THE MIND OF THE BUYER (CONTINUED)
_The Faculties of Application._ This group consists of two qualities: that of _Firmness_, or Decision; and that of _Continuity_, or Patience. These faculties, together with Self-Esteem, are located at the upper-back, or back-upper, part of the head.
_Firmness_, or Decision, when highly developed causes one to manifest stability, tenacity, fixedness of purpose, often reaching the point of obstinacy, mulishness and stubbornness. These people cannot be driven, or forced into anything. They are "mighty set" in their ways, and when they once take a position are very apt to stick to it "right or wrong." They are apt to fight to the last ditch for what they consider principle, and will hold on to the end in what they believe to be right. To attempt to drive them by force is to dash one's head against a stone wall. The only way to handle these people is to endeavor to get them interested in your side of the case before they have "set" their minds and made up their opinion. If they have already been prejudiced against your case, the only way is to give up the fight from the front, and endeavor to present the matter from a different viewpoint, or angle, so that new points will be presented which take the matter out of the old category. These people will never give in unless they can say: "Oh, that of course alters the matter entirely;" or "Oh, well, that places it in a new light;" or "That is an entirely different proposition," etc. Leave them victors of the positions upon which they are "set," and endeavor to enlist their interest upon some new aspects, points, or principles--you have at least an even chance of winning on the new point, whereas you have none whatever on the old one. If, however, you can fit your case to some of their established prejudices, for or against, you have won your battle, for their quality of stability will then be employed in your favor instead of against it. You will have to fit your case to their moulds--cut your garment according to their pattern. A stubborn and balky horse or mule can often be started in motion by turning its attention to a new thing--such as putting a piece of twisted paper in its ear, adjusting its harness in a new way, etc. The same principle will work on stubborn men, "set" in their ways. Get their mind off the point in question, and they will be rational. Let them have their own way about their own points--and then plan a flank or rear attack on them. You cannot batter down their stone-wall--you must either soar over it, tunnel under it, or else go around it.
_Continuity_, or Patience, when highly developed causes one to "stick to" a thing once undertaken; to manifest patience and perseverance, and to give up the mind to one thing to the exclusion of others. It is difficult to interest these people in new things--they instinctively distrust the _new_ idea or thing, and cling to the old. These people are very conservative and dislike change. They can be dealt with best by avoiding shocking them with entirely _new_ things, and by carefully attaching the newer idea or thing to the old so that it seems a part of the latter. New things under old names do not disturb these people as much as old things under new names--it is the form and name, rather than the substance with them. Old wine in new bottles they abhor--but new wine in old bottles they will stand. Arguments based on "old established" things, or "good old-time" things, appeal to them. Things must be "respectable," "well-established," "standing the test of years," "no new-fangled notion," etc., to appeal to them. Beware of trying new and startling changes on them--they will be prejudiced against you at once. Fall in with their ideals, and they will be excellent friends and steady customers. The words "conservative" and "established" sound well to their ears. On the contrary, people in whom this faculty is deficient will incline toward new things because they are new. This faculty, either in excess or when deficient, strongly affects the judgment, and must be taken into consideration by the Salesman.
_The Religio-Moral Faculties._ This group of faculties includes _Conscientiousness_, or Moral Principle; _Hope_, or Optimism; _Spirituality_, or other-worldliness; _Veneration_, or Reverence; and _Benevolence_, or Human Kindness. The organs manifesting these qualities are located in the front-top of the head.
_Conscientiousness_, or Moral Principle, when highly developed gives one a high sense of right, justice, truth, virtue, and duty. In dealing with these people be particularly careful to make no misstatements, misrepresentations, and exaggerations, but to adhere closely to the facts of the case. Avoid also any appearance of trickiness or sharp practice, stories of shrewd bargains, etc. These people become staunch, firm friends if dealt with as they deserve, but become prejudiced against people and houses whom they suspect of unfair dealings, or in whom they lose confidence. Their keynote is "right's right"--and you should adhere to it in all dealings with them. They are "the salt of the earth," and it is a pity that there are not more of them. It is true that sometimes this faculty seems to become perverted into phariseeism and hypocrisy--but, then, every good thing has its counterfeit, and the thing to do is to distinguish between the true and the false, here as elsewhere.
