If by cold logic and direct argument the salesman has convinced the prospect, against his inclination, that he ought to buy, it is possible that he will have created an antagonism which will render the closing of the sale impossible. Yet here again, we do not want to get the impression that the intellectual appeal has no place in selling. The salesman who has not studied his article until he can produce reason after reason why a logical man should buy it, is not likely to succeed. The professional purchasing agent and the department store buyer have competitors' goods in mind and will buy from the salesman, not because his proposition is a good one, but because it is a better one. Hence argument is necessary in selling to trained buyers. In the sale of scientific goods, the ability of those goods to do the work for which they are designed, and to do it well, must be demonstrated. Even in these cases, however, suggestion and the imaginative appeal are used at the close. The de partment store buyer must imagine the goods moving rapidly. The scientific man must picture himself using the article. As salesinen we should realize that, while the appeal to the intellect has its place. cold logic and abstract arguments of themselves close few sales. They must be accompanied by some imag inative appeal that will create in the prospect's mind a mental picture of his condition and needs and con vert conviction into an impulse to buy.
14. The imaginative prominent and well-to-do lawyer in a New England town had in his office a veritable rattle-trap of a typewriter whose type was badly broken and out of alignment. A typewriter salesman had made several ineffectual at tempts to get him to buy a new machine. The sales man pointed out that the old machine would not last much longer anyhow, and that its appearance was not in keeping with the dignity of the office, but all to no avail. The lawyer clung to the old machine. Then one day the salesman sat down in his own office and typed a page of legal cap on a disreputable old ma chine that he had taken in exchange; the typing was blotchy, broken and out of alignment. Next, he typed a similar page with one of the newest and best machines in stock. With this material in hand, he called upon the lawyer.
"Mr. Lawyer," he began, "when you go before a jury you are particular as to your dress. You make sure that your clothes are carefully pressed; that your shoes are polished; that your linen is immaculate— and you would never think of appearing in court with your face unshaven. Why? You would be just as good a lawyer, no matter what your appearance. Your arguments would be just as forceful. But you are afraid that a poor appearance might lessen others' opinion of your ability—create a bad impression, in other words. Mr. Lawyer, you don't always get an
opportunity to present your cases in person. Some times you are asked to submit briefs. How do you get up 3,-our briefs? Like this (showing the poorly typed sheet) , so that their slovenly appearance de tracts from the forcefulness of their arguments? Or like this (showing the neatly typed sheet) , immacu late and pleasing in dress so that they produce a favor able impression even before they are read?" This appeal to the imagination put the whole mat ter in a new light. The lawyer in his mind's eye saw the judge pick up his slovenly brief and frown as he glanced at it. He doubtless recalled close decisions where he had lost when, to his mind, his masterly brief bad entitled him to win. The sale was made.
By the imaginative appeal is meant tbe introduction into the prospect's mind of some suggestion around which the prospect constructs a mental picture, with himself as tlie central figure. The result of the ap peal to the intellect is analytical in its nature. The result of the imaginative appeal, on the other hand, is synthetic—it involves the relating of one thought to another and the building of the picture in the mind of the prospect. The salesman who furnishes a stimulus for this synthesis is said to be appealing to the imagi nation.
An examination of selling talks will reveal the fact that many of them are aimed at the emotions. The vacuum cleaner salesman previously referred to, caused one of his prospects to picture herself going to the matinee, and the other to picture himself sallying forth each morning brushed by vacuum. The tele phone man whose work has been described, painted for the merchant a vivid picture of clerks wasting time, and a more pleasant one of employes giving ef ficient service to customers. There is in New York a builder of suburban homes who goes to considerable expense furnishing one of his newly constructed houses with fine rugs, period furniture, tapestry and expensive pictures. All prospects are taken first into this model home so that they may imagine themselves living there. Then, and not until then, they are shown the other houses; and they picture every one furnished like the model. This same man has in structed his salesmen never to use the word "houses," but always "homes," because the latter term holds the greater and more pleasurable appeal to the, imagi nation.
In the great achievements of history, in the prog ress of invention and scientific discovery, we find imagination to have been the great stimulus to action. In selling, the imaginative appeal is effective because it stirs at once to action.