million dollar package" to
make
it
seem even older and
better.
You can add a whizzle to yourself, your tie, your hat, your haircut, your method of walking, your mannerisms
ITS LIKE FENCING
88
in handling the roughneck,
OR MAKING LOVE
Old Knuckle
Buster.
You can
whizzle him into place. Curt Sells Stamps Dangerously
When store
owners refused to talk with "the salesman
with the brief case," Curt Carlson of Top Value Enterprises
put his
sales material into a
super-market shopping
bag. Thus disguised, he entered and found the store
owner running up to greet him.
When
Curt sold across
the street from Harvard University in Cambridge, he
put his sales material in the crutch of his arm
"like a
Harvard student," and thus camouflaged he would enter the store and be greeted.
Truman Johnson, of the same organization, had trouble until
he walked
made up and
in with
an insurance policy specially
said, "I've a free insurance policy against
theft of your business, shoplifting
burglary by
women
by competitors, and
doing their shopping elsewhere!"
Later on he entered with a "summons" that said, the merchant finally had courage to open
hereby summoned to increase your Selling dangerously? Yes, but
up
to
now
these salesmen
were making
sales, it
it
when
up, "You are
25 per cent!"
sales
when you
consider that
had been tossed out and now
was worthwhile danger.
Keep the Eye Busy
The fencer backs up
just before
he thrusts forward,
and a good salesman must do the same often start to
wrap up the item back
thing.
into
its
He must
box before
ITS LIKE FENCING
OR MAKING LOVE
the customer reaches forward and starts feeling
89 it
him-
The salesman often must put his fountain pen and contract blank away before the prospect mentally starts self.
reaching for the contract.
The whizzler
in
New England wears
narrow shoulders, since tive."
The
it
makes him look
'
Californian wears broad shoulders
to look breezy,
modern, and
his whizzle to
fit
customers.
dark clothes and
full of
vim.
his job, his location,
conserva-
and
slacks
Each has chosen and
They keep the eye busy on
his type of
their
narrow
shoulders or unusual slacks as they sizzle your business.
Just Don't
Mix em Up 9
You can't walk up to a hard-fisted bank presiwho has turned down all the boys at the in-
dent,
surance office for years, with a loud necktie on; so you dress to fit the occasion. You may wear a sport shirt open at the neck when you call on that golf pro, so you can meet him on his own level where your dress won't be a handicap to you. Just don't mix your whizzles.
—
Play the part. Play the part you think will win over this recalcitrant objector, this hater of sales-
men. Study the situation. Remember, if you win you win more than admiration from the others who have failed; you win more than added income; you win that greatest of all feelings self-satisfaction for a job done unusually well.
—
90
15. "At lime* 9t 9l Mote jbattfeteud. to *Jka*t
Qa Back—
Qo Ahead!"
This advice of Horace Greeley can well be applied deep in the entangled sale to back out. He must go forward or be "chicken."
to the salesman too
Indeed, (more dangerous)
you are entangled an argument.
A
to
it is
go back than to go ahead when
"Win
mean,
in a real sales argument. I
heated one.
We
arguments at times even though axiom,
often more foolish
just can't
we
too,
avoid such
realize the
good
the argument and lose the sale." But comes
that time with the
Tenth Toughie. The one
all
other
salesmen have avoided for years as a braggart, a wiseguy, an insulting so and
so.
He
He calls you names. You have the sale and can back
points his finger at you.
given up on the niceties of
down now and crawl 91
out of his
.
TO GO BACK-OR TO GO AHEAD?
92
This will
life.
king,
make him mighty happy. Once more he
is
and you are pauper. Indeed, you are a pauper! Lloyd Bloom "Tells
He
sells
for help
One
Off"
hearing aids. Most of his customers
and accept
his professional advice,
that Tenth Toughie one. She
and immediate
service.
come
in
but in comes
arrogant, expects
prompt
Then she complains. She
doesn't
is
believe Lloyd "knows his business." That he
is
a quack,
a no good, a bum.
She proceeds
to tell
him
all in
self-defense of her ego.
Her ego that tells her she will look old, aged, ous
if
Lloyd.
she wears a hearing aid. So she takes
Many
glasses, a
their
or conspicuit
out on
people are that way. They don't want
hearing aid, an operation, bridge work in
mouth. In self-defense they take
it
out on their
doctor or adviser. Lloyd Can't Back
Lloyd Bloom used
woman. He soothed
all
her,
Out—So
the tact in the book on this
he bowed low, he turned
head each time she shot a tongue lash to
show her how much
He showed her pictures aids,
and
. .
his
way.
better her hearing
of
famous
He
his
tried
would
be.
men wearing hearing
such as Bernard Baruch, Herbert Hoover, father son, each.
He showed her Life magazine's picture of Johnny Ray, the singer, wearing a hearing aid; but the woman bit on.
TO GO BACK-OR TO GO AHEAD? She
bit harder, scratched
tion, realizing that this
up, to
flip
more, until
93
finally in
despera-
customer was about ready to get
her petticoat, and retreat to the door, and that
back out would be defeat to
he took a chance.
He
his pride
and pocketbook,
sold dangerously well
by
saying,
almost as curtly as the woman, "Listen, you are more
conspicuous without a hearing aid than with onel"
The Tide of Battle Changes
The woman stopped her ranting. Anger came to her face. Her eyes sparkled, then like a burned out firecracker, she said, "What did you say? Did I hear you right?"
Lloyd told
her, "If
you did hear me, and
with your condition, you did hear that she
I
doubt
it
me right." He repeated
was more conspicuous without a hearing aid
than with one; that she often put her hand to her ear so as to hear better; that she cocked her head at times,
and pushed one ear
closer to the other person.
why you are conspicuous to your friends," Lloyd thundered, now seeing he had full command of "That's
the sale. "With a hearing aid you listen.
—in
sit
back relaxed, and
After they see you once, your friends
fact,
wont see—your
wont
notice
hearing aid. You'll stop being
conspicuous to your friends."
Without a murmur she bought one, and Lloyd, a twinkle in his eyes, sold her two.
should the other run down."
"One
for
emergency
TO GO BACK-OR TO GO AHEAD?
94
Retreat, Yes, But at Right Times
When do you retreat? When do you The Marines,
ruling?
"They
of course, never retreat.
charge to the rear!" There
and charge
cast out Horace's
to the rear,
is
a time to retrench yourself
and that
is
when
the prospect
seems sincere in wanting a postponement to have a
my
chance to "talk things over," or "consult It is
up
to
you
as General
board."
Salesman to know when to
give the order to retreat, at those times you feel to go back,
ogy of the
and a
say,
fast,
and then "call
back"
is
smart
over again. The psychol-
very simple.
You never
return
"Have you changed your mind yet?" and get
quick "No."
I guess
start all
it
It is
you are ready
not returning and saying, "Well, to buy?"
That admits the other
person changed his mind, and strong-willed buyers hate this.
Bering Sells Cigars Dangerously
James Corral and Tony Florez the cigar business.
sizzle
They do a wonderful
America with the "run of the mill" type
dangerously in sales job
around
of selling,
show-
how their cigars are made from fine Havana tobacco, how they give you more Havana for your money, ing
and other usual
When
these
sales appeals.
fail,
you
will often find
cigar in front of a doubter
and then
them
lighting a
actually blowing
the smoke into the store owner's face, saying,
can you get a whiff of smoke
like that
"Where
from any other
TO GO BACK-OR TO GO AHEAD? cigar
95
and not have your eyes smart!" They stand a good
chance of being tossed out— but after
all,
they were being
tossed out anyway. "You know," says Tony, "as a last resort, it
may
works enough to be worthwhile, dangerous as
it
seem."
The Psychology of the "Call Back"
Once your experience tells you it is time to retreat and try all over again, get up and do so, but first try to make another definite date with a Wheeler "Which," Point #4. Say, "Will next Tuesday give you time enough to think
it
make
over, or shall I
it,
10 a.m. next
say, at
Wednesday morning?" Pin him down if possible. If not, then say you'll contact him next Tuesday or Wednesday for a definite appointment "to get your decision." When you return, avoid anything that gets a "No." Say: "Last time
Did you
sell
you
said
you must see your
partner.
him?" Remember, he must be the
sales-
man, not you. Say: "In our last talk
the
money
you said you
new
at this time to invest in
wasn't that right?" Sure nice start
didn't feel
then—all
it
was.
He
you had
merchandise,
agrees.
You
agree.
A
in agreement.
Then Drive
for the Close
Hard
Try to come back with something new, something specific,
to
on your
overcome last call.
his big objection,
which you learned
TO GO BACK-OR TO GO AHEAD?
96
For example: "You said you didn't have the money, so I took the proposition
up with our
that your credit
was
so
with you on
new
financial plan.
You
this
don't ask
firm
and they said
good they'd be happy to work
Here
it is
." .
.
him did he dig up the dough. You come
back with a plan that he can accept, without losing Save his face— and you
face.
save his spirit.
Save his spirit— and you save your
sale.
Save your sale— and you save your commission.
Knowing when
to retreat
dangerously as knowing
is
when
as necessary in selling
to
push harder.
Three Dangerous Chapters Dangerous, yes, in the hands of an amateur, hut in the skilled hands of a real sales technician they
work wonders
in selling the hardest turn downs.
