SELLING PROCESS-TIIE INTERVIEW 1. Object of studying developments in a sale.— The selling process may be approached from two sep arate and distinct points. First, by examining the various psychological processes involved we can de termine why a sale is made. And second, by examin ing the statements and actions of the salesman we can determine hoNv a sale is made. It is this latter point, how a sale is made, which we are principally concerned with in this book. Our main object, therefore, in ex amining in detail the developments that take place in a sale, is to be able to give the salesman a thoro under standing of these developments, in order that he may plan for any particular commodity or service, a pres entation and demonstration that will produce these developments in their natural order and carry the sale to a successful conclusion. And it is with this end in view that the developments in the selling process should be studied.
2. Attention; its tell us that the mind is under a continual bombardment of ideas, all of which are trying to make an impression upon it. The activities of a man's business that are going on about him, the people around him, the ideas that he has in mind to work out, the train of thought started by some object on which his vision rests—to say nothing of such commonplace things as his morn ing mail, his telephone and the papers on his desk—all claim his attention. And what is more, there is in sistent demand that Ile attend immediately to one or several of these things. The prospect, therefore, does not sit around with his mind a blank, calmly waiting for someone or something to capture his attention without a struggle. The salesman enters a field already well occupied and must fight for the undivided attention that is essential to a successful sale. He must, by his personality, his proposition and by his opening remarks, eliminate all competitors for that attention and hold the field alone.
3. Conditions favorable to attention.—Since the
prospect's attention is so elusive, the salesman should not seek it at a time when other strong claims are pressing upon it. If the prospect is really too busy to give his attention, it is to the salesman's advantage to postpone his interview, make a definite appointment and call again. If the prospect is waiting to attend to some important business, the salesman should avoid being granted merely a short five or ten minutes of his time, for the prospect will find it impossible to give him any serious attention. It goes without saying, of course, that the salesman should be convinced of the sincerity of the prospect and should not allow himself to be put off with mere excuses.
The astute salesman will never break in upon a re tailer when lie is engaged with a customer, nor will he stand waiting for any length of time where the retailer may be disturbed by his presence. The retailer is naturally more interested in his customer than in the salesman, for to the Man in business, selling is always more interesting than buying.
A salesman should never attempt to talk to a man who is not listening—Nvho is writing a letter or oc cupying himself in any other way. He should not attempt to compel attention by loud, fast or feverish talking. One of the best specialty salesmen in the country, whenever he met a situation of this kind, was wont to sit back and ask in a very dignified way, "Does this interest you, Mr. Prospect?" The answer almost invariably was an apologetic yes. The salesman's idea was that in order to be successful he would have to dominate the interview at every point. He preferred to lose the sale in a clean battle for the domination of the interview, rather than to allow the prospect to dominate him and give him but a scant measure of attention.
The ideal conditions under which to secure a pros pect's undivided attention are to be alone with the prospect, to have him comfortable and to have abso lute quiet.