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In reviewing my experience down in Louisiana, selling paint, cement roofing, and other allied products, I recall that I had on my calling list a very large concern, located in a small town. This company was rated at over a million dollars. I decided that it would be a good prospect for my 46 HOW TO TURN OBJECTIONS INTO SALES line, since it supplied all the adjoining territory with roofing and paint products. When I arrived at this concern's place of business, I found the proprietor, Mr. Whittall, sitting on the steps, shaving a pine board with a large pocket knife. This form of entertainment is better known in the south as whittling. After receiving a cordial greeting from Mr. Whittall, I presented the facts about the value and benefit of the cement roofing in a Sales Plan that I thought was most illuminating and most convincing. He listened intently and hardly batted an eye. One outstanding claim I made for the cement roof- ing was that it was absolutely fireproof. This claim inflamed Mr. Whittall, and he vehemently proclaimed: "I don't be- lieve a gosh dern word you say." At this juncture he took a sample jar of cement roofing from my case, removed the lid and sunk the long blade of his knife into the thick fluid. He lifted the knife from the jar and brandished it over his head, then smeared its load of cement over the surface of the pine board that he had been whittling. At this point he put his hand into his pocket, pulled out a "redheaded" match, lighted it, and applied it to the cement roofing. Instantly it burst into a conflagration, and Mr. Whittall said, "There is your dern cement roofing, going up in flames." I remained perfectly calm, cool, and collected throughout the entire demonstration. I knew exactly what would hap- pen, but I wanted Mr. Whittall to complete the experiment, to find out for himself and satisfy his own doubts. After the demonstration was finished, I said to Mr. Whittall: "Now that you have completed your experiment, I want to inform you that when you applied the match to the cement roofing you did not ignite the asbestos compound out of which it is made. You merely set fire to the benzine, which is added to the compound to preserve and keep it in a liquid state so it can easily be applied to the surface. When the cement is applied, the air instantly evaporates the benzine and leaves HOW TO TURN OBJECTIONS INTO SALES 47 the roofing cement in one solid piece that is holeproof, nail- proof, windproof, waterproof, fireproof and foolproof." I put my hand into the sample case and produced a board on which was a smear of dry roofing cement from which the benzine had evaporated. I invited Mr. Whittall to kindle a fire on this surface, and without hesitation he proceeded to try. The roofing cement would not burn; he discovered that I had told him the truth. In meeting Mr. Whittall's objection, I gave him the right- of-way. I did not argue with him, and neither did I attempt to coerce or correct him. I permitted him to make his own demonstration and perform his own experiment. I let him answer his own objection and his doubts and uncertainties evaporated like the benzine. He sold himself. By the appli- cation of a little thought and common sense, I turned his objection into an order for three carloads of cement roofing. |
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