The main idea for a salesman to have is CONTRACTS. Therefore, since his objective point is the securing of a signed contract from his prospect, there is only one way to judge his success as a salesman and that is by the number of bona fide contracts he secures. Such being the case, it will be seen that the man who gets his contracts the quickest will cover the most ground and in all probability turn in the most business. This is the type of man who commands the highest salary and is of the greatest value to his firm.
Now, what stands in the way of the less successful salesman from equaling the exploits of his fellow craftsman? Obviously, he works along wrong lines. As the writer sees it, one of the most prevalent faults of the average salesman is his dogged determination not to let anybody out-talk him and in his zeal to keep up his end of the conversation, he engages in a conversational marathon with his prospective customer that often ends in the exhaustion of both.
The object of the interview is lost in an argument on some irrelevant matter, but our garrulous salesman returns to the office and tells his superior that he had a long talk with “Mr. C.,” although he neglects to state that both he and “Mr. C.” carefully avoided any reference to the subject matter. If the salesman was lucky enough not to malign any of “Mr. C.’s” favorite hobbies he may be rewarded with the business. But in the meantime, the “boss” salesman has let the customer do the talking and has “rung the bell” with unfailing regularity.
Let your prospect take the conversational bit in his teeth and run away if he pleases, but hold him in his course by timely references to the object of your visit. A little story of the writer’s personal experience with one of these long-distance talkers might serve to illustrate the point:
Four of the five salesmen had tried to sign up “Mrs. J” and they had all failed. She had called up the office and complained of the impudence of two of them and the others had met her and come off with experience only. I heard the boys talking of their attempts to placate the “old lady.’’ They all agreed that she was an “iron-jawed talking machine,” and not any too particular what she said. They had all been routed and were through.
I thought to myself that I would take a chance with this ogress, so the next morning found me on her front porch, ringing the door bell. The door opened and there she stood. A nice-looking elderly lady with black-rimmed spectacles, but I noted, not without some concern, her lean, angular jaw.
“Good morning, ‘Mrs. J,’” I said in my most businesslike tones, at the same time handing her my card.
The old lady adjusted her spectacles, carefully read the card, and looked me over from head to foot. Then deliberately, like a strong man toying with a weight as he prepares to lift it, she rolled her tongue around, opened her mouth and started talking. “I suppose you have come out here to try to get me to sign up with your company, she snapped. “They would have had my business long ago if they did not have such impudent representatives in their employ. Why, do you know, ‘Mr. Q,’” and away she went.
I decided to simply hold her in her course and give her a free rein. Two hours afterward, and we had stood up at the door all this time, she suddenly stopped talking, looked at the tall clock in the hall and said, “My, I have almost forgotten Mr. J’s lunch,” and in the same breath, “Well, Mr. Q, you have talked me out of my business. I’ll sign with you.” I produced my contract blanks and pencil and as she signed, she looked at me and said, “Can’t you come out some night and meet my husband, I enjoyed your conversation so much.”
And I can assure you that, aside from handing her my card, all I had said to her was, “Good morning.” I was too exhausted to say good-bye, and it is needless to say that I have not yet met her husband.
All of which happened four years ago and the old lady is still numbered among our satisfied consumers.
MORAL: He is best sold who sells himself.