SALESMAN'S a selling force exists it will pay to gather together from every available source and on all possible occasions the difficulties met in selling and the means of overcoming them, the objections raised by prospective purchasers, and how they were counter acted. Notes of such a kind, brought together into a mimeographed record in the case of a small force, and into a printed book in the case of a large one, will materially increase the efficiency of the staff. Where the nature of the goods offered is fully understood by the possible purchaser, owing to their being. staple productions, the need is not so great, but where the article or line of article presented is likely to be more or less of a novelty to the possible purchaser, then the salesman's booklet becomes almost a necessity. It may be au open question as to whether it is quite fair to the party to be called upon that the salesman should have so fore-armed himself. if the goods to be sold were shoddy, and unreliable, the practice could not be defended, any more than many other things said and done by men who would associate themselves with such goods.
In the sale of high-grade goods by high-grade men, to purchaser:, who will derive a substantial benefit from their investment, it is mom, than justiliable to get together those arguments which will convince the hesitating prospect in the shortest possible time and the nicest possible way.
The use of such a book by salesmen has been quietly going on in a number of firms for some years, and unusual success has resulted. The material for
such a book is collected at the periodical meetings of the selling force and heads of departments, a stenographer being present as a matter of course upon such occasions. Additional matter comes from letters occasionally received from selling men outlining difficulties which have not been over come, an experienced salesman investigating such matters and embodying the results in the next edition. Where a training school for salesmen exists the selling man appointed to conduct it is naturally able to contribute valuable material, since he has to get it together in order to make up his There is nothing unusual, even in a very small force, in having the most successful salesman give his less fortunate colleagues the benefit of his past experience on the road in connection with the special goods handled, and such hints and advice might just as well be preserved in permanent form as allowed to be dissipated as soon as spoken.
It must be admitted that it occasionally happens that a prospective purchaser has heard of such concentrated salesmanship, but since the hand book will naturally contain hints for e&ctively combating this phase of the question, it is somewhat immaterial, even if the party waited upon refuses to argue, for he is far better off talking to a man who has learned his business thoroughly than wasting time with an amateur who has never really made a study of his work.