Step One: Selling Dangerously to Get the Interview .
.
.
sell
for without an interview, you can't a single thing.
Step Twos
Warm Up
Selling Dangerously to
the
Customer , for until he warms up you can't bring out the order pad or even insult him. Self-Satisfied
Step Three
,
,
i
Overcome Objecand here is how to get the old miser to open up his pocketbook and cheerfully buy.
Selling Dangerously to tions
and
to Close the Sale
97
,
,
,
16. QeitUif the 9*d&uriew. How American Airlines and Johns-Manville stars got their calling cards and feet "in the door" of classic turn downs.
^HE MOST CRITICAL POINT IN A SALESmans
life is
getting the interview; for without
it,
no
can be made. Hard selling often helps you get the
sale
inter-
view. Here you've battered the doors of that office for
weeks, days, months,
"Mr. Jones
is
maybe
years,
not interested."
and
you get
is,
What can you do? You
can give up or keep hounding— or find a ously stunt, such as worked out
all
selling danger-
by an American
Airlines
salesman years ago.
He Gets by The salesman asked
all his
Secretaries associates for their toughest
customers. "Ones you've definitely given
As a new
face, he'd then
up
as lost."
approach each secretary and
say, almost curtly, "Please tell
Mr. Jones that
I'd like
GETTING THE INTERVIEW him about
to see
his last flight!"
card, then turn his
removed get
her,
He'd hand the
walk
girl his
to a chair as
he
his coat, indicating that without doubt he'd
The
in.
back on
99
girl tries to
ask
him a
question, but he's
turned his back on her! She figures, "Guess he's important or has something
my
boss needs to
know
right
away." So she phones the boss.
The Boss He,
Is
wonders what happened on
too,
begins to imagine
many
serious, so
"Send him
Now is
not.
He
his last flight.
things, perhaps
harmless acquaintance he
more
Also Worried
from that casual
made to something a
he drops everything and
tells
little
the
girl,
in."
this
sounds
like
a tricky entrance maker, but
it
For an American Airlines hero can qualify every-
thing he says and he does.
you paid us
cash, Mr.
much." The guy
is
He
says,
"On your
last flight
Jones— and gave us $3.50 too
startled.
He's getting $3.50 back.
Not So Dangerous After
All
Then the salesman shows the prospect one
of the
Travel Cards, which back in the old days gave you
10 per cent
off
on a round
trip if
you owned the
Not owning one, because he had tossed out salesmen for years, this
man had
on
most cases
his last flight,
and
and
in
card.
all airlines
much know this
spent $3.50 too is
glad to
to get a Travel Card.
Now
if
the approach was tricky the salesman would
GETTING THE INTERVIEW
100
have been bounced clear out of the
up was
and
sensible
it
office,
but his follow-
gave the customer something he
knew the man would want. "Most important sales executives carry a Travel Card these days," summed up the salesman, "for not only
you money and
is it
a convenience, but
it
saves
also time at the airport."
Real sizzlemanship with an opening that was selling dangerously well.
Avoid
There
is
Trick
Openings
a difference between a trick method of get-
ting into an office or a house
and a
sensible one tinged
with danger. Telling the customer you are making a survey, or
you are from the
local gas
company— one
worn out methods
of getting a foot in the
causes you trouble
when you
get
in.
door— only
are found out. Sure
you
But then what happens? You are tossed right
out,
no matter how
fast
Therefore, be
a talker you
warned
are.
that selling dangerously for a
good interview on a hard-to-see prospect selling
of those
is
not tricky
but tactful selling that may be tinged with danger.
The Johns-Manville Salesman
He
has asked the sales manager of the nearby lumber
firm he sells for a
list
have turned down, or otherwise that firm's salesmen.
who have been nasty, made it hard on any of
of customers
With
glee the sales
manager picks
out a group of rough customers and hands them to the salesman.
GETTING THE INTERVIEW
101
The salesman, who is selling Rock Wool insulation, then walks down the streets and whenever he sees one of these turn downs with no snow on his roof, he raps at the prospect's door. "I'm
Come out here and look at your roof. There
Corporation. isn't
a bit of snow on
The
from the Johns-Manville
it."
prospect, disgruntled, disturbed, but with great
curiosity walks into the yard carrying his newspaper.
Looking up and seeing no snow on
his roof,
he usually
"So what? What's wrong with that?"
says,
That's the Big Clue It
was
selling
dangerously to get the prospect out into
the cold street, but the salesman
He said, "You will note their roofs,
your neighbors
which means
about 15 per cent
less
had an honest follow up. all
have snow on
their heating bills
than yours.
What
must be
are your heating
bills?"
The salesman leads the prospect into the house, and proceeds to show him that since his house has no insulation the heat passes easily through the shingles off
the snow.
What
started out to
be
a tricky
and melts approach
suddenly became a legitimate approach, fraught some-
what with danger, but not
mon
foolish danger. It
was com-
sense taking a chance with a tough customer
had slammed doors
in the faces of all the salesmen
who who
preceded our Johns-Manville hero! Joe
Wood,
secretary
and treasurer of Johns-Manville,
likes to tell this great story of selling
dangerously well.
GETTING THE INTERVIEW
102
When
When
All
Is
Lost— Get Dangerous
doors are slammed in your face,
mate approaches
get you
fail to
by the
when
secretary
legiti.
.
.
When that box of candy didn't work— and that opener, "Mr. Jones, your child's school teacher sent me to see you" have
all failed
.
.
.
When the boss hands you a big stack of cards and says, "Nobody has ever been able .
wife
it
or a .
.
anywhere near these
.
When you've suit,
to get
."
prospects.
little
got a car payment to make, want a
new
extra commission for a vacation with the
.
When
one of these situations comes into your
will
you are an ordinary salesman
if
Then get unordinary and
sell
.
.
life,
as
.
dangerously.
Figure out some approach on that prospect to use over the phone; on that secretary, or on that guy at the door
with the barrier between you and him. within the law and
common
What can you do,
sense, to startle him, un-
nerve him, dare him, annoy him, or otherwise
know you
let
him
are there?
Your "Last Chance" to Win
He won't give you a tumble on the approaches, and he's turned
Approach" aside. ville
in
your
sales
down
ordinary 10-second
every "Tested Selling
manual. So you toss the manual
Figure up an American Airlines or a Johns-Man-
approach, then set out to meet your Goliath.
r
GETTING THE INTERVIEW It's
Main
done
in the movies
Street,
"I've
man on
I
And
it's
done right now on
up and down.
Mr. Smith's death
certificate," says
his last ditch stand. "Please ask
out and get
103
it."
Wow! What an
the sales-
him
to
come
insurance approach on
that customer.
Take
this tip
"Indeed,
from
when
my
friend Irve Sanders
all else is lost,
any
further, then challenge
you
feel great
one
else could get, all
when you
when you
your sales
who
says:
can't lose out
skill. It
will
make
return with an order that no
because you took a chance (or
did you?), and sold dangerously well."
The "Wanted Poster" Approach Here is real dangerous selling, which when handled right has proved good selling dangerously. The salesman walks into the store that has a reputation for not talking with salesmen, briskly approaches the owner and whips out a Wanted poster.
"Ever seen this woman in your store?" asks the salesman. He gets, of course, a "No" to which he says, "If you ever catch her in your store you'll get a 25 per cent increase in business, and here is how to catch her."
—
He then proceeds to outline a Sizzle Lab plan developed for this firm's sales force, and the idea has really worked in getting the full and undivided an otherwise disinterested buyer. insurance policy approach we recently developed for a client did the same thing. The salesman walked into the prospect and said, "Kroger*s wants you to have this insurance policy against attention of
An
shoplifting, burglary, theft. It's free."
The policy was
written in amusing, yet powerful showing the prospect how the client's plan "insured" him against "loss." It even had a "burial clause" in case the prospect didn't buy the plan! sales
language,
204
17. WanmUuf
Iffi
the JlG/id-to-Sell
Ptodfzect How
Mr. Surly by meeting snide with prospects act up and become difficult for salesmen. to handle
Why
snide.
the prospect, into 1.
two main
2.
ones.
Telling a straightforward story with plenty of
onstration
who
^HERE ARE MANY WAYS TO WARM UP but you might boil these many ways down
is
and a
lot of benefits
and proofs
really interested in getting
your
dem-
to a prospect
story.
who shows no or subject to many
Selling dangerously to the prospect
interest
might be even
interruptions; yet
and money
he buys,
it is
a feather in your hat
in your purse.
Therefore, you prospect.
if
surly, impolite,
Much
Number Two type of been written on how to sell the
want has
to sell this
105
106
WARMING UP THE HARD-TO-SELL PROSPECT
first
type.* But, to our knowledge, nothing has yet been
written for the second type of prospect. That
pose of
this specialized
book on
Warming Up Mr.
is
the pur-
Selling Dangerously.
Surly
He's surly, he's inclined to be sarcastic, and you side-
and
step all of his innuendoes, his snide remarks
paraging language, but get nowhere
dis-
Suddenly you
fast.
switch from the straightforward salesman with demos
and
benefits
of salesman.
and
proofs, into the
more
You meet poison with
belligerent type
you meet
poison;
sneer with sneer; you meet snide with snide; surliness
with
surliness.
