[Sidenote:  Getting Around Mental Barrier]

The master salesman comprehends that the mentality of a prospect is a barrier to his emotional expression.  That is, the mind is an alert sentinel on guard to protect the heart from its own impulses to unthinking action.  So the skillful salesman when making his “approach” goes around the mind side of the prospect to the emotional side, where there is no hostile guard.  He knows that “the hearts of all men are akin,” and that “the hardest heart has soft spots.”  He realizes it is bad salesmanship to challenge the sentinel mind of the prospect in a mental tone.  So the salesman artist makes his tone resonant with chest vibrations that stimulate the direct response of the other man’s heart. He works at first to draw out fellow feeling, not to drive his ideas into the head of the prospect.

[Sidenote:  Talking Like a Brother]

The mere presentation of thoughts, or mental pictures of goods, is not enough to induce a prospect to buy.  The master salesman comprehends that he has to deal with the dual personality of the individual he plans to sell.  Therefore from the very beginning of his interview he works to open the mind of the other man by first establishing a unity of human feeling between his own heart and the heart of his prospect.  He uses the emotive tone.  He “talks like a brother.”  Of course he is careful not to exaggerate this show of fellow feeling.  He uses a “hearty” tone without appearing in the least degree hypocritical.  When their hearts are in accord, the other man is prepared to agree mentally with the salesman.

[Sidenote:  Power Pitch]

The third pitch of your voice as a salesman is the power tone.  It can be used skillfully to suggest that you have the force required to succeed.  It is the pitch that comes from deep down and that calls into play the powerful abdominal muscles.  It is not necessarily a loud tone, however.  Often it is low, with a suggestion of immense reserve strength behind it.  With the power pitch you can command in a simple request which, spoken in a higher tone, might be refused because it would lack the suggestion of force.  In order to succeed, you sometimes must employ power.  When a situation requires a demonstration of your strong personality, augment the force of your words and acts by using the tone pitch that suggests the power of the big muscles of your waist.

[Sidenote:  When to Use Power Tone]

Employ the emotive tone to convey ideas of your truthfulness and honor.  Show your courtesy and kindness with the heart pitch; use it to manifest your real desire to be of service to your prospect.  But suggest your solidity and capacity for good judgment by employing the pitch of power.  With its aid you can convince your prospect of the enduring quality of your best characteristics; you can deny disparagement or doubt of your ability; you will be able to brush aside unfounded objections; you can compel respect.