PLEASING PERSONALITY 619"Oh, it wasn't difficult," replied the new salesman. "I just walked
in and talked to him a few minutes, and he brought up the subject of
the securities himself and said he wanted to purchase. Therefore, I
really did not sell to him. He purchased of his own accord:'
When I heard of the transaction, I called this new salesman in
and asked him to describe, in detail, just how he made the sale.
He said that when he reached the artist's studio he found him at
work on a picture. The artist had been so engaged in his work that he
did not see the salesman enter. So the salesman walked over to where
he could see the picture and stood there looking at it without saying
a word. When the artist finally saw him, the salesman apologized for
the intrusion and began to talk-about the picture the artist was
painting.
He knew just enough about art to be able to discuss the merits
of the picture with some intelligence, and he was really interested in
the subject. He liked the picture and frankly told the artist so.
For nearly an hour those two men talked of nothing but art, par-
ticularly the picture that stood on the artist's easel. Finally, the artist
asked the salesman his name and his business, and the salesman replied,
"Oh, never mind my business or my name. I am more interested in you
and your art:'
The artist beamed. But not to be outdone by his polite visitor,
he insisted on knowing what mission had brought him to his studio.
Then, with an air of genuine reluctance, this salesman-this real
star-introduced himself and told his business. Briefly he described
the securities he was selling, and the artist listened as if he enjoyed
every word that was spoken.
After the salesman had finished, the artist said, "Well, well!
Other salesmen from your firm have been here trying to sell me
some of those securities, but they talked of nothing but business.
In fact, they annoyed me so much that I had to ask one of them to
leave; I believe his name was Perkins. But you present the matter so