What have you up and loving sell
it,
is
and you decide that now
He
dangerously.
makes you think it's
makes you think
The guy
got to lose?
sneers—you sneer.
so good?"
it is
beating you
is
He
the time to
says,
"What
and you snap back, "What
not good?"
He
says Bill Jones has
a better product, and you say, "That's what you think. Will Bill Jones' product stand on
its
head?"
He
gets sar-
castic—so do you.
He waves
a big hand across your face and says, "You
fellows are all alike.
You brag
too much."
the blow, and right back you say,
make salesmen
like us act like
"It's
you
You
guys
say."
voice—you raise yours. You are meeting
roll
like
He gall
with
you that
raises his
with
gall.
* For pointers on how to sell the Number One type prospect mentioned,, see the following books by Elmer Wheeler, published by Prentice-Hall, Inc.: Tested Sentences That Sell, Sizzlemanship, and How to Make Your Sales Sizzle in 17 Days.
WARMING UP THE HARD-TO-SELL PROSPECT Know Your Man
Just
You must know your man,
of course, before
you use
The
postgraduate method of selling the sarcastic.
this
gamble is
all in
your favor, for the prospect who mentally
whips salesmen in nine out of ten cases acts
whip: your
whip and tames down the Hon. You've a
own personality. Your own
Your own
gall.
Try eyed.
to
first
Be a
whip you
maybe
that
humble
you
he'll
a beating
if
easier that
way is,
Become meek. Get sad
Give the guy a chance to horseit is
making him
if
end
and
feel better
"grant" you an order. It
in the
own
spunk. Your
MAN.
yourself.
feel
But once you vain; that
a
self as
milktoast.
if
like the
somebody with sure-footedness
lion in the cage until
takes a long
107
okay to take
is
you'll get the business. It
is
your pride doesn't hurt too much. feel
you are going
to
be whipped
get tossed out on your ear after
all,
in
then
try for the "sale danger!" Strike back!
Show Some Spunk, I
would never
tell
Bud!
an amateur to suddenly rare up
and show spunk because he'd perhaps do first
pect,
this at the
sign of a slight question or argument of the pros-
one of those ordinary heated discussions that passes
quickly in normal sales.
But when the argument so
gets hotter— and
it
has done
on many a past call—then you know you've the right
person on
whom
loose your
own
to explode the works,
spunk.
on
whom
to let
WARMING UP THE HARD-TO-SELL PROSPECT
108
The time may come your
him
fist
as
on the desk
he does
he
as
is
doing—to shove a cigar
Does He Act Like This?
Here are some reasons why prospects
They do
act
up
way:
this
so in self-defense of their weakness in
wanting to buy everything they putting up a big blow,
is
see.
cent of people with will
Arguing with you,
just a front to
chase they think they don't need.
on the door
at
at you.
Why 1.
pound
to reach for the hat, to
ward
It is said
a pur-
off
that 90 per
NO SALESMEN ALLOWED
buy
if
you have the courage
signs
to go in.
Wally Powell, formerly of Hoover Company, proved the signs
were put up
in self-defense of
gave in and bought from anybody 2.
They
cause at
weak
who rang
their bell.
act like Generals in front of a salesman be-
home
or with other associates in the firm they
are regarded as privates or peons. So they take
and they love to see salesmen
who squirm much
squirm when their boss or wife
calls
on salesmen.
3.
They
who
souls
It is their
one time to show
are afraid of their
own
them
is
it
out
boss,
as they
to the mat.
judgment, so they
would rather not buy than buy the wrong things and get into trouble with themselves, their accountant, or their firm.
So they put up a smoke barrage of belliger-
ency, in self-defense of their inability to judge the merits of
what
is
being offered them. Their motto
is,
"When
in doubt, argue!" 4.
They are scared
of losing their jobs.
They
fear they
WARMING UP THE HARD-TO-SELL PROSPECT
109
might buy too much, or the wrong ones, and get the sack; so they slur
wont buy and
and get
sarcastic,
hoping that they
therefore won't get into trouble. Their
motto might be
Do
nothing— and
they rationalize, can they lose
if
lose nothing!
What,
they don't buy anything
to cause trouble? 5.
They
"know
are
boy and no one
going to
is
They were brought all
They came up from sell
them a
bill of
in to "run the job as
and unfortunately, they
run,"
on
it alls."
feel they
it
office
goods.
should be
must take
it
out
salesmen and give each one a real working over.
know more than you do—so
Their motto might be "I just try to
convince me."
You've perhaps
and prospects act
many
other reasons
why
customers
like heels, bores, kings, or
busters in front of salesmen trying to do a
good
knuckle job.
Handling These Knuckle Busters
The "know he knows a
it all" is
lot,
type can be
handled by
therefore
made
you want
to slur less,
voice and becoming
more
then meet slur with
slur.
stops running
and
telling
him
his help.
of course
The
slurring
by lowering your own
patronizing; but
Remember
starts chasing,
if
this fails,
that once the cat
the dog does the run-
ning.
The
milktoast
who
all his life
said "yes,
sir, sir",
and
then one day rared up, grabbed his hat and coat and told his straw boss to
tion
"Go
and admiration
to Hell" really attracted the atten-
of
all,
including the straw boss. So
110
WARMING UP THE HARD-TO-SELL PROSPECT
when you
see an honest-to-goodness purchasing agent
afraid of his job, afraid of being fired, then assure
what you have will make him King! But failing him, anger him, set
and buy
fire
under him and hope
show you
just to
That fellow whose wife have
his
become
like his
But
he'll react
up. is
the real Boss—well, let
him
wife and whip him into buying. lacks judgment, try to
failing this,
'em with their
own
show him he
is
then meet blow with blow. Fight
fire
and
warm them up that is how to handle
let this fire
so that they are ready for the close, this
arouse
fun until you see you are getting nowhere, then
And when he right.
so,
him
phase of selling dangerously.
Fresh At
first
From the Sizzle Lab
blush, you'll think this
idea of selling dangerously, but
is
overdoing the
when you read
the
change your mind. a Summons, wherein the salesman
sales gain, you'll
This item is walks briskly into a store and after locating the manager says, "Pve a summons for you." The hard-boiled prospect is taken back, and much relieved when he reads, "You are summoned to increase your business 25%" Plus other interesting wording created in our Sizzle Labs for clients. Remember, it's all in when and how and on whom you use selling dangerously I
111
18.
Gloded.
Many
"jdati gated,
stalls and how to handle them. come out with the order on this first call.
Four famous to
program of slur
and you've
selling the toughie,
with slur and snide with snide, and he
down and
has
warmed
How
made the approach
^OIj'vE
//
in
your
finally
finally
met
calms
up. But he won't close. In final
self-defense of his judgment, his job, or his meanness,
he wants to sweat you out further, make you fight harder, or otherwise quiver in front of this Great Master, Mister
Purchasing Agent.
He
has one more chance to
your knees, to
warmed him
satisfy his
make you
ego.
He
get
down on
agrees you have
up, but brother, he just ain't gonna
a thousand and one reasons four of the most
common
he'll give
reasons and
them. 112
buy
for
you. Here are
how
to handle
SELLING THAT CLOSES MANY "LOST SALES" "Your Price
You show him "over the years less
upkeep so
and so on and
him such
telling
expensive;" that
less
is
it
Too High."
Is
by
it isn't
on
costly;" "it runs
is less
is
less electricity,"
and the
wax
shines four
only 50 cents per car compared to 68 cents
per car for competitors' wax. You use sense logic there
is
him
to convince
forgotten but quality service will
requires
"it
cost $2 per can
others are only 68 cents, but that your
and so
things as
on.
You show him your wax does cars
113
is
all
common
the
that price
soon
is
and
not; that the cost of repairs
be greater in the
less costly article.
You throw
the entire book at him, as learned from any sales manual or any
book on how to
Then
it is
time to meet insult with
with such sarcasm
on constant
sell.
as, "If
you want
insult.
to
You
hit
hard
waste your money
You
servicing, then get that cheaper one."
almost shout at his shouting and say, "If cheap price all
you want, then your competitor should get
this
servicing item
and get customers who are willing
more
less servicing."
have
to
"Ask your salesmen
if
is
non-
to
pay
You challenge him with, they want to sell this cheap one
that causes headaches, or
mine that
stays sold!
Let these
boys, not you, be the judge."
Or able
hit
by
hard
this
way and
him
saying, "Ask your customers
ness or quality— do they
get
jog
want
to
into being reason-
if
they want cheap-
pay a
much more—let your customer be
agent, not you!"
little
more and
the purchasing
SELLING THAT CLOSES MANY "LOST SALES"
114
When
nice appeals to reason
What have you
real prize fighter.
already
him
Tell
got to lose that
isn't
lost!
"Ill
quick
then hit hard. Be a
fail,
that
is
losers. Tell
Think
It
Over/'
fine—that people
who buy
him he should think
with him. Then add that while he
it
fast are
over.
