THE SMALL NURSERY 



date when it would be convenient for him or her to see 

 you. Every one of these cards returned means an inter- 

 ested prospect and money in your pocket if you are a 

 good salesman. 



If you are in the midst of a busy season you will want 

 to use some discrimination in making these calls. If you 

 are able to judge^ take your best prospects first and as 

 you have time call on those people with the smaller buy- 

 ing power^ without, however, slighting these people in 

 the least. If you are going to be delayed for some time, 

 drop them a note and say so. 



We will now suppose that you are on the customer's 

 property and already, in your conversation and by your 

 advertising, have worked him up to that stage in the 

 progress of the sale mentioned in Chapter IV as ^'Attracting 

 attention to the goods." You are asked to give an esti- 

 mate as to what plants are needed and how much they 

 will cost. 



In a casual way you have walked about the residence, 

 advising a shrub here, an evergreen there, or perhaps a 

 whole flower garden. Now you must actually estimate 

 the cost of supplying and planting these things. It is on 

 your ability to give these estimates quickly and accurately 

 that your success as a nursery salesman depends. If you 

 estimate without careful thought, you are likely to either 

 make the figure too high and lose the order, or set it too 

 low and lose the profit. It is on such catchy little things 

 as the hauling away of rubbish or the sodding of a little 

 path that many profits have been missed. 



To help you keep all these details in mind I would sug- 

 gest that you carry a sheet made up somewhat as fol- 

 lows, leaving ample room for figures and notes: 



