How To Sell Westinghouse Cleaners (1940s)

The one purpose of this film is to help you sell Westinghouse cleaners. To sell anything, you need a plan. But, since there are three models in the Westinghouse cleaner line, this plan must give you a sales story that can be used on all three cleaners. Now, the reason for three Westinghouse cleaners is simple. It's because different homemakers have different kinds of cleaning jobs to do. For example, as you look at these three women, you can't tell what type of cleaner is best for each of them because their home cleaning jobs may be much different. Therefore, since different homemakers have different cleaning jobs to do, Westinghouse offers three cleaners in its line. But, let's suppose instead of these three women, just this first one has dropped into the store. Exactly how will salesman Charlie find out what type of cleaner she needs? Let's watch and see. An interesting chart, isn't it? Yes, but what does it mean? It helps us select the right type of cleaner for your needs. For example, if your rugs are your main cleaning job or if your rugs are deep pile, Aha, the answer is Charlie uses that wall chart to find out what she needs a cleaner for. Let's listen some more. That's pretty much fits me. Seems I'm always picking up after my little boy and his dog. Then the ideal cleaner for you is the Westinghouse automatic. Automatic? Oh, yes, indeed. And good-looking, too. But, more important than fine appearance in a cleaner are three other things every buyer should ask. Will it clean well? Is it easy to use? And will it stand up with use? Let's see how this cleaner fills those requirements. After measuring her cleaner needs, he swings right into his cleaner demonstration. First, I'll take some of this sand and put it on the carpet. It's just like surface dust. And now, I'll put some more sand over here. Then I'll rub it in. Make it hard to get out, just like embedded grit. And finally, I'll take some of this kapok, rub it on the carpet. This stuff is hard to pick up, just like the hairs on your little boy's dog. So, there are three dirt strips, quite a bit more concentrated than you'll ever find them in the average carpet. Even mine, I'd say. Now, watch while I run the cleaner slowly through them. There you are. And did you notice how quickly it picked the dirt up? It certainly picked it up. Yes, this really does a fine job because of three things. The first is suction and lots of it. Now, that suction comes from a big fan driven by a powerful Westinghouse motor. All surface dirt is sucked up into the bag. We call that air washing. Air washing? Yes, the suction lifts the carpets off the floor and really washes them in air. But besides suction, there are two other reasons why this cleaner really gets out all the dirt. Both are found in the different kind of Westinghouse brush. Let's take this extra brush for a closer look. Do you see these long pliable white tufts? Yes. Well, they sweep up hairs and threads gently and quickly. Then, there are these shorter, stiffer bristles. Mhm, I can see them. Well, they're the ones that gently vibrate the rug on a cushion of air. This loosens the embedded dirt and brings it to the top. Then the suction carries it up into the bag. So you see, the brush of the Westinghouse automatic both sweeps and beats. Uh because the bristles are of two heights. That's why we call it a two-height brush. Yes, it really gets rugs clean. I understand. With that extra brush, he explained so she could understand. Now, I've been talking about uh why this cleaner really cleans. Now, I'd like to show you. Uh this carpet here looks clean, doesn't it? Yes. Well, this is a piece of clean filler paper. I'll put it here between the bag and the cleaner to trap any dirt we can pick up. Uh now I'll run over that apparently clean carpet. Let's see if it is clean. But you hadn't even ran it. That's right. But enough to pick up this. I can't believe it. Yes, this came from what looked like a fairly clean piece of carpet. Now, let's examine this dirt more closely. This upper layer is made up of hairs, threads, dust, and nap. Did the cleaner pull out all that nap? But not the cleaner. It was this grit. Grit? Exactly. Now listen to how hard and sharp it sounds. Do you hear it? Yes. It's this grit with hundreds of sharp edges embedded deep in your carpet that cuts off the nap. To stop its cutting action, it must be taken out. That's the real value in cleaning your carpets often. It not only makes them look better, it makes them last longer. That's something I never knew. He tells her an important fact and proves it. Now let me show you something else about this dirt. I'll split this filter paper into two layers. Look, it's