Certain Success Part 24

[Sidenote: Art of Knocking and Winning a Welcome]

Throughout the various steps of the selling process, salesmans.h.i.+p is an _art_. The art of knocking at the door of opportunity and of winning the invitation to come in lies in _making favorable out-of-the-ordinary impressions in unusual ways_. The salesman himself, his methods of presenting his services for sale, and his qualifications--all should stand out distinctly, and make impressions of his individuality. He should not seem like a common applicant for a position, but should suggest to the prospective employer that he is a man of uncommon characteristics and especial capability.

[Sidenote: The Process And Effects]

That is the way to make a good impression. Such an impression of an extraordinary personality first affords pleasure, then excites a degree of admiration, and next arouses a certain amount of curiosity that is nearly akin to interest. If you please your prospect in your initial impression on him, he will like you and begin to feel _personal concern_ about your application.

[Sidenote: a.n.a.lyze, Discriminate, Restrict]

In order to qualify yourself for taking this step of the selling process effectively hereafter, a.n.a.lyze the impressions you make now.

Discriminatively select the good and bad details. Then restrict your future practice in perfecting the art of inducing interest, to the development and use of your pleasing qualities only.

[Sidenote: The Interesting Opening]

Most men begin an interview with a prospective employer indefinitely or in merely general terms. Naturally they confront a wall of non-interest.

You have come, remember, on a mission of service. Please at once by presenting the idea that you know a particular service which is lacking and which you can supply. Break the ice of strangeness between you and your prospect by an appeal first to his human side through a smile of _genuine friendliness_ and by looking straight into his eyes so that he can see into your heart.

Then in a business-like way get right down to business without hesitation. Show enthusiasm, which is contagious if not overdone. Base your enthusiasm on real optimism. Indicate temperamental youthfulness in vigor and courage. Say something original--something strong, maybe a little startling; but it must be self-evidently true. By all means avoid anything that suggests parrot talk or indefinite thought. Do not expect the other man to listen with interest to a statement proceeding from premise to conclusion.

[Sidenote: Headlines]

_Use headlines prominently and often_ to summarize the body of your proposal. Headlines attract your attention and induce your interest in particular newspaper items. Employ headline statements for the same purpose in selling the idea of your capabilities; just as surely you will get attention and interest.

A noted sales manager who had been earning a large salary made up his mind that satisfying success for him was to be gained only through a business in which he would be partly an owner instead of just an employee. He called together a group of financiers and introduced his purpose by saying to them, "Gentlemen, I have an idea in which I have so much confidence that I will resign my $75,000 a year job to develop it.

I want to explain it to you and to have your co-operation in financing a project I have worked out." His headline statement secured instant interest, of course.

_There is something about yourself or your capabilities that you can put into headlines._ In forcible, vivid language you can strike some senses of your prospects. Think of headline statements about your services.

Write them out in advance. You may be certain they will produce the same psychological effect as headlines in the newspapers.

[Sidenote: Sense Doors Always Open]

_Use the sense avenues_ to introduce agreeable suggestions into your prospect's mind centers of attention and interest. Then you will be employing the _unusual_ methods of a master salesman, who devises ways of using every possible sense appeal.

_The sense doors are always open. They are held open by the subconscious mind. If you understand your way through them there will be no doubt about the effectiveness of your knock at the door of opportunity, or about getting an invitation for your ideas to enter the mind of the other man._

CHAPTER IX

_Getting Yourself Wanted_

[Sidenote: Show a Need For Your Services]

A great many salesmen mistakenly believe that if they can interest a prospect thoroughly in their goods, he is almost sure to buy. When this stage is reached, they think they only need to keep his interest growing to close the sale. If, instead, it drags on interminably, they are utterly at a loss regarding what _more_ they should do to secure the order.

Do not fall into a similar error when selling true ideas of your best capabilities. Not only is it necessary that you induce your prospective employer's _interest_ in your personal qualifications, but you need to make him realize there is a _present lack_ in his business which you can fill to his satisfaction. _You must get yourself wanted._

You might make an excellent first impression on the man you have chosen as your future chief. He might listen attentively to your presentation of ideas, and question you so interestedly that you would expect him to say at any moment, "All right. The job is yours." Then, instead of engaging your services, he might remark, "I'll keep your name on file."

Or he might say, "I know a man who probably could use you. I'll give you a note to him." You would win a cordial farewell handshake from your prospect, but not an acceptance of your proposal to work with him. You would leave without the job. _Your failure would be due to your inability to get yourself sufficiently wanted_.

[Sidenote: See Yourself Through Your Prospect's Eyes]

Now imagine yourself in the place of this employer. See your application through his eyes. Unless you can look at yourself from the prospect's viewpoint, you may not comprehend your deficiency in salesmans.h.i.+p.

