ity of his service and
had shown that there was no really weighty reason why the contract
should not be given to him. He knew he was entitled to the decision
then, but he did not wait for the timid man to pronounce it. The
advertising agent knew the characteristics of the prospect and had
planned just how he would handle the finishing stage of the selling
process so as to get the order promptly.

[Sidenote: The Clincher Held in Reserve]

He held in reserve a closing method that a less skillful salesman
probably would have used earlier in the sale instead of reserving it
especially for the end. As soon as he had completed the weighing process
my friend took from his pocket a sheet of copy he had prepared for a
first advertisement along the line he had proposed. This had been worked
out carefully in advance, just as if the order had already been given
for the advertising service. My friend laid the sheet of copy before the
prospect, who was taken completely by surprise.

"I knew you would want this service as soon as I explained it to you,"
said the salesman. "Therefore I prepared this ad for the first
publication under the plan I have submitted, and which I am sure you
approve. There is no question that you will get much better results from
this copy than you have been receiving from the advertising you are
doing now. Naturally you want to begin benefiting from my service as
soon as possible. I'm all ready to deliver the goods. Just pencil your
O.K. on the corner of this copy. I'll do the rest."

[Sidenote: From Pencil To Pen]

With a smile of confidence the salesman held out a soft lead pencil.
_The moment the other man involuntarily obeyed the suggestion by
accepting the tendered pencil, he was started on the purely muscular
process of pronouncing his approval of the proposition likewise tendered
for his acceptance._ The informality of the off-hand request that he
"pencil his O.K." kept him from being scared off. He did not feel that
he had yet committed himself fully. Probably, with characteristic
timidity, he would have shied from signing a formal contract at that
moment. But he hesitated only slightly before he scribbled his initials
on the corner of the proposed ad. Then he handed the pencil back to the
salesman. The advertising agent picked up the approved copy, and at once
laid before the prospect a formal contract. Simultaneously he tendered
his fountain pen. _He had started the advertiser to writing his na