BUSINESS LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15125, 16 October 1912, Page 10

BUSINESS LIFE.

ABE YOU A GOOD SALESMAN A salesman is usually thought of as a man. or woman who sells goods in person; ho or she stands behind the counter, or disposes of articles in tho saleroom, or travels with samples; even hawkers and pedlars come under the same heading they hand over the goods and you pay tho money. But wo never seem to think of a doctor as a salesman, or a solicitor, or a chief clerk in a counting-house, or the foreman of a factory. These men in their very different avocations do not apparently sell anything—they do work that i? more or less specialised and useful. I grant that the word " salesman" is not usually applied outside the associations mentioned previously ; ' also that it may take some time to get accustomed to new usages; but of the fact itself I liavo no doubt whatever. Every man who gets money., from some form of work is emphatically a salesman. What does a doctor sell? His knowledge of disease, his skill in surgery, and his tact in handling human nature. Why do some doctors succeed and others fail? Because some are better salesmen than others. A man may have the highest medical qualifications, but if he is destituto of sympathy and possessed of a s;iriy manner his patients drop off one by one and go elsewhere; that is, they prefer to buy knowledge and skill where the conditions of the sale'are more pleasant. That "Laving a doctor'' is not usually talked about as buying and soiling makes no difference. It is the- same with the law. A solicitor sells his specialised knowledge of the law and his skill in- applying it for a stipulated fee; tho judge disposes of his valuable services to his country for a fixed salary. Ho has been called to that position because in adjusting the claims of piaintiff and defendant he has displayed great resource —in plain commercial terms, his goods and his power of selling them to litigants • have been of a high order. Home of his collego chums have not fared so well. One had immense knowledge of the law, but ho could not speak well; another had tho gift of the gab as well as adequate " law," but he was uncertain in character — were both poor salesmen.

I might pursue further analogies, but they are not necessary. Look at your own position; you are selling concrete goods, 01* knowledge, 01* skill, or services; and the all-important _ question is *. " Arc you a good salesman?" If you are, then you are on tho side of profits and progress ; if not, you are only holding your —indeed, you may be on the down grade. The important items are that whatever you -sell it shall be of good quality, and that the manner of selling it shall be agreeable. An employer, for instance, is a buyer of tho services of the employee at a iixed price. He wants qualitythat is, quickness and correctness in the discharge of prescribed duties. If you have these plus a trustworthy character you are a good salesman. • If not, well— arc inaccurate, like the undertaker's clerk who sent,the coffin to Corporation-street, Manchester, instead of Corporation-street, Birmingham. "What do I sell? Do I know how to sell it?" —these are the twin questions that merit a good deal of reflection. Tackle them with spirit and say "Fudge!" to him who would complain that they " lower'' one's estimate of the dignity of his " profession." I will wager that if "you have never regarded yourself as a salesman before, and will begin now to recast your whole notion of the work you do, you will see new openings for improvement.