Music Trade Review

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REVIEW
THE
V O L . LIII. N o . 2 0
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave M New York, Nov. 18,1911
What Persuasion
SINGL
$!.OS 0 P P E I R S VEAR ENTS
Accomplish
H A T is salesmanship but persuasion, for it is really influencing another person's mind to the
extent of persuading him to become the purchaser of a special product offered.
The word persuasion has almost as great a meaning as any word in the English lan-
guage, and one who is gifted with the power of persuasion can get nearly everything he
wishes in this world.
All of us are trying to persuade others.
Some of us succeed and others fall far short of reaching persuasive heights of eloquence.
The piano salesman tries to persuade callers that he has just the instruments which they desire.
The politician tries his persuasive powers on voters.
The lawyer by persuasion attempts to influence the jury in rendering a verdict according to the line of
argument which he advances.
The preacher is endeavoring to persuade his congregation that his beliefs are correct.
So when we analyze we will find that persuasion is a word which cuts a large figure in our life, for it
is made up of a succession of efforts to persuade.
We are always endeavoring to use our powers, whether great or small, to influence others—to per-
suade them that our particular line of reasoning is correct and that they should follow it.
Even the most trivial acts of our lives are prompted by a desire to please—to persuade someone that
we are worth some attention and consideration.
There are other means than lingual forces employed. Gestures exercise great power in persuading.
The gestures of great actors are sometimes more eloquent than words uttered. There are few people who
realize just what persuasive powers there are in gestures.
f recall some years ago while sitting in the private office of a well known business man someone called
upon him in reference to the character of a particular salesman who had been in his employ.
He listened to what his caller had to say—made no audible reply—simply shrugged his shoulders
and across his face there was an emotional display which depicted disapproval of the particular man about
whom his caller had come to inquire.
No word was uttered and yet that salesman lost a position with a reputable house simply by a gesture
denunciation.
•
So there is some persuasion in gestures.
There are many other factors which have an effect in influencing the mind of prospective buyers;
and it is plain that salesmen deal with minds. They deal with minds far more than with goods, when
you get down to cold facts; and the man who can appeal to and influence minds is a genuine, gold medal
salesman.
You can take two men of absolutely equal ability—teach them both the same facts about any line—
send them out and one man will sell twice as much as the other; and yet he knows the goods no better,
but he knows how to appeal to the minds of his customers—how to persuade them. He can persuade
where the other man cannot.
Perhaps his personality is not more pleasing but he certainly has acquired a subtle something which en-
ables him to persuade his customers to the point of purchasing.
Selling, however, is easy in some cases; for instance, it is easy to sell padded pantaloons to a youth
as he lies face downward on the maternal knee interviewing the possibilities of the hairbrush industry;
but it takes a real salesman to, a few days later, sell the same boy a copy of "The Ethics of Good Conduct.''
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