THE MIND OF THE BUYER
The second important element in a sale is the Mind of the Buyer. In the mind of the buyer is fought the battle of the sale. Within its boundaries are manifested the movements which win or lose the day. As a writer on the subject has said: "The buyer's brain is the board upon which the game is played. The faculties of the brain are the men. The salesman moves or guides these faculties as he would chess men or checkers on a board." In order to understand the ground upon which your battle must be fought, and the mental elements which you must combat, persuade, move, push or attract, you must understand the various faculties of the mind, as well as the mind as a whole. Let us, therefore, consider the various mental faculties which are employed actively by a buyer in the mental process of a purchase.
I. _Quality._ In the first place, let us consider that which the phrenologists call "Quality," by which they express the various degrees of fineness or coarseness in a man's mental make-up which is usually indicated by his appearance and physical characteristics. This "quality" in a man is akin to what we call "class," "breeding," or "blood" in the higher animals. It is difficult to explain, but is universally recognized. At one extreme of "quality" we find those individuals who are fine-grained, refined, high-strung, intense, and inclined to be susceptible to emotional or sentimental influence, poetry, music, etc., and are apt to be more or less impractical and out of harmony with the material world of men and affairs. At the other extreme we find those individuals who are coarse-grained, of coarse and unrefined tastes, animal, gross, unrefined, and generally "swinish." Between these two extremes we find many degrees in the scale. The outward physical signs of the person, such as the coarseness or fineness of his skin, hair, nails, ears and facial features, as well as his general form and characteristics, will usually give the careful observer the key to the degree of a man's "quality." It will be well for the Salesman to acquaint himself with these characteristics, for they throw much light on the general character of people.
Next in order come what are called the Temperaments, by which term phrenologists designate the general classes into which individuals fit. As a rule, however, an individual manifests the elements of several of the temperaments--that is, they blend in him. The best phrenological authorities classify the temperaments as follows: (1) The Vital; (2) The Motive; (3) The Mental; the characteristics of which are described as follows:
_The Vital Temperament._ This temperament is indicated by a predominance of the purely physical or "animal" propensities. Those in whom it predominates are distinguished by a round head, wide space between the corners of the eyes and the ears, side-head full, broad forehead (not necessarily high). They are generally fleshy with a "well-fed" appearance, inclined to be broad shouldered and deep chested and with a "bull neck"--splendid animals, in fact. Their mental characteristics are love of eating and drinking, and animal comforts; impulsiveness, impetuosity, heartiness, quick temper, zeal and ardor, often shrewd and cunning but without great depth, susceptible to flattery and appeal to selfish emotions and prejudices, and loving pleasure. They are generally selfish and grasping toward that which caters to their pleasure and physical welfare. Try to "get all that is coming to them," and yet at the same time tend toward conviviality and are desirous of being thought "good fellows." Are usually excitable, and are easily thrown off their balance. Those in whom this temperament is deficient manifest physical characteristics opposite to those above mentioned, and are more or less anaemic, or bloodless, and show a lack of vitality and physical well-being. Those in whom this temperament predominates make good butchers, hotel-keepers, captains, locomotive engineers, traders, politicians, contractors, etc. They are reached through their feelings rather than through their intellect.
_The Motive Temperament._ This temperament is indicated by a predominance of muscular strength, endurance, toughness, and powers of action. Those in whom it predominates are distinguished by a general leanness and spareness; strongly marked and prominent features, usually with a large nose and high cheek bones; large and strong teeth; large joints and knuckles--the Abraham Lincoln physical characteristics, in fact. Their mental characteristics are determination, persistence, combativeness, destructiveness, endurance, thoroughness, management, executive ability, creative power, stubbornness, powers of resistance, and often an indomitable spirit. Their emotions are not on the surface, but when once aroused are strong and persistent. They are slow to wrath, but are good fighters and will stay to the finish. They are generally canny and shrewd, instinctively. They are the active and persistent workers of the world. It is this temperament in one which supplies his motive power--his ability and taste for work. Those in whom this temperament is deficient manifest physical characteristics opposite to those above mentioned, and accordingly are averse to work or exertion of any kind.
