The Psychology of Salesmanship

Until the last few years the mere mention of the word "psychology" in connection with business was apt to be greeted with a shrug of the shoulders, a significant raising of the eyebrows, and a change of the subject. Psychology was a subject that savored of the classroom, or else was thought to be somehow concerned with the soul, or possibly related to the abnormal phenomena generally classified as "psychic." The average business person was apt to impatiently resent the introduction into business of class room topics, or speculation regarding the soul, or of theories and tales regarding clairvoyance, telepathy, or general "spookiness"—for these were the things included in his concept of "psychology." But a change has come to persons in business. They have heard much of late years regarding psychology in business affairs, and have read something on the subject. They understand now that psychology means "the science of the mind" and is not necessarily the same as metaphysics or "psychism." They have had brought home to themselves the fact that psychology plays a most important part in business, and that it is quite worth their while to acquaint themselves with its fundamental principles. In fact, if they have thought sufficiently on the subject, they will have seen that the entire process of selling goods, personally, or by means of advertising or display, is essentially a mental process depending upon the state of mind induced in the purchaser, and that these states of mind are induced solely by reason of certain established principles of psychology. Whether the salespeople, or advertisers, realize this or not, they are employing psychological principles in attracting the attention, arousing the interest, creating the desire, and moving the will of the purchaser of their goods. An understanding of this process is what you will come to understand from availing yoruself of the principles described within this powerful, little book.