HEAVENLY DAYS

[music] [music] [music] Hallelujah. [music] [music] Here [music] [music] we go. [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] Not again. Chief, I got to talk to you. Dag damn it, Joe. I told you not to keep busting in here like this. You're an ex salesman. You haven't earned your wings yet. You stay on your own cloud. Stay on my own cloud. With things going to pot down there, Joe. The day you died, the earth did not stop spinning. And salesman did not stop selling. Have you taken the time to look down there lately? You spend too much time earth gazing. Joe, look at them. They call themselves salesmen. Why? They're running around like chickens with their heads cut off [music] or else they sit around waiting for new accounts to come in over the transom. Now, when I was down there, I know when you were down there, you were the smartest, hottest worker salesman in the whole world. But you didn't have brains enough to wear a red cap and jacket the day you went deer hunting, did you? And then bang, you were up here bothering us. Now, just a minute. I never complained about that. [music] Guy was a good customer. I'm busy, Joe. Chief, those guys don't owe bees about selling. Well, they'll all be up here sooner or later, and then you can tell them how they should have done it. I got a proposition, Chief. No, this one is different. You're not going down there and take over some guardian angel's job so you can be close to a salesman. Messes up my bookkeeping. This is a new idea. Never mind those fellas down there. Now, think of the new generation coming up. Those future salesmen that are going through our production department right now. How about assigning me to one of them? A guardian angel's job is to keep his man out of trouble. Now you're no angel. Chief, I'll keep him so busy he won't even get near trouble. Whole thing's impossible. No president. But Chief, I'm busy, Joe. I got a big run of future politicians coming through. Going to take every angel I've got. Well, if it isn't Joe. Good old Joe. I I don't believe you. Of course you don't. I never had occasion to appear to you, Joe. I was your guardian angel down there. You were my guardian? Exactly. And where the devil were you the day I went deer hunting? Oh, I guess your number was up, Joe. Gee, it's good to see you. You were the best salesman the steel business ever had. Well, thanks. Thanks a lot. What are you doing these days? On my way to my next assignment. A future tuba player. Now that's a switch. Tuba player, huh? Hey, you know, uh, that might be kind of rough. Imagine sitting there hour after hour while that kid is practicing. Oo. Yeah. It isn't going to be like it was with you, Joe. How uh how would you like to be assigned to another distributor salesman? Oh, I don't know about that, Joe. You mean in the steel business? You know, it's very exciting now. You remember that stainless they were introducing when I was there? Well, it's big stuff now. I never saw so many new opportunities. But what about my tuba player? Now listen, my angelic friend, you just come along with me. I've got an idea. [music] [music] [music] It's my [music] birthday. [music] [music] coffee break. Are you sure we're doing the right thing, Joe? Will you leave everything to me now? We got exactly 10 minutes. Come on. [music] What's this number? 8432-987-83. That's him. Another second he'd have been on his way to the tuba. And you'd have spent a lifetime listening to oompa. Wonder how you work this thing. He's a beauty, huh? Now for those priceless ingredients. If they ever catch us, Joe, I told you to. Trust me. Now stop worrying. Come on. Salesman. Joe. Courage, imagination, straightforwardness. Don't overdo it, Joe. After all, he's only a baby. Helpfulness. Ah. Come on. A dash of this, a dash of that, a little this, and a little of that. And now prospecting. That was always one of your strong points, Joe. Prospecting, the finest art in salesmanship. You need a lot of this. Easy, does it? You'll need a lot more. You can take a little bit more. Joe, [music] I'll say one thing. That kid sure got a lot of motor. Come on, let's get out of here. Well, I'm ready to go down and start looking after that kid. I hope nobody ever finds out about our little deal. Joe, just remember, you're part of the bargain, my friend. At certain times, I have the right to come down and take over your job whenever I think the kid needs help. That's what I don't get. Why would a hot chat like that kid ever need any help? Well, somewhere along the line, just when he's most successful, a strange thing will probably happen. What's that? You'll find out. Well, I'll be seeing you about 30 35 years. And no arguments. No arguments. You know us, angels, Joe. Well, so long. I'll be seeing you. Oh, one thing more. Don't let the kid go deer hunting. [music] [music] a cheer up, Charlie. So, what's one slow month? Sometimes I think