AV Geeks Lunch 10 28 2021

hi everybody i'm skip alzheimer and welcome to the av geeks lunchtime streaming show uh i know i don't have the neon on um behind me i just discovered that it has a weird glare i'm using a different computer as i am my normal show computer is working on some different things uh and i am pre-recording this show because i'm not actually at the archive today uh so today we're gonna watch films about uh salesmanship and sales and buying things uh and so the first film i feel like i've shown before um maybe but it's so great i this is part of that series of is a blank career for you um which were these vocational aptitude films that were made that have a really catchy annoying song at the beginning and um so this one is for high school students or people in college to try to make them help them figure out like what career they want to pursue and um so here's is a career is a sales career for you enjoy [Music] [Music] what you called [Music] what you gonna do [Music] when you're finally on your own [Music] sooner or later each one of you will leave the textbook world of the classroom for the reality of living in the world of work [Music] a world none of you made but you can help make better a world that expects you to be self-reliant to pay your way time spent now planning for that world may be the best investment you will ever make this film will tell you about one career area wide open to young men and women in the world of sales before it is over you should be able to answer for yourself the question is a sales career for you [Music] did you ever happen to think of what our world would be like without salespeople to bring us new goods and services the one for instance who sold your parents on the idea of group health the one who sold them furniture the one who sold them your first pair of shoes the one who sold them their first house the station wagon their investments the family vacation yes you'll agree people who sell have played an important part in your world to date without them both our society and our economy would be completely different if you'd like to bring new things and services to people help them live better and happier a career in sales may be for you if you're enthusiastic about everything you do whether it be your studies sports your home life if your need in appearance like to dress well and are content to keep your casuals for days off if you're comfortable with people like to meet them hear about them if you make a good impression when meeting people if you like to be knowledgeable and can talk with conviction if you'd like to explain how things work and can impart the information readily [Music] if you're tactful and diplomatic if you have plenty of endurance as well as patience no matter what the situation this film may interest you for you may be a potential salesperson a job specialty with more and more openings ranging from retail store clerk to store manager from advertising to insurance from lumber to real estate from office equipment to office buildings careers that range through all business and industry science and technology [Music] careers exciting and meaningful for young people like yourself in the world of sales paying salaries and keeping with your energy initiative and ability with opportunities for advancement geared to your perseverance and personality careers with little need for specialized training beyond high school for many of the initial openings though continued study and education will help you advance quickly in a chosen field [Music] okay you say selling interests you but how do you know for sure your personal qualities are really the basic qualities to be a successful salesperson you know you did enjoy selling candy in school to help pay for your school uniforms you also know you got a kick out of selling ice cream during the summer but does liking those things mean sales is your bag or that you'll be a success in selling always keep in mind success means different things to different people to some it might mean having a fine family and home and living on a good salary to others it might mean becoming a member of an elite sales group like million a year insurance salesman or a manager of sales of a large corporation in the higher income brackets but whatever your goal in life you will want to develop your personal qualities to the highest point possible not only your personality but your ability your know-how so that you know the product you're selling how it is made what it can do why it does it and where it can serve best in the world of business and industry people in the sales field today are recorded a respect that is their just do through their efforts whether retail or wholesale software or hardware services or designs it is the sales representatives the commercial travelers all the people who sell whose orders keep the factories running keep employment up keep the economy of the country on the upswing your high school education will serve you well in many of the sales occupations you should have a good command of english be articulate you should be good with math a knowledge of a language may prove a benefit in many unexpected situations so do your best distributive education may also be helpful courses in science will be of advantage in selling such things as dry cleaning chemicals wholesale soap products a good physique and plenty of stamina are needed in many sales occupations for most retail sales jobs you may have to stand on your feet for long hours in retail trade or wholesale software or hardware full-time or part almost everything you learn in high school will help you sell a college education two-year or four-year is needed in many sales positions selling securities and investments for instance selling machinery requires a certain technical background as does the sale of medical equipment automation machinery and similar engineering developments now let's take a quick look at a few of the jobs open to high school graduates we'll start with retail sales [Music] a simple stroll through any one of our modern shopping centers will reveal the variety of sales occupations available salespeople for rugs and carpets furniture for bedroom or the whole house shoes wigs candy and stationary men's clothing women's clothing furs drugs and potions and lots of notions pets poodles monkeys cats and rats boutique gifts radios and tv sets recorders and stereos [Music] for the technical minded auto accessories for the mathematically minded accident and liability insurance and for those with a green thumb