ght and
hearing compellingly; as did the clicking of the card on the desk top
when it was presented for reading. Repeatedly the return of the
prospect's wandering attention was forced subconsciously; yet no
disagreeable impression was made on his conscious mind. In the course of
half an hour the correspondent succeeded in selling his services at a
very satisfactory salary.

[Sidenote: "Come Loaded"]

If you similarly "come loaded" for sense-hitting, you will be able to
get your prospect's attention originally, and to regain it whenever it
is temporarily lost. In advance of your call on the man to whom you want
to sell your services, think out things you can do that will strike one
or more of his senses forcibly, without making disagreeable impressions.
You can take with you to the interview specimens of your work, or
testimonials; and hold them in your hand where they will attract notice.
Or you might plan to use attention-compelling gestures.

[Sidenote: Tone Variations]

Changes of tone will make the other man "perk up his ears" if his
attention wanders; so plan to introduce variety into your manner of
speaking. Don't just open the spigot of your mind and let your ideas
run out in a monotone. Variety of voice is pleasing, as well as
attention-compelling.

I know a salesman who is in the habit of using a spotlessly clean big
handkerchief to help him keep the prospect's mind concentrated on the
proposition being presented. Whenever the other man's attention is
diverted, this salesman whisks his handkerchief from his pocket and
touches his lips with it. The flash of white hits the sight-sense of the
prospect and brings back his wandering attention to the salesman.

[Sidenote: Sense Hitting Should Help The Sale]

But such devices are superficial. _The best sense-hitting means of
compelling attention, directly relates some sense effect to the
salesman's purpose._

The correspondent who ruffled his cards and clicked them down on the
prospect's desk would not have been so successful if on each card he had
not pasted a specimen of his work as an efficient letter writer. If he
had brought a pack of blank cards, for example, the repeated use of his
device for getting attention might have irritated the other man. To
analyze the illustration further; if the correspondent had brought the
specimens of his work on letter paper, not pasted on stiff cards, they
would have been much less effective. He could not have ruffled t