Agree
considering
is
he
it,
ought to think about his reputation for always buying
buying
quality, his reputation for
what a King Sure
he'll
be
in taking
Make him
right.
on your good
think
line.
him think it over—but just during the next few
let
minutes. Say, "Think
then
tell
me
it
over—think
you don't
if
it
feel
over for a minute or two,
you are
right in placing
the order now."
and you
Failing this,
over is
you
if
really feel
he wouldn't think
him and returned— or
left
way
his standard
of getting rid of
"While you are wasting time with a it
be
over, I could
your firm wouldn't are taking days register
is
customers
who
"Sure think
it
selling
want
mad
that to happen."
as hell at
But
over.
It is
two who
no crime
is
for
this
you—then
say,
more thinking
faster
I'll
just
Or "While you
over, your cash
it
you— and
so are your
this fine item."
think, too, of
while you are not buying. dealer or
to think
be deprived of
will
lot
you know
your competitor, and I'm sure
and weeks
getting
if
it
what
have
I
Or
must do
to find another
on making up
his
mind."
someone, especially on a big order,
SELLING THAT CLOSES MANY "LOST SALES" want
to
and
by
to think
on, or
it
you
if
feel this will
go on
has in the past, then what have you to lose
trying to jar
"I'll
It is
over, but
it
115
him
Talk
into action?
It
Over With
My Partner/
1
normal for him to want to discuss things with
associate,
hubby, wife, or the Board.
calmed down, and
sincere,
"Indeed, do so by
all
then
And
him
let
he
if
is
talk
his
honest, it
over.
means, for then I'm sure you'll
have greater confidence when you do place the order. Shall I return next
Monday morning
for the decision or
Tuesday afternoon?" (Wheelerpoint
Where you a
possible, say,
lot of
"That
is fine,
time and explanation,
#4
in action.)
and so
may
I
as to save
be on hand to
answer any questions the others will bring up?" That
good sizzlemanship But
if
is
selling.
you've had that
stall
ahead of you, then meet
his
so often, as have others
push
off
with
stiffness.
"Your firm executives have confidence in you, haven't they? They respect your judgment, don't they?"
Hit hard with, "I don't believe you've confidence
enough
in yourself to place the order."
Or
that old one,
"Haven't you the authority?" Or "Doesn't the Board trust
your ability?" "Ill
Buy
Later
From You."
Try the usual, "Why wait?" Or the usual, "Since you've decided to buy
later, let
me
leave the order
I'm here." Test out whether this
is
just
a
stall
now or
while
he actu-
116
SELLING THAT CLOSES MANY "LOST SALES"
ally
has a real reason for buying
do you plan to buy
you out
He that.
later,
later,
and
Mr. Smith? Maybe
ask, I
"Why
can help
right now."
might need the money. You have an answer for
He might
just
be a slow buyer, and you handle
him by giving him confidence
that he
thing and has sound judgment. But
always
get,
if
is
doing the right
this is the stall
you
then get hard with him. Challenge his judg-
ment. "I guess you can't make up your mind
fast,
can
you?" Let him meet the challenge by saying, "What
do you mean I'm a slow buyer— leave that order!" Jog him out of his lethargy.
What can you
lose?
Study Your Buyer and Act Accordingly The more experience you have the quicker you'll decide if the stall is legitimate. If the reason for not buying is genuine, then by all means meet the stall and make a call back. But when you know, from experience, from irastinct, from past records of that man, that you are getting the works tossed at you and that he has no intention of ever buying, then what have you to lose by jarring the old buzzard? Give him the works!
117
1% Gan Jdead
9wuicdloMl
There are two kinds of corns,
and those
know
the difference.
that
irritations:
make
pearls.
ta £cdedmake how to
those that
Here
is
AfoBRSE YOHAI, PRESIDENT OF MELBA
London to tell
Toast, that
how
calorie
Fat Boy delight,
the oyster must be irritated before
produce the perfect is irritated,
low
is
the pearl.
it
can
perhaps the more
pearl. In fact,
the better
likes
The harder
it
it is irri-
tated, the bigger the pearl.
On the
other hand, points out Morrie, the
wrong kind
of irritation produces only a callous or a corn. is
well taken that a
little irritation
The
point
in the right place at
the right time can produce a pearl of a sale for you.
Take the Motorist on Sunday
You can tell by the
tone, the sound, the length of time
he leans on the horn how
peep and he
is
irritated
he
is.
A
little
peep
merely being polite in advising you that 118
IRRITATIONS CAN LEAD TO SALES you
failed to see the green
go-ahead
119
but a loud
light;
boop, and boy, what happens? You take more time. But
on the
little
peep you get
so fast he can't keep
off,
A
little
into fast gear
and
really sail
up with you.
annoyance produces
results,
one gets you nowhere. You must know
while a bigger
how
to
sound
off
prod the other person into action, without causing
to
a worse
traffic
jam
A
in ideas.
Little
Heckling Often Helps
Zenn Kaufman, the No.
1
man
you many cases
business, can tell
in
of
showmanship
where a
little
in
prod-
ding did the job. Take Zenn s side-show barker, for example. Often
he
when he
sees
will revert to a challenge
how
and
disinterested
tease, annoy,
you are
and other-
wise get you mad. "If I'll
you
loan
tiful
it
ain't
got that two
if
go-round." That's
being to a
fight,
"Maybe you
to you!"
women, and irritate
bits,
Mister, step
can't stand seeing beau-
you are too old then go
how he
you
but into proving he is
to the merry-
challenges you. His purpose
into buying.
Proving the salesman
up and
is
Not
you
to irritate
into
wrong.
wrong
is
a challenge
many
buyers will accept. Ladies
The
silent
and Bald Headed Men
movies used to feature
signs,
"Remove
Your Hats, Please" and got nowhere. Then they became
more daring and
said, "Elderly
Women Need
Not Re-
IRRITATIONS CAN LEAD TO SALES
120
move Their
A
what happened?
Hats!" So
woman,
to
prove she was not elderly, removed her hat! The challenge was accepted.
"Do they laugh piano?"
you when you
at
sit
down
to play the
an old and real challenge to accept the
is
sales-
man's course in piano lessons.
"You look 10 years younger with your hat positive sizzle to use to get
men
the
off," is
in offices, elevators,
and
elsewhere to remove their hats.
"Bald headed
way one rear,
men need
streetcar
and
not
move
to the rear,"
men
the
is
move
to the
their husband's challenge
when
motorman
gets all
to
fast!
Little irritations often
He
do produce
pearls.
Doesn't Slam the Doors
Most women accept he goes out to work,
after
an argument, and slams the
door behind him. They usually say, out they go for a
new
"I'll
show him!" and
hat or outfit to take
it
out on
hubby.
But
hubby has a
this
reveal his name! all
day long
)
He
different
left?"
(We
won't
closes the door very gently,
his wife worries, "I
mind when he
method.
and
wonder what was on
The dinner
is
his
usually very excellent
that night.
So there
is
a time not to rare up, sound
the door, especially with the wife!
off,
and slam
IRRITATIONS CAN LEAD TO SALES
121
Speaking Lower Often Does the Trick After the heat of an argument with raised voices, the
win the
trick to
up.
battle
Remember a
the slack, before
the voice.
up the it
If
train of it
often to lower the voice.
box cars backs up,
can go ahead.
Become suddenly
brief case.
off as
is
Do
Give a shrug to the
to take
the same.
disinterested.
Back
up
Lower
Begin to fold
sale.
That
is,
toss
not worthwhile.
you back down you are
another thing. The fighter
but the fighter then slug,
is
who
is
finished.
who
backs
But
back up
to
down
is
gets boos;
smart enough to back up
slightly,
usually the hero. So learn the art of backing
up—lowering
the voice, moving away, reaching for the
hat to disarm the other person, to take the punch out of
him, and at times
make him
feel guilty, silly, or helpless.
Reaching for the hat and saying,
"I
won t
bother you
any longer!" often sets into action an otherwise hesitating prospect.
"Maybe we'd better other way to make the business.
forget the whole matter," hesitant buyer realize
is
an-
you mean
Then Then
at the
at the
Man's Door!
man's door, turn around, point a
you want; or otherwise sound
off with a statement that rouses, annoys, or if need be soothes the other person and gives him a chance to save
finger
if
his face.
You have given up not disgust. This is
annoying
in defeat but rather in
to a
buyer who wanted to
made you disgusted with him. His pride is hurt. He now becomes the desperate one, and often to prove you are all wet he places defeat you only to find he
an order. Sales at the door steps are often brought about by the challenge that little irritation so affecting the other person that his venom turns into a gem
—
of a sale.
Learn the
art of
how
to irritate
122
and win success!
20. Jiaw.
to-
GkedleoMfZ
a
P*to4fiec&
The hardest boiled dealer or purchasing agent has pride if you can locate it. Here is how one salesman did it.
ritory as a
^HE DEALER WAS FAMOUS IN THE TERhard-boiled egg. He had the look of an iron
mountain, and the curt mannerisms of a Prussian warrior.
One
look and he froze the amateur salesman dead in his
tracks.
Actually, the fellow in order to
He
make few
was scared of
mistakes he
his
judgment, so
made few
purchases.
stuck with run of the mill merchandise he felt safe
in putting
on
his shelves,
along he ran from rude,
it.
