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The hardest and most trying task in selling is to find some- one to buy—a live prospect. Selling is comparatively easy when the prospect is spotted. In your records you have an assortment of prospects, and you know something about each one. Your past experience has taught you how to ap- proach them, and, in many cases, you have sensed the appeal to make to them. However, for one reason or another, you have been unable to consummate the sale. But "Don't give up the ship!" Try again. Sometimes what you think is chaff may be wheat. What you considered only a suspect may turn into a real live prospect. When calling on one of your old prospects, remember that every prospect is some- one's else customer, and if you do not sell him, someone else will. Since you have an inside track to the prospect, you have a better chance to do business with him than the next sales- man. You, the salesman, may be inclined to become discour- ACCUMULATED VALUE OF SALES EFFORT 109 aged. But, by reviewing and properly evaluating your past experiences and performances, you will always uncover something that will invigorate and incite you to action. As you review the record, you run across an old prospect whom you almost sold a month before. As you read the records and recall the experience of that particular prospect, your blood begins to boil and your enthusiasm begins to glow, so out you go and make another sale. This "peps you up." Again, negative thinking is turned into positive action. Pessimism is turned into optimism. Discouragement and despair are turned into hope and confidence. The low tide of disappoint- ment is again turned into the high tide of a sale, and excuses are again turned into checks. In our economy, economic, political, and social changes come about so quickly that a man who was merely a suspect yesterday is a live prospect today. In 100 old prospects you may easily find 25 sales. In a chapter on "How the Law of Averages Can Double Your Sales," you were reminded that the Law of Compensation never fails to reward you for honest effort, even though the payment may be delayed. Therefore, exercise your patience. |
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