I should have stuck with my tuba lessons. Boy, look at my sales report. The new accounts column doesn't even have a thumb print on it. Charlie, you worry too much. You get nervous. Eddie says that he came in here the other day and he found you talking to yourself. What? Well, it wasn't yourself. Exactly. Some guy named Joe. Only uh Joe wasn't there. Charlie, I'm telling you for your own good. Take it easy. Yeah. Thanks. With those sweet accounts you've got, why worry? See you later in life, kid. So long. So long. Oh, nuts. I got to get moving. What the? Oh no, not you again. All right, what do you want? Now that's more like it. There's nothing more valuable to a salesman than a warm, friendly attitude. Look, you've got to cut this out. I'm getting a reputation for talking to myself. If you got to do this, why don't you let somebody else see you, too? They'll at least know I'm talking to somebody. I'm sorry, Charlie. It's the rules of the game. Won't you please leave me alone? I've got a special interest in you, Charlie. I just hate to see a good salesman start resting on his laurels. What are you talking about? Prospecting. Prospecting? Yeah, prospecting. How do you suppose you got all those accounts you're so proud of? Because you were the hottest prospector in the business. I saw to that. What do you mean you saw to it? You wouldn't understand. And now, because you're busy, you think you don't need any new accounts waiting in the on deck circle. Look, how come you know so much about stainless steel? They didn't even have it in your day. Oh, they were starting to. You know, the only way we could get people interested was to go out and collar them. No, that's the only objection I had to kick in the bucket when I did. Just when things were getting interesting. No. Did you call on the new Hellburn outfit yet? No, I haven't called on the new Hellburn outfit yet. I've been busy taking care of my old accounts, and I've got some pretty darn good ones. Right. Like Waterlue Products, right? and Farwell Manufacturing. Right. You expect to do a lot of business with those two in the next couple of months, don't you? Right. I hope you're right. What do you mean you hope I'm right? Your big daddy from Wateroo is leaving next month and Farwell's moving out of your territory. How do you know? I get around. Go on. You kidding? Wrong. You sure of this, right? But that'll take a big hunk out of I mean, wow, what am I worried about? I can get to the new PA at Wateroo. Of course, I I don't even know him. But you're positive Farwell is moving. Joe, now look, don't be funny. I know you're here, Joe. Look, I want to talk to you, Joe. A customer is never the same as a wife. He won't make a vow to be yours for life. [music] Take it easy now, kid. You want to make this next call a one piece. And don't be sore just because you discover a few of your accounts are changing. They always change. There's no such thing as a static account. No matter how good you are, some of them are bound to slip away from you. Companies close or move somewhere else. Personnel changes. Products change, basic materials change, or some competitor prospects one of your accounts right away from you. So, what's the answer? Prospecting new accounts. It's the only way you can compensate for what you lose. You were hot on prospecting once, Charlie. That's how you got where you are. Then you took things for granted, Charlie. Prospecting should be just as much of your work schedule as calling on regular customers. It's the only way to make sure you have enough regular customers. Trouble is, Charlie, too many guys look on it as extra work. It isn't. It's part of your job, and you got to gear your time accordingly. You know about managing your time, Charlie. You used to figure on hitting a couple new ones every week, first thing in the morning if you could, when everybody's fresh. After you had the territory pretty well covered, you made it once a week, but you used to hold your schedule. [music] Sorry, Charlie. All right, JOE, CUT IT OUT. Remember what I said about finding time to prospect when you'll never find time if you make your rounds like a milkman. How much business do you get from this outfit, Charlie? Well, it's not very much, but it's nothing to be sneezed at. And you know you're getting as much as you can, right? Well, I can't ignore them, can I? No, but you're giving them as much time as you give your big accounts. Not because you're dumb, but because it's easy to make this call. If you keep yourself busy making calls like these, pretty soon you kid yourself you're doing a full day's work. Something's wrong with the lock. Oh, [music] [music] the whole thing is Charlie, you got to be selective. Remember, the average guy in your shoes gets 75% of his business from 15% of his accounts. More time to the big potentials, less time to the small ones. That's the trick. Now think it