HARDWOOD RECORD 



1!. MKXGEL. LIHISVILLE, KY., MAHOG- 

 ANY GHADING AND STATISTK'S 



CI. IFF S. WALKEI!. CIXCINXA'II. n.. o.NK OF 

 THE HOSTS 



J. A. BOLSEU, CINCINNATI, O.. ONE OF THE 

 HOSTS 



A salesman should keep thoroughly informed about the rules sovern- 

 iug the iDspection of lumber. It is an easy matter for him to study his 

 giading rules and to apply to the lumber the knowledge thus obtained. 

 A good salesmau should know more about his lumber than the man to 

 whom he sells. It tak<?s enthusiasm and energy on the part of a sales- 

 man to st\uly and keep posted on lumber grades, but enthusiasm pays. 

 Knowledge of grades as well as your stocks is necessary in the su<'cessfui 

 marketing of lumber. An energetic salesman who knows his grades and 

 has the ability to go through a customer's factory, studying that cus- 

 tomer's requirements, fitting the grades he has to tliem and selling the 

 customer lumber that will be profitable to him, is the fellow who will 

 sell the lumber and get the price. The salesman who does this is worth 

 far more money to his employer than the man who works along the lines 

 of least resistance by selling his lumber in warm office buildings where 

 he can call on li-ade all day without even the necessity of going out of 

 the building for lunch. 



A lazy, indifferent salesman, whose thouglits are on things olhei- than 

 bis lumber sales, will lake but few orders from a customer except for 

 Ihat customer's immediate needs, and will only get those few by making a 

 low price. Enthusiasm in a salesmau begets enthusiasm in a customer. 

 He must know his business, must be honest, truthful, fair to his house, 

 as well as to his customers, and must work if he wishes to hold trade, 

 get new' trade and draw .i bigger salar,y tlian tiie cnuimon average 

 salesman. 



By enlhusiasm I do not mean that he should out-ialk everyone around 

 him. Many salesmen talk too much, both in describing their goods and 

 getting into arguments witli their customers about politics, wliether a 

 Chinaman should cul olT liis queue and similar subjects. It is well to let 

 the custonu'r do some of the talking as long as tlie talk is not detri- 

 mental to a sale. Should the customer drift to another line of talk, tact- 

 fully lead him back to the consideration of the purchase of lumber. He 

 may sell himself if the salesman gives him a chance. 



There is a psyeliological moment which should not be overlooked by 

 a salesman attempting to make a sale. This is nicely illustrated by 

 Mark Twain's story about attending a missionary meeting. The preacher 

 enlarged upon the missionary cause and Twain decided that it was his 

 duty to put twenty-five cents into the contriljution bo.\ when it came 

 jiround. The preacher continued to talk, and Twain, mentally, continued 

 fo raise the amount he intended to give until it reached $20, all the 

 money he had with him. He decided later, not only to give the .fllO but 

 to borrow $2(1 from his neighbor, giving $40 in all. Twain, in relating 

 the story, said that right then was the psychological moment for his $40 

 to leave him, and lime for the preacher to quit talking, but the preacher 

 continued talking and Mark went to sleep. He was awakened by some 

 one punching him with a contribution box. The sudden awakening 

 addled his brain, and thinking some one wanted to give him something, 

 he took fifteen cents out of the contribution box. The preacher's talking 

 loo much cost the missionary cause in that instance just $40.1.">. No 

 more suggestions about the quality and fine points of lumber than is 

 necessai-.v to nuike a sale should be made. When a sale is consummated 

 the salesman should stop praising his lumber. If he doesn't his continued 

 talking may cost his firm more than $40.15. 



One of the necessary things in handling salesmen is seeing that they 

 are as free as possible from worry. Even the most optimistic of men 

 are likely to become discouiagc'd under lbr> "bear" pressure which Ihey 



meet hourly each da.v, especially if they tramp through rain or snow all 

 day or for two days without getting an order, and a cheering word or 

 letter from those in authority is good business-getting tonic for any 

 salesman and tends to offset the depressing influence of buyers who are 

 trying to get their lumber at the lowest possible price. 



'The most justitiable kick a salesman ever makes is when another sales- 

 man from his house cuts the price when he remains firm. Every time a 

 salesman, even though with authority from his house, cuts his price he 

 lessens his earning powers for himself and for his employer. Any shrewd 

 bu.ver, and there are many, will soon know the price-cutter and they 

 will soon be putting a price on such salesman's goods. Because some 

 weak-kneed salesman has made a low price is no excuse for another 

 salesman going him one better. If each seller follows such a ridiculous 

 plan the price on all grades of lumber would be reduced every time a 

 sale is made. Make your own price on your own lumber. Don't let the 

 buyer make it lor you. Buyers seldom call attention to the other 

 fellow's high prices, but they will turn down letterheads and show lower 

 quotations made under various conditions. The quotations may be based 

 on an error in freight or it may be low in order to adjust some former 

 complaint. A customer ma.v show you an order taken by a salesman 

 with the understanding that it is subject to the acceptance of the home 

 office, nie home office may have refused to accept the order, but the 

 customer still uses his copy to frighten salesmen and to "hear" the 

 market. 'The firm making the quotation may be unreliable or they may 

 be quoting inlending to ship a poor grade, short or narrow lumber, or 

 mixed grades. I'rospective buyers will show copies of invoices on which 

 prices of some grades are cxti'emel.v low. They will not tell the sales- 

 man, however, that the invoice covered a contract sale made long ago of 

 which the seller is today ashamed. I repeat, let the other fellow quote 

 his price. Y'ou c[uoic ,\ours. One of the be»t salesmen I know never 

 reduces his priii' when once luadc. His trade knows him to be a hustler, 

 truthful and rcliahle. They honor and trust him. He has confidence in 

 and knows the !uud)er he sells and doesn't misrepresent it. He knows 

 his lumbi'r is w<u-tb tlie price asked. Asks it, and gets it. Some sales- 

 men haven't ba<'kbonc enough to ask a fair price. When they call on a 

 prospective buyer to sell him lumber, what little backbone they do have 

 changes to gristle. Instead of asking the price the lumber is worth, they 

 cut the low price, of which they have just heard, another dollar. If 

 this is your system, change it today. It you won't change it, then find 

 out if the man to whom you are talking wotild buy your lumber at any 

 price. If he isn't in the market, keep your low price to yourself instead 

 of quoting it. thus helping to hold up the price named by a salesman 

 whose backbone has not lost ail of its sustaining qualities. 



You have all seen street car trailers. If one be fastened to the car 

 pulling it with a (i-foot chain, damage will likely be done to both cars. 

 The successful nuiniug of each car is hindered. If the trailer be coupled 

 closely to 1 he car i)ulling 11 there is more comfort to the passengers and 

 little or no diingcr io life and property. If you are going to be a "price- 

 ctittlng" trailer a I least couple up close to the price-getters who are 

 pulling you. I know of a firm who recently sold a man some 4x4 Is and 

 2s red oak at $.-14 on an X-cent rate from the river. The seller saw him 

 a few days ago and asked him how the stock suited him. He replied. 

 "It was all rigid, but I bought a better carload at $48 after I bought 

 yours." 



The frailer wlio sold liiui al $4.S was too far behind. He was con- 

 nected Willi flic piicM -gcller liy a chain $0 long. He could just as well 



