26 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Februiiry 10, 1918 



Selling Problems 



^[r. Hiiisch's address was folUiwocI liy an instrui-tivo talk hy 

 Mr. A. C. MacMaliou of Chicat;o, sales manager for the National 

 Cash Register Company, on "The Seienee of Selling and Solving 

 Knotty Problems." His address was unnsnally well received, 

 because it was unusually well given. His talk involved no dreamer's 

 ideas of abstract psychology, "but rather brought out one by one 

 points which he explained so easily and simply that they appeared 

 to be just what they really are — mere commonsense. lie told of 

 the methods the National Cash Register Company has pursued in 

 perfecting the selling ability of the sales force which it maintains. 



-Salesmanshi]), according to Mr. MacMahon, is based on a com- 

 bination of health, knowledge of the article or proposition to be 

 sold, enthusiasm, resourcefulness, honesty and hard work. 



Mr. MacMahon emphasized the necessity of the salesman giving 

 to his prospect a feeling of confidence in himself and in his proposi- 

 tion, but said that a salesman must first secure attention and then 

 create the desire to buy. Illustrating these points he recited an 



Cu^h in office. 



i.:ji 



Tutal $ 1,552.12 



Appointment of Committees 



The following committci's were then appoiuteil by the president, 

 and the delegates adjourned for luncheon: 



Uesoh'TIONs — E. A. Lniig. Chicago ; A. I". Stccli*. Sardls, Miss. ; R. L. 

 Hutchinson, Iluntln^'icm, \\. Va. : I'. I,. Ilarrlsiin, (:a|)e filranlcau, Mo.; 

 W. O. Canic. lUistol. Tcnn. ; Kcx II. Hrovvnc, Itli; ('reck, Tc.\. 



(.'OMMITTEE ox OKFicBit.s" Kei'oiits — .\. O. Davls, chairman, Houston, 

 Tix. : .M. It. Cooiicr, .Memphis, Tenn. ; K. E. Lee Wilson, Wilson, Tex. 



CoM.MiTTEE o.\ NoMix.iTio.ss — W. K. UcLanc.v. chairman; Leon Isaac- 

 sen, foal (irove, O., and .T. II. IlimmclliiTgiT. Cape Glrarilcau, Mo. Both 

 the latter are ex-prcsiiliiils of tin- asMi.iMlior]. 



AFTERNOON SESSION 

 The afternoon session was opened by a discussion on the open 

 comjietition plan. Mr. Stark is chairman of the committee on open 

 competition and he gave a resume of the work as it progressed 

 before handing in his formal report. He declared that to a large . 

 extent secrec.v had been eliminated from the trade, and that the 



J. W 



MAYHEW. COLUMBUS, FIRST VICE- 

 PRESIDENT 



F. R. 



GADD, CIXCIXNATI. .\SS1STAXT TO 

 THE I'RESIDENT 



M. W. STARK, ST. ALBANS, W. 

 OPEN PRICE CHAIR.MAN 



WA., 



amusing case of the street corner barker who was selling a new 

 brand of cough drops. He had his wares spread before him and 

 standing on a soap box began his talk in a very hoarse voice. One 

 of his listeners asked him rather pointedly why he didn't use some 

 of the cough drops himself, and fix up his own vocal chords, to 

 which question he replied it was a good idea and he had never 

 thought of it. He immediately opened a box, swallowed a couple 

 of the cough drops and to the amazement of the crowd his hoarse- 

 ness disappeared almost at once and he had sold out his entire stock 

 in five minutes. 



In closing Mr. MacMahon gave particular emphasis to developing 

 the selling end of the lumber business, warning his hearers against 

 developing the manufacturing end against the selling end. 



Finances 

 The annual report of Treasurer M. W. Stark showed the following 

 satisfactory condition of the association's finances: 



Cash in bank, Jan. 2, 1917 $ 1,808.77 



Cash in office Jan. 2, 1917 2.20 



Cash receipts, year ended Dec. 31. 1917 $62,516.11 



62,516.11 



Total to be accounted for $64,327.08 



Disbursements same period $02,774.96 



62,774.96 



$ 1,552.12 

 Balance in bank Dec. 31, 1917 $ 1,550.91 



organization had been brought closer together along with a better 

 feeling, and that matters which formerly were not brought to the 

 attention of the general public were now being made public. A 

 summary of Mr. Stark's report follows: 



Report by W. M. Stark 



The production and stock report was temporarily discontinued, owing 

 to the necessity of helping the government, but it has now been resumed. 



The open competition plan has undergone some slight changes, in order 

 to fit it more accurately into conditions. It was found advisable to dis- 

 continue Class A because of confusion as to the meaning of that class, 

 and because there was fear that It gave just grounds for criticism. 



Last May the open competition plan was formulated and filed with 

 Federal Trade Commission in order that the body might be fully and 

 officially informed concerning the matter. The commission has not as 

 yet said anything about the report. Inasmuch as no objections have 

 been announced, it is assumed that the commission found nothing for 

 disapproval. 



Two slight changes in the wording of the open competition plan were 

 made during the year. The "index price" was changed to "average 

 price." 



The office contains complete records showing how the prices are ob- 

 tained. The over and under prices were done away with. The com- 

 mission entertained doubts as to the advisability of this practice, as It 

 might serve purposes not contemplated, and it was thought best not to 

 continue it. The Federal Trade Commission did not express displeasure 

 with this feature. 



Monthly meetings were held in Cincinnati and Memphis during the 

 year, and it is not improbable that similar meetings will be held else- 

 where. The discussions in those meetings were open and frank, and 

 the statements were very close to the truth, and there was little dis- 

 position to deceive. 



