Music Trade Review

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SALESMANSHIP
Vol. II.
No. 1.
A Complete Section Devoted to Piano Salesmanship Published Each Month.
New York, Feb. 12, 1916.
Developing Salesmanship.
I
T was at the beginning of last year when the first Salesmanship Section appeared in this publi-
cation. Since that time we have received many communications commending us for the
constructive work which we are putting forth, with the object in view of developing the science
of salesmanship.
It is a subject which is ever abounding in interest, and every day there are some new lights on
salesmanship whic'IT add to its charm.
It is our intention during 1916 to continue this exclusive feature and we trust that the efforts on
our part, put forth in the direction of developing salesmanship, will aid young men in developing
their own faculties so that their earning powers may be materially increased.
Good salesmanship means higher efficiency, and every successful business man, w r hether selling
pianos or any other line of merchandise, must practice some of those principles.
The fight is centuries old, and it will never end, because the progressive business man is always
seeking to develop himself and thereby increase his efficiency.
The stand-patter is a back number. He is a wrench in the business machinery and is impeding
the rhythmic progress of the great business machinery.
The stand-pat salesman who has nothing to learn and who sits back and feels that he knows it
all will probably draw less salary rather than more as the years go by.
There is a class of young salesmen coming into the business who are enthusiastic—who are
desirous of increasing their efficiency, and instead of resenting outside suggestions gladly accept
them—in fact are hungry for them. That is the kind of man who will succeed every year.
There are certain changes occurring in modern business, and the increase of the professional
spirit in salesmanship everywhere is enlarging the vision of men and bringing them into thoughtful
contact with the problems which they face, and by that means making them easy of solution.
It is known that one piano salesman in this city disposed of three hundred and sixty-four
instruments at retail, and that the average price of these was very large, thus making his annual sale
run into surprisingly big figures.
Now 7 is not a man who belongs to a trade or profession who can do that worthy of being classed
as an expert? Is not the man who can tactfully handle customers so that he succeeds in disposing
of hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise entitled to rank as a professional? That
man uses his brains and tact—and he possesses both—in the development of the business of his
house, and we may add that he is fairly recognized for his efforts.
Of course, this is only one instance, but of course there are other young men who understand
that there are more opportunities in the piano trade than almost any other retail line.
Where the individual sales run into large figures, like in the sales of pianos, there is an oppor-
tunity for the exercising of brains and tactfulness to a large degree.
One thing is certain, greater efficiency will always bring greater results, whether it be in a sales-
manship organization or an executive organization.
There is more and more the question of the scientific handling of all business problems, and it
is the purpose of this department to present regularly articles which will be helpful to salesmen who
are endeavoring to build themselves up, and most of us are satisfied that there are a few rungs on the
ladder vet to climb.