bait alone, the fluke will merely hold onto the killie, and perhaps decide to release it. Same Principle In Selling How true this principle is in selling an idea to your friends or your business associates, or in selling anybody anything. Let them feel you are overly anxious, let them feel the supply is unlimited, and they will postpone buying. But let them taste what you have to offer, then start pulling the bait away from them, and watch certain types of people make a lunge and get caught in your sales trap. There comes a time in many a negotiation when it is advisable to remove the offer, explaining that the time limit is up and you must offer it elsewhere. This is the point where many people will buy – quickly. If you let a prospect feel that two other people are bidding for your services, his interest will be aroused. People want what other people want. It is a human trait. The Gregarious Instinct We love crows. We like to bump elbows with people. It is the mass urge in human beings. It is called the “gregarious instinct.” Sheep huddle together. Other animals huddle together. People go into restaurants that are crowded. They like stores with small aisles that fill up quickly. Many stores deliberately have small aisles and tiny elevators. People feel that the store is selling good merchandise if many people are in the store. Remember the story of the fluke. Remember that your prospects are lazy on the whole and will not “take you up” until you begin to tug the bait tactfully, making it jump up and down, or threaten to remove it entirely. Be on the alert for the “fluke type of buyer.” When you find him, handle him with the “fluke method.” If you find a “trout buyer,” sell him on the fly. Withal, don’t forget the rule: Catch the prospect or the fish with the kind of bait he likes, and not with what you like. “You” is a greater money - securing word than “I.” Another Fish Story A few weeks ago I took my fishing pole and called on an old friend of mine, J. A. Greulich, who spends considerable time fishing. We went to a new fishing station to try our luck. On approaching the station to buy our bait, Jay asked the attendant how the fish were biting.
“Fine,” said the fisherman.
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