_The Mental Temperament._ This temperament is indicated by a predominance of nervous force, mental activity, reasoning power, imagination, and a brain development rather than bodily strength or physical activity. Those in whom it predominates are distinguished by a slight build, small bones and muscles, general fineness of structure, quick motions, signs of nervous energy, sharp features, thin lips, thin, finely shaped, and often pointed nose, high forehead, and expressive eyes. Their mental characteristics are activity in reasoning processes, active imagination, susceptibility to disturbance from uncongenial environment and distasteful company, love of mental activity and often a distaste for physical activity, sensitiveness, extremes of feeling and emotion, eager and enthusiastic, and the general traits popularly designated as "temperamental." Those in whom this temperament is deficient manifest characteristics opposite to those above mentioned, and are averse to mental activity.
_Blended Temperaments._ Nearly every individual possesses the three temperaments blended in various proportions and combinations. In some, one temperament predominates largely and gives us the distinctive characteristics of that class. But in others, often two temperaments will predominate, leaving the third scarcely manifest. In others, the three are so well blended and balanced that the individual is known as "well balanced" temperamentally--this being considered the ideal condition.
Prof. Fowler, one of the old authorities in phrenology, says of the blended temperaments: "Excessive Motive with deficient Mental gives power and sluggishness, so that the talents lie dormant. Excessive Vital gives physical power and enjoyment, but too little of the mental and moral, along with coarseness and animality. Excessive Mental confers too much mind for body, too much sentimentalism and exquisiteness, along with greenhouse precocity. Whereas their equal balance gives an abundant supply of vital energy, physical stamina, and mental power and susceptibility. They may be compared to the several parts of a steamboat and its appurtenances. The Vital is the steampower; the Motive, the hulk or frame-work; the Mental, the freight and passengers. The Vital predominating, generates more animal energy than can well be worked off, and causes restlessness, excessive passion, and a pressure which endangers outbursts and overt actions; predominant Motive gives too much frame or hulk; moves slowly, and with weak Mental is too light freighted to secure the great ends of life; predominant Mental overloads, and endangers sinking; but all equally balanced and powerful, carry great loads rapidly and well, and accomplish wonders. Such persons unite cool judgment with intense and well governed feelings; great force of character and intellect with perfect consistency; scholarship with sound common sense; far seeing sagacity with brilliancy; and have the highest order of both physiology and mentality."
The Salesman should thoroughly acquaint himself with the characteristics of each of the three temperaments, and should also learn to analyze them when found blended and in combination. An understanding of a man's temperament will often give one the key to his general character and disposition, which will be of the greatest advantage to the Salesman. Many students of human nature devote their entire attention to a study of the several faculties of the mind, ignoring the force and effect of the temperaments. We consider this to be a mistake, for a thorough knowledge of the temperaments gives one a general key to character, and, as a fact, it is generally found that given a certain temperament or combination of the same, a good phrenologist will be able to indicate just what faculties are apt to be found in the ascendency in such a character. And as the average Salesman cannot spare the time to become an expert phrenologist, it will be seen that a correct knowledge of the temperaments gives him his best working knowledge of the subject of character reading.
Let us now consider the various groups of mental faculties which are manifested by the buyer in his business, and which should be understood by the Salesman in order that he may successfully meet the impulses arising therefrom in the mind of the buyer. Our consideration of these groups of faculties must necessarily be brief, but we shall include the essential features.
_The Social Faculties._ This group of faculties includes _Amativeness_ or Sexuality; _Conjugality_ or Marital Inclination; _Parental Love_ or Love of Offspring; _Friendship_ or Love of Companionship; _Inhabitiveness_ or Love of Home. Phrenology teaches that this group of organs occupies the lower back portion of the head, giving the appearance of bulging behind the ears. _Amativeness_ or Sexuality when highly developed causes one to be at the mercy of the attraction of the opposite sex. While normally developed it plays a worthy part in life, its excessive development manifests in licentiousness, and when deficient manifests in an aversion to the opposite sex or a coldness and reserve. Persons in whom this faculty is in excess will neglect business for sex attraction, and will allow themselves to be "sidetracked" by reason thereof. In selling a man of this kind, keep him away from this particular subject, or he will not give you his attention. _Conjugality_ or Marital Inclination when highly developed causes one to be largely influenced by one's companion in marriage. A man of this kind will be largely governed by his wife's wishes, tastes and desires, consequently if his wife "says so" the battle is won. Some men, however, while having Amativeness largely developed, have but small Conjugality, and if one love is not found satisfactory, another is substituted--an "affinity" takes the wife's place. _Parental Love_ or Love of Offspring when highly developed causes one to idolize his children and to be capable of influence through them. Such men are prone to relate anecdotes regarding their children and to bore listeners with recitals of infantile brightness and precocity. They generally have photographs of their children about their desks. An appeal to the interests of the children always reaches the attention and interest of these people. _Friendship_, or Love of Companionship, when highly developed causes one to seek society, form attachments of friendship, enjoy social pleasures, do favors for those whom they like, enjoy entertaining and being entertained. Such a man will be more apt to base his business dealings upon likes and acquaintance rather than upon reason or judgment, and are comparatively easily persuaded by those whom they like. An appearance of sociability generally attracts them to those manifesting it. The quality of "good fellowship" appeals to this class. _Inhabitiveness_ or Love of Home when highly developed causes one to become _attached to places_, localities and associations. Such a man will be full of patriotism, local pride and prejudice and provincialism. He will resent any apparent "slur" upon his locality, and will appreciate any favorable comment on his home place and locality. These people are like cats who are attached to places rather than to people. Their township is usually their idea of "my country."
