Chapter 8

THEY SOLD THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AGAIN LAST WEEK

(The Wheeler A and B Rule)

A is the statement of fact; B is the proof.  Confidence men sold gold bricks because proof was never required in the old days.  Today it is.  People now want to hear, feel, see, and hold what they are about to purchase. 

I READ IN THE newspapers a few weeks ago that someone was again arrested for selling Brooklyn Bridge, and often I hear about somebody who bought a gold brick, even in this day of the FBI, the G-men, and the radio.

The reason is that there are still a few people who don't require proof, but they are few in number.  The young lady in the W. T. Grant store who sold square clothespins by saying, “They won't roll,” would “Say It with Flowers” and drop one on the counter to prove her point.  The Pocahontas Oil salesman who used our “Tested Selling Sentences” to inform motorists their new windshield wipers “had triple blades, and clean three times as fast,” handed a blade through the open window to the motorist to see, feel, and inspect!

A RULE TO REMEMBER IN WORD FORMATION

When Uncle Jake listened at the corner store to the man in the derby with the option on Brooklyn Bridge and heard that he could charge a toll rate of ten cents per person and make a million, he wanted to buy the bridge.  Uncle Jake didn't question the transaction because the salesman “looked honest and had a nice flow of talk.”  So Uncle Jake mortgaged his home and bought Brooklyn Bridge for $565.00 in cash!

Today, however, Uncle Jake wants proof.  He likes to hear statements of fact (A), but he wants proof as well (B). The rule to remember, therefore, to convince more people quickly is to tell them the benefits and advantages they will receive from what you are selling, and then prove them in some way.  This is the rule of A and B -- A standing for the benefit and B for the proof. 

“I WEAR ‘EM MYSELF” PROVES NOTHING TODAY 

Salespeople used to say, “I wear ‘em myself,” and customers would buy, but that statement is too overworked now.  Besides, the customer today he doesn't want to feel that the salesperson, of all people, will wear or own the same thing he will purchase.

The fact that Mrs. Jones has one is only of mild importance these days, according to our research behind the counters of such important stores as R. H. Macy & Company, B. Altman, and The May Company stores, although the “testimonial” is still effective if handled delicately.  It's our biggest seller, sometimes proves effective, because you do not pin it down to any one person; but it is rather trite.

When the street hawker claims, these combs won't break, chip, or crack, he will slam a comb forcefully in front of him, and run a large file over the surface, dramatically “Saying It with Flowers” -- instinctively applying the B portion of the A and B rule.

Tell the benefits (A), then give them proof (B), if you want sales to move faster!

“FEEL”—“SEE”—“HOLD”

They are three words that you should have in your everyday vocabulary for a ready use in convincing people on the spot for a quick sixty -- second close.  Get customers to feel the sales package; get them to hold it!  Say, “FEEL the fine texture of the stockings!” or, “Just hold this handle and see how it fits your grip!”

The refrigerator man says, “Try this yourself.  See how easily it opens!”

The John's -- Manville man tells his prospect that their Rock Wool will keep heat inside the house, and to prove this point he takes the family out into the street.  He points to the roof of the house down the street which has Rock Wool Insulation and says, “See the snow on Mr. Brown's roof?  That's a sign heat doesn't go through his roof and melt the snow.  The snow on your roof, however, has melted because you have no insulation.”

This is convincing language to the prospect, and the J. M. salesman closes by saying, “You are trying to heat the out of doors.  Your coal bills must be high, aren't they?  Why the cost of Rock Wool in your home will pay for itself within three years!”

It isn't HOW MUCH IT COSTS, but HOW MUCH IT SAVES, that counts! 

“THESE BUTTONS ARE ANCHORED ON THE SHIRTS” 

The May Company, of Baltimore, took our “Tested Selling Sentence” for men's shirts, “The buttons are anchored on and won't break off in the wringer,” and gave it to their salespeople.  Sales were fair; but when the clerks began “saying it with flowers” and started to tug on the buttons, dramatically, in front of the customers, sales tripled!

Customers heard the “owner benefit” (A) and then saw proof of it (B); and because of the monkey -- see, monkey -- do instinct in all of us, they would take the shirts into their own hands and tug on the buttons to convince themselves!

THEY DON’T ALWAYS WORK, THOUGH

I have often been asked, “Do you have trouble in finding selling sentences?”  Of course we do.  Hundreds of times.  Often many tests are made before a single word is discovered.

For instance, we had the idea that we could sell Macy's Men's Featherweight Shirts in by placing them on the counter, having the clerk say, “See how light they are!” and then blow them off the counter into the customer's hands.

Fine drama!  Ten -- second words that conveyed the sales idea!  But the idea failed!  The first Macy clerk didn't have enough “lung power” to raise the shirt off the counter; one ex -- football player blew it over the customer shoulder; and two other salesmen had breaths filled with cigarette smoke that almost gassed their customers.  Here was a fine idea that failed the first 10 minutes it was tested.

Then we created this idea.  The clerk would take a broadcloth shirt, place it into the right hand of the customer and say, “Feel the weight of this shirt.”  The clerk would then take the broadcloth and hand the customer the lighter Featherweight saying, “Now feel the weight of THIS shirt!”  The great difference in weight was felt by the customer at once.

A nice example of the principles of selling in 10 seconds, with plenty of owner benefits (A) and proof (B)! 

PICTURES GIVE PLENTY OF PROOF 

Arthur Hood, of the John's – Manville Company, has shown me pictures of kitchens before and after being remodeled, as proof that their products do transform ugly kitchens in to dream kitchens.

The John's -- Manville man opens many a sale with this “Tested Selling Sentence”: “How would you like to see the kitchen we had just done over for Mrs. Smith down the street?”

This leading question gets him the answer he wants.

Remember the Rule of A and B.  Shoot out your benefits first -- but prove them the next second.  When you send a postcard and say, “Having a good time...,” you pick out the best -- looking scene to prove the point!

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and if you want to step up your selling ability by twenty five percent, start qualifying your statements with proof, by learning the many ways to “Say it with proof!”

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