Masonry Magazine June 1968 Page. 10
SMOOTH SELLING
by George N. Kahn, Marketing Consultant
RELAXING BETWEEN ROUNDS
When a woman is down in the dumps she may go out and splurge on a $40 handbag or an expensive hat to lift her spirits.
Salesmen, whose spirits-and sales- are sagging, need the same kind of therapy. A new hat may help but usually a more drastic remedy is called for.
Several things may happen to a man when his earnings fall off. Often, whether he is aware of it or not, he has lost his zest for selling; the edge is off his approach and style. He also may blame his failure on other people-his boss, his customers, or even his wife. As these rationalizations take hold, he retreats further into self pity. He works less and complains more.
Change of Pace
Every salesman needs a change of pace to keep him at top performance level. He will work out at a gym to tone his muscles and maintain physical trim, but it seldom occurs to him that his inner being needs the same kind of toning.
Ron Morrison, a friend of mine, was walking through Central Park one day when he noticed one of the country's most prominent industrialists sitting idly on a bench. Ron had met the man socially and went up and introduced himself.
"I'm amazed," said Ron candidly, "to see a man of your position just sitting here and doing nothing."
The industrialist, whose business interests stretched from one end of the nation to the other, smiled and replied: "Well, I don't get a chance to do this often, but I am far from idle. I make it a point every now and then to get away from the heat of battle and think my problems through. At the same time I honestly appraise myself. This keeps me from becoming stale and self-satisfied. After a half hour or so here I go back to my office refreshed in both mind and body."
Develop New Interests
Strike out for new experiences and interests.
Most professional people-salesmen, doctors, lawyers, engineers confine themselves to rather narrow worlds. They rarely see anyone outside their sphere of activity and seldom extend their knowledge beyond their own field.
You can add richness to your life and make yourself more interesting and attractive as a salesman if you will broaden your horizon. The cost is cheap. It can be accomplished by reading, meeting new people, developing a hobby or by travelling.
One of the most successful salesmen I've ever known is an amateur archeologist, an avocation that he fell into quite accidentally.
Several years ago my friend, Merritt Lanning, was on a train and spotted a book on an empty seat.
Merrit leafed through the book, noting without much interest that it was about archeology. As he read more, however, the subject began to fascinate him. He read the book from cover to cover. When he returned home he virtually emptied the library of all its volumes on archeology.
He spends many of his vacations digging for ruins in Mexico, Arizona and as far away as Peru.
His job? His earnings increased 50% after he found an outside interest. He claims it has been a real shot in the arm to his selling.
"You would be surprised," he told me "how often my hobby comes up in an interview. Many of my customers and several prospects have heard about it and want to know more."
Sult Your Own Needs
Each man should change his pace in a way that's best suited to him.
You might find that the best way to break out of a slump is to work harder. Some salesmen keep themselves so busy on the job that they don't have time to brood about near misses and other irritants that blight a day.
And movies, if you don't make a habit of them during working hours, are a good way to relax. But, above all, select some form of diversion that will please you. There are no hard and fast rules for resting and relaxing.
REPRINTS FOR YOUR SALESMEN
This is a condensed version. Each lesson is available in an expanded form, in a 4-page brochure, size 8x11, printed in 2 colors on white glossy paper and is 3-hole punched to fit any standard 3-ring binder. Each subject in this expanded version is fully and completely developed in comprehensive detail and includes a self-examination quis for Salesmen, Prices are as follows:
1 to 5 coples (of each article) 50 cents each
10 to 49 copies of each article) 376 cents each
50 to 99 copies (of each article) 30 cents each
100 or more copies (of each article) 25 cents each
The entire series may be pre-ordered or individual articles may be ordered by number address orders to the George N. Kahn Co.. Marketing
Another key to a peaceful mind is in not allowing yourself to become discouraged and bitter by criticism. Some men let themselves go downhill because they can't take criticism either from their boss or their customers. Instead of trying to profit from the censure, they see themselves as all white and their critics as all black.
Your Family is on Your Side
Don't go home and stew around the house all night, nursing your troubles. Your family is on your side. Talk it over with them, particularly your wife. Use your off days to go places and do things with your family. This is a refreshing tonic.
I once arrived home tired and dispirited after a day in which I didn't even come close to getting an order. My wife, after hearing my tale of woe, suggested brightly: "Let's go to Boston. I looked at her in amazement. "Why on earth should we go to Boston?" I asked. "Just for fun," she replied, "and because we've never been there." We took a two-day trip to Boston and had a wonderful time time seeing the historic sights, eating good food and simply relaxing.
The next week I went after the same prospects who had turned me down. But now I was feeling as powerful as a recharged battery. The excursion had restored my spirits and energy. Of the three prospects who had sent me away. I sold two of them big orders and got a promise from the third. He delivered on the promise two weeks later.
Take Action
Here is a little exercise to see if you let yourself get into a rut. An answer of "yes" to at least eight of the questions is a pretty good indication that you know how to relax:
1. Do you spend at least a half hour a week doing nothing but thinking? Yes No
2. Do you have a hobby? Yes No
3. Do you like to read? Yes No
4. Do you ever try an exotic dish in a restau rant? Yes No
5. Do you look for new ways to approach your job? Yes No
6. Do you talk over your problems with your family? Yes No
7. Do you use criticism to your advantage? Yes No
8. Do you sound interesting to a prospect? Yes No
9. Do you get regular medical checkups? YesNo
10. Are you dissatisfied with your progress? Yes No
Consultants. Sales Training Division, Department TP, 212 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Listed here are the tites of the first 12 lessons in the "Smooth Selling" Sales Training Course,
1. The Salesman is a V.LP.
2. Are You A Salesman?
3. Get Acquainted With Your Company
4. You're On Stage
5. You Can't Fire Without Ammunition
6. You Are A Goodwill Salesman, Too
7. Closing The Sale
8. How To Set Up An Interview
9. Relaxing Between Rounds
10. The Competition
11. Taking A Risk
12. Playing The Short Cams
When ordering, please mention the name of this publication.
masonry June, 1968