_The Selfish Faculties._ This group of faculties includes _Vitativeness_, or Love of Life; _Combativeness_, or Love of Opposing; _Destructiveness_, or Love of Breaking Through; _Alimentiveness_, or Love of Appetite; _Bibativeness_, or Love of Drink; _Acquisitiveness_, or Love of Gain; _Secretiveness_, or Cunning; _Cautiousness_, or Prudence; _Approbativeness_, or Love of Praise; _Self Esteem_, or Self Reliance. Phrenology teaches that this group of organs occupy the sides of the back part of the head. _Vitativeness_, or Love of Life, when highly developed causes one to manifest a determination to live, and a great fear of death. Anything promising increased health or long life will greatly attract these people, and anything arousing a fear of ill health or death will influence them greatly. These people are excellent customers for health appliances, books on health, etc. _Combativeness_, or Love of Opposing, when highly developed causes one to desire a "scrap" or an argument or debate. These people can best be handled by seemingly allowing them to win in argument, and then leading them to suggest the thing that the Salesman has had in his mind all the time. These people may be led, or coaxed, but never driven. With them it is always a case of "sugar catches more flies than vinegar," or of the hot sun causing the man to drop the cloak which the fierce north wind was unable to blow away from him. A man of this kind will be so pleased at beating another in an argument on a minor point, that he will forget the main point and will be in a humor to be persuaded. Always avoid a direct argument or dispute with these people on important points--they will let their pride of combat obscure their judgment. But they will be ready to bestow favors on those whom they believe they have worsted in argument. _Destructiveness_, or Love of Breaking Through, when highly developed causes one to take great pleasure in doing things in new ways; in breaking precedents and defying authority, and in breaking down obstacles. If you can arouse this spirit in such a man, by showing him how he may do these things with your goods, he will fall in line. A man of this kind may be interested at once in any proposition whereby he may be enabled to do something in a novel way here--to defy opposition or established custom--or to break down opposing obstacles. The keynote of this faculty is: "Make Way." _Alimentiveness_, or Love of Appetite, when highly developed causes one to incline toward gluttony and gormandizing, and to place undue importance upon the pleasures of the table. A man of this kind "lives to eat" instead of "eating to live," and may be reached through his weakest point--his stomach. To such a man a good dinner is more convincing than a logical argument. _Bibativeness_, or Love of Drink, when highly developed causes one to manifest an inordinate taste for liquids of all kinds. In some cases, where alcoholic drinks are avoided by such people, they will run to excess in the direction of "soft drinks" such as ginger ale, soda water, etc. It does not follow that these people are fond of the effects of alcohol, the craving seemingly being for liquids in some form. Such people, if their appetites are not controlled, will let their taste for drinks run away with their judgment and reason.
_Acquisitiveness_, or Love of Gain, when highly developed causes one to be very grasping, avaricious, and often miserly. But, when not so highly developed, it causes one to manifest a keen trading instinct, and is a necessary factor in the mental make-up of the successful merchant. Those in whom it is highly developed will be interested in any proposition which seems to them to promise gain or saving. In selling such a man, the effort should be to keep the one point of _profit or saving_ always in evidence. In some cases this faculty, too highly developed and not counterbalanced by other faculties, will make a man "penny wise and pound-foolish," and will focus his mental gaze so closely on the nickel held close to his eye that he will not see the dollar a little further off. The "money talk" is the only one that will appeal to these people.
