[Sidenote:  Selling a New Feeling]

“If you will lend me ten thousand dollars, and I make good my promises to you, your new experience with me will go a long way toward restoring your lost faith in men.  It is natural that you should feel embittered, but the taste in your mouth is unpleasant.  Back me up.  I will help you get rid of your bitterness, and will replace it with a glow of satisfaction.  You cannot doubt that I will make good.  You should not let your old prejudice stand in the way of the gratified feeling you will have when I prove to you that all men are not unworthy of trust.  After I justify your confidence you will be happier for the rest of your life.”

In the illustration the objection is dealt with emotionally; because its basis is feeling.  No mental appeal is made.  The salesmanship in this example is the direct converse of that in the previous illustration.

[Sidenote:  The Best Rule]

Usually, however, it is best to counteract objections by making appeals to both the heart and the mind of the objector.  In most cases it is safe to assume that his mental opposition involves his feelings to some degree, and it rarely happens that an objection is so purely emotional that the mind of the prospect does not take part in it at all.  So the rule of masterly salesmanship is to use neither the appeal to mentality nor the appeal to feeling exclusively, but rather to stress one or the other, while using both.  If the objection appears to be based principally on opposition of mind, it is more important to reach into the prospect’s mind with the answer than it is to draw out his heart; and vice versa.

[Sidenote:  Emotional and Mental Tones]

If the thought behind the objection arises principally from feeling, it will nearly always be expressed in an emotive tone.  By this pitch of the prospect’s voice you can determine whether he is speaking chiefly from his heart or from his mind.  Conversely, of course, the mental objection will be pitched in the high “head” tone.  One of the most difficult features of dealing with opposition from the other man is uncertainty as to how much he means of what he says and does.  It would be a mistake to take his resistance too seriously or too lightly.  Therefore it will aid your salesmanship a great deal if you are able to discriminate between the mental and the emotional tones in which opposition is expressed.  You can reply accordingly.

[Sidenote:  The Power Pitch]

It is almost as important that you recognize the pitch of power when it reenforces the words of objection, and that on the other hand you note when the power tone is lacking.  In the first case you will need to reply with considerable force, whether you appeal to the mind or the heart of the prospect.  But when his objection is stated in a powerless tone, even though it may be accompanied by curtness or bluster, you need not waste much force on your answering appeal to his mentality or his emotions.