He
and when a new idea came put on a cold
glare,
and had most amateur salesmen quivering
boots. 123
became in their
124
CHALLENGE THE PROSPECT'S CONFIDENCE Jorge Castenedas Comes Along
Jorge
is
manager
from Mexico
Now
City.
of Carta Blanca Beer
sales
promotional
Company, he knew
to try to handle a particular dealer the usual
that
way would
get the usual Stone Face treatment.
So Jorge determined to take a chance and to challenge the dealer's prestige, pride, or something that
would jog the dealer all else
was
lost,
into buying.
As a
isn't
my new line sell my line?" in
appeal
when
and Jorge was being nicely but firmly
pushed toward the door, he suddenly Senor Dealer,
final
let loose. "Tell
me,
the real reason you are not putting
that
you are
That socked hard. The think that this salesman
afraid your salesmen can't
dealer's
had the
ability of his selling staff.
The
mouth dropped. To gall to question the
dealer, in anger, gave
Jorge a lesson in his firm's selling ability; and to prove
he was
right, the dealer
The Challenge
Whenever you that
is
bought
Is
slap the
Jorge's
new
line.
a Good One to Use
Frenchman with your
a challenge to a duel.
He
glove,
accepts to save face.
Whenever you challenge the dealer or purchasing agent's authority, ability to make a decision, or his judgment, you are hitting him hard in a good challenge. Whenever you question the ability of his store or firm to sell what you have, you are rousing him up and to save face he must prove you are wrong. How? By buying.
CHALLENGE THE PROSPECTS CONFIDENCE Look
for the challenge in situations in
up against a stone
wall.
Once you
What have you
anything goes.
125
which you are
are facing a stone wall
to lose at this point?
The Hathaway Story This
an expensive
is
Longer
shirt.
body, especially fine material. So
John Zorski
tells
me how he
shirt tails, fuller
costs more.
it
has often had to have his
men sell dangerously in opening up a new account. Many new accounts can be opened up easily because they want an
exclusive sale of the shirts so they can stop
other stores from handling the
line.
In this
box or so a year they "keep out" other
At the time John and
of signing
men
his
happy with our street
have
it
way
stores.
up a new account
in a
new
city,
always end with, "I'm sure you'll be
and we won't
line,
for a year!"
let
Smith down the
The merchant jumps
up.
do you mean a year? He expected exclusiveness
An argument
for a
starts
up and
that
from experience John Zorski knows
What
for
life.
is
dangerous, except
it
really increases the
order.
The sale could well be cancelled. Most salesmen would have been happy with this one small order, but not John's boys. They put that close,
and
it isn't
to sell actively
too
and
much
start
".
.
.
for a year" in their
effort to get the
with a
much
try to hold the deal "exclusively."
merchant
bigger order to
The Challenge of His Competition The keen salesman, an expert in handling big turn downs, knows that the challenge of the dealer's competitor is a good one, "Neiman-Marcus can and does sell these by the gross," may make some lesser store owner so angry he says, "If they can sell it so can /." /* was a great challenge for years to say, "Macy's sells it!" It interested many a dealer and it made others mad. But either way, that challenge often
—
—
worked on the stone wall case. Figure out some rival of the firm you want to sell. Get their competitor's sales records on your item, then dare the hard nut to equal that record
of his competitor. Challenge him. Question his confidence in his salesmen. Bring up his being behind the times, if he is. Mention the fact that others are running ahead
of him. Give he em the big challenge, sehorl
126
21. When
M
*7a
^ell
a JbecUe*
9l "Behind *1U ^ime*" Telling a dealer he is old-fashioned is not as dangerous as it sounds on the surface. Here is how you might make a sale doing it.
9t may
sound horrifying to some
salesmen to even think of telling a dealer he the times; but at times, this
is
is
behind
good sizzlemanship. You
cant, of course, just walk boldly into a dealer, toss your
weight around, point a
finger,
and
say, "You're old-
fashioned!" But at the proper time this technique works
wonders.
When efforts
is
the proper time?
It will
be
after all other
have failed you. You have one of those discourte-
ous dealers, a know-it-all, or a "salesman beater."
Then
may have one of those milktoast buyers, afraid own judgment; or one who is self-contented with
again you of his
his present
methods. All appeals to him have failed— not 127
WHEN A DEALER
128 this
IS
'BEHIND THE TIMES'
time only, but time after time in the past. This
is
the proper time for serious operation.
You
You
Tell
Him
He's "Behind the Times"
are honestly convinced he
is
behind the times.
That your new method, your new product, your newer
him up
items or sales ideas will bring can't convince
many
reasons,
You
see
him with sound
maybe
He
it
You
avoids
it
just
for
out of sheer cussedness.
you are getting nowhere with him,
where
his pride
just
logic.
to date.
really hurts.
so
you cut
"You are old-fashioned,
Mr. Jones, and behind the times !" You can well be pre-
pared for some action after that—but
isn't it
action
you
are hoping for?
This
You gamble
What May Happen
Is
but he's been doing that
you got
to lose
Chances are
that,
all
kick you out;
along anyway, so what have
on that? if
you smile (or
back and
he'll rare
may up and
that the dealer
if
retaliate with,
you look most
serious)
"What makes you say
you young whipper-snapper?"
That's
him he
all
is
you need,
isn't it?
old-fashioned.
You
The opportunity
tangle with him,
get your story across this time with
to
show
and you
his fullest attention.
You've interested him, excited him, even annoyed
him—
but you've got the undivided attention you've never been able to get from
him
before.
WHEN A DEALER
IS
'BEHIND THE TIMES'
So Give Him a Good It is is
up
you now
to
to
show him
Sell
that
what you have
so new, so different, so profitable that
has in stock
You have, his
is
129
what he now
really out of date.
at last, his full attention
anger to interest
if
you have something so good, so
that he
fine, so saleable
been behind the times. a disinterested,
and you can switch
is
forced to agree that he has
It is
maybe even
up
to
you now
insulting,
to switch
customer into a
buyer.
Often from heat comes success. Heat gives us the rubber tire— it gives us stainless
can give you
steel.
Heat of
sales battle
sales.
Attention-Getting
What you want from
Is
What You Want
this store buyer, this
agent, this self-made dealer—the ones
who
purchasing
take advan-
tage of their buying position to horsewhip salesmen—is to gain full attention. Attention-getting stunts that
crew.
gimmicks and
work on normal buyers won't work on
You must do something
enough to gain
this
unusual, sudden, or fierce
their attention, so that they will really
hear you for the
first
time.
It
Works
at Retail
Counters
"How'd you like to cut your shaving time in half?" was the attention-getter for the busy shopper in Sear's store that jumped sales of Barhasol up 300 per cent. "It won't roll when dropped look!" sold 30 million square clothespins in the W. T. Grant Stores in ten years when our Sizzle Lab came up with that lassitude-buster.
—
You need counter,
fast
attention-getters
at
the retail
and often you need mild forms of whop-
pers to jar these customers into sales line, too. "You want to be in style, don't you?" often shocks a woman into listening a little closer to the sales story on a new item. "You won't be behind times if you buy this one," is hitting hard, too, at times when it may be necessary.
"This will keep your home from getting oldis another mild way of getting full attention of a customer you are about to lose. "Don't be rude be shocking! There's a big difference. The smile, the sincere look as you make a shocking statement, takes it out of the rude class and keeps it in the attention-
fashioned,"
—
getting class.
130
22. Wke*t Ifou'te KefU Waiting
45 MUudel! You'd
like to
punch him in the nose, hut that's Here are a few tricks of the trade
against the law.
you might
try.
^TS THE MOST
DISCOURTEOUS THING A
businessman can do, that of keeping a salesman on ice out in the front waiting room. Yet
it is
done—and with
No Smoking signs, too! Many firms today realize that the salesman out front may have a new money-saving device, a new sales maker, a new way to make a profit. They welcome the salesman. These firms make the front bench comfortable. Some even have free smokes, and an air-conditioned waiting room, and padded chairs to encourage salesmen to
call.
many others, with hard benches, a beadyeyed gal who is afraid of her job and a tyrant for a pur-
But, ah, the
131
WHEN
132
YOU'RE KEPT WAITING
He
chasing agent or interviewer.
45
MINUTES!
takes great delight in
keeping you waiting 45 minutes in a
stuffy,
small office
or on a cane chair.
Why
Does He Do
It?
There are two types of customers
who keep you wait-
ing:
The
1.
at heart, just thoughtless or careless.
to him,
who
fellow with no regard for time,
and appointments even
He
less.
with the Other fellow ahead of you, and about you out front sweating
it
isn't
mean
Time means nothing
out.
gets to gabbing
just plain forgets
He
has no idea of
Some mild-mannered jogging by a good salesman may awaken him to this bad habit that costs him goodtime.
will, friends, 2.
Then
and money. There's hope
there
is
for this fellow.
the typical purchasing agent type,
who knows he is the Big King, the High Mogul that salesmen must bow to. He knows he is keeping the other person waiting. He delights in it, or just
the fellow
plain doesn't care. "Aw, let
him
wait,"
even though he might be creating a
is
lot of
his attitude,
bad
will.
He
The salesman can't get sore at him, for boy, "I'll buy elsewhere. Lots of salesmen these
doesn't care. oh,
days!"