nursery products flowers shrubs trees depending on what turns you on when you finish high school you might want to sell hotel and restaurant equipment printing supplies or typewriters and adding machines the field of sales for high school graduates is almost without limit again the choice is yours remember whatever product is really your thing it has to be sold and you can do the selling no matter how good you are at first keep in mind that a salesperson must learn must always keep up with new things whether you train in high school on the job or go on to higher education or go to night school while working continual personal improvement means advancement if you want to sell securities for example you will need a college degree graduate engineers sell safety equipment building and construction materials heavy industrial machinery but many a high school graduate has worked his way up through self-training to qualify for the more technical sales careers by first proving his ability as a salesperson from tires and accessories to cars from nursery sales to farm equipment from household appliances to houses and office buildings land and farms from clerk to floor manager in a department store from clerk to owner of a retail store from office boy to insurance salesman to owner of an insurance agency enthusiasm for both your job and the products you sell usually pays off in increased sales paychecks and promotions many in sales earn yearly incomes comparable to doctors and lawyers when commissions are added to salaries and incentive bonuses geographically salespeople work everywhere a good many of those traveling every day have a career in sales your territory may cover the united states or parts of it or it may be overseas in a foreign land a number of companies need sales representatives to sell american wares in far away places if you're a homebody and like to stay near home look for a sales job that will keep you in your area depending on the product of course there are plenty of opportunities to sell merchandise in your own hometown sales careers permit a certain independence other careers do not the commercial traveler the house to house canvasser the realtor usually can select their own vacation times work at their own convenience with wise financial planning other salespersons usually have generous vacation schedules with many fringe benefits those more independent do not have most sales people have a comfortable lifestyle go on and find out about the many other careers in the world of work some other career may suit you best of all but if at last you believe that a sales career is the thing for you get all the information you can discuss it with a distributive education counselor and teachers who know you talk to your guidance counselor about your interests your counselor can help you with a lot of detailed information check in at your local u.s employment service office too have a talk with the youth service center counselor about sales careers bring your parents into the act too listen to their ideas then if your choice stands up you're on your way now what sort of education is best for a sales career a general well-rounded high school program is almost a must if you're not going on to college it is well to remember that for some of the higher paying selling jobs you will be competing against others with college educations enrolling in the distributive education course will provide unusual preparation for selling business schools technical schools junior and community colleges also have courses that can do much for you the best college program to follow for a sales career is business administration even after you start working evening school and correspondence courses can supply knowledge you feel you're missing opportunities and sales work will increase greatly during the next decade to meet the growing needs of the nation's rising population and the introduction of new products will create an even greater demand for salespeople [Music] if you have examined the alternative opportunities and if you now decide that selling is indeed the career for you get cracking on it plan prepare get the education and training you'll need then you'll be ready with thousands and thousands of other young people you'll be ready to carve out a rewarding and satisfying career in the challenging field of sales [Music] what [Music] what you gonna do [Music] what will you really do uh this next film is a kind of compilation film uh buy at home campaign it was made in the 30s at some point and this is trying to get people to buy locally and not use catalogs um to purchase things to try to encourage local uh investment of local dollars and you know it's interesting to think about nowadays with amazon and how um the concept of spending money locally is being talked about again because you know the local money it circulates in the economy people who work locally the money that you spend goes to them and they contribute to the economy locally and then it kind of just you know fluctuates or not fluctuate but it just kind of does a circular thing so uh in general i think that's always a good way to go and you know whenever possible i try to buy locally so anyways this is by the buy at home campaign enjoy how do you do ladies and gentlemen this program has been prepared and presented to you by a selected group of local independent businessmen who seek your cooperation to stimulate prosperity and create additional payrolls in our community has it ever occurred to you who it is that is made possible these beautiful paved streets and highways that enable us to drive our cars with such ease and comfort just in case any of you have forgotten i shall remind you that your local merchants contribute approximately 65 percent of the taxes to afford us this luxury they fully deserve our and your support and when your home is menaced by fire we cannot expect the fire department from some other community to assist us we are wholly dependent upon our own fire equipment to protect us from this hazard and remember these volunteer firemen who so generously contribute their time that we may feel secure in this their protection with the result of their work all of which is made possible through taxes to which the local merchants again contribute 65 how vivid in the memory of all of us is the little red schoolhouse it will always have its sentimental value but compared to the modern structures and today's methods of education and instruction our children are highly fortunate the pedagogical training of our teachers the