228 MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY PLANTS 



if the salesman is fully aware of the superiority of that product. 

 The fact that the factory is so equipped with machinery and 

 supplied with raw material that it can meet the demand at all 

 times of the year is also a big factor in developing confidence on 

 the part of the one who sells the goods. 



4. He Should Familiarize Himself with the Quality of Goods 

 Sold by His Competitors and with Their Methods of Selling. 

 This is entirely for the purpose of self-education and not for 

 the direct purpose of taking undue advantage of such knowl- 

 edge. A salesman should hold his competitors in high esteem. 

 He should never speak of them when he sells goods, for if he 

 does it is an indication that he is afraid of them and it makes 

 him weaker in the eyes of the prospective customer. 



5. He Should Have Self -Confidence. The one who lacks 

 self-confidence will never be able to talk convincingly. Self- 

 confidence should not be confused with self-conceit, for that is a 

 very undesirable quality to possess. 



6. He Should be a Judge of Human Nature. The people he 

 is to deal with are of different temperaments. They have 

 different ideas, they do business in a different manner. It is 

 therefore essential that the salesman first study the individual- 

 ity of the person he expects to approach. The nature and the 

 volume of his business have much to do in shaping the business 

 man. The man who conducts a large retail grocery business in 

 a large city is a busier man and requires different approach 

 than the one conducting a grocery business in a small town. 



Before approaching a person the salesman should have made 

 a fair analysis of him and of his business. The approach is a 

 very important part of the salesman's work. His manner of 

 approach creates in the prospective buyer a like or a dislike, 

 and unless he is able to make a favorable impression his chances 

 for interesting the prospect are very poor. In order to appeal 

 favorably he should be polite; he should not inconvenience the 

 one he expects to do business with, but if he finds that he is 

 busy it would possibly be advisable to call later. A salesman is 

 at a disadvantage when trying to interest a person who for the 

 time being has urgent business to attend to. The salesman in 



