Chapter 11

THE BEST-LOOKING DOTTED LINE WON’T SIGN ITSELF

When the time comes for you to get action, do so in sixty-seconds, before “sales -- talk fatigue” sets in on him.   The proof of the pudding is the dotted line!   Watch for the “brass ring.”

L IKE THE MERRY-GO-ROUND that gives you a chance on every complete circle to catch the brass ring, every sales cycle gives you many chances to get the prospect’s signature.

Nell was the belle of the village and had many promising sweethearts, for one day she married the least wealthy, the homely fellow with a heart of gold perhaps, but with none in his pocketbook. When she has was asked why, with all her attractive charms, she chose the poorest boy of all her beaux, she said, very sweetly, “He was the only one who asked me to marry him!”

If you want a signature, ask for it! 

THE TECHNIQUE OF GETTING SIGNATURES 

The technique of getting signatures is not the sudden flash of an order pad or gold-plated fountain pen.   It is more subtle today.

The Johns Manville man gets “tactful action” when he asks the wife and husband, “Where do you prefer the spare room, in the attic or in the cellar?” Wheelerpoint 4.   If they agree (which is seldom), the salesman wins; if they argue where it should be, he still wins, for no matter WHERE it will finally be, or who wins out, he gets the order!

I have seen W. W. Powell, training director of the Hoover vacuum cleaner, bring on many a diplomatic close in this way:

“You perhaps wonder why we call this our 150 model?”

The prospect asks why, and Powell says:

“Because you can own it for only one-fifty per week -- that's wonderful news, isn't it?”

If the woman informs him she doesn't buy without consulting her husband, he says:

“Why $1.50 per week is only about two dimes a day.   You spend that much for knick-knacks, don't you?

DON’T ASK FOR SIGNATURES—BUT “APPROVALS”

So many people have signed papers and got into difficulties that the expression “Sign your name” is one to avoid.

How much better it is to say:

“Place your approval here, sir.”

“This is the place for your OK.”

“Just put your initials here.”

Don't suddenly reach for a fountain pen.   You'll give your prospect a fright!   Get the pen and order pad out EARLY in the sale, so that prospect will be accustomed to seeing it.   Get it into their hands, if possible.   One Hoover man does it by putting dirt from the floor on the order pad and rubbing it with his pencil, saying:

“Hear the grit?   It is ruining your rugs.”

He puts the pad and pencil into the prospects hands for her to “test” the dirt and hear the grit.   The pad and pencil is “planted” early in the sale for the signature -- for the time when the merry-go-round gets in line with the brass ring! 

USE “WHEN” NOT “IF” 

Never use the word “if” -- say “when!”   For instance:

WRONG: “If you decide to buy, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!”

RIGHT: “When you buy it, you'll enjoy it!”

WRONG: “If you'll go for a demonstration ride. . . .”

RIGHT: “When you have a demonstration ride. . . .”

“If” is weak!   Avoid it.   It has “whiskers” on it!   It weakens your argument.   You admit there is a doubt when you use it.   “When” is a strong, positive word.   Cultivate it!

“If” is negative!   “When” is optimistic!

HOWARD DUGAN GOES TO TOWN

Howard Dugan, former manager of the Cleveland Hotels Statler, now vice president of this hotel chain, recently profited by his “Tested Selling” work with us.   It was up to him to renew interest in the Great Lakes Exposition for the second year and to get double the preceding year's financial support from Cleveland businessmen.

Howard Dugan did not call up the exposition supporters and explain he had been assigned to get twice as much money from each as they had contributed the year before.   Instead he started the sales talk with a sixty -- second ACTION in mind.   When the brass ring came around, he wanted to be sure to GRAB it.

Here is his famous telephone sales talk that “clicked”:

Do you realize, Bill, that the Great Lakes exposition committee is thinking about tripling your appropriation for next year?

What a message to TELEGRAPH -- but it got quick interest on the other end of the wire!   With attention secured, Howard brought out his best “sizzle.”   He began selling the bubbles on the Erie shore -- not the debris.   He said, “Now I have a plan.   I believe you fellows should only double your last year's appropriation -- not triple it!”

The man on the other end connived with Howard and agreed, so here was the brass ring, and Howard caught fast, saying, “I'm glad you agree that double is enough!   It will save all of us money.   So send me your check right now by messenger.   I'll take it over to the committee myself this afternoon -- and tell them double is enough, before they can hold a meeting and triple the amount!”

The checks poured in.   An entire city was sold an idea.   The Great Lakes Exposition went into its second year of success!

The rule to remember is this: the dotted line won't sign itself.   You must ASK the other person to sign up if you want his order.   You'll have an opportunity every so often in the sale to grab the brass ring.   When you see it, catch it in sixty-seconds before it gets away from you -- before the other person can think up objections!

And when you get the signature -- run, don't walk, to the nearest exit!  

WIN DECISIONS—NOT ARGUMENTS 

Win decisions -- not arguments.   Never disagree with the customer who offers an objection.   Tactfully inform him he is wrong.   When you show the customer you welcome objections, you disarm him.

Never let the customer feel that you are irritated by questions and objections.   Welcome them -- with a confident smile.   A woman may look at a vacuum cleaner and say, “Don't they use a lot of electricity?”   Then you should say, “You might think so because the suction is so powerful; but, in fact, it uses little electricity.”   You have tactfully informed the customer the instrument did NOT use much current.   If you had said, “Of course it doesn't use much electricity,” you would become tangled in an argument.

If the customer says, “It looks heavy to me,” don't say, “Heavy?   Of course not.”   Instead say, “It does look heavy, but feel how light it is.”

Seem to agree, but bring the prospect diplomatically around to your way of thinking.

DON’T “OVERANSWER” OBJECTIONS

Don't offer a long explanation in answer to an objection, as you will incite suspicion in the other person.   Meet the objection swiftly and with few words.  A brief answer gives the prospect less opportunity to “come back,” less to hang an argument onto!   The longer you talk, the more time the person has to think up new objections.   Keep the other person talking, and you do the thinking.   Get the person to talk by asking him questions about what you are selling, such as:

“Which do you prefer?”

“Do you like this color, or this?”

“Is this the size you need?”

“This is built solidly, isn't it?”

“This feels smooth, doesn't it?”

Keep the customer “yessing” you -- and not “noing” you.   The know-it-all customers must be handled carefully.   Agree with them, and say:

“Since you know so much about this, I am sure you will agree this is the best make, won't you?”

“You are a sensible buyer, and I know this will please you.”

“This is the kind you seem to like.”

Don't let the know-it-all get you into an argument. Win the decision -- not the argument.   Be a “yes, but –“ salesman.   Say “Yes,” and then bring up the “but.”

Better still, capitalize on the know-it-all by saying, “I am always glad to find a person who really knows this subject. Now tell me, which of these two would you say was the more practical?” 

RESPECT THE “KNOW-IT-ALL”  

Let the know-it-all feel that you respect his or her opinions.   Once you have his confidence, he will listen to you.   He is easy to sell after this point.

Don't try to cut off the know-it-all, or the “fussy” customer, or the “particular” customer.   Let them talk on.   Let them unwind themselves.

Sometimes the know-it-all is the third party.   Don't overlook or shun the third party.   Draw him into the sale by such questions as these:

“What is your opinion, sir?”

“Which do you prefer, madam?”

“What you think?”

Never lose sight of the fact that you are out to win decisions, not arguments.   Avoid arguments with the “yes – but” technique.   Say things that get a yes from your customer.

Remember the rule: win the decisions and not the arguments. 

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