36 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



March 11, 1909. 



KLEHM'S NOVELTY TULIPS $4.00 per 100 



St. Patrick's Day Green Carnation Dye $1.00 per quart. 



Wild Smilax 



On hand in any quantity. Can ship from Chicago at a moment's notice. 

 All Cut Flowers in Large Supply at Chicago Marlcet Rates. 



KENNICOn BROS. CO. 



WHOLESALE COMMISSION FLORISTS 



48-50 Wabash Ave. L.D.Phone, antral 466. CHICAGO 



Mention The Review •when you write. 



lem is presented than in most other com- 

 mercial transactions. 



Qualities of a Good Salesman. 



Perhaps the first requirement of a 

 salesman will be that delicate tact which 

 makes his patron feel at ease, and will 

 so gracefully convey information — or cor- 

 rect an error — that not the slightest sting 

 of confusion or mortification will be felt. 

 This trait in a salesman, or, in fact, in 

 any man, is one of the rarest assets. 

 Next to tact comes enthusiasm, that earn- 

 est spirit of service which quickly dis- 

 covers the customer 's needs, cheerfully 

 gives information, evinces a willingness 

 to show every flower in the place if nec- 

 essary and is never tired out. This 

 quality is as rare as tact and generally 

 goes with it, perhaps being born in a 

 man rather than acquired. Add to these 

 the ability to arrange the flowers artisti- 

 cally, so that a very common thing may 

 become one of beauty; the ability, also, 

 to deftly and rapidly pack and tie the 

 box, in order that the flowers may not 

 suffer, and that time — which up to this 

 point has been used to advantage — may 

 not be wasted on mere details. 



It is easy to conceive, as the customer, 

 is courteously dismissed, the satisfying 

 effect that all this intelligent effort has 

 upon him. Not only has he been edu- 

 cated and pleased, but the value of a 

 simple dozen of roses has been enhanced 

 in his eyes possibly a hundredfold. In 

 this way a value has been created and 

 credit has redounded both to the house 

 and to the salesman. 



Stress has been laid on the philosoph- 

 ical side of the art of selling, rather than 

 on its material and technical aspect. This 

 is because of the firm belief that the 

 qualities mentioned, besides conducing to 

 the elevation of the florists' trade and 

 other kindred businesses, have an im- 

 mediate and cash value, and that higher 

 ideals will ultimately prevail in trade re- 

 lations. Indeed, the day of the "dea- 

 coning" of the apple barrel, the sanding 

 of sugar, watering of milk, "salting 

 down ' ' of flowers, and general misrepre- 

 senting of goods is happily passing away. 



Brief Rules for the Business Man. 



PerJiaps the following epitome will 



serve to convey the writer's thpughts in 

 a pointed and more easily remembered 

 form: 



It is not such a good practice to 

 "soak" a customer as to satisfy him. 



It is better to size him up as to his 

 needs, rather than as to his ability to 

 pay a big price. 



It is more to the advantage of both 

 parties that good, fresh stock be sold 

 than to entertain the delusion that a 

 customer will come oftener if the goods 

 perish quickly. 



Common decency dictates that equal 

 courtesy be extended to every patron, re- 

 gardless of the size of his pocketbook. 



Success depends more on absolute re- 

 liability than on a glib tongue and a 

 plausible story. 



It is taken for granted that a salesman 

 should be well informed on the technical 

 and scientific details of his business, al- 

 though this knowledge has been lament- 

 ably absent in the florists' trade. 



Selling a certain line of goods at or 

 below cost, as a "leader" to attract 

 the public, is not legitimate business, the 

 object being to mislead buyers into the 

 belief that all other goods in the store 

 are equally low priced. 



Any other action having as its prime 

 object the ruin of a competitor, is per- 

 nicious. 



The giving away of flowers is no part 

 of selling and should be charged up to 

 advertising. 



Finally, for one desirous of perfect- 

 ing himself in the art of selling, no bet- 

 ter lesson can be learned than from a 

 careful study of his own experiences as 

 a buyer. It is safe to say that he will 

 find himself attracted by the cordial, 

 friendly greeting, especially if his name 

 be remembered, the prompt offer of sers'- 

 ice, and the manifest truthfulness of all 

 information given. 



A FLORIST is not a florist if he is not 

 in touch with the Eeview. — Jacob Kal- 

 LENBACH, Erie, Pa. 



Your paper has proved very beneficial 

 to us this season through our advertise- 

 ments. — J. B. Shurtletf & Son, Revere, 

 Mass. 



WANT ADVERTISEMENTS. 



Advertisements under this head one cent a 

 word. CASH WITH ORDER. When answers 

 are to be addressed in our care, add 10 cents for 

 forwarding. 



SITUATION WANTED- Rose grower and gen- 

 eral greenhouse work; 10 years' experience: 

 references. Address No. 160, care Florists' Re- 

 view, Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED- On commercial or pri- 

 vate place, private preferred, as florist and 

 gardener; married; life experience and A-1 refer- 

 ences. Henry Gerstenkorn, Glenwood, 111. 



SITUATION WANTED-By sober, young, all- 

 around grower, capable of taking charge of 

 section or commercial place; state wages. Ad- 

 dress No. 106, care Florists' Review, Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED - Competent landscape 

 architect, capable of drawing plans, wishes' 

 permanent situation with reliable firm; refer- 

 ences. Address No. 148, care Florists' Review, 

 Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED-First-class florist and 

 designer is seeking position with high-class 

 flower establishment: best of referenres fur- 

 nished. Address No. 153, care Florists' Review, 

 Chicago. . ■ ^ 



SITUATIOV WANTED- As working head gar- 

 dener; English; age 30; married; one child; 

 life experience; in good private gardens: good 

 references. Address No. 16», care Florists' Re- 

 view, Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED-By florist with 15 years- 

 experience in roses, carnations and general 

 stock: age 32; married; good references; please 

 state wages. Address No. 144, care Florists' 

 Review, Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED - By Englishman; 14 

 years' experience, inside and outside: age 

 28; married; no family; competent to take charge 

 of private estate; flrst-class references. E. 8., 

 Box 117, Sharon, Conn. 



SITUATION WANTED-In flrst-class shop as 

 store man, by young man of ability; no other 

 but flrst-class shops need answer; references 

 given and required. Address No. 148, care Flo- 

 riists' Review, Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED-Competent all-around 

 man as manager of retail place: must be per- 

 manent: references exchanged: married; no fam- 

 ily; state salary. Address No. 143, care Flo- 

 rists' Review, Chicago. 



SITUATION WANTED - By young man as 

 helper; have had 2 years' experience in green- 

 house and 1 year's in store; can furnish best of 

 St. Louis references; wages reasonable. R. O. 

 Campbell, Shobonier, 111. 



SITUATION WANTED-By a young man; 8 

 years' experience in all branches of the flo- 

 rist business; several years' experience in Europe 

 and United States: first-class references. Ad- 

 dress No. 138, care Florists' Review, Chicago 