grease. Grease? But where did it come from? From that piece of what looked like clean carpet. You see, grease is in room air. It's absorbed by dust and settles on carpets. Only frequent going over with a good cleaner takes it out. Now, notice how this grease spot looks against my sleeve. Grease makes your carpets look just as dull unless it's taken out. Now you can see how this Westinghouse, by taking out all hidden dirt, restores the original color and brightness of your rug. I see. Anybody could after a demonstration like that. But besides cleaning well, a cleaner should also be easy to use. Just try this one. See how easy it runs. Very well. Excuse me, but do you always work so hard with a cleaner? I have to with mine. Well, you don't have to with this Westinghouse. The slower you run it, the faster it cleans. Please try it again, slowly and easily. Why, there's almost nothing to it. And for some very good reason. This cleaner is light in weight. Even bag emptying is made simple. You merely unsnap these tabs, take off the bag, and empty it. It's very simple. And uh look at this headlight. It's built so that you can really see where you're cleaning. Now you've heard me call this cleaner the automatic. Well, here's why. Ah, now we'll see what he means by automatic. Its first automatic feature is this handle. It can be set in any of three different positions. High, medium, or low. All without you having to push a single lever or turn a single knob. But best of all, the handle stays where you want it. I like that. But there's another very important reason why this is called the automatic. Have you noticed anything different about our demonstration carpet? Why, yes. It seems to be of two kinds. It is. And it's also of two different thicknesses. With most cleaners, if you'd want to get that rug really clean, you'd have to stop and adjust the nozzle for each thickness. You'd have to do it either with your foot like this, or get down on your knees and turn some kind of a knob. It's a knob on mine. So, the second automatic feature of this Westinghouse is its self-adjustment to any thickness of carpet. Here's why. It's the wheels of this cleaner that make it automatic. These wide front wheels always ride on top of the nap, regardless of its thickness. While these narrower rear wheels are built to sink down into it. The combined action of these wheels over any kind or thickness of carpet always sets the nozzle at exactly the right height automatically. You don't have to stop to make a single adjustment. Yes, it's one of the biggest cleaner improvements in years. And it would be hard to improve on Charlie's automatic story. But here, let's listen. Thus far, we've seen why this cleaner cleans well and why it's easy to use. Now let's see why it's also built to stand up with use. One of the big economy features of this cleaner is its new type brush. It's designed to give as much as four times the service of an ordinary brush. Does that mean it lasts four times as long? Well, yes, because when the bristles wear down, you don't have to replace it. You merely reset the brush like this. Move it from one notch to the next. You don't need a screwdriver. Then, after it's reset, it's ready for more service. You can do this four times and get four times the wear out of one brush. That is interesting. Yes, and there are other things about this cleaner that save you money and keep it on the job. This motor, for instance, it's made by Westinghouse and you never have to oil it. The cleaner body is made of a new strong plastic. We've also used plastics in these attachments. We have a complete set of them. Oh, I'm not interested in attachments. I keep my old set up in the attic. They're too much trouble. And I have to take the belts off. You don't have to with this new Westinghouse attachment adapter. You just set the cleaner in the adapter. Then clamp it in place like this. And you're ready for the attachments. Easy, isn't it? It seems simple enough. Let me show you how it works with this crevice nozzle, for example. You just slip it on and then use it for cleaning in hard-to-get-at places like radiators and cracks in furniture. Then there's this dusting brush. It's fine for cleaning moldings, Venetian blinds, lampshades, and bookshelves. This floor brush makes it easy for you to clean hard-surfaced floors and linoleum. Yes, and this drapery nozzle is another handy attachment. It's excellent for cleaning drapes and fabrics of all kinds. And I almost forgot this furniture brush. It's wonderful for cleaning upholstered furniture and mattresses. And you also get this sprayer. You use it for spraying waxes and insecticides and other light liquids. So, you see there are many useful, easy-to-use attachments