_Hope_, or Optimism, when highly developed causes one to look on the bright side of things, expect favorable outcomes, look confidently forward, and expect much from the future. Its perversion manifests in visionary dreams and castle-building. These people are amenable to appeals to future success, bright prospects, cheerful outlook, and new undertakings which seem promising. They become enthusiastic when propositions are properly presented to them, and prefer to deal with Salesmen of similar mental characteristics. These people are natural "bulls" in business--beware of posing as a "bear" when dealing with them. They relish a good cheering, cheerful talk more than anything else. They are good people to deal with, particularly if the quality in question is balanced by caution and trained by experience.
_Spirituality_, or Other-worldliness, when highly developed tends to cause one to live on mental heights above the things of ordinary material existence; to trust to the "inner light;" to incline toward mysticism; and to experience a religious consciousness above the ordinary. When manifested in a lesser degree it is evidenced by the ordinary "religious" feeling. Perverted, it manifests as superstition, credulity and "psychism." The people in whom this faculty is active seem to feel that business is a degrading necessity, and they are never thoroughly at home in it, unless the goods handled happen to be along the lines of their general inclination, as for instance, religious books, etc. Consequently, their business traits and tastes arise from the other faculties, rather than from this particular one. However, they are easily prejudiced against one whom they imagine does not agree with them in their beliefs and convictions, and are apt to be swayed rather more by feeling, emotion and sentiment than by cool judgment and pure reason. They are usually strong in their likes and dislikes, and are susceptible to appeals to their imagination.
_Veneration_, or Reverence, when highly developed causes one to manifest reverence and extreme respect to authority of all kinds. These people are usually good church members and law abiding citizens. In business, the faculty is apt to cause them to place great stress upon authority and example. If some large merchant has ordered certain goods, they will be impressed by his example. They regard testimonials and recommendations highly. In dealing with them one must avoid speaking lightly of any thing or person esteemed by them, for they will be quick to resent it. They are usually decidedly conventional, and aim to meet the full requirements of "respectability" and social customs.
_Benevolence_, or Human Kindness, when highly developed causes one to manifest sympathy, kindness, generosity, and philanthropy. These people are altruistic and always ready to do another a good turn. They are moved by their feelings rather than by their reason and judgment, and will often base their business transactions rather more upon friendliness and personal feeling than upon cold business judgment and policy. They are generous where their sympathies and feelings are interested, and are too often taken advantage of by selfish people who play on their unselfish natures. Too often are they considered "easy," and are imposed on accordingly. The personal equation of the Salesman plays an important part in dealing with these people.
From these several groups of faculties arise many combinations of character in people. While it is true that there is almost infinite variety among people, nevertheless, it is true that there are a few general classes into which the majority of buyers may be fitted or grouped for convenience. Let us now consider some of the more common classes, and see how the faculties, in combination, manifest themselves.
_The Argumentive Buyer._ This man finds his greatest pleasure in arguing, combating and disputing with the Salesman--argument for the sake of argument, not for the sake of truth or advantage. This trait arises from developed Combativeness and Destructiveness. Do not take these people too seriously. Let them enjoy a victory over you on minor points, and then after yielding gracefully coax them along the main lines of the selling talk. At the best, they are arguing over terms, definitions, forms, etc. and not over _facts_. Let them make their own definitions, terms and forms--and then take their order for the goods which you have fitted into their side of the argument. If, however, the argument is based upon true reasoning and with a legitimate intent, then reason with him calmly and respectfully.