There are other reasons
why salesmen are kept waiting
45 minutes besides bad timing, thoughtlessness, and just
mean
cussedness. But these
of the field.
these "birds."
two cover a good part
Here are ways some
stars
have handled
WHEN
YOU'RE KEPT WAITING Fred Williams Does
It
45
MINUTES!
133
Way
This
He
He's in the moving van business with Viking. loathes the prospect
who
him up
calls
for a 10 a.m.
appointment, then keeps Fred waiting until nearly 11
Fred
o'clock.
minutes, and then
word out
to send
He
patient.
is
if
waits 10 minutes, then 15
the buyer
that he
is
isn't
courteous enough
held up on some good cause
but will see Fred shortly, then Fred sends in sage: "Tell Mr. Smith I've
must leave
an appointment
and
at 10:30
at once!"
This often works on the prospect time; but
mes-
this
on the tough
nut,
who
just forgets
Fred must be tougher and
often goes as far as to say to the secretary, "Please
him I'm
sufficiently
now may This
is
I see him!"
very radical, to be sure, but remember so
that tough nut radical. He, like the
dog that chases
the cat turns and chases him, often rares
He'd given him up.
wanted from
this fellow.
more
by being a shoe
to gain
also got
the fellow so
rile
him out
"Oftentimes so irritated
it is
it
thing about
polisher, so
much
it
best to
becomes a
make
until
all
Fred
He had no
he thought
it
him—but
it
angered
into the waiting room!
is
up and comes
out to see that "guy with such nerve." That's
best to
tell
impressed with his importance, and
As Fred
says,
the blemish on the face
boil, for
then you can do some-
it."
Put another way, as the doctor often your cold, but cure for that."
if
says, "I can't cure
you go out and get pneumonia
I've a
WHEN
134
YOU'RE KEPT WAITING
Here
Bob
Is
45
MINUTES!
the Bob Herz Method
writes sales articles
and
sells
what he
calls
"The
Salesmaker Seven," a short course in sizzlemanship.
When I asked Bob what he does when he is kept waiting too long, he told me that if he found out it was unintentional,
he said very
little,
but "rode with the blows."
kept waiting too long, he sent in a message that he
If
had another appointment and could now, or
at
some
later
"I see
Mr. Jones
time?"
However, when Bob found out that he was up against the typical "bench warming" type of interviewer or pur-
chasing agent, famous for his 45-minute waits, then refused to play the game.
He
reasons that to
Bob
fall in line
makes you a "sheep salesman." You follow the crowds,
and get nowhere by "shining the shoes of the buyer,
who
doesn't at
all
respect you.
He
only gloats over your
fondling at his footsies."
many ways to jar the prospect out of complacency as King. One way is when Bob sends
So Bob reverts to his
in this message, usually
on a piece of paper:
"What would you do
if
your salesmen were kept
waiting 45 minutes like you are keeping
me
waiting?"
Bob says this gets two reactions. A "go to hell" action —and the action of the buyer coming out to apologize! "It works enough in my favor to use it," says Bob Herz.
WHEN
YOU'RE KEPT WAITING
Tom Breen Does
It
This
45
MINUTES!
135
Way
moved to Mexico City to sell, Tom Breen many 45-minute waits by his prospects for a
Before he
had too
micro-film service he sold. that
In
if it is
the prospect,
fact,
by the long wait But
Tom
Tom
we
figures, like
if
he
that he
is fair,
often
becomes
also realizes that
is
so embarrassed
easier to
sell.
when you come
to a delib-
erate "professional keep 'em waiting" prospect, then
harm
yourself
and your firm by bowing
to gain his business.
He
do,
all
unavoidable, then go along with the wait.
So
Tom
you
to the man's ego
has a good one he pulls.
sends in this message: you are keeping me waiting that you are afraid your salesman cant sell my
"Is the reason
product?'
That's hitting hard.
But remember, a guy
like this
interviewer has no "belly line," so you can't hit below
As I
Tom
says,
"What have
it!
I to lose? I've lost already.
might, by resorting to extreme measures, so upset that
fellow's apple cart of
by
my
That gall.
gall, is
And
contentment that he
is
so
amazed
he buys."
another answer. Your
gall.
Your
gall
the toughie says, as often happens
meets his
when one
neighborhood tough meets another, "That guy's got guts!"
WHEN
136
YOU'RE KEPT WAITING 45 MINUTES!
May
"Guts"
Be the Big Clue
People, even "professional salesmen beaters,"
admire a fellow with
mined
Not
guts.
just aren't
going to be tossed around, and once a
buyer realizes you have an iron
you
glove, he'll respect
of
can
tactless gall—but deter-
guts.
You
"I
still
guts,"
their rights.
is
a favorite expression
tried to shove salesmen
one or two had the
to find
behind your delicate
for this.
have to admit he has
men who have
fist
You always
sales
around only
nerve to stand up for
kick a dog that will run
down
the street yelping; but brother, once he turns on you and
next time you'll respect him.
bites,
okay to
It is
stances
warm to sit
bow
to the
beyond the control
winds and accept circumof the fellow
the front bench too long; but it
it
making you
only weakens you
out too long.
This Fellow Just
When
Ernie Maetzold,
Ups and Leaves
who
runs the Minneapolis
School of Business, was a salesman and came upon one of those "hard-fisted long,"
he had a pet
Swedes who kept you waiting too trick.
He'd wait
then, without saying a single
word
just nine minutes,
to the receptionist,
put on his hat and go out into the cold Minnesota weather.
The boss with an hour or so
the appointment would
later.
Not finding
Ernie, he
come out
half
would ask the
WHEN receptionist
about
it
YOU'RE KEPT WAITING where he was. She,
45
MINUTES1
of course,
137
knew
less
than he did. "This often intrigued the fellow,"
said Ernie, "to a point
where
in
many
cases he'd
phone
the office to find out what happened to me."
In some instances, said Ernie, the fellow figured he
was
sick, or
told
him
counts."
was an
I
had some trouble and
had
The
to leave
left.
and see one of
But then
my
regular ac-
act of leaving without saying a single
attention-getter,
for this act over others
I just
word
and the boss remembered Ernie
who
just
waited and waited and
waited, only to get a great big "No" for their wobbly sales effort.
It's
a Ticklish Situation
Sure, you want the business. That commission might help take care of the new car, the home, a
—
vacation
so
you are inclined
to wait out the
45
minutes.
But ask yourself, did you weaken your case by waiting? Did you seem overly anxious? Did you give the impression you were hungry for business? Did you act like the slave at the foot of the Master?
you jeopardized your chances of getting commission for the new car. Be a man. If you know the fellow is just plain discourteous, then don't fall into his trap. If he is the Master, and always comes out with the long whip with the lead ends, then punch him back. But do it first. Put him on the defensive. Don't be crude, bitter, impolite, and disgruntled youra Gentleman Jim of the self. Be the gentleman If so,
that
—
prize fight ring. Often times the first hit is what counts, especially on that fellow who keeps you waiting 45
minutes! First blows win wars and prize lost sales.
138
fights,
and often
23. Qiuituj,
the Gu&t&meb
What
M WanU
A salesman
found selling nude calendars dangerous Then one day he saw how to use Wheelerpoint #4. Automatically the danger was removed and he began to make sales. selling.
0FTEN
IT IS
WHAT YOU
SELL THAT
provokes customers and prospects and purchasing agents,
making them
indifferent or resistive in their attitude to-
ward salesmen and causing salesmen
to resort to selling
dangerously. For example, your line
is
your firm
is
bad, inferior; or
not reliable in shipping or making good on
complaints, or otherwise causes the buyer to get
mad
every time you show up.
Maybe it is
your
this is
your
firm's fault.
own fault in showing,
Then, too, more
say, clothes dryers in the
Deep South where housewives and maids clothes
on
lines
and not put them 139
likely
like to
hang
in dryers. Naturally,
140
GIVING THE CUSTOMER
when you approach a
WHAT HE WANTS
dealer again and again and try to
load him up on clothes dryers you get the bum's rush. Selling dangerously in such a case It isn't
the buyer— it's what you
So If
Edit
Your Line
an editor didn't edit
to his readers, the paper
sell.
for Each Call
of the
all
foolish selling.
is
would be
news he has
largely a
to "sell"
mass of news
of a kind not liked in his community. Therefore, he
weighs the news. Should he
fill it
up with foreign news;
or does his
community want more
comic
appeal to his type of reader?
strips
local
news? Which
His advertisers know, from bitter experience, which
merchandise to
offer their
customers through the news-
paper columns, and seldom intentionally, or
sell
through ignorance or lack of previous
study of your market, try to in a city
where
dangerously. If you un-
it
sell tire
chains to a dealer
snows only once a year, no wonder you
get a cold reception!
Then
Ever say to me. Why,
I*
May
yourself,
I don't
1 Be Your ''Approach'
"That guy
just
seems to annoy
know, but he annoys me!"
A clash of personalities. A little study of yourself—your methods, mannerisms, and your approach—may be the
answer for you. That handshake, for example. give the
"woodsman handshake"
hate? That "fish hand"? That
Do you
that purchasing agents
"pump handle"
"ring squeezing" shake everybody detests?
or that
GIVING THE CUSTOMER
How
WHAT HE WANTS
about your opening sentences?
get long winded, or involved to a point says,
"Get to the point"?