with the Westinghouse automatic. It's a complete cleaner. Now, wouldn't it be a big help to you? Yes, it certainly would. But, how much does it cost? Well, that's a pleasant surprise. You see, the price of the Westinghouse automatic, complete with all the attachments Well, well, it looks like Charlie's made a sale. And no wonder. He followed a surefire sales formula. Let's see what he did. First, he measured his prospect. He found out from his wall chart the type of cleaner best suited to her needs. His second step was to fit his sales story to her measurements. He proved by demonstration and explanation that the automatic Cleanwell is easy to use and stands up under use. And now, third, he gets agreement on the fit. He convinces her that the automatic is the cleaner that will do her cleaning jobs best. He puts an order in his book, money in his pocket. All by following a proven selling plan that turns prospects into buyers. Well, Charlie, that was a nice selling job. All I did was follow a plan. And it worked fine with the automatic, but does it work with the rest of the line, the tank type cleaner, for instance? Sure, it does. Once you find out what the prospect needs, I'll tell you. Or maybe I'll show you. Here comes someone. Okay, let's see how Charlie's sales formula works with this prospect. Good afternoon. Have you seen the new Westinghouse home cleaning service? I'm not interested. My next cleaner is going to be a blank tank. Uh-oh, she's one of those women already sold on a tank type cleaner. Now, what'll he do? That's fine, but why do you prefer a tank cleaner? Because I have mostly throw rugs. They're easier to do with a tank cleaner, aren't they? They certainly are. Did you hear that? He agrees with her. Because so many homemakers need tank type cleaners, Westinghouse has developed this improved model. He not only agrees with her, he starts to demonstrate the kind of cleaner she wants. Yes, Westinghouse has made the greatest improvement in tank type cleaners in years. This Adjust-O-Matic nozzle. Is it so different? Very different. Let me show you. In ordinary cleaning, the Adjust-O-Matic nozzle slides over the carpet on these smooth metal pads. But when you come to difficult dirt like hairs or threads, you just push down lightly on the handle. This lowers the brush. Now it can loosen hairs and threads, so that powerful suction can carry them up into the bag. You use the brush only when it's needed. That saves work for you and wear on the brush. Now let's see how this brush actually operates on the carpet. Plenty smooth. He tells her, then shows her. Now there are three questions that every buyer should ask about a cleaner. Does it clean well? Is it easy to use? And will it stand up with use? Suppose we take that first question. Let's see how well this cleaner cleans. Say, this looks like the same demonstration Charlie made with the automatic cleaner. It is. There goes a strip of sand to represent surface dust. There's another. He grinds it in to represent embedded grit. Mhm. And he rubs that kapok on the carpet to represent hairs and threads. He now takes the nozzle, and note how he slides it with a light scrubbing action through each strip. And then he uses a little more pressure through the strip of kapok. This demonstration is almost exactly the same as for the automatic cleaner. Except, as you remember, with the automatic, all three strips were clean through with a broad back and forth motion of the cleaner. While with the tank cleaner, the nozzle cleans through each strip individually with a light scrubbing action. But now, back to Charlie. You see, a clean path through all strips. And I only had to use the brush on the kapok. Really cleans, doesn't it? It seems to. Now, let's try something else. I'll take this filter paper and place it right here where it will serve as a dirt trap. Now, you please take the cleaner and run it over the clean-looking part of the carpet. Very well. Ah, this time he's making her a partner in the demonstration. Is that enough? Well, let's see. Enough to get that much dirt out of what looked like pretty clean carpet. I can hardly believe it. But seeing is believing. And now, just as he did while demonstrating the automatic cleaner, he explains that the upper layer of trapped dirt is a mixture of dust, nap, and threads. Then he again explains that it was not the action of the cleaner that cut off the nap, but this grit embedded underneath the surface. He rubs the paper over it to show how hard and sharp it is. And then he emphasizes that the only way to get rid of grit is to clean it out before it does any damage. But what next does Charlie do in this filter paper test? Why, of course, he goes into the grease ring