y the result of being over-anxious to
sell) to persuade the prospect that he cannot wait another day before
buying the particular article that the salesman is distributing. The
article may be stocks and bonds, wash cloths, soap, or hair nets. It
makes no difference, but he must be filled with enthusiasm and must be
able to pass it along. And this very virtue which is the foundation of
successful salesmanship is likely to lead the salesman into gross
rudeness. For the man who is selling is so eager and so earnest that he
forgets that the man who is buying may have his own ideas on the
subject.

The first step in salesmanship is to acquire a thorough knowledge of the
product. The next is to gain access to the man who is to buy it. This is
not always easy. Business men have been annoyed so much by agents that
they have had to erect barriers, in many instances almost impenetrable
ones. It is especially difficult in big cities where the pressure is
heavy, but most worth while business men have learned the value of
contact with the world outside and are willing to give almost any man an
interview if he can show a valid reason why he should have it. Whether
he gets a second interview or not depends upon how he handled the first
one.

There are many ways of getting into an office. A salesman usually stands
a much better chance if he writes ahead for an appointment. It is much
more courteous to ask a man when he wants to see you than to drop in on
him casually and trust to luck that the time is not inopportune. Some
salesmen are afraid to write because they think the knowledge of what
they have to sell will prejudice the prospect against it. At the same
time they feel that if they can only get a chance to talk to him a few
minutes they can over-ride the prejudice. A salesman may come into an
office without letting the man know what his purpose is (though it is
best to begin with cards on the table) but he will not come in (unless
he is a crook) under false pretenses.

The friends of a salesman can sometimes be very useful to him in
presenting him to valuable prospects, and when they feel that the
meeting will result in mutual benefit they are glad to do it. Sometimes
the friend will give a letter or a card of introduction. Sometimes he
will telephone or speak for an appointment. It is best when these come
unsolicited, though it is permissible to ask for them. No man should
depend upon the help of his friends. A salesman shoul