MARY, OUR MOTHER

CHAPTER XI: TWO HEARTS OF WIT & WISDOM

SECRETS OF A GOOD SALESMAN--Rather Sales-Person.
This is a very fine point, lately; one must be careful in this matter of sex-equality: there are no more man-holes--only person-holes!
One top-salesman put it this way, whose success in selling was phenomenal:
"It isn't so much WHAT you say--it's how you say it!" This one could sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. So one day I went with him to listen to his sales-presentation. I was surprised, a very ordinary talk, nothing extraordinary. I thought the sales-pitch was very incomplete--yet he made the sale at once. I could hardly believe it. He reminded me again: "It isn't what you say--it's how you say it."
He also insisted: "You have to read over and over again your prospectus, at least once a month--or you'll forget."
'The rapidity with which we forget is astonishing!'
One day a very successful salesman was being honored at a grand dinner. He was to give the key-note speech. By the time he came to speak he had been given many drinks toasting his success. When he finally was introduced by the master of ceremonies, he staggered to his feet, looking blurry-eyed at this large audience, as they awaited expectantly to hear words of wisdom. Finally after a long embarrassing pause, he said all tongue-tied: "I s-h-e-e people."
"That's it: SEE PEOPLE--the words of wisdom."
The master of ceremonies spoke quickly, as he placed the honored speaker on his chair safely, and continued:
"The reason our champion salesman succeeds is because he sees many people on his route and we the mediocre ones just don't see enough people. That's the difference between success and failure!"

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