_The Conceited Buyer._ This fellow is full of Approbativeness. We have told you about him elsewhere. Meet him on his own plane, and give him the particular bait indicated for his species--he will rise to it. Appearing to defer to him, you may work in your arguments and selling talk without opposition. Prefacing your explanation with "As you know by your own experience;" or "as your own good judgment has decided;" etc., you may tell your story without much opposition. You must always let him feel that you realize that you are in the presence of a great man.
_The "Stone Wall" Buyer._ This man has Self Esteem and Firmness largely developed. We have told you about him under those two headings. You must fly over, tunnel under, or walk around his stone wall of reserve and stubbornness. Let him keep his wall intact--he likes it, and it would be a shame to deprive him of it. A little careful search will generally show that he has left his flanks, or his rear unguarded. He will not let you in the front door--so go around to the kitchen door, or the side-door of the sitting room--they are not so well guarded.
_The Irritable Buyer._ This is an unpleasant combination of Approbativeness and Combativeness, in connection with poor digestion and disordered nerves. Do not quarrel with him, and let his manner slide over you like water off a duck's back. Stick to your selling talk, and above everything keep cool, confident, and speak in even tones. This course will tend to bring him down. If you show that you are not afraid of him, and cannot be made angry--if your tones are firm yet under control and not loud--he will gradually come down to meet you. If you lose your own temper, you may as well walk out. Simply ignore his "grouch"--deny it out of existence, as our New Thought friends would say.
_The "Rough Shod" Buyer._ This man has large Destructiveness, and Self Esteem, and wants to run things himself. He will try to ride rough shod over you. Keep cool, even-tempered, self-possessed, and firm yet respectful. Do not let him "rattle" you. It is often more of a "bluff" than anything else. Keep on "sawing wood;" and do not be scared off. These people are often but "lath-and-plaster" instead of the iron and steel they appear to be at first sight. Keep firm and calm, is the keynote in dealing with them.
_The Cautious Buyer._ This man generally has Cautiousness and Continuity well developed, and Hope deficient. He is conservative and fearful. Avoid frightening him with ideas of "new" things or "experiments." If you are selling new things or ideas, manage to blend them in with things with which he is familiar--associate the new and unfamiliar with the old and familiar. And be conservative and careful in your talk, do not give him the idea that you are a radical or a "new fangled idea" man. To him, be an "old fashioned person."
_The Cunning Buyer._ This fellow has large Secretiveness or Cunning--he belongs to the fox tribe. He likes to scheme out things for himself, so if you will content yourself with giving him broad hints, accompanied by expressive glances, regarding what can be done with your goods, he will be apt to scheme out something in that direction, and thinking he has done it all himself, he will be pleased and interested. Let him know that you appreciate his shrewdness, particularly if he shows that his Approbativeness is well developed. But, if not, better let him think that he is deceiving you regarding his true nature. The majority of cunning people, however, take pride in it, and relish a little grim appreciation of their quality.
_The Dignified Buyer._ This man has large Self Esteem, and probably also large Approbativeness. In either case, let him play the part for which Nature has cast him, and you play yours. Your part is in recognizing and respecting his dignity, by your manner and tone. Whether the dignity be real or assumed, a recognition of and falling in with it is appreciated and relished. Imagine that you are in the presence of your revered great-grandfather, or the bishop, and the rest will be easy. We once knew of a jovial, but indiscreet, salesman who lost a large sale to a buyer of this kind, by poking him in the ribs and calling him "old chap." The buyer barely escaped an attack of apoplexy--the Salesman entirely escaped a sale.
_The "Mean" Buyer._ This man is moved by Acquisitiveness. He is suspicious of you from the start, for he feels that you intend to get some money from him. Don't blame him--he's built that way. Instead, get his mind off the subject and on to another, by plunging in at once with the statement that you have something upon which _he can make money_, or something that _will save him money_. Emphasize these points, and you will have aroused his curiosity. Then proceed along the same lines--something to make money for him, or something to save money for him--these are the only two arguments he can assimilate.
