Music Trade Review

Issue: 1946 Vol. 105 N. 4

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Value of Planning Ahead
For "On the Job" Training
by STEVE CARROLL, Sales Manager, Clark Music Co., Syracuse, N. Y.
Do we need some type of Atomic
Bomb to drop on the Music Merchants
of America to awaken them to the
fact that planning for the future is
imperative? True enough, most mer-
chants feel that they are making plans,
many have remodeled their stores,
What Is A Salesman?
1. A salesman is an equal member of
the great triumvirate of progress.
a. Provide people with goods and
service.
b. Distribute the new invention.
c. Make possible mass production.
GENERAL WEEKLY MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MELVILLE CLARK AND SALES MANAGER STEVE
CARROLL with Veterans employed in the store.
LEFT TO RIGHT—Frank Masterfeo, Wqlter Anderson. Kennefh Barger. Steve Carroll. Sales
Manager. Melville Clark, President, Mrs. Audrey Fairchilds, Robert Kohl, William Crane,
4llen Richardson and Wyland Ltddle.
enlarged their space, and planned for
a big business that has been promised.
Lines of merchandise have been ar-
ranged and people are waiting for it.
Everything is in order to receive, dis-
Instruction
play and advertise musical equipment.
in
There can be no reason why we should
Piano
not do a big business. We have been
Repair
established in our community for
at
many years, and have fine lines, a
Clark
good looking store, our policy is right
Music
and there can be no reason why w 7 e
Co.
should plan further. How about our
sales department? At the present time
we do not need much of a sales force.
Because the demand is so great, almost
anyone can handle sales with the small
amount of merchandise we are re-
d. Problem of today is distribu-
ceiving. Until such time as we feel
tion.
the supply adequate and competition
(1) We have solved our pro-
an issue, we will continue along the
duction problem,
lines of our present policy. The life-
tion costs.
line of our business is the sales de- 2. A salesman is a man who possesses
partment and salesmen are not easily
in some measure these traits of
found.
character and mind:
Initiative
Knowledge
Honesty
Enthusiasm
Vision
Tact
Confidence
Friendliness
Ability for self-
supervision
3. A salesman is a person who pos-
sesses the ability to carry out the
essential steps involved in selling.
a. He must be able to approach a
prospect and hold his attention.
b. He must be able to present his
samples or tell a story in such
a way that he will create in-
terest.
c. He must be able to arouse in
the prospect confidence in him-
self and in his company.
d. He must be able to sense the
point when the prospect's de-
sire for the product is ripe to
be turned into a sale and actu-
ally to get the order.
e. He must be able to arouse in
the prospect a desire to own
the goods or services which he
is selling.
1. A salesman is a person who, from
training or experience or both,
has acquired an understanding of
certain important principles and
facts.
a. In order to make a successful
sale, he must go through the
above steps.
b. The steps must be taken in a
simple, orderly and dignified
manner.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1946
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
c. The steps are not separate pro-
cesses but are all a part of one
continuous process.
d. The salesman does not do all
the talking himself.
e. Never interrupt the customer.
f. Avoid a cock-sure, positive at-
titude.
g. In the first part of the inter-
view he will inquire—find out
the ideas and wants of his
prospect before trying to sell.
h. Re-state clearly and vigorously
each objection as it is ad-
vanced.
i. Identify the main objection
with one key issue, then stick
to that issue and do not wan-
der.
5. A salesman must plan carefully.
6. A salesman must be a healthy man.
To sum up: "A salesman is a man
whose activity, in the aggregate helps
to raise the standard of living of soci-
ety. He is a man who possesses cer-
tain personal traits which enable him
to sell effectively. He is a man who
knows certain principles and facts
essential to a successful career in sell-
ing. He is a man who plans his work
carefully in advance and who keeps
on help and why? All of these are
vital questions to the future of any
business operating a sales department.
Now is the time to train our sales
force in all departments! Now is the
instruction
Regarding
Sheet-Music
by
Mrt. Melville
Clark
time to place our business on a young,
energetic standard! Now is the time
to stop help turn-over and begin train-
ing the right kind of help for our
business!
We all agree that the last war com-
manded the finest of our young men
and women. During the war we suf-
fered not only from the lack of mer-
chandise, but also efficient help.
Checking Stock in the Small Goods Deaportment
himself in tip-top physical and mental
condition so that his productiveness
will not be impaired.
Should we be training our sales de-
partment at this time or should we
wait until merchandise is arriving in
sufficient quantities and competition
really "sets in"? What is the average
age of our present sales department
and should we be planning and train-
ing for it's future with young men
and women? What is our turn-over
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1946
they must be trained in sales work.
You cannot just pick up sales people
by the mere fact that you believe they
can sell and start them to work. We
must have a set course and train them
During these war-years, we also
suffered tremendous losses in business
gains and of trained people in our
business. Because someone plays the
piano or sings, does not make him a
perfect sales person in the Music De-
partment. Because another person
knows all of the "hot bands" of the
country, or all of the symphony orches-
tras, this does not make him a record
salesman. Regardless of what knowl-
edge they may have in the music line,
in their respective field. If we have
made our plans ahead without a sales-
training course, I predict that trouble
lies ahead in the personnel that we
will find. Turn-over will be tremen-
dous and sales will lag; costs will rise
because inexperienced help is the most
costly. We will be unable to meet the
challenge of competition.
Now that the war has ended, why
not investigate the possibilities offered
to veterans and their rehabilitation.
The past war differed from World
War I. I can now realize the tremen-
dous educational and training program
necessary to the winning of this war.
Look over this war's record of train-
ing and we will be amazed to find
the great and tremendous educational
program that was underway. Here is
the "future of America" right in our
home town, with men eager and anx-
ious to learn a trade or business. Not
a fly-by-night type of person, but the
type that is anxious to settle down and
get somewhere in the land that is so
rightfully his. He is protected by his
G.I. Bill of Rights to an education.
He may take "his rights" in many
ways, but let us talk at this time about
the. "On Job Training Program For
Veterans."
If you. Mr. Merchant, agree that you
should build your sales force at this
time, you will first consider the num-
ber necessary in each department un-
der normal conditions and the cost to
you. The cost is negligible. The Gov-
ernment is backing the soldier in his
educational program so what you need
first is a satisfactory training program
for salesmen, piano repairs, etc.
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to
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