The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

56 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. APHORISMS FOR SALESMEN. A Few Gems Culled from the Clever Book Written by Walter D. Moody Entitled "Men Who Sell Things" — Some Hot Ones Right Off the Griddle That Will at Once Appeal to the Talking Machine Men. Walter D. Moody, who for many years has occupied the responsiWe position of sales manager for one of Chicago's largest wholesale houses, and who is now connected with the Chicago Commercial Association, has written an exceedingly clever book with the suggestive title of "Men Who Sell Things." It is replete with helpful aphorisms which will he ^read with interest and approval by readers of The Talking Machine World. Mr. Moody's foreword declares that the salesman is without doubt an ambassador in the fullest sense of the dictionary definition. The definition quoted is that an ambassador is an envoy of the highest rank, sent from one government to another for the advantage of both; and the author of "Men Who Sell Things" asserts that in diplomacy, skill, dexterity and tact the traveling man fills the bill with something to spare that the ambassador might study with profit. The author admits with pride that he has Ibeen a salesman, buyer, manager and employer. He has a word for the men who buy or sell things in every one of these stages. He also has a word for the man wlio after he becomes an employer, cannot look at a situation from a salesman's standpoint. Some of the advisory and remindatory gems are given here: "I believe that a man gets what he goes after, that one order to-day is worth two orders tomorrow'; and that no man is down and out until he has lost faith in himseif. "I believe in to-day and in the work I am doing; in to-morrow when it comes, and in the work I hope to do; and in the sure reward which the future holds. "I believe in courtesy, in generosity, in good cheer, in kindness, in friendship, and in honest competition. "I believe there is an order somewhere for every man ready to take one. I ibelieve I am ready right now. "I believe in the goods I am selling, in the firm I am working for, and in my ability to get results. "I believe that honest goods can be sold to honest men by honest methods. "I believe in working, not waiting; in laughing, not weeping; in boosting, not knocking; and in the pleasure of selling goods. "Temporary reverses are good for the spirit and strengthening to the mind. "Don't be a knocker. The meanest man on earth is the one who will wound a man's character with his tongue. "If you are a knocker you are worse than a hundred poor salesmen put together. "There are people who believe that criticism and fault-finding are indicative of wisdom. To be disparaged is the penalty that brilliance must ever pay to dullness. "A dog will run a rabbit only when he feels like doing it. A salesman who has works of faith will do his duty whether he likes it or not. "To-morrow is a poor time to catch to-day's opportunities. "Did you ever wake u in the morning, shut your eyes, lie still and say: 'Well, suppose every salesman in the house were just like me, what sort of a house would we have?' "The world is full of human lobsters, men stranded on the rocks of business, who, instead of putting forth their own energies, are waiting for some grand billows of good fortune to set them afloat. "When you retire for the night, look into your own methods and study your own weaknesses. ' Men who sell things are divided into two classes — those who regard thei' work with rebellious eyes that do not understand, and those who view their work with a mind that rises above conditions and makes the best of them. "The highest salesman is he who does the lowliest thing well." Mr. Moody divides his work into twenty-one chapters, each headed with some title appropriate to the class of men or the class of topic *hat he thinks in the drummer world deserves especial attention. He has a chapter on "Pure Grit" that is an Excelsior sermon. Other chapters are on "The Knocker," "The All-Head-and-No-Soul Salesman" and the pessimistic "Old Timer." On all of these subjects he has something terse and trenchant to say, interspersed with illustrative stories after the Abraham Lincoln style. The volume is a remarkable one in many respects and extremely helpful, because of the fact that it was written not by a theorist, but by a practical man who talks with practical men. It is aimed to be a vade mecum for salesmen, and it certainly is unique in its way. HOW TO DRAW A CROWD. One of the wise men who has evolved many schemes of stimulating interest in the betterment of the retail business gives the following plan of campaign which may interest World readers. He says: "To draw a crowd to the store in the early part of the evening, advertise that a 50 per cent, reduction will be allowed on any article in the store to the first one hundred persons entering the store after a certain specified time on some Saturday evening. Make some such announcement; 'A doorkeeper will be stationed at the door of Blank's at exactly 7 o'clock, who will begin issuing tickets to the customers as they enter the store. There will be one hundred tickets issued to the first one hundred patrons to enter the store. These may each make a purchase at 50 cents on the dollar.' It will surely crowd the store." ARE you ONE OF THESE? Let it be rain or let it shine, A few there are who always whine, Be business bright or be it" dark. The self-same ones will always bark : We all do business — some in disguise — But the successful ones are those who Advertise. I V ^ ~ u ^ For 36 Records For (j6 Records So.T.ethIng New and Exclaslve With Us For 48 Records TOPHAM'S CASES are the original and standard. Build up your trade by carrj'ing the standard rather than the imitation. These are a few stj'les onlj-. Write for complete catalogue and price list. A Few of Our Distributors: M. STEINERT & SONS CO. .... Boston, Mass. BLACKMAN TALKING MACHINE CO. New York City R. S. WILLIAMS & SONS CO., Ltd., Toronto and Winnipeg, Can. J. W. JENKINS SONS CO. Kansas City, Mo. McGREAL BROTHERS Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Wis. H. J. DYER & BROS. St. Paul. Minn. SHERMAN, CLAY & CO. . . San Francisco. Cal. W. D. ANDREWS Syracuse. N. Y. NEBRASKA CYCLE CO. Omaha, Neb. ECLIPSE MUSIC CO. Cleveland. Ohio EDISONIA CO. Newark. N. J. E, F. 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