complete equipment and safety of our schools the careful attention to the protection of their health and training are all sustained furthered and made possible by taxes and 65 percent of these taxes are paid by our local merchants sturdy citizens of a sturdy progressive community that is your community very soon these young girls and boys will be ready to enter the business world yet how often have we heard it said that there is no opportunity in this community for my boy or girl and that it is necessary for them to seek employment in the larger cities many opportunities could be provided from the industries of this community if the people would but realize that the money spent with the mail order house or with any merchant outside our own community robs our own town of prosperity prevents progress that enables the merchant to create more opportunities in the forms of jobs more local improvements increased real estate values all of which tends to enhance the value of our entire community the nation and state is only as strong as each individual community only as progressive and solvent as each district's ability to furnish young ambitious healthy educated sons and daughters our local merchants aid magnificently toward this composite picture we sustain and maintain local health fire police school library and many other public benefactory efforts the employees of these services owe it to local merchants to purchase local commodities to teach and practice local pride it is a sound truism united we stand and united we succeed ladies and gentlemen your community is composed of you and you and you your local merchant is your friend and neighbor he stands willing and eager to assist you they deposit in our banks they employ local help and they pay local taxes ladies and gentlemen support wholeheartedly your local merchant [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] all right one last film for you uh i think we're gonna end a little bit short this time but uh this one is features our good friend ben franklin who is somehow teleported to the future uh and he helps us sell america um and so selling america of course selling the american way of life american democracy and of course products so here is selling america enjoy [Music] ah there there you see how you contradict yourself you see where your pity reasoning leads you i i presume not in the right ben franklin resume unquestionably i'm in the right i was in the right in the beginning i've been in the right all along i'm always right thou hast won the disputation ben franklin but i won't concede it to thee won't concede today why my friend pretty why because ben thou are not content with being in the right thou has to be overbearing and insolent as well good day do they say good day mr franklin [Laughter] did you win your argument benjamin uh about your child i say did you win the argument with your quaker friend win win did i win [Music] ben franklin the great american diplomat and philosopher one of the greatest salesmen that ever lived he began life an infected arguer but when his quaker friend drove home the awful truth then took it on the chin and asked himself a few questions he did some powerful thinking and he came to the conclusion that you don't win arguments by arguing but what is more important ben did something about it he decided to correct his faults he determined to change his method of working with people he formulated some rules to govern his man-to-man relations virtue is obtained rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue put on the humble inquirer argument is productive of disgusts and perhaps enmities in answering an opinion observe that in certain cases the opinion would be right forbear all direct contradictions to the sentiments of others and all positive assertions lose no time but let each part of your business have its time they are simple these rules but they helped make possible ben's long and illustrious career of selling america they helped make ben one of the most effective salesmen of all time now ben wasn't what we would call a natural born salesman but by applying these rules he sold the people of pennsylvania his ideas for clean streets people weren't attracted to ben just the opposite in fact but despite this he sold his ideas for a volunteer fire department and the public library by nature ben didn't have the knack of getting along with people yet he put over his ideas for a free hospital and state university ben was a poor speaker but he carried his points he sold america to the french and secured many millions of dollars in loans loans which made possible the victories of general george washington as an old man ben went to the constitutional convention and sold america on signing the supreme law of the land selling america wasn't a hit or missed proposition with ben it all came down to the simple rules he established for himself early in life and which he applied throughout the length and breadth of his long selling career now this is all very well and good but the modern salesman says how do ben's rules apply to modern selling what kind of a salesman would ben make today times have changed customers today are different selling america today isn't like selling america back in the 18th century you're quite right sir times have changed the modern customer is different in dress in manner of living the modern tempo is faster you are quite right sir in your selling you offer services undreamed of in my time you answer needs that never existed before what you sell america is entirely different but how you sell it is something else the methods of influencing people to buy are more or less universal they are based on human nature which is perhaps the one thing in all the years that has remained constant then you think i can sell well refrigerators ranges automobile tires anything at all that's modern by some of those rules indeed i do say well then you'll have to show me that will be a pleasure sir all right ben what's your first rule again my first rule sir is virtue is obtained rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue uh put on the humble inquirer which in up-to-date english means get the prospect to talk ask questions amen right sir but then does that always apply isn't it a good idea to let the prospect know that you know what you're selling yes indeed but there's a time and a place for all that after you've found out just what to sell it the salesman who doesn't get the prospect to talk who doesn't ask questions is likely to monopolize the conversation and