over, Charlie. [music] Hey, Cad, it's you again. Who are you expecting us late in the afternoon? Marilyn Monroe. Hi, Bill. Hi. How are you, Charlie? Hello. Say, do you feel all right? Oh, yeah. I feel fine. Fine. You don't act like it. Well, don't worry about me. I'm okay. Yeah, you're okay, man. I've been going through some of your papers, Charlie. I hope you don't mind. Mind? I love it. I always like to have people go through my stuff. I haven't touched your stuff. Yeah. Yeah, I know. But why don't you get out of here? cuz I got something I want to talk to you about, Charlie. I want to refresh your memory on how simple it is to get a lead on new accounts. And I'm talking about stainless steel users and non-users that could be. Why don't you go back where you came from, Charlie? I've been going over some of this material you get from your sales manager and the stuff the mill sends in. It's good. Makes you realize that prospecting isn't a one-man deal. Now, in my time, I was a good salesman, but because I was a member of a good team, and I got a lot of help from the other members of that team. My boss was a lot of help, too, in the mill. It's the same with you, Charlie. Now, you take these sales tips that your boss sends around. Now, here's one. Listen, do you have a switchblate manufacturer in your territory? There's a decided trend to stainless here in place of chromeplated brass and plastics. Good prospects if you have one. If you got one, Charlie, don't answer that. I know you do. Now, here's another one. Listen. Do you know that 20% of all kitchen sinks made today are made of stainless steel and the market is still growing? Charlie, do you ever read these things? Well, sure I do. That is when I get the time. Okay, I'll see what I can do to see that you get more time. [music] FBI. Did you turn off the TV, dear? Nope. just popped off by itself, boys. I'll overtake you down the road. That's funny. The rest of you can just stand still. Thought you might like to do a little reading for a change, Charlie. Those leads we were talking about. What was wrong with the TV, dear? Uh, nothing. I just thought I'd catch up on some reading, that's all. I uh I brought you over the latest trade papers. Now, here's one that breaks down the sale of your commodities according to territories. Easy to see where you fit in. But don't I get any time to relax? Of course you do. But now you got to make up for lost time. Now, let's see. I don't have to tell you to keep your eye open for new construction. You ever check the bidder's list in these building and construction papers? I bet your library has them. Of course, you can find most of this stuff in waiting rooms while you're cooling your heels. Yes, sir. All kinds of leads all around, Charlie. But you know that it's good to be reminded occasionally, huh? Look, my wife will be in here any second now. Don't worry, Charlie. She's writing a long letter to her sister. I checked before I came over here. Now, this business about getting new leads. Leads are everywhere. Remember to use them. Now, talk with talk with your own salesforce. Talk with people in related jobs and keep in touch with local utilities. If anybody knows what's going on in the neighborhood, they do. Okay. Okay. I know all that now. Will you please go? Charlie, you're jumpy. Now, calm down. You live longer. Now, let's see what other leads are there. I I know the other leads. The the Chamber of Commerce, for instance. Right. Right. Right. Now, ask your good customers. Well, what's doing in other areas of the business? Who's your competition? Ask them. They'll tell you. Fine. Fine. I know all that. Now, will you please go? Just one more thing, then I'll leave. Makers of equipment. Now, they can tell you who's buying certain types of machinery to produce something. Now, if you can supply raw material for that product, you got yourself a wedge. She's coming. I know that, Charlie. See you later. Boy, I don't doubt it. Funny. I thought I heard you talking to someone. Oh, just muttering. I get tired, that's all. I think I'll hit the hay. Where did these papers and books come from? Oh, those. I uh I brought them home with me tonight. Well, you didn't have them when you came in. Well, didn't I? Well, I guess I must have brought him home last night. You poor darling. You're working too hard lately. Go on up to bed and get some rest. Yes, I guess I better. [music] Okay. Okay. I get the point. That's right, Charlie. With all the customers he talks to, he's bound to pick up some good leads. Now, sleep tight, Charlie. The least you could have done is put the cap back on the toothpaste. [music] Charlie, don't wake up now. Just keep dreaming. You're dreaming of another good way to get leads, aren't you, Charlie? That one you used to use so well. Checking big industries that use stainless steel. You're dreaming of that time when you asked yourself, "Now, what big industries use