demonstration, exactly the same as with the automatic cleaner. He splits the filter paper uncovering a ring of grease. This always impresses prospects, especially when he explains there's always a certain amount of grease in room air which settles on rugs. That good frequent vacuum cleaning is the only way to take it out. And then, after he shows her how unsightly grease looks, his prospect usually agrees she doesn't want it to spoil the color in her rugs. But now, let's lend an ear again to Charlie. Yes, the dirt sweep trapped in this paper are the reason why you should insist that any cleaner you buy must clean well. This Westinghouse with its strong suction and adjust-o-matic nozzle does the kind of cleaning job you want. But there's another thing you should ask of any cleaner. Is it easy to use? Well, you saw that the only time I had to use pressure on the adjust-o-matic nozzle was in picking up hairs and threads. All other times you merely slide it. This saves you a lot of the work in cleaning. And that The attachments on this cleaner are easy to use, too. For instance, to take off an attachment, you merely do this. To put it on, you just do this. It's so easy. There's nothing to it. These extension tubes are polished nickel-plated steel. Yet, see how light they are. They are light. So, you won't get tired using them. And here's something else you'll like. This easy hose connection. To disconnect it, you just press this button and slip it out. To connect it, you just slip it in until it snaps in place. There's one job nobody like, bag emptying. I agree. Let me show you how easy it is with this cleaner. To take out the bag, you just pull up this one latch, take off the top of the tank, and lift out the bag. Then, with this handy tab, you gently shake it. Your hands stay clean. There's no dirt spread all over the room. Then, put the bag back in the tank. It's easy, isn't it? It certainly is. It's also easy to turn this cleaner on and off. With your toe, you turn it on, or turn it off. There's no need for stooping. Now, don't you agree this cleaner is easy to use? Yes, it really is. Now, here's something else. A handy storage kit, so you can always keep your cleaner and attachments in one place. And speaking of attachments, they make a lot of cleaning jobs easier. For instance, this crevice nozzle is excellent for cleaning Why, sure. Charlie uses the display photographs to explain the use of the attachments, just like he did with the automatic cleaner. First, the crevice nozzle. Then, the dusting brush. The floor brush. The drapery nozzle. And when he is finished, let's hear it again as Charlie says it. Yes, these attachments give you a complete home cleaning service. They lighten your work considerably, wouldn't they? Indeed, they would. And indeed, he's after a sale. He's already proved the cleaner cleans well and is easy to use. He now explains why it stands up. He emphasizes its all-steel construction to stand hard knocks and explains its sturdy Westinghouse motor that never even needs oiling. Yes. Here's a cleaner that does stand up. And best of all, its price is even less than most cleaners of this type. Is that so? Yes. Its price including all attachments Well, he did it again. And if this sale seemed easy, it's because Charlie followed the same formula he used in selling the automatic cleaner. First, he measured his prospect. This time, she measured herself by saying she wanted a tank-type cleaner. Second, he fitted his sales story to her measurements. He proved that the tank-type Westinghouse cleans well, is easy to use, and stands up under use. And third, when he gets agreement on the fit, he gets the order. He makes a customer of a woman who is going to buy another make of cleaner. That's smart demonstrating and smart selling. Yes, Charlie, you really proved your sales formula sells both the automatic and tank-type cleaners. But, it also sells the hand vac convertible. You'll have to prove that. Okay. Suppose there was another woman standing right there. And suppose she said I don't need a cleaner. I have a small apartment and just one rug. All I need's a broom. Ouch. Here's a dame who doesn't even know she needs a cleaner. What can Charlie do with her? You're right, ma'am. Apartment dwellers hardly ever need a full-size with her. That's why Westinghouse brought out the Hand Vac convertible for people with the limited cleaning to do. Uh it's both a floor cleaner and a hand cleaner. It looks pretty small. But it really cleans. Here, I'll show you. Hm, he's using her objection as a lead-in to his demonstration. And as with the automatic and tank type cleaners, Charlie starts with the dirt test. However, with the Hand Vac, he lays only two strips. One sand, the other