A Master-Salesman

BY JACK DIONNE

We got q great kick-bqck lrom this column the lime it was here remcrrked thcrt q superscrlesmcn is a so-<rnd-so from the genercrl office who is authorized to mcrke c price below thcrt pennitted the regulcrr scrles force.

But if thct is c "super-sqlesmcnr," whcl, prcy tell, is cr "mcster-scrlesmcrn"? I'll try cnd crnswer thct one, curd this time lhere is nothing lacetious in the delinition. A master-sclesmcn is one who gives to his iob qn <rbsolutely undivided service; who uses his tqlent, his energy, his skill, and his force to the end thcrt hisgoodsmcrybewellsold,hisemployerwellserved, cnrd his customer hcppily cnd scrtisfcrctorily supplied.

A "super-sclesmcn" mcry mcke the clock sbike twelve, but c "mcster-sclesmcnr" will mcke it strike thirteen, crnd don't doubt it.

The "super-sclesnrcn's" interest in qn order is IF he gets it,. and the "masler-scrlesmcrn's" interest is HOW he gets it.

The "super-scrlesmani' puts his own interest lirst, thct ol his employer second, and the interest oI the buyer brings up in the reqr rqnk. The "master-sclesmcrnj'puts cll three on crn ex<rct leveL lrrowing thct cll three must be lcrirly served il successlul crnd repecrt sales crre to be made.

Someone told me long cgo thcrt the best mentcl cttitude for c strlesmcrn is to make believe the buyer is "his other seU," cnd treat him crccordingly. Another scles thought I hcve long cdrnired is thct the better sclesmqn regcrrds himself as the ATTORNEY FOn HIS CUSTOMER'S DEFENSE, and is ccrrelul to sclegucrd thct other lellow's interest even to the point oI proteciing him lrom hie own error$

On the other hcnd the sclesurcrn who is clwcrys hving to outwit the buyer is seldom cr repecrt order getter. It is iust qs bcd for cr salesman to continuclly try and outwit his trcde, crs il is lor cr buyer to deliberctely contribute to the delinquency of c sclesmqn by outwitting him. A smcrrt mqn<r even c fcrirly dull one-will permit you to trick him iust one time.

Mutucrlity oI interest between buyer crnd seller is the cornerstone ol selling success. For q salesmqn to imcgine thcrt his interests cre sepcrrcrte lrom those ol his customer is cs unwise cs to imcgine they ccn be sepcrrcted lrom those of his employer. And the sclesmcn who cllows himsell to indulge in TIIAT beliel, will soon lind his ncme in the "Iob Wcrnted" columns cgcin

"Ccvecrt Emptor"-let the buyer bew<rre-is the moito oI the "super-scrlesmcrn-"

-I will sell these goods so thct the customer will be glcd to see me come bcrck, cnd the boss will be proud oI me when I go home," scrl's the "mqster-sclesncm." In other words, he is the guy they used to tell qbout who "so lived his lile thct he could look the whole world in the l<rce card tell it to go to hell."