stainless steel that might be located in my area? like truck trailers. The food service industry. Hey, remember [music] food service, Charlie? You asked yourself, isn't some of that equipment made in my territory? Where to find out? One good way was to check the trade papers, maybe call on one of the editors. But there was another way, wasn't it, Charlie? You'll remind her that your boss gets this kind of information from the mill all the time. Another example of the whole team working together. Might check with the boss a littleer. Charlie, now sleep easy. The late late dream is over. Morning, Charlie. Oh, boy. You never quit, do you? You used to use a schedule like this a lot, Charlie. Yours? Uh, coffee in a sinker. Coffee and a long john for me. Coffee and a long john for my friend. What's the matter? Lose something? No, but it looks like you did. Well, just bring it out and don't worry. Huh? What? Me worry? All right, let's have it. Well, here's the point you seem to have forgotten. Let's see. You can read the trade journals, House publications, special reports, and all the rest. You can get tips from the office, the bill, your inside salesman, your uncle George. And pretty soon, if you're not careful, all these tips begin to look like one big mishmash. Hard to sort out. Hard to remember. So, what do you do? No, he's on the other side. Sure. I should have known. Drew with the menu. I I might want something else. Boy, could I make a suggestion? So Charlie, what do you do with all these leads? Well, now here's the way you used to keep them organized. First, the two kinds of leads. One, products already made of stainless steel, and one on non-stainless steel products that could be made of stainless steel, right? Sure, but you forget one thing. This schedule was my idea. I'm telling you. Well, now let's check it just for old time sake, huh? Now let's see leads on stainless steel products from trade papers in the industry your office the mill the inside salesman and kind friends leads on non-stainless steel products from the same stores plus trade publications and other industries and you go through them sometimes you see something and you say hey this could be made from stainless but you get most of your leads from from keeping your eyes open and looking around. That doorork knob you turn, that light switch you flip on, you name it. Remember, at first you used to keep these ideas in your head. Then you tried the old envelope system. You used to carry more envelopes than the mailman. And then you came up with a scheduleuler like this. I was proud of you when you came up with this, boy. Nothing big, but showed you meant business. Wasn't half bad of bad, was it? Name of product, stainless or non-stainless, where it's made, the address, the date for a call. Not bad. Only addition I would have made is this. Be helpful. Well, as opposed to barging in and saying, "Hey, I sell stainless. How about an order?" You've never heard me say that. No, I never heard you say that. But I've heard you go in when you weren't prepared to talk sense. You turned down. Scratched the guy off your list. Another lost opportunity. What do you mean I wasn't prepared to talk sense? You weren't prepared to be helpful. Be helpful. Never ask for an order until you're prepared to help the guy save money or make his product more salailable. That's the only reason he's giving you his time. I'll give you an example. Here a minute, Charlie. This milk dispenser. Suppose you were to call on the manufacturer. How would your pitch be? Well, I'd find out if he was happy with the steel supplier. And if he wasn't, I'd tell him what a great outfit we are. Supposing he is happy. Boy, that'd be tough. Got any suggestions? What's the suggest? Charlie, what kind of a finish would you say this is? Oh, my uh 302 number four. Is there a less expensive outside finish that might look as good to the average guy? Well, I guess uh Hey, I think you've got something there. A number three would do the trick. Who makes this thing? Norris Manufacturing? That's not my territory. So, you just forget about it, huh? What else can I do? Did you ever stop to think that one of your salesmen in the Bigfoot Falls territory might be looking at something this very minute and getting a hot idea and then he discovers that the item is made in your territory? So, nothing. Be kind of nice though if the guy passed on his ideas to you through your sales manager. Teamwork, Charlie. I'll make a note of it. Thanks, Joe. Don't mention it. What's the matter? Didn't your friend like his long john? Tell her I'll take it with me. He says he'll take it with him. Be my guest. Not very fresh. He says it's not very fresh. [music] How'd it go, Charlie? As if you didn't know, if you were so anxious to be helpful, where were you when old Boswick was turning me down in there? Okay, I was right with you, and I heard every word. Well, okay, then. What