My method of taking orders, I presume, does not vary much from that of other managers. Webb, the agent for Portland, Oregon, set out to sell a machine, he began, as the Primer advised, by studying the prospect and gaining his "confidence." When confronting an objection, he acknowledged the legitimacy of the complaint, and then tried to counter. The process of selling remained a cat and mouse game. Watson's manner indicated that he thought he was telling the truth."Įven careful use of the Primer could not, of course, guarantee a smooth sale.
Watson had given a demonstration at the 1895 sales convention, one audience member praised Watson's "sincerity" and another commented, "The best thing I noticed in the demonstration was that Mr. and sincerity in presenting machines to the P.P " These were skills to be honed. was the ability to demonstrate "sympathy. Chief among the rules of salesmanship at N.C.R. No man likes to feel he is being sold." At the same time, it was important for the salesman to exude confidence and honesty. "Avoid giving the impression to the merchant that you are trying to force him to buy. The key was to prevent a prospect from feeling manipulated.
The Primer instructed salesmen to exert pressure in a forceful yet subtle manner. To appreciate what a help it would be to you, we must see what things you do in your store of which you keep a record.
Merchant, is a National Cash Register of the most approved pattern. The Primer offered a number of techniques, including the following: When the moment seemed right, he attempted to close. In the demonstration, the salesmen carefully led the customer up to the point of a purchase. The goal of this stage was to schedule a demonstration of the machine in a nearby hotel where the salesman had set up a display, or, if convenient, in the local N.C.R. In the proposition, the salesman described the register for the first time and explained how it would prevent theft and give an accurate account of the day's receipts. Instead, he explained that he wanted to help the businessman find ways to increase profit-that he wanted, in effect, to act as a consultant. In the approach, the salesman made no mention of the cash register. The Primer divided a sale into four steps: approach, proposition, demonstration, and close. In the Primer, an asterisk indicated that the salesman was supposed to point to the item that he was referring to: "How I Sell National Cash Registers," which became known as the Primer, contained instructions not only on what salesmen should say, but also what they were to do while saying it. sales script was the creation of Patterson's brother-in-law Joseph H. While it is not clear that Patterson was familiar with any of these scripts, it is likely that his agents, many of whom had worked as salesmen in other fields, knew of them. In 1879, Bates Harrington published How 'Tis Done, which reprinted-and thereby according to the author "exposed"-the techniques of book canvassers, atlas salesmen, and lightning-rod peddlers. Canvassers for the American Bible Society carried booklets with helpful scripts. Hyde of the Equitable Life Assurance Society published Hints for Agents, which contained persuasive arguments for company representatives to rehearse. Booksellers and other canvassers had used scripts prior to the first N.C.R.
The practice of writing out sales arguments was rare, but not as new as some of Patterson's biographers claim. To ensure that salesmen communicated all the benefits of the register, Patterson gave them scripts to memorize.
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