Think of yourself as one of the three factors of the selling process.  The goods of sale are your best capabilities, of course.  The second factor is the prospective buyer, the man who has need of such qualities or services as you could supply.  The agent of sale, or third factor, is yourself.  If you will keep in mind always the conception of yourself as the uniting link between your “goods of sale” and the prospective buyer, you can be a salesman of yourself every minute.  At any moment except when you are alone you may encounter and influence a possible buyer of your best capabilities.  You are continually within sight and hearing of people whose impressions of you might affect your chances to succeed in life.  Therefore always be alert to grasp every sales opportunity within your reach.

[Sidenote:  Twelve Steps]

It will be essential, also, that you have knowledge of the successive steps of the selling process, as well as knowledge of your goods of sale and knowledge of practical mind science.  Otherwise you might omit inadvertently to use some round of the ladder to certain success, and tumble to failure.  These steps are so important to understand that the last nine chapters of the companion book are devoted to them exclusively.  It will suffice here just to state what they are.

 1.  Preparation For Selling;
 2.  Prospecting;
 3.  The Plan Of Approach;
 4.  Securing An Audience;
 5.  Sizing Up The Buyer;
 6.  Gaining Attention;
 7.  Awakening Interest;
 8.  The Creation Of Desire;
 9.  Handling Objections;
10.  The Process Of Decision;
11.  Obtaining Signature or Assent;
12.  The Get-Away That Leads To Future Orders.

[Sidenote:  Five Degrees of Effort]

Another element of necessary knowledge about the selling process is the classification of sales according to the five degrees of effort required to close them.

1.  A sale completed by response to the mere demand of the buyer.

Example—­While a street car strike is on you are driving, an automobile down town.  A man in a hurry to catch a train stops you and says, “I’ll give you two dollars to take me to the station.”  You transport him in response to his call for your services.

[Sidenote:  Distinguish Degrees of Effort]

2.  A sale completed by the buyer’s acceptance on presentation only.

Example—­A man is walking along a country road in the summer time.  He sees a sign in the door-yard of a farmhouse; BERRY PICKERS WANTED. He presents himself as a candidate and the farmer at once engages his services.

3.  A sale completed immediately after a desire of the buyer has been created by a definite, intentional effort of the salesman.

Example—­A man out of work wants a job that will employ his physical strength.  He encounters three men who are struggling to load a very heavy box onto a truck.  He takes off his coat and proves his strength by the ease with which the box is lifted when he helps.  He inquires which of the three men is the truck boss; and asks for a job.  He is hired because he has made the boss want the aid of his strength in handling heavy loads.