_Secretiveness_, or Cunning, when highly developed causes one to incline toward double-dealing, duplicity, trickery and deception. It is the "foxy" faculty, which, while useful to a certain degree, becomes undesirable when carried to excess. In dealing with a man of this kind, be on guard so far as accepting his statements at full value is concerned. Accept his statements "with a grain of salt." Those who wish to "fight the devil with his own fire" can reach these people by allowing them to think that they are overreaching or getting the best of the Salesman. The Salesman who is apparently defeated by these people, is very apt to have discounted their methods in advance, and has mapped out his line of retreat in advance so that the defeat is really a victory. These people often will sacrifice a real advantage concerning a big thing for the sake of tricking one out of a small advantage. To trick another causes them to feel a glow of righteous well-being and self-satisfaction, and makes them forget the main point in the deal. A small victory thus won acts on them like the good dinner to the Alimentive man, or flattery to the Approbative person. A faculty developed to excess is always a weak point which can be used by others who understand it.
_Cautiousness_, or Prudence, while an admirable quality when normally developed, becomes, when highly developed, an undesirable quality. When highly developed it causes one to be over-anxious, fearful, afraid to act, liable to panic, etc. These people must be cultivated carefully, and led to acquire confidence and trust. One should be very careful in dealing with these people not to cause suspicion or alarm. They should be treated with the utmost fairness, and given full explanations of matters of which they are in doubt. As a rule they are very slow in giving confidence, but when they once place confidence in a person they are very apt to stick to him. Their very fearfulness acts to prevent their making changes when confidence is once secured. These people cannot be "rushed," as a rule--they require time in order to gain confidence. They are, however, subject to an occasional "rush" by reason of their panicky disposition, if they can be made to fear that if they do not act some competitor will be given the chance, or that prices will advance if they do not order at once. These people must be handled carefully, and the Salesman who masters their nature will be well repaid for his trouble and pains.
_Approbativeness_, or Love of Praise, when highly developed causes one to be susceptible to flattery, desirous of praise, fond of "showing off" and displaying himself, vain, sensitive to criticism, and generally egotistical and often pompous. This quality when highly developed is a weakness and gives to an adversary a powerful lever to work. The Salesman, while secretly detesting this quality in a buyer, nevertheless finds it a very easy channel of approach and weapon of success, when he once understands its characteristics. These people can be reached by an apparent "falling in" with their opinion of themselves, and a manifestation of the proper respect in manner and words. These are the people to whom the "soft soap" is applied liberally, and who are carried away by an apparent appreciation of their own excellence. They will be willing to bestow all sorts of favors upon those who are sufficiently able to "understand" them, and to perceive the existence of those superlative qualities which the cruel, cold, unfeeling world has ignored. These are the people for whom the word "jolly" was invented, and who are ready to absorb the available world-supply of that article.
_Self Esteem_, or Self Reliance, is a very different quality from that just described, although many people seem unable to make the distinction. Self Esteem when highly developed causes one to appreciate one's powers and qualities, while not blinding oneself to one's faults. It gives a sense of self-help, self-respect, self-reliance, dignity, complacency, and independence. Carried to an extreme it manifests as hauteur, superciliousness, imperiousness and tyranny. It is a characteristic of the majority of successful men who have made their own way by their own efforts. These people insist upon having their own way, and using their own minds--they resent apparent influence or suggestions, and often deliberately turn down a proposition simply because they think that an effort is being made to force them into it. The best way to deal with these people is to frankly acknowledge their right to think for themselves, both in your manner, tone and actions--and to present the proposition to them in an impersonal way, apparently leaving the whole matter to their own good judgment. A logical appeal appeals to them providing you do not make the mistake of pitting yourself against them as an opponent in argument. You may play the part of the lawyer to them, but remember always they want to play the part of judge, and not that of the opposing counsel. If a matter be subtly suggested to them in such a way as to make them think that they have thought it themselves, they will favor it. Always give them a chance to think out the point themselves--they like it. One need not cringe to or flatter these people. All that is necessary is to maintain your own self-respect, but at the same time let them walk a little ahead of you, or stand just a little bit higher--that is all they need to make them feel comfortable. They much prefer being a little higher or ahead of a strong man than a weakling--it is more complimentary to them. They appreciate the one who forces them to use their heaviest guns--but who finally allows them to claim the victory.