lose the sale because he never does find out the prospect's real reason for not buying the salesman who uses his tongue rather than his ears is likely to run into this difficulty while you're here mr daniels if you have time i'd like to show you our tires you'll be needing some new ones before long you know yes i know but i generally buy my tires down the street at ed's place well if it's economy and tires you're looking for mr daniels i think i can prove to you that our make of tire comes just as cheap as those down the street that is cheap when you consider the service and long life you get out of our mig well mr daniels these tires have been put through all kinds of road tests before they were placed on the market scientifically conducted road tests by the greatest engineers in the industry and they proved conclusively that this tire has the greatest mileage of any tire you can buy today just let me i'll think it over and let you know i have an appointment pet selling points are often the reason for lost sales the salesman tries to sell something that he himself is interested in and frequently it is not at all what the prospect is interested in that's why rule number one says get the prospect to talk ask questions in that way you can find out what the prospect really wants how do you find out what his real reasons are for not buying well the simplest way to do that i should say is to ask why why uh-huh let's see how it works on mr daniels while you're here mr daniels if you have time i'd like to show you our tires you'll be needing some new ones before long you know yes i know but i generally buy my tires down the street at ed's place is that so mr daniels just why do you like that particular tire well i don't know i've been using them a long time i like the way they're made in other words you like their construction well yes i guess that's it i see just why do you like that particular construction well i'll tell you i do a good deal of traveling in all kinds of weather what i like most about that tire is the tread well i don't want to be too inquisitive mr daniels but just what do you like about that trev well it doesn't skid i see that's very important in attire and i believe you'd be interested in seeing a new safety tread that our company has just developed a new tread yes i'd like to show it to you the prospect is really interested in safety in non-skid so that's what the salesman must talk about if he wants the prospect to listen not cost of the tire not mileage all the talk in the world about cost or mileage wouldn't sell that prospect when he's really interested in something else the only way i could find that out was to ask questions besides if you get people to talk it puts you on a friendly basis people like to talk okay ben what's your second rule my second rule is arguments are productive of disgust and perhaps enmities persons of good sense seldom fall into them that means uh don't argue amen right well yes ben but isn't it true that there are some people that you just can't help arguing well i know the kind you mean but woe to the salesman who gets into debate with them watch this you can't tell me it's cheap to cook with electricity somebody else maybe but not me i know all about cooking with it my sister-in-law used to have an electric range in our bills around oh i don't know how much a month well mrs harrison your sister-in-law must have had a very poor rain oh no she didn't she had a very good range one of the best of course oh a normal was a good range all right one of the best then probably she didn't know how to cook with you know how to cook what do you know about it what i meant was she probably wasted curd used electricity that she didn't need why we've made a national survey why i have statements here to prove i guess she knows what she needs to cook with what she doesn't my sister-in-law is a good cook she was chief dietitian of or i don't know how many hospitals before she was married cook why that little woman cooked wings around anybody i ever saw the most beautiful pies and roses well anybody who says my sister-in-law can't cook it what do you know about it what can you cook well i i bet you can't even boil water can't even boil water you men are all alive you think just because you're men you know all there is to know about everything all there is to know my harry is just the same doesn't think a woman knows anything anything at all about politics or anything well i want to tell you the woman in this country count for something in the government whether you and if you do get into an argument there's no telling where it will lead you but one thing is certain though it won't lead to a sale but how do you handle a woman like that ben well that brings me to my next rule rule number three in answering an opinion observe that in certain cases or circumstances the opinion would be right what does that mean ben well as you might put it it means answer with a yes but that's what i do with a woman like that one you can't tell me it's cheap to cook with electricity somebody else maybe but not me i know all about cooking with it my sister-in-law used to have an electric range and her bills ran oh i don't know how much a month yes mrs harrison i can understand why you feel that way many people think that about electric cooking costs some electric ranges did cost a lot to operate that's because many of the earlier electric ranges used a lot of current and because rates were high but fortunately those conditions are no longer true i know but my sister-in-law told me definitely that her range cost her seven dollars a month to operate yes i have no doubt that your sister-in-law's range did cost that much to operate but today's electric rates are appreciably lower and the modern range uses considerably less current well it's hard to believe there could be so awful much difference yes it is hard to believe but as a matter of fact in a national survey just completed the average cost of operation was found to be only two dollars and thirty cents a month and here are some actual statements from owners right in this town well that certainly is surprising i had no idea cost so little to cook with electricity of course you know my sister-in-law did have quite an old range well ben the yes but technique sure pulled you through on that one what's your next rule my next rule has to do with the cause of arguments many of them you know the salesman himself provokes that's why i say in rule number four forebear all direct contradictions to the sentiments of others and all