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StreetsOfGold
1st February 2014, 01:40 PM
The Tooth Brush Salesman
The kids filed into class Monday morning. They were all very excited.

Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on
salesmanship.

Little Sally led off. "I sold Girl Scout cookies and I made $30" she said
proudly, "My sales approach was to appeal to the customer's civil spirit and I credit that approach for my obvious success."

"Very good," said the teacher.


Little Debbie was next. "I sold magazines" she said, "I made $45 and I
explained to everyone that magazines would keep them up on current events."

"Very good, Debbie", said the teacher.


Eventually, it was Little Johnny's turn. The teacher held her breath.
Little Johnny walked to the front of the classroom and dumped a box full of
cash on the teacher's desk. "$2,467",he said.

"$2,467!"cried the teacher, "What in the world were you selling?"
"Toothbrushes”, said Little Johnny. "Toothbrushes", echoed the teacher, "How could you possibly sell enough tooth brushes to make that much money?"

"I found the busiest corner in town", said Little Johnny, "I set up a Dip & Chip stand and I gave everybody who walked by a free sample."

They all said the same thing, "Hey, this tastes like dog poop!" Then I would say, “It is dog poop. Wanna buy a toothbrush?

I used the President Obama method of giving you some crap, dressing it up so it looks good, telling you it's free and then making you pay to get the bad taste out of your mouth."

Little Johnny got five stars for his assignment. Bless his heart.

Spectrism
2nd February 2014, 09:22 AM
The title reminds me of my father. In the 1960s he looked for extra jobs to take care of his young and growing family. He tried selling Fuller Brush. Back then it was a brush and cleaning utencil company. So, as a Fuller Brish salesman, he figured the best place to sell would be the filthy "projects" where cleaning utencils were really needed.

He couldn't sell a damned cleaning device to the savages who would spend their few dollars on cosmetics, luxuries, status symbols and alcohol. He put his life at risk going into those hell holes and learned some valuable lessons. Don't try to change people or their behaviors. Don't try to sell them what they need, but what they want. And make sure that you turn down your cuffed pants to keep from bringing home roaches.

Hitch
2nd February 2014, 10:31 AM
He put his life at risk going into those hell holes and learned some valuable lessons. Don't try to change people or their behaviors.

Wise man, that's the honest truth. Sure wish I had gotten that advice years ago. Would have saved me a lot of frustrations. Good story Spec.

BrewTech
2nd February 2014, 10:55 AM
The title reminds me of my father. In the 1960s he looked for extra jobs to take care of his young and growing family. He tried selling Fuller Brush. Back then it was a brush and cleaning utencil company. So, as a Fuller Brish salesman, he figured the best place to sell would be the filthy "projects" where cleaning utencils were really needed.

He couldn't sell a damned cleaning device to the savages who would spend their few dollars on cosmetics, luxuries, status symbols and alcohol. He put his life at risk going into those hell holes and learned some valuable lessons. Don't try to change people or their behaviors. Don't try to sell them what they need, but what they want. And make sure that you turn down your cuffed pants to keep from bringing home roaches.

The idea is to create the want so intensely that it becomes need. Make useless, high profit items so desirable that the population couldn't possibly live without them. Ideally, the item(s) can be used by the seller as tools to control and manipulate the buyer in such a way as to guarantee future sales of the same, or other items.

Libertytree
2nd February 2014, 11:08 AM
The idea is to create the want so intensely that it becomes need. Make useless, high profit items so desirable that the population couldn't possibly live without them. Ideally, the item(s) can be used by the seller as tools to control and manipulate the buyer in such a way as to guarantee future sales of the same, or other items.

Or, put another way...create the want that becomes a need that becomes a "right", ie welfare, food stamps etc...etc.... I have a "right" to own a Fuller brush or fill in the ________________!

Jewboo
2nd February 2014, 12:20 PM
The idea is to create the want so intensely that it becomes need. Make useless, high profit items so desirable that the population couldn't possibly live without them. Ideally, the item(s) can be used by the seller as tools to control and manipulate the buyer in such a way as to guarantee future sales of the same, or other items.




http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00635/news-graphics-2007-_635385a.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/09/25/gable460x276.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OJRwHE_EszA/SxVBvZJe8EI/AAAAAAAAFQM/SlBeWrpvamI/s400/1950s%2BPHILIP%2BMORRIS%2BLucille%2BBall%2Bvintage %2Bcigarettes%2Badvertisement%2Bhollywood%2Bsmokin g.bmp

http://ionenewpittsburghcourier.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/smoking-report-annive_broa.jpg

http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Smoking%2B2003%2Bc7RWdrKFZ09l.jpg

http://img2-3.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/020313/182033__gibson_l.jpg

http://www.bassgrass.com/forum/images/smilies/smoking-smiley-5426.gif

BrewTech
2nd February 2014, 12:33 PM
^ ^ ^ Most people have rejected smoking, so that apparently wasn't a long term goal. While the post has merit, not really what I was thinking. More like:

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/scanrail/scanrail1103/scanrail110300052/9034391-touchscreen-smart-phone.jpg
http://hdguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Football-Photo-580.jpg