did I do wrong? Well, you were trying to be too helpful. Hey, now wait a minute. You said helpful without knowing enough about the guy's business to be really helpful. But you said always try to be Don't misquote me, my friend. I said never ask for the order until you're prepared to help the guy save money. And you weren't prepared. Well, I read everything I could find on that gadget of his. All of his own literature, that Consumer's Report. I thought I had a good angle. Well, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. This was your first call. I was a little nervous. Perfect. Stranger breezes in with big helpful suggestion. He says to himself, "How could this salesman really know our problems?" So he he played hard to get. Now you're coming back here again. We're going [music] to make another call, but it's going to be different. Now, here's what I want you to do. Come right on in, Grimes. Oh, here. Have a seat. Take it. You know, I'm afraid the situation hasn't changed any since you were in last week. No, Mr. Podwick, I don't suppose it has. But frankly, I'm afraid I was a little over anxious last time. I I thought I had all the answers. But before I make any more suggestions, I'd like to know a little bit more about your operation. That's the idea. Ask questions and listen the first couple of calls. Get acquainted and listen. I'm sure I can help you. I have all the faith in the world in my product and my company. But I guess the first thing I better do is listen. Well, I'll tell you, Mr. Grimes. It was back in about uh 1938. We were a very small concern. He only had 17 men. And then the old man upstairs got an idea. You've been very kind to give me your time, Mr. Boswick. I have an idea or two, but I want to give it a little more thought. In fact, I'd like to get in touch with one of our suppliers, technical men. All right, Grimes. Glad to have you drop by. Goodbye, Mr. Boswick. Keep in touch. Right. Well, how did I do? Got everything you went after. I did an awful lot of listening in there, didn't I? What did you hear? All kinds of stuff on that utensil line of his. How about those ashtrays he says he makes here for the office desk set? Oh, those ashtrays are made of plastic. Oh, those ashtrays are made of plastic. Well, goody for them. Oh, but those ashtrays are made of plastic. Isn't that ducky? But but what? Okay, I'll take care of that, too. Those ashtrays would make a better item than stainless. The better item would sell better, last longer. Yep. I'll have to figure out a proposition. Now you're talking. Remember, be helpful, but you got to know a guy's product to be helpful. Try and get inside his shop. See how his products are made. Know something about his operation and his market. Now, this may take one call or many calls. Bring in a millman if things get too technical, but keep at it. Now, sometimes a deal like this doesn't break for oh, six months, but keep at it and do it systematically. [music] I'm with you, Joe. Well, I guess I'll be leaving now, my friend. Hate to see you go, Joe. It's been a nice experience. Thanks. I don't think I'll have to come back. No, you just uh give the kid a nudge once in a while. You know what I mean? Do my best, Joe. Now, here are a few things to watch for. There a lot more, but this will do as a reminder. First of all, let's hope he never forgets the importance of prospecting. How necessary it is to maintain his share of the market. In fact, it's the only way. See that he keeps checking these lead sources frequently. You know the trade journal is an all lab not just for stainless steel products but non-stainless as well. See that he keeps his eyes open for possible new applications might be right in front of his nose like that that gas pump. There are any number of fittings and trim on that that could be made of stainless steel. Possibilities everywhere. We'll take a peek to see if he keeps his list of prospects and their products up to date. you know who's who, where, what they make. See if he schedules a number of calls a week. If he doesn't, then you just give me a call. I got you, Joe. Of course, you can't do much about this one, but let's hope he tries to know as much as he can about each prospect's product and trip him if he starts to go in someplace and he's not prepared to be helpful. And finally, finally. Tell him never to give up. Oh, you'll be talking out loud to him, will you? Well, fan him with a wing or something, ma. You know, in medicine, law, brick laying, you're only as good as your last job. But in selling, it's always the next one that counts. [music] [music] Say, where have you been? Oh, I've been around. I didn't see you at roll call all week. Well, maybe you [music] need new glasses, chief. Hey, what are you doing? Say, come here with that quill, Charlie. [music] See if you can figure out a deal on this. I mean, for later on, [music] [music] [music]