Do you
Do you
141
ramble,
where the buyer
have a canned (not
planned) presentation that takes ten minutes or longer
and should be only two minutes ting If
to start with, thus get-
on the nerves of the buyer?
you have these negative
bound
you are
and annoy a buyer, and no amount of
to irritate
selling dangerously
Maybe
characteristics then
is
It's
advisable. So study yourself.
an Unintentional Approach
Ed Cullinan, in our Chicago Sizzle Lab, had an assignment to find out why a certain good salesman was suddenly annoying his customers. Ed hooked up our "Dick Tracy Wrist Watch" that
set out to visit
with
this
words be-
silently records the
tween customer and salesman unbeknown to
either,
and
Brown and Bigelow salesman
selling calendars.
These calendars were famous nudes you see so much in garages,
but that year they
and the salesman
just weren't
going over
didn't get a single chance to
show any
of his other lines.
We listened to the recordings and it wasn't long before we
discovered
why
the salesman had suddenly run into
a stone wall. Customer after customer would say, "No
more nudes
in
my
garage— I'm
in trouble
now with
the
neighbors!" They'd toss the salesman out on his selling ear!
142
GIVING THE CUSTOMER
We Came Up
We
WHAT HE WANTS
with This Solution
advised the salesman to use Wheelerpoint #4,
which
is
"Don't Ask If—Ask Which."
going into the garage holding out a ing calendar,
we
Where he had been new and most excit-
asked him to walk into a garage with
such a nude calendar in one hand and a fishing scene in the other
and
ask,
"Which
of these
two calendars can
The buyer would wipe off his hands and look at both calendars. Then if he still wanted the nudes, okay; but if he was nude-scared, then I
order for you this season?"
he'd order the fishing scenes.
So
selling dangerously
cause the salesman didn't for the
buyer any longer.
was
instantly eliminated be-
make the situation dangerous Can this apply in your case?
Question Yourself First Before you question the buyer, question youryour product, idea, or sales intangible one that the prospect should have but fails to buy through sheer mule-obstinacy? Okay, then sell him dangerously. Is your approach soft, easy on the buyer, and yet getting you nowhere fast with him? Okay, then sell dangerously. But upon self-examination do you feel that a change in what you have to sell, perhaps a new slant on a new item, may interest the buyer; but that he is still a toughie and needs correction? self. Is
Then
And
sell
dangerously.
is normal, nice, and okay with other buyers but not this one because this one has a record of hating salesmen . • • Sell dangerously!
if
your approach
143
24. Qet Of^ ZaUf Sheet
and See WluU
JlafXfieni,
The suburbs represent the salesman s gold mine. The alert salesman or buyer will heed the call and not sit by and watch others lay their claims.
Where Can He Get
Fast Action?
Several professional salesmen,
in-
cluding that Archie Hunter fellow again, have pointed
me
out to
a
new
trend in American selling—the sales
trend to the suburbs!
How in this
does this affect the salesmen of America? Well,
way: more business firms are moving
salesmen have caught on to use of still
tell
tires
this trend,
out.
Many
and make good
instead of shoe leather; but other salesmen
hug the Main
Streets. Results?
you why. The Main
Street
144
Less
buying
sales,
and
I'll
offices are often
GET OFF EASY STREET still
crowded, behind the times in improvements, such
as air-conditioning
and
145
it
becomes a
Realizing
this,
and other salesmen conveniences,
and buyer.
rat-race for the salesman
the suburban buying offices give special
inducements to get the salesmen "out in the country" to
show them rettes,
such as free Cokes, free ciga-
their wares;
and comfortable
chairs in pleasant offices.
The Salesman
Only Normal
Is
So the salesman with the car goes into the suburbs, welcome, easy chairs in an easy atmos-
finds a great big
phere, and a smiling buyer glad he
hike into the country.
crammed
the long
The downtown salesman
into a tight office,
and may need more
made
tips
on
is
still
meeting growling buyers,
selling
dangerously than the
salesman willing to "go out" to see his prospects.
So many factories
offices,
and the
warehouses,
like are
ings
and showrooms,
find
new
stores,
moving
so that a
out;
insurance firms,
even
office build-
good salesman can surely
business in these territories. "But
salesmen go out for
"Few—because
this business?" asks
they'd rather
circulate
how many
Archie Hunter.
around Main
Street, the old haunts, the familiar hang-outs."
Then, as
Archie points out, some ambitious fellow "goes farming"
and returns with a pocketful of to
orders, not
once having
meet the old challenge of a bored and rough buying
agent with selling dangerously.
So move the sale to the suburbs, son!
GET OFF EASY STREET
146
Go Out Where
Business Breeds
Don't pass up the business next door, but go out in the country and into the suburbs. Visit these newer purchasing
offices, stores, firms,
fresh air
have to
and
sell
fresh
factories,
and enjoy the
You may never then
dangerously.
These boys out there, to see the
and they are apt
You won't
new
and
business.
in the sticks
newer to
want
ideas, the
to lure salesmen out
newer merchandise,
have a more welcome hand for you.
see such signs as "Every third salesman
kicked out, and
we
just
is
kicked out number two and you
are next!"
While the other boys are jamming the downtown offices
don't
because they are nearer to the
you see what may
of the busy
lie just
will never
Go
need
why
beyond the perimeter
downtown? You might
ness out there just waiting for
chili joint,
you
find nuggets of busito pick
them up! And
to sell dangerously.
after this fringe business!
For the time being get
off "Easy Street" and hike to the suburbs!
25
Seats
and No Salesmen
Go to the suburbs. You are apt to find 25
seats and no salesmen; while downtown, you are apt to find 5 seats (hard ones) and 25 salesmen. These salesmen may be giving in to the (6 law of least resistance." On the other hand, this may be the office where the business is given out. So weigh the situation. That fringe business that required a little gasoline and exertion might pay off. You may get less business per call, but you'd have more call possibilities.
While the other salesman is wasting an entire morning trying to see that one downtown buyer, you can make five calls easily in the suburbs and get double the business.
—and
Drive further
sell
147
more!
25. Sell
9*ttanlde
PboduoU
^CMUfebau&lfy Salesmen have been scaring prospects for years, to "anger 'em up" to of what they offer.
rmd now they are beginning make them realize the value
just
bought a
Vake for example the fellow who $6,000 automobile. He calls up his in-
surance man, saying, "Jim, I've been shopping around.
Have you heard about these new bargain rates on car insurance? Why, my friends rave about how they pay half what I do, and get all the best protection. Can you meet these prices?"
The $6,000
car
owner then proceeds
to give his in-
surance agent a price or two he got from bargain houses.
Now, the agent could well use the ordinary
sales ap-
proaches, such as: "Jack, we've
been friends
for years."
148
(Answer): "But
SELL INTANGIBLE PRODUCTS DANGEROUSLY Jim, friendship ceases
when
must pay
I
149
for that friend-
ship."
"But you Ve been with us for years." (Answer) but
I just can't afford to
pay $20 extra per year."
"How do you know they'll pay paid
"Yes,
:
off?"
(
Answer) "They :
twice on Bill Gurk's car!"
off
So He
Sells
Dangerously
The insurance salesman knows that appeals to friendship, long standing, or fears of what may happen are to no avail to
this
customer. He's a hard customer.
He wants
savings.
So the insurance
"You paid a
man
first-class price for
cut-rate insurance policy
and prestige hard.
hits pride
on
why
the car,
it?" Or,
"Why
put a
get a cheap
policy and worry? Get the best and sleep nights!"
That was hitting below the pride
line,
but
it
was neces-
sary to jog that fellow into line.
Imagine, paying $6,000 for a car and then trying to save $20 or so on the insurance to protect
it!
Like Those Taxicab Drivers
You come out for the
bill,
you begin
Most meter
is
then
when
the cab meter goes
drivers realize that the clicking
annoying; in
He
up over $1
to cuss the driver.
this sound.
upset?
of a night club after paying $20 to $50
fact,
What can
the
new
He
their
cabs are eliminating
a cab driver do
can apologize.
sound of
when you
get
can keep quiet, or he can
SELL INTANGIBLE PRODUCTS DANGEROUSLY
150
do
one cabbie
like
I
know who, with a
grin, says,
"Heck,
the waiter gigs you for a sawbuck and you never get sore,
but
if I
get
you
for a dime,
you scream!"
That makes most backseat beefers smile and see the point.
Here they've paid big money
at the night club,
then beef about a dime because the driver went around
an extra block. Like some conventions that spend $40,000 to have the convention to get the crowd out and feed them, then
want a $100 speaker! Northwest Airlines
They
Sells
Safety
display spark plugs with this sign, "Used only
30 hours!"
Northwestern used to throw them away until one energetic sales rep asked for them, to his prospects. In this
how
careful the airline
and used them
way he showed,
to give
dramatically,
was by not using a spark plug
over 30 hours, even though to the prospect the shined-
up plug
really looked
brand new.
William Howard Taft Sold Dangerously
He rated an upper berth, and as you know, this former President packed in the calories. He knew better than to raise a fuss. He knew he might get nowhere selling the man in the lower to change with him, so he decided to sell dangerously. He said to the man in the berth below, "Last time it
I slept in
doesn't tonight."
an upper,
it
collapsed. I
hope
SELL INTANGIBLE PRODUCTS DANGEROUSLY
Then Taft walked
to the dressing room.
turned he found the
man
ing in the upper.
was
President years
It
later.
