Business Marketing Advertising

A salesman selling check-protecting devices to New York retailers, bankers, etc., has found that he increases sales in the long run by giving special attention to small buyers. He uses a plan that successfully secures quick action on small orders. To illustrate, in a recent interview the buyer said: “I don’t want one of those machines ? it costs too much and besides my business is too small to have trouble with check raisers.”

“Mr. Smith,” the salesman said, “if you went on an ocean trip and the steward handed you a defective life preserver, saying: ‘We save our best life preservers for men like Mr. Eastman, who just came aboard. Mr. Eastman is a very wealthy man and very prominent in business. Of course, it isn’t necessary for a small business man like you to have good protection.’ Mr. Smith, I ask you frankly, how would you like to be treated like that?” Without answering the salesman’s question, he asked the price and bought at once.

A similar plan is used with great success by J. L. Gause, a Boston insurance agent. Only recently he approached a prospective buyer by saying: “Mr. Werk, I came to see you with reference to arranging for some money to come into the Werk family on June 10, 1946.”

“Why 1946?” the prospect inquired. The salesman said: “That’s twenty-five years ahead, and what is June 10th?” “Oh!” said the prospect, “that’s my wedding anniversary.” “Correct,” said the salesman. “You probably would give your wife some glass or some silver, but I want you to give her a real twenty-fifth anniversary present. I want you to arrange to have a ten-thousand-dollar endowment maturing then, so you and your wife can take a trip around the world.”