positive assertions don't contradict don't be too positive right for when you do contradict when you are too positive well let's see what might happen good day sir oh how do you do i'm looking for one of those uh grips i didn't see what i wanted in the window one of those you know grips what do you want it for well i'm going to do a little traveling the company is sending me out in the field again i'm going on the road well in that case you don't want a grip nobody uses grips anymore they're out of style they're a back number you want one of these no i don't i want a grip i've always used a grip i don't like these newfangled bags but i think you're mistaken everybody uses these bags nowadays they don't care rips aren't any good not enough room can't keep your clothes right your suits get wrinkled you'll carry an extra suit along with you won't you yes well in that case this bag is just the thing a place for everything and everything in its place accommodates every traveling need this is what you want no it isn't i want a grip and if i can't get it here i'll you see i got off on the wrong foot right away by contradicting the prospect mind you you may be perfectly right in everything you say but if you present it that way well prospects are pretty rugged individualists sometimes how much better it would have been to handle it this way good day sir how do you do i'm looking for one of those uh grips i didn't see what i wanted your window one of those you know grips yes i understand of course i'm going to do a little traveling right yep i'm going on the road again here is a very nice grip genuine top grain cowhide leather hand sold lined with imported irish linen will not scratch or soil yeah hmm by the way here's another style of bag with many new conveniences for a person who travels a lot yeah you know but it probably costs too much it does cost a little more but then the savings on suit pressings would in a short time more than pay for the difference well i i never thought about one of those but you know that looks all right in other words always be sure to show them what they ask for first yes by not contradicting and getting off on the right track you're well on the way to stepping the prospect up to a better sale to what he really needs and to having a better satisfied customer all right ben where do we go from here what's rule number five rule number five is lose no time cut off all unnecessary actions let all things have their places but let each part of your business have its time don't waste time but tell a complete story right now suppose i'm selling a woman a refrigerator i find out by getting the prospect to talk that she's interested in the ice tray all right you see mrs brown a simple lift of this lever and the cubes are released instantly the quick cube tray is called here try it isn't it easy just a minute ben you find out what the prospect is interested in by getting her to talk but after you've sold around that what do you do then ben flip out the order book and go after the old signature no i don't do that oh i give her an opportunity to buy sure but usually if you do it too early in the sale you'll find she'll hedge on you why because she's busy thinking up other things she's interested in what are you driving at ben just this i must tell a complete story not only must i sell her on the thing she told me she was interested in but i'm a seller on the other thing she's interested in that she didn't tell me about maybe she didn't even think about it if i'm a smart salesman i anticipate these things consider the savings lifetime porcelain finish no tugging no hacking no pride extra coal storage for ice cubes and meat [Music] full width sliding shelves [Music] hydrated for fruits and vegetables [Music] nine-way adjustable interior thermal sealed cabinet the simplest refrigerating mechanism ever built what you want is a refrigerator that'll give you all these things mrs brown now what day would be convenient for you to have this model delivered to your home wednesday or thursday well i don't know wednesday i go to the club thursday thursday morning i'll be home but how much do i have to pay down we'll arrange that to suit you mrs brown how much would be convenient well i don't know would 25 be all right that'll be fine now if you just okay this order mrs brown we'll have it out your house thursday morning and thank you thank you very much a complete story gets the order because you never know what particular feature is going to make the prospect definitely decide to buy and unless you do tell a complete story you may overlook the one feature that will turn the trick one more thing ben about that order does she always sign it no no she doesn't the salesman doesn't live who can close every deal but i'll say this if she goes out with my complete story in her mind she's going to be a mighty tough prospect for any competitive salesman because if she goes out she'll know a lot about my product and that competitive salesman is going to be on the defensive every step of his contact okay ben okay thank you very much those rules of yours sure do the job they work just as well in today's job of selling america well they should after all they're universal principles of human association you see they're broader than just selling alone they apply to any and every matter of content they're the rules for a better relationship of man to man and i feel that i can say this without seeming vain for they weren't new with me these rules they're as old as history i picked them up from salesmen who lived hundreds of years before my time [Music] get the prospect to talk ask questions don't argue [Music] answer with the yes but [Music] don't contradict don't be too positive [Music] don't waste time but tell a complete story [Music] use these five rules every day in every contact and you can sell america [Music] thanks so much for tuning in today we will be back again tomorrow uh tomorrow is a special show i was going to do something halloween oriented but i i kind of went down a weird path so um join us tomorrow and figure out what that is uh i hope everybody has a great rest of their day you can support uh us even though i'm not local but you could buy some coffee because i will spend money locally to buy the coffee um there's a couple of coffee roasters in uh raleigh that we use um you can also go to avgeeks.com and see other things that we've digitized and put online and you can buy dvds etc thanks so much tell the world you like av geeks because we like you and we will see you tomorrow