The morning of the second day might be given over to a discussion of improvements in the product, and the afternoon session to sales-building plans for the coming year, including methods of handling territory and training new men, plans for the development of new territory, office cooperation and advertising.
The morning of the third day might be devoted to improvements in the presentation and selling talk, and the afternoon to improvements in samples and equip ment and to actual selling talks given by star sales men.
5. Talks by the salesmen.—Probably the most im portant, and certainly the most inspiring thing at the convention will be the talks on various sub j ects given by individual salesmen. The topic on which each man is to talk should be arranged beforehand. One con cern which at one of its conventions had called upon each member of the selling organization without any previous preparation, for a talk of from three to five minutes' duration found that a great many of the men were at a loss for something to say and comparatively little of what was said was really worth while. After the first few had spoken, those who followed spent their five minutes mainly in indorsing the things that had been said previously. The following year, there fore, this concern followed the plan of announcing to each of the salesmen six weeks in advance, the sub ject on which he would be expected to talk for five minutes at the convention.
The subjects assigned to some of the men were those on which they were best qualified to talk; those assigned to others were subjects on which the sales manager wanted them to put some deep thought. To some salesmen, for example, were assigned the dis cussion of appeals to certain classes of prospects. Others were requested to discuss the most effective use of certain samples and equipment. One salesman was asked to outline a strong opening talk, another to discuss effective closing tactics. Still another was asked to talk on how to cover a widely scattered ter ritory. A salesman who had been especially success ful handling advertising inquiries was asked to tell how he did it. Still another was asked to give an in spiring talk on the importance of "saving the day," that is, of letting no day go by without securing an order. Several who had each put over some big deal
during the year were asked to make that deal the sub ject of their talk.
These talks were spread over the entire convention, a certain time each day being devoted to hearing some of them. The talks became so intensely interesting that during the convention, one of the salesmen made a motion that the talks be issued in printed form im mediately after the convention, so that each salesman might have the opportunity of going over them again. As a stenographic report of the convention was being made, this was a simple matter. The talks were found to be so full of valuable selling suggestions and real selling helps that they were printed and made part of the concern's sales manual.
6. Securing maximum benefit from the convention. —Every minute of the time spent in convention is valuable and none of it should be wasted by rambling talks, fruitless discussions or too much emphasis on relatively unimportant matters. This matter lies largely in the hands of the presiding officer. Definite methods for avoiding these things should be devised, however. In the first place, a firm stand should be taken against coming in late to the convention ses sions. It should be made plain to the salesman that this is an act of discourtesy toward the presiding of ficer, the speaker and the other salesmen. The sales manager should insist that men who talk must have something really important to say. Every man who is given the floor should be limited to a certain time determined by the importance of the subject under discussion. The chairman should have a bell to ring when the speaker's time is up. This rather arbitrary method will be softened if the bell is first rung for a high official who has purposely exceeded his time.
No rival conventions of three or four men in the rear of the hall should be allowed, for nothing is more distracting to the speaker or to the other salesmen These minor discussions can be broken up courteously and effectively by drawing one of the men thus en gaged into the main discussion.