The favorable attention of the fat man is very evidently gained most readily by that which appeals to his physical senses and appetites.  This is because the keynote of his nature is enjoyment.  He is always on the alert for anything which may contribute to his enjoyment.  He is not fond of physical or mental work, but he is interested in food products, labor-saving devices, comforts, luxuries, finances, politics, merchandizing, and, in fact, everything which contributes to his enjoyment either directly or indirectly through his ability to command the mental and physical services of others.

He who would gain the favorable attention of a fat man, therefore, might be most successful by beginning with inviting him to luncheon or dinner.  In the absence of this, he might begin conversation by a discreet question or comment upon the political situation.  The headline, “Let Me Show You How To Make More Money” might appeal to the impractical man, but it is not likely to gain the favorable attention of the fat man.  The fat man’s natural feeling about a request of that kind is:  “If you know how to make more money, why don’t you use that knowledge for yourself?” Financially, his favorable attention is much more likely to be secured by asking him whether he believes real estate prices are going to advance or railroad stocks are going to decline or interest rates are going to hold firm.  Unless he is of the highly speculative type, he is more than likely to be suspicious of any financial proposition which offers large returns at the outset.  He usually has a shrewd way of unearthing propositions which will pay him large returns; but, as a general rule, he would rather unearth them himself than to have some interested party come and offer them to him.

THE MAN OF BONE AND MUSCLE

The favorable attention of the man of bone and muscle is always most quickly gained by something that moves, some piece of mechanism, or, perhaps, by an object suggestive of outdoor sports.  Many a salesman has secured the favorable attention and gained his way into the good graces of a man of this type by talking to him about hunting, fishing, golf or baseball.  If you take the fat man to luncheon with you, take this man out to play golf or tennis or have a motor ride.

A salesman of our acquaintance once determined to sell a full line of school supplies to the superintendent of schools in a large western city.  The contract was a considerable one and meant a large commission to the salesman.  As he studied the situation, he learned that one of his competitors had been furnishing all of the supplies for the schools in this city for a number of years and that it was very difficult for the salesmen from other business houses to get a hearing.  The superintendent’s usual manner of rebuff was to say:  “No, I do not care to look at your line.  We are being excellently served now, sir, and have no desire to make a change.”