r how he liked the last suit you sold him. Let
by-gones be by-gones. This is a new deal. Whether he was entirely
satisfied is not the point now. Don't raise dangerous questions.

"There are a dozen reasons why his last purchase may not be remembered
with pleasure--reasons that have nothing to do with the value he
received or the actual merit of the clothes.

"If he voluntarily mentions the last suit with praise take it as a
natural occurrence and pass it over; you will try to do even better by
him this time.

"If he complains of his last purchase don't argue. Leave the subject
as soon as possible and get down to the question in hand.

"Have confidence in your goods, in your prices and in yourself as a
salesman.

"There are more sales lost for lack of firmness and decision at the
right time than for any other cause.

"Among the clerks in the best and biggest of stores there are ten good
openers of a sale to one good closer.

"Be a closer.

"It requires judgment and decision of character, but you can learn to
do it.

"When a woman goes into a cloak and suit department, she is not
satisfied to buy until she has been made to feel that she has pretty
well canvassed the assortment, seen practically everything in the
stock at the range and along the line she is seeking.

"She has merchandise imagination and thinks of the possible garments
back there in the stock that she might have liked better.

"In this regard a man is somewhat easier to handle.

"It is a fact often demonstrated that clerks can close a sale more
quickly where the stock is kept on hangers instead of piled on tables.

"The preliminaries are more quickly covered. Having walked down the
line the customer is better satisfied that the whole selection is
placed at his disposal.

"There is no secret about it. Nothing held back. No mysterious pile of
garments on a table that he cannot see.

"Note the tendency of the customer to investigate a pile of
coats--lifting up the corners and looking at the patterns.

"A coat in plain view, taken off the hanger, is more obviously a
thoughtful selection of a garment definitely suited for him and he is
the more ready to make it his own.

"The important thing in closing a sale is to narrow down the choice as
soon as you can to one or two strong possibilities, flanked by a bad
one--that is, a style or a pattern that you know the customer doesn't
want.

"When this point is reached it is well to move the cust