_The Intelligent Buyer._ These people depend almost entirely upon reason and judgment. They are scarce. When you meet one of them, drop all attempts to play upon weak points, prejudices or feelings, and confine yourself strictly to logical and rational statements, presentation of your proposition, and argument thereon. Do not attempt sophistry, argument from false premises, or other fallacies. He will detect them at once, and will feel indignant. Talk straight from the shoulder, and confine yourself to facts, figures, principles, and logic.
So far we have dealt with the voluntary or outer mind of the buyer. Let us now consider his involuntary or inner mind. There are many other terms used by psychologists to designate these two phases of mind--the important fact is that there are _two_ phases or planes of mind which are operative in a sale. Let us see how they work, rather than what they are, or what they are called.
Discarding, for the time being, the current psychological theories and terminology, let us take a plain look at the facts of the case. A little consideration will show us that there are two parts to a man's mind--or two phases of activity. In the first place, there is a part of one's mind which acts as does the mind of the higher animal, the savage, the child. That is, it acts upon impulse and without restraint of the will. Its attention is easily attracted, but held with difficulty unless the interest and curiosity is awakened. It is curious, fond of novelty, inquisitive, impulsive, easily persuaded in certain directions, susceptible to impressions, amenable to suggestion, imitative, subject to panic, apt to "follow my leader," emotional, depending upon feeling rather than upon reason, subject to persuasion and coaxing, and acting almost automatically in response to awakened desire. Let us think of this part of the mind as the inheritance of the race from the past--the instinctive mind--the elemental mind of the race before Intellect mounted its throne. This part of the mind is possessed by every individual of the race. No matter how highly developed the individual may be, he has this part of the mind. No matter how much he may be in control of it, it is always there as a background and basis of his other kind of mind. The difference in the self-control of individuals depends almost altogether upon the other part of the mind, which we shall now consider--the Voluntary Mind, in which the Intellect and Will are the predominant elements. The phase which we have just considered may be called the Involuntary Mind, in which Desire and Feeling are the predominant elements.
The Voluntary Mind has come to man in the course of evolution. It is not nearly so highly developed in the majority of people, as one might at first suppose. The majority of the race have the Involuntary Mind predominant, and are swayed more by feeling and desire than by intellect and will. Those in whom the Voluntary Mind is highly developed place the intellect over the feelings--the will over the desires. They submit their feelings to the inspection and approval of their intellect, and hold their desires in check by their will. We are in the habit of thinking of will as a something which acts--but in the majority of instances it is found to be employed in checking action of the desires--in holding back rather than in pushing forward. One of the chief duties of the developed will is that of inhibition, or restraint. And inhibition depends upon the decision of the judgment or intellect. The animal, savage, or child has but little power of this kind--the average individual has more than the child or savage but less than the developed individual--the developed individual has better self-control, and subordinates his emotional desires and feelings to his judgment and will, by inhibition or restraint. Every individual has both of these phases of mind--the Involuntary and Voluntary--the latter, however, being manifested in an infinite variety of degrees of development and power. Back of every Involuntary Mind is to be found the protecting Voluntary Mind--and likewise, back of every Voluntary Mind, no matter how strong it may be, there is ever the Involuntary Mind chafing under restraint and striving to escape its master's eye and express itself in its own way. And the master often relaxes its attention, or gets tired of its strenuous task, and then the hidden nature "plays while the cat's away."
Perhaps the Salesman may be able to remember this classification of the two phases of the mind, by picturing them as _two partners_ engaged in business. The Salesman is trying to secure the trade of the firm. The one brother is an easy-going fellow, possessing curiosity and childish interest, capable of being "jollied," persuaded and coaxed, and apparently acting always from his momentary desires and feelings, desirous of appearing well in the eyes of others, and anxious to make a good impression, finding it easier to say "Yes," than "No"--easier to fall in with the wishes of others than to oppose them, being vain and complaisant. This partner's name is "Easyboy." The other partner is an entirely different sort of fellow. He is cold and calculating, manifesting very little feeling or emotion, submitting everything to his reason and judgment, not moved by prejudices for or against, driving a close bargain and resenting attempts to coax or drive him. His name is "Hardfellow."