When
he
151
re-
in the lower comfortably snor-
selling like this that
made
Taft
Everybody Uses the Challenge The insurance man,
getting nowhere, says, "I
man your age can pass the physical we require!" And the air-conditioner salesman, not don't believe a selling
with
an intangible but sweat, says, "It's okay if you want to sweat all summer long!"
me
and starts walking out. The challenge can be used by
all,
from the
salesman dealing in intangibles to the idea man in an ad agency who says, "Why spend $10,000 for space in the magazine, then only $100 for art
work!" It is being sarcastic with a dead-head and really gambling: "You aren't as keen an advertiser as
Brown down
the street, so
these instead of six He is challenged.
let
me
leave just one of
Brown always buys!"
He might agree you are right, he likes you better for not overloading him. You gambled and lost. On the other hand he may feel his pride is hurt and say, "Oh, I guess if we pushed it enough we'd sell six, so and
if so, well,
leave the entire gross!"
People love to prove you are wrong!
152
26. People £aae. to Pioue
you An* Wntmf! From your little girl who wont eat potatoes to the dealer down the street. It's a challenge all like to meet!
^ELL YOUR can't eat those potatoes!"
and
LITTLE GIRL, "BET YOU to prove
you are wrong,
she eats them. Tell the wife, "Bet you won't be on time,"
and she proves you are wrong! You
tell
a customer you
believe he can't afford something, can't
meet payments,
and he wants to show you how wrong you capitalize
on
this thing in
people that
You can prompts them to are.
prove you are wrong. Advertisers
Ad
writers
show you
Do
It
This
pictures of
Way
chapped hands, and
you say you don't have such hands. They show you 153
pic-
PEOPLE LOVE TO PROVE YOU ARE WRONG!
154
tures of large bunions, slips sliding around red-faced gals,
and underwear that has shrunk up
ment
of someone.
It's
the, "I
to play,
of a
to the embarrass-
and
man by
tened to
Use
my
was embarrassed when my I couldn' t,"
only in reverse.
It's
down
the picture
the wrecked car saying, "I should have
lis-
insurance agent."
technique
this
friends sat
when
selling dangerously, so use
stances call for
it,
But again,
necessary.
it
When
cautiously.
you can thus
it is
circum-
dangerously—and
sell
live well!
Doctors, Lawyers, Even Undertakers
They
dangerously at times,
all sell
The doctor does "Well,
it's
your
The lawyer finally
sounds
just so
life. If
much
It's
me
operate
make out a
why
in
." .
.
will,
you want your funds
gled up in courts at your death, bother!
let
get you to
off with, "If
necessary.
persuading, then warns,
you won't
tries to
when
all
and tan-
heck should
I
your death! Your money!"
Even the undertaker
can, at the right
moment, say to
a stingy, penurious family, "Well, he surely took care of
you when he was
him
alive,
and the
least
in a casket that won't cave in
you can do
is
put
on him a year or so
from now!"
Hard
selling?
times this
is
as
hesitant buyer.
Yes—pointed,
needed
curt,
and
stingy!
as castor oil to bring
But
at
around the
PEOPLE LOVE TO PROVE YOU ARE WRONG!
Up Anger
Setting
The challenge he buys.
It is
most
man knows he
Motivation
of this type sets
in the other person,
and
up an anger motivation
to prove the salesman
effective
155
is
wrong
with the customer the
will never see again
if
sales-
he makes no
sale,
so can risk the so-called insult.
Since childhood
we have met
such anger motivations.
We
have met the challenge to climb the swim the dangerous river. As we grow
meet challenges, only with each
other,
steep pole, to
older
and
we
still
in a busi-
ness way.
The
sales
manager often challenges
don't suppose I
his staff with, "I
you can meet the quota, but what can
expect from you?"
The Marine Corps
challenges the recruit with,
"What
makes you think you'd make a good Marine, huh?"
Capitalize
on This
Instinct
So I say capitalize on this instinct in people to prove you incorrect even to gloat over your being wrong! Somehow or other we like to see big shots crumble, and we are annoyed when one of our friends becomes a success and proves we were mistaken in our judgment of them. It is human
—
nature.
You can gain by working on tion in people,
and
this
anger motiva-
especially those tough buyers
you may never have dealings with again.
158
27. And in
G(mduUa*t,
9
2ba*e Ifau!
So you accepted the challenge and read
this
bookl
TOLD YOU THIS BOOK WAS NOT FOR amateurs and that amateurs should not read
it.
Are you
such a beginner? Fine, you are better for having read
You know now how the
it.
professional, the skilled, the ex-
perienced can set about gaining added sales and wealth in a daring manner,
by
selling dangerously,
through
speculation.
Speculating—that thing no beginner should do. Speculating
with a customer should not be practiced unless
you know you have plenty of other customers
to fall
back
on; plenty of other prospects to keep you going in the
event this speculation should flop on you. Selling
The heads
Dangerously
if
money
which buy some blue
you
still
Like Speculating
of the stock exchange tell
insurance, then have after
Is
in the
chips,
bank
first
to fall
and with
have money, then speculate. 157
you
to
buy
back on;
this backlog,
AND
158
I say the
IN CONCLUSION,
same about
few pet accounts
selling dangerously. First
if
your speculation into selling dan-
gerously flops on you. After which, go
bad prospects and plan a on them. They
may
have a
back on; some "insurance" that
to fall
you can continue on
DARE YOU!
I
down
that
list
of
campaign
selling dangerously
aren't blue chips, they are volatile.
They
may make you
a for-
explode in your face. Or they
tune where others have failed in the past. But they are
worth the speculation.
"I
Dare You"
Is
an Old Appeal
"I dare you. I dare you!" shouts the boy, as
a face at the the dare!
way
says to
she
is
red-blooded, she accepts
The boy wins because he you
says to son, "I dare sis,
hits
upon the only
get action.
left to
Dad
little girl. If
"I dare
The butcher
you
to read that book!"
to take a nap.
says to the customer, "I just dare
We
when
the salesman says, "I'm wondering
all like to
The
"I
dare.
you can do
it."
And
The
You Can Do
the student to
to
if
you could
dare.
by
prove she
accepts the challenge and does
was glad
to try
line as I carry."
Don't Think
The teacher dares
you
it!"
accept dares, even the subtle ones
handle such an expensive dare.
Mom
You cant do
this!"
The
he makes
be "shown up."
saying, "I don't think
is
it.
It"
wrong, the student
Teacher
smiles.
She
AND
IN CONCLUSION,
So are salesmen glad
I
DARE YOU!
159
be shown wrong by having a
to
customer say in defiance, "So you think I'm hard to get along with, eh? That I'm a toughie, eh? Well, listen son,
you
just leave
wrong they
order and
I
dare you.
I
Best Defense It's
tell
those
dare you.
Is
an Offensive
an old story that perhaps the best defense of youris
an
throws the prospect and customer
off
self,
monkeys how
are about me!"
dare you.
I
me that
your
firm,
your product,
idea works in making the sale.
For
offensive.
it
guard. This same
The prospect
expects an-
hands and knees, with perhaps a
who comes in on new offer, a new twist.
But not
is
other of those "begging salesmen,"
this time.
This salesman
planning to
sell
dan-
gerously by the art of putting his prospect on the defensive:
"I'm told you are hard to get along with," snaps the salesman, forcing the prospect to get off that high throne.
"I'm told you wouldn't buy nuggets at the price of marbles," continues the salesman, watching the prospect
my list and must report back call, so here I am—toss me out.
fume. "But I've got you on to
my
The
firm I
made
this
faster the better since I've got
some
real calls
down
the street to make!" That's Offensive Language!
The salesman was
we
"all
charge."
He may have
been, as
say in the Marines, "charging to the rear,"
but he
AND
160
IN CONCLUSION,
was not running away, acting being a sales beggar. the prospect
He
had time
I
DARE YOUI
milktoast, or otherwise
charged at the prospect before
to charge at him.
Often when the matador rushes toward the
bull, the
bull retracts, giving the matador the upper hand. It
The prospect can be put on the defensive by a good offensive approach that causes him to back up, retract, seek for a better position. You tum-
happens in
ble
down
his
bottom, he you.
selling, too.
is
Humpty Dumpty often in a better
attitude,
mood
and once
at the
to talk turkey with
Screams the Maiden, "Don't You Dare!" And
the swain, being challenged, bends over
and kisses the maiden, who so wittingly reproached him! "I dare you to marry me! You 9 re a coward, Jim!" has perhaps made many a man accept the challenge and marry the gal! "Don't you dare kiss me, Charlie!" screams the heroine, and Our Hero, ever able to accept the challenge of a maiden, does what she says she doesn't want, but what she knows she does. And Vm sure at the wedding, if the minister had not asked for somebody to step up and challenge the marriage, many a person in the back row would have kept silent! I
dare you*
I
dare you. I dare you.
161
Date f Returned
*hA*W
1
Jm^
\/ an*
dkk
Due Due
Returned
# 6 58,
BUSINESS ADM.
Selling dangerously,
main
658.8W562sC2
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