Sales Resistance: A New Art

SCARCELY a day passes that I do not read in my newspaper an account of a convention at Atlantic City, Pinehurst, or Saratoga Springs, or some other centre from which the finest thought of the day emanates. A large proportion of these conventions, I observe, are held in the interests of More and Better Salesmanship.

Here is gathered the flower of the youth of our country to be instructed in the art of selling things. Enormous interests are behind the movement. Money is spent without reckoning, and the arts — fine, mechanical, and profane — are invoked that the training of these young men may be complete. The cloistered quiet of our universities is invaded, and learned pundits are dragged forth to add their quota of wisdom to the equipment of youth for the Great American Purpose. Here the Psychologist and the Go-Getter meet as fellow gangsters.

Of what significance is this great movement to me, in the quiet of my country home? It is of a very direct and sinister character. For I, unknown, unrecognized, and unsung, and thousands of helpless brethren like me, are the Sellees. Toward us, and our slender resources, is this vast movement directed. It is upon us that this horde of flaming youths, raised by intensive education to the nth power of Sales Ability, is to be turned loose.

And, Brethren, in our fool’s paradise of false security, what are we doing about it? Nothing. Do we hold conventions to discuss means of selfdefense? We do not. Have we gold, without end, with which to wage battle? No, a thousand times, no. Do the universities send wise men to us to devise cunning ways of outwitting the enemy? They do not. In other words, while the cohorts of the enemy, without number, are being assembled, drilled, equipped, and provisioned, with singularly little secrecy as to their strategy, we lie helpless and supine, bleating lambs of inefficiency awaiting slaughter.

But it is not too late, if you will listen to this clarion call of alarm. We have at our command the agency which is the keystone of the prosperity (sacred word) of our beloved country. We can Organize. We have, even as humble Sellees, the use of the United States mails. Let us organize, let us use the mails, even as the Sellers use them. Let us appoint some properly equipped person (I will leave to your own good judgment who he should be) to act as a Clearing House. Send to him your name and address, together with brief details of the two or three latest selling outrages committed upon you. Add to these, as fully as possible, the technique of any methods you may have devised for your self-protection from the Salesman.

He will file, arrange, card-index, classify, and cross-reference all this information. When the tens of thousands of names which will come in response to this call are duly arranged, a small contribution will be requested. By this means you will receive, ere long, monthly bulletins on ‘The Development of Sales Resistance,’ and the best methods by which to Outwit the Salesman, drawn from the personal experiences of our subscribers.

From this humble beginning a nationwide movement will develop, and a National (and possibly later an International) Association for the Development of Sales Resistance will be created. But to secure, to the fullest, the beneficent results desired, you must ACT AT ONCE — SEND IN YOUR NAME TO-DAY. DON’T DELAY.

As an evidence of good faith I will add a word of personal experience. I have been, for many years, one of the favorite quarries of the Salesman. I have studied his methods, and I have tried, alone and unaided, to develop a defense. The best one I have ever discovered is Silence, utter and absolute Silence. Adopt an attitude of mild and polite interest, but remain absolutely silent during the entire interview. It is difficult at first, but it can be done with practice. Throw the entire burden of the conversation on the Seller. He has a little book that tells him what to say. It is called a Sales Canvass. He will say it. When he has finished, he expects you to say something, to object, to ask questions. His little book tells him just what to say in reply to any, or all, possible comments, objections, or queries. Disappoint him. Do not say a word. Just smile. He will repeat his sales canvass. You will notice that he will not miss a word. He knows it by heart. At the conclusion of the second recital, remain silent. In rare cases he will repeat it a third time. Not often; usually after the second he will withdraw. Then speak. Wish him ‘Good afternoon,’ and show him to the door. An accomplished Salesman will try to outwit you. He may abandon the canvass, and try to trick you into conversation with direct questions. Be on your guard against that, and remain silent. This is the one thing his book does not tell him how to meet. I have studied the proceedings of a dozen sales conventions, and nowhere have I ever seen a discussion of how to meet Sellee Silence.

That is the kind of priceless information our Association will disseminate for the benefit of its members. Can you afford to remain outside? Think what this association will do for you, and for THE PROTECTION OF YOUR FAMILIES — THOSE NEAREST AND DEAREST TO YOU. I venture a prediction. In five years, after the organization of our Association, the amount of Sales Resistance in the United States will increase 27 per cent. Then we shall be in a position to afford a convention at Atlantic City. We can play golf all day, go to the theatre in the evening, and dance all night. But we shall all wear badges on which will be emblazoned our name, town, and state. We shall call each other by our first names, because Camaraderie is the Keystone of organization, and ‘Camaraderie’ will be the Slogan of the N. A. F. T. D. O. S. R.