Masonry Magazine April 1965 Page. 16
THE SELLING PARADE
by CHARLES B. ROTH, America's no. 1 salesmanship authority
The Selling Parade by Charles B. Roth is another new feature added by masonry. Watch for it in all future issues of the magazine for the entire Masonry Industry. Cut out this article and future articles and place them in your business file for further reference.
Take It Easy, Boy
The two were working together. One was a neophyte, a beginner; and this was almost his first day in the field. His companion is an old stager, the kind of salesman who has sold everything, who can sell everything: the kind of salesman to whom no situation in selling is foreign.
The boy was doing the selling, and the older fellow was listening.
An eager, aggressive, go-getter kind of chap, the young salesman was giving his prospects the works. He was shoving them into corners, button-holing them, shaking fingers at them, pushing, pushing. pushing.
And for all this what was he getting? Nothing, Not a thing but one thing-frustration and bewilderment.
And here we were, we three in my room in the hotel, having a medicine talk about the day's affairs.
Out of it I learned the value of easy selling, for that is what the older salesman was telling his young companion.
"Take it easy, boy" said he. "You are preventing sales, not making them, by your aggressive attitude. You are talking to men twice your age, men who aren't afraid of cops or threats any more; mature men who have to be led, because they have reached the stage where no one on earth can drive them, even their wives. So what chance have you?
"My suggestion is this. Develop ease of manner. Don't hurry. Don't raise your voice. Act nonchalant, even indifferent when you present your goods. Make your claims and make them strong, but don't try to force the issue.. Let him take his time. Now and then drop a suggestion that leads to the order, but make it a suggestion not a command, not a threat.
"You will find that you can easily sell men by this soft-sell method who only laugh in your teeth when you try to pressure them. Oh, there's pressure behind everything you say, but you keep it clothed in calmness and agreeableness."
That, I take it, is one of the most important lessons you can learn from me or anyone else this month.
Draw Your Attitude Profile
You get only as far in selling as your attitude will allow you to get. You know that. You have heard of postive thinking, the attitude of success, etc., etc. And you are tired of hearing them. You wonder is there anything to this attitude business or is it delightful bunk?
Let me tell you: There is much to it. There is everything to it. Do you know what kind of attitude you have now?
Let's see if we can draw your attitude profile together. Let me ask questions. You tell yourself whether you are high, or average, or low in the quality of your attitude.
Are you willing to accept criticism? Are you patient in waiting your turn in a line? Are you willing to be taught or coached or do you feel you know it all?
Toward the shortcomings of others are you tolerant or charitable? Are you loyal to your house, your boss, your associates? Are you a sharer of ideas or a hoarder? Are you willing to admit your own mistakes?
It's pretty bitter medicine to answer these honestly and if you don't there is no use to take the test-and find your attitude is wrong.
But it is good medicine if you will take it, because it can help you get your attitude right.
Tit For Tat
The salesman told me that he had learned selling while a student at Stillwater, Oklahoma, at the college that was then known as Oklahoma A. & M.
"Learned it in the gymnasium and my teacher was Ed Gallagher, the wrestling coach," he continued. "You have heard of him?"
"Of course. He was the best of them all. He produced more champions than any college coach in history. I have admired him for a long time."
"He didn't produce a champion in me," the salesman admitted honestly, "but I feel it was his philosophy which made a salesman of me."
Asked what philosophy this was, he told me:
"Gallagher was a careful student of wrestling moves; a scientist really He instisted that wrestling was nine-tenths headwork brains and one-tenth backwork brawn.
"He used to tell us that there are no impossible situations in wrestling. Your opponent gets you into a tight spot. But you won't remain in it if you know how to get out. This is known as breaking holds. There is a break for every hold, he said; a counter for every move.
"I carried that advice in my mind when I got out into selling, where I found a good many more 'holds' than I ever found in wrestling-objections, resistances world without end that the prospect would bring up.
"At first, in the face of these, I was sunk; but presently I began thinking of the breaks for these mental holds the prospect was getting on me. Soon I had them classified, worked out; and then let the prospect clamp one on my neck. I know what to do to get out of it and clamp a selling point on his."
Cut out this article and future articles and place them in your business file for further reference. APRIL 1965 CHARLES ROTH. All rights reserved. MASONRY April, 1965