The employer upon whom you called said to himself while you were trying to sell your services, "Here is a very attractive man. He presents an interesting proposition. But I have no real need for such an employee; therefore it would be poor business for me to engage him, much as I should like to do so. I am sorry that at present I have no place for him in my organization. He's a man I'd like to keep track of, so I'll file his name and address for possible future reference. Meanwhile I'll give him a note to my friend Smith. I hate to turn him down cold; he's such a fine man."

Evidently the employer did not feel a _lack_ in his own business. You failed to make him realize any _need_ for your services.

[Sidenote: Proving A Need]

Contrast with this ill.u.s.tration the case of an efficiency engineer who secured his chance to overhaul a factory by demonstrating to a manufacturer that he needed a new order-checking system. The engineer "beat" the old system and brought to the manufacturer's office a lot of goods he had secured that could not be checked. His salesmans.h.i.+p compelled attention, induced thorough interest, and proved there was a hole that should be filled. When the lack was shown convincingly, the manufacturer wanted it satisfied. The sale of the engineer's services was quickly closed.

[Sidenote: Getting Yourself Wanted Is Only One Step Ahead]

Do not jump to the conclusion that you are sure of the job you desire, just as soon as you get yourself wanted. You are not yet at the end of the selling process. The prospect has only been conducted successfully another step forward toward your goal. _The moment after he realizes the lack in his business, he is apt to question most critically your qualifications for filling it._

[Sidenote: a.n.a.lysis Naturally Follows Desire]

_As soon as a man begins to feel a real tug of desire for anything, he examines it with new, increased interest to make sure there isn't something the matter with it._ The suit of clothes that only induces his interest in a shop window is pa.s.sed by after a look. However, if he says to himself, "That's the kind of suit I want," he goes in and examines the workmans.h.i.+p and the cloth, in search of faults. The salesman may need to overcome certain objections of his prospect before the order can be secured.

But we have not reached the objections stage of the uncompleted sale.

That is the subject of the next chapter. Let us retrace our steps to study the essence of the art of getting yourself wanted.

[Sidenote: Two-part Process of Getting Yourself Wanted]

There are two parts to the process. First, you must show the prospect what he lacks; that in his business there is _an unoccupied opportunity for such services as you believe you are capable of rendering to his benefit and satisfaction_. Second, you need to _picture yourself filling the place and giving the service_; to show him imaginatively _your qualifications at work in his business_.

[Sidenote: Sincerity Of Service Purpose]

Of course it is primarily necessary that you believe in your own capability, and in the value to the other man of the qualities you have brought to him for sale. Unless you have this feeling yourself, you will not be likely to draw out his reciprocating desire for your services.

You are not dealing now with his mind. _Desire proceeds from the heart.

It is emotional, not mental_. The least suspicion of your insincerity would check your prospect's feeling that he wants you as an employee.

You must feel that you have come with a purpose of genuine service, and you must draw out his similar feeling.

[Sidenote: Desire Comes Out of the Heart]

When you knocked at the door of your prospect's mind, and when you sought to induce his welcome for your ideas, your object was to get him to take your thoughts _into_ his head. The line of action is _reversed_ at the desire stage of the selling process. Until now _you_ have been the moving party. You have been getting yourself and your ideas into his consciousness. But while attention and interest are _receptive_ processes, the emotion of genuine desire starts with an _outward moving impulse from the prospect_. It isn't enough that he open his heart and let you enter, as he has admitted your ideas to his mind. _If he really wants you, his feeling of desire will come out after you_.

[Sidenote: Service Value is Appreciated]

You have revealed to your prospect a lack in his business, and have pictured yourself filling it to his satisfaction. You have done him a double service. It is human nature to _appreciate_ such a genuine service, and to _want more_ like it. The first service is accepted with appreciation, but when the square man wants more _he makes a move to get it, and expects to pay for it_. As soon as you have shown the lack and your ability to fill it, and have pictured yourself "on the job," it will be natural for your prospect to want you there in fact.

The colored porter who washed the windows and scrubbed floors in the general offices of a manufacturing corporation was ambitious to rise in the social scale and to earn a larger salary. One evening he went to the private office of the president, and presented for sale an idea of his capability for a different job.

[Sidenote: Official Welcomer Wanted]

"Boss," he began, "You-all ain't got n.o.body dere to de front doah to make folks feel welcome-like when dey comes in heah. Down in Virginny my ol' gran-pap useter weah a dress suit ever' day an' jist Stan' in de front hall of his ol' ma.s.sa's house, a-waitin' to bow an' smile to comp'ny whad'd come in. If you'll jist rent me one o' dem dar suits, Boss, I could stan' out in the front office an' make folks feel we wuz glad to see 'um, lak' mah gran'pap did. When ennybody comes heah now, dey ain't n.o.body pays much 'tention to 'um. You'd orter git somebody on dat job, Boss; an' I reckon I'm jist 'bout cut out foh it, suh."