tea pack. And then, with the cleaner in its adapter, he sweeps a path through the strips exactly as he did in the other demonstrations. Then, well, let's listen in. It really does clean. Almost as well as many big cleaners. Better than a broom. It really does a good job, doesn't it? Yes, but I wouldn't have believed it. But his demonstration proved it. So, Charlie continues to prove to his prospect by making another filter paper test, just like he did with the other cleaners. He puts the paper in the bag coupling. Then invites her to run the cleaner over an apparently clean part of the carpet. She does. After which he shows her the trapped dirt. Again, he explains that the upper layer is a mixture of dust, threads, and nap. And again, he explains it wasn't the cleaner that cut off the nap, but grit. And to show its sharpness, he rubs the paper over it. He convinces her that it takes the suction plus brush action of the Handvac to take up this dirt. A broom merely works it in deeper. Next, he again goes into the grease ring demonstration, just as he did with the other two cleaners. He shows her how unsightly grease looks against a fabric or a rug. But let's hear Charlie tell it. You've seen how much dirt the Handvac convertible can take from a small portion of rug. Can't you imagine how much more it would take from a larger rug? Yes, I can. But there's something else about the Handvac convertible you'll like. It's really two cleaners in one. But with the adapters we've been using it, it's a floor cleaner. But by simply lifting the Handvac out, it becomes a hand cleaner. As a hand cleaner, it has a lot of uses. Its motor-driven brush, combined with its strong suction, really gets the dirt. Let's see how much it would take from upholstered furniture. I'll put this filter paper in as a dirt trap. Now watch. Is that dirt? Yes, it is, and it came from my suit. Imagine how much more the Handvac would have taken from an upholstered chair or an auto cushion. I can imagine. Oh, yes. You'll find the Handvac easy to use. See how light it is. It is light. Notice the push type switch. The cleaner can be turned on or off with only one of the fingers of the hand holding it. Then there's this bag, very easy to empty. Uh the handle is specially designed, too. When you've finished cleaning, you simply wrap the cord around it. Uh but of course, you'd want any cleaner you buy to stand up even with hard use. Well, the Handvac, for all its lightness, really can take it. Its nozzle is one of the new strong plastics, and its motor is made by Westinghouse. Yes, here's a cleaner that's ideal for apartment dwellers. It's compact, so you can store it anywhere. You'd probably have a place for it in your apartment, wouldn't you? Yes, but what does it cost? Well, the Handvac is very reasonably priced. It's entirely Bring up another sale for Charlie. His prospect said she didn't need a cleaner. He sold her a Handvac convertible. That's real selling. But tell us, Charlie, Yes? if a salesman knows his product, how to demonstrate it, and the sales formula, then you'd say he's set to sell plenty of cleaners? Yes. If he follows the right procedure in using the formula. And this is it. First, measure the prospect. I can do it from a wall chart or from something the prospect says about the type of cleaner she prefers or even from an objection. Then, after measuring the prospect to find out what kind of cleaner she should have, I fit the sales story to her measurements. I do this by demonstration and follow the same order for all cleaners. First, the dirt strip demonstration to show how the cleaner picks up all kinds of dirt. Then, the filter paper test to show that these dirt can be taken out of what looks like clean carpet. Then, the grit test to show how it wears out rugs. And finally, the grease ring demonstration to show how grease dulls carpets. Then, I demonstrate each cleaner to show it's easy to use and it stands up under use. Is that all? Well, not quite because through each demonstration, you remember I was asking questions, getting agreements? Right. Getting agreements that the Westinghouse I was demonstrating filled all of the prospect's cleaning needs. Well, Charlie, that sounds good, but how do you remember all those points? There's no secret to that. You see, the Westinghouse people gave me this little card. It has everything on it. On this side, for example, it tells exactly how to measure the prospect, how to tell which kind of cleaner she should have. While on this other side, it gives the demonstration points in the order you talk about them. If I forget, all I do is take out the card, glance at it, get straight, and go on with my demonstration. Yes, this plan sure helps me make sales.