How to Talk Business to Win
Finding the Shortest Line to Assent

When you talk business to win, a roundabout conversation will sometimes prove the shortest line to favorable decision. But always, the shortest line is that one which with only those necessary turns that avoid antagonism and friction, most directly reaches and satisfies your listener's inmost wishes - his underlying motives for action in the case. To touch a motive directly does not mean a bald statement - it may require the cleverest kind of diplomacy, with artificial hints, suggestions, appeals to the senses, testimonials, gestures, reminders. Whatever the means, however, the talk should never run haphazard. It must have the underlying motives constantly in view and must steer the most direct possible course towards a favorable impression upon them.
"Efficiency methods," said a store expert to a merchant, "may run up a few hundred dollars of installation expense, but in the end are sure to increase current returns per man by a generous per cent. And you know what that item of clerk hire figures every week of the fifty-two."
This appeal, followed out in detail, won the merchant because it offered in a greater measure that satisfaction for which he was in business - a greater net profit.
Every interview hinges upon a similar satisfaction. A man is persuaded to give up work in a country town and go to the city because he expects to gain in income and in opportunity.
A lady chooses between hats or dress patterns for greater wear and utility, or to suit her pride. The employee responds to the rebuke of his chief through caution as to holding his position, because of pleasure and pride in good workmanship and in the hope of advancement.
Personal interests are at the base of every yes and no in business - personal interests urging assent, other personal interests urging dissent. After analyzing his proposition and determining if it reaches the listener on the basis of competition, of prejudice or of ignorance, the keen student of men seeks to read his prospect and to determine with the utmost precision, item by item, every one of those specific interests, such as comfort, gain, vanity, protection, friendship and integrity, to match which he must mold his talk.
Every talker does this, but most talkers do it haphazard. The employee in reality advances his own reasons and ambitions in seeking a position, instead of explaining, demonstrating and proving where he fits into the plan of his employer; the clerk talks from behind the counter instead of coming around and looking at the goods through the customer's eyes. The business talk, in the main, is a more or less evident effort to push my wishes upon you; instead of that basis of all good business - to give service; to attract rather than to force; to show the advantages that will come to you from assent to my proposition.
The talker who fails to check over all the possible desires and restraints his listener feels for or against his proposition, will not find the shortest line to the decision. He tries a dozen kinds of bait that do not attract. He wastes time or voices double-edged arguments that are as likely to cut him as his opponent. In his eagerness, he often gives away an advantage needlessly.
The salesman for an eastern publishing house received a letter from the home office directing him to visit a certain book dealer.
"This store has used 2,500 of our six-volume history sets on some special proposition in which they still seem to be interested. As we have only 1,700 of these sets in print and the new edition will not be ready for six months, you should make an extra effort to land their order for the entire stock. To do this, you may discount up to a dollar a set, if absolutely necessary."
The book man got his prospect on the telephone and invited him down to the hotel to inspect his stock. In his eagerness to make sure of the big sale, he said:
"I have some very attractive prices to make you, one number in particular that is a tremendous bargain.''
The prospect immediately inquired about the six volume history set.
"We have only 1,700 of these sets," the salesman replied, "no more can be had at any price until the new edition is off the press next spring." "How about the price?"
"That's the big bargain I just mentioned - $7.50 a set - $6.50 if you take the lot. "I'll take them," said the buyer.
The salesman wrote his house that the discount had enabled him to clean up the lot. The buyer reported to his employers that so essential was this set to a certain selling scheme, and so large was the supply of their advertising literature in which this set had been featured, that they might well have paid as high as $8.50 in order to "corner the market" for the next six months. In his eagerness the salesman had committed himself to a price reduction at the start of his telephone conversation. He had played the money saving almost exclusively. Yet the sale was due to the buyer's caution - to the great importance of the particular stock in the store's general selling plan. The salesman's haphazard talk cut $1,700 from the profits of the house. And such losses are often the rule - not the exception.

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How to Talk Business to Win Finding the Shortest Line to Assent

How to Talk Business to Win
Finding the Shortest Line to Assent