6. Acquisitiveness and desire for ne cessity of taking the "you" attitude, of appealing to the prospect's self-interest, of showing him clearly how he will be benefited, has been emphasized previ ously in these pages. The salesman who thinks prin cipally of himself and his house during the interview probably will not make the sale; he will do well to for get his interests and think of the prospect's interests. In the last analysis we are all selfish and self-centered ; we buy from selfish motives, and the salesman who can satisfy this desire for gain on the part of his prospect is appealing successfully to the most deep-seSted of all buying motives.
This motive rests not alone upon the desire to get but also upon the desire to keep. Some years ago a collection of battle pictures of the Civil War, repro duced from famous paintings, was put on the market. The price for the series was fixed at five dollars. At the end of six months, close to sixty thousand dollars had been spent for advertising' and the receipts amounted to less than one thousand dollars. It was decided to cut the price to two dollars in order to sell out the edition and recover part of the loss. The plan was to spend no more money but simply to announce the reduction to the trade. But a clever advertising man who was called into consultation, conceived the plan of sending circular letters to the members of the Grand Army of the Republic and to the Sons of Veterans, inclosing a receipt for three dollars, made out in the name of the member and signed by the pub lishers, to apply on the purchase of the pictures. The price of the pictures, the circular stated, was five dol lars, but the publishers wanted every member of these organizations to have them—hence the receipt which, accompanied by two dollars, would entitle the member to the pictures.
Here was something of value with which it was diffi cult to part. A signed receipt for three dollars is not easily thrown away. The result was that a great many of these men used their receipts either to get the pictures for themselves or to secure them for a friend, as a special favor.
This same appeal to acquisitiveness can be made in personal salesmanship. The dealer who is offered an,exclusive agency feels that he has within his grasp something of value which he must relinquish if he does not sign up ; the special price that will not be offered again is a strong incentive to immediate pur chase. The offer of a limited supply which necessi tates restricting the special opportunity to a favored few, prompts that favored few to take advantage of the unusual conditions. The special arrangement of a wide assortment in small lots, which the salesman will make for today only, is tempting. Acquisitive
ness may be defined as that quality in the human being which makes it difficult for him to relinquish anything of potential value.
Closely allied with this characteristic is the tendency of the average person to reach out eagerly for any thing that is held back. The salesman who can create the impression that he is not especially anxious to sell can create in the prospect an anxiety to buy. There is something in human nature that makes us want what is not easy to get.
7. Love of home and men may calculate to the last penny where their business is con cerned, but ninety-nine out of every hundred are generous when it comes to the home and the comforts of the family circle. The average man will make all sorts of sacrifices, put forth extra effort and spend much time on trains, to provide a suburban, home which he himself rarely has an opportunity to enjoy by daylight, solely in order that bis wife and children may be comfortable. The piano salesman, when he learns that the prospect has a daughter, does not tell of the high-grade finish or the fact that this instrument is thirty dollars cheaper than a competitor's, but points out how, with a piano in the home, the daughter will be happy and contented. The automobile dealer talks to the husband and father in terms of health and enjoyment for his wife and children and the prospect will buy if it is at all possible. The retail salesman's suggestion that one does not want to be anything but generous in the home is often sufficient to effect the sale of high-priced clothing or furniture of the finest quality. The love of family and the desire to do everything possible for their comfort and happiness in the home, are innate in every man.
8. Imitation.—Imitation is a powerful force be hind advancement and progress. Children learn by imitating their elders. Their elders learn by imitat ing their associates. From childhood up, education consists, to a great extent, in imitating the actions of others. Despite all this, almost everyone resents being asked to imitate another. The suggestion that a per son take a certain step solely because someone else has taken it, renders him antagonistic. Every salesman, at one time or another, has had a prospect say to him : "I don't care what these other fellows are do ing. I don't care who has bought your proposition or who hasn't. Show me what it is and what it will do for me." The salesman's appeal to this buying motive, imitation, must, generally speaking, be veiled and subordinated to some more direct appeal.