In the firm of "Easyboy and Hardfellow," the work is divided. "Easyboy" has much to do about the place, attending to many things for which his temperament specially fits him. "Hardfellow," however, does the buying, for experience has taught him that "Easyboy" is not fitted for the task, being too much under the sway of his feelings and being too easily influenced. "Easyboy" never could say "No," anyway--but "Hardfellow" finds it almost as hard to say "yes." So "Hardfellow" does the buying, but "Easyboy" always "hangs 'round" when a salesman is talking, for he is naturally inquisitive, and, being jealous, rather resents "Hardfellow's" authority in the matter. Sometimes he breaks in, and "Hardfellow" lets him have his say, and at times indulges him in minor purchases, for being a partner he must accord him some consideration in spite of the arrangement regarding duties. A strange thing is that "Easyboy" is possessed of the notion that he would make an ideal buyer, far better than "Hardfellow" in fact, and he loses no opportunity of manifesting his supposed quality, notwithstanding the fact that he usually makes a bungle of it.
For "Hardfellow" is often so busy that he cannot give his full attention to the business of buying; then again he becomes tired and at such times his judgment is not so good, and he is apt to be influenced by "Easyboy" at such times; and, again, he becomes interested in one feature of the purchase and overlooks the others--at such times "Easyboy" "gets in his fine work," and takes a hand in the buying. The Salesmen who visit the firm are fully aware of this condition of affairs, and plan things so as to have "Easyboy" on hand and able to play his part. They can do anything with him, and the more he is in evidence the better are their chances. If he had his way he would buy corner lots in the moon, or gold-bricks minus the plating. He likes to say "Yes" when coaxed, jollied or led. But the Salesmen having a straight business proposition of merit get along well with "Hardfellow," for he is reachable on such lines when logically presented and explained in a business way. Even such Salesmen, however, find "Easyboy" a valuable ally, for he often gets them a hearing when "Hardfellow" is busy or otherwise not disposed to listen. And so, they all find it an important question to get "Easyboy" on the scene at "Hardfellow's" elbow. Some claim to have discovered a method whereby they can "sidetrack" "Hardfellow" and get "Easyboy" to do the buying. And rumor even has it that there have been unscrupulous individuals who have happened around when "Hardfellow" was taking his _siesta_ after a full dinner, and who then played upon "Easyboy's" weakness in a shameful manner. The firm deny these rumors, but there is an old gold brick holding back a door at the back part of the store; and a big bundle of worthless shares in a nicely printed gold-mine and a deed for a quarter-section of the blue sky, in the safe--so there may have been something in the tale, after all.
Every mind is an "Easyboy and Hardfellow" firm. Both partners are in evidence. In some cases "Easyboy" has far more sway and influence than his more capable partner; in others they have equal authority; in a third, "Hardfellow" asserts his right and ability, and "Easyboy" has to take a back seat under protest. But the same principle is true of them all. And this fact is taken into consideration by men of the world who understand the true state of affairs. If anyone doubts this statement of psychological facts, let him analyze himself, and look back over his own experience. He will find that "Easyboy" has played him many a sad trick in the past, and the "Hardfellow" has been "off his job" more than once. Then let him begin to analyze others with whom he comes in contact--he will see the same state of affairs existing there. And yet there is no mystery about the matter--it is all in accordance with known psychological laws. Some writers on the subject of Salesmanship rather solemnly assure us that the "Easyboy" part of the mind is a "higher mind"--but it is not. It belongs to the _instinctive_ stage of mental development, rather than to the _rational_. It is an inheritance from the past--that past in which men were moved entirely by feeling and emotion, before reason came to its present stage of development. If it is "higher" why is it a fact that the lower races and individuals manifest it to a greater extent than the higher ones? This part of the mind gives vitality and energy to one, but unless it be controlled by Intellect and Will it is apt to prove a curse.