INSURANCE. It is a business man's duty to keep his property fully insured. Thousands are ruined every year by neglecting this important caution. His insurance should be placed with well-known, prompt, and honorable companies, even if the rate is a little higher. The man who is known to be well insured finds little trouble in obtaining a line of credit consistent with his needs, for his creditors regard an ample insurance in the light of a security. LOOK THROUGH IT. Every business transaction has a beginning and an end, and the man will make the most money who endeavors to see the end of a transaction when about to commence it. Try to look through it in a straight line. Try to combine the least expense with the most profit, and avoid, if possible, having your attention diverted from the straight connection between the beginning and end. ODD ADVERTISEMENT, ILLUSTRATING PIETY AND ENTERPRISE, PUBLISHED IN A MANCHESTER (ENG.) PAPER. "To Drapers, Haberdashers, Warehousemen, etc. : "Wanted, towards the end of April, by an eminently pious young man of Scotland, who has been regularly bred to the above branches, and considerably experienced generally, a situation as assistant clerk, manager, salesman, or traveller. The advertiser is twenty-one years of age, possessed of excellent health, an amiable disposition, good ability, extensive knowledge of the great scriptural doctrine, strictly evangelical, and would be found to be of immense advantage in assisting to advance the claims and reign of the Messiah's Kingdom, amidst all the civil and ecclesiastical opposition, so prevalent among the nations of the earth, in these later agitating times. Testimonials and references to several eminent evangelical ministers and mem bers of the Gospel, as well as to former and present employers, of the most strict and satisfactory tendency as to character and ability, with portrait, may be had on application. No objection to town or country, and would be willing to conform to the rules of a liberal church or dissenting family, holding evangelical principles, and make himself generally useful. A house, favorable to Evangelical, Presbyterian, or Independent church principles, affording permanent employment and progressive advancement of salary, preferred." REMARKS ON ADVERTISING. A little book, published in 185-, entitled, "How to Get Money," contains the following remarks: "Whatever your occupation or calling may be, if it needs support from the public, advertise it thoroughly and efficiently in some shape or other that will arrest public attention. I freely confess that what success I have had in my life may be attributed more to the public press than to nearly all other causes combined. There may possibly be occupations that do not require advertising, but I cannot well conceive what they are. Men in business will sometimes tell you that they have tried advertis ing and it did not pay. This is only when advertising is done sparingly and grudgingly. Homeopathic doses of advertising will not pay, perhaps; it is like half a portion of physic, making the patient sick but effecting nothing. Administer liberally and the cure will be permanent. Some say they cannot afford to advertise. They mistake; they cannot afford not to advertise. In this country, where everybody reads the newspapers, it will be seen that these are the cheapest and best media through which persons can speak to the public where they are to find their customers. Put on the appearance of business, and generally the reality will follow. The farmer plants his seed, and while he is sleeping his corn and potatoes are growing. So with advertising. While you are sleeping, or eating, or conversing with one of your customers, your advertisement is being read by hundreds and thousands of persons who never saw you or heard of your business, and never would, had it not been for your advertisement appearing in the newspapers." ABOUT THE DRUMMER OR COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER. 66 It is barely possible that you, with your largely increasing trade, will sooner or later require the services of a drummer," or commercial traveller. That is to say, you wish to extend your business beyond the point of your natural identity, and, in order to do so, you must obtain a man who will represent you and your wishes to the trade you hope to reach. A drummer is only a man, and with over one hundred thousand drummers moving over our continent like ants over a "soft hill,” you may reason that a drummer is easy to get. No doubt, but will he pay you? Out of every thousand drummers you will find one man who becomes a success; the balance, while they make a good living, rarely become members of the firm for which they travel, or ever attain to a promoted position. The reason is this: The drummer cannot stay at home and help the firm he represents there. The firm cannot keep the drummer at home, and therefore the firm and drummer both must have a sort of blind reliance, each on the other, or the thing won't pay. A prominent business man, who takes careful notes of everything pertaining to his business, has made a memorandum of the points he considers essential in a drummer. That is to say, in an exceptional one. He employs thirty-two. He should never drink, unless his physician considers his health requires an artificial stimulant; then drink is medicine. He should know nothing about politics, because his customers belong to all parties, and if he takes a side he must sooner or later offend some one. He should have a pleasant, cool, and business-like address; if he be a handsome man (with all other conditions even) it is so much the better, but pay no attention to a man's looks until you have discovered whether or not he possesses a majority of the following traits. He must Never be in a hurry, or fussy. Never complain of dull trade. Never try to get a joke on a customer unless he knows that the customer has a bigger one waiting for him. Never tell fairy tales, or anything in a gauzy line. It hurts. Never argue with a customer, let him do all the talking. Never manifest a lack of confidence in what he is doing, or trying to do; this weakness loses the confidence of others. Never be seen in bad company. Never talk religion. It's a good subject, but won't sell goods. Never try to talk, when it will pay better to stop talking. Never leave a customer in any doubt on anything that can be settled at once. It often causes the drummer to receive a cold shoulder on his next trip. Never promise what he cannot do, and if he does promise, do it quickly. Never be otherwise than calm, cool, straightforward, honest, and cheerful, even in dull trade, with a self-respect apparent in every action, and a modesty that is ever appreciated by contact. Never neglect the minor details of an order; a customer is pleased by attention to small matters. Last: Never send a man out on the road without a perfect understanding. If you have confidence in him, give him every aid you can, in order that he may aid you; be sure his prices and terms are as good as any he will come in competition with; do not rush him let him use his own judgment a little; in other words, let him feel that he is a part and parcel of your interest, and treat him accordingly. -- Then, if your man is all right, you will find not only a coworker but a good friend in your commercial traveller. LIBERALITY. In any event, do not attempt to run your business on too cheap a scale. A man often makes money by spending it, or in other words, a little liberality is profitable. The man who has the reputation of being mean, rarely secures for himself a permanent constituency. Don't try to be a good fellow, as the world goes, but try to be liberal enough to attain a reputation outside of mean work, but now whistling Home, Sweet Home. 6 I ventured to call his attention to the fact that I had considerable funds and many checks to deposit, to which he replied, It will do tomorrow as well'; then a paper was torn up and Home, Sweet Home' continued. The hours flew by on leaden wings, and the monotony of that tune was never relieved but by the tearing of paper. Four o'clock struck, and simultaneously came forth the lively notes of Dixie.' Fifteen minutes later the door of the little office opened, and X- came forth, holding in his hand a large envelope. G.,' he said, 'take this up to the office of the Mercury, see the editor, and tell him to make it as big as he can; never mind the cost!' 'What is it, sir?' I asked. 6 Why, an advertisement,' he replied; do you suppose I've been shut in that office all day for nothing, eh?' 6 "I took the copy to the editor, he read it, smiled and laugned by turns, then said, All right G., it's a good one.' Next morning as I entered the counting-room, I found X- reading something with evident satisfaction; suddenly he looked at me with a merry twinkle in his honest gray eyes, handing me the paper at the same time, and said: G., read that; I wrote it yesterday; guess that'll settle em, eh?' and then with an almost painful or pathetic expression he continued, Took me eight hours to get up to Dixie, G.; you know me, eh?"" 6 |