“What kind of bait do you sell?” “What kind of bait do you like?” replied the attendant. “We have all kinds.” “Well,” said Jay, “it isn’t what I like, but what the fish like . Tell me, what are the fish biting on in these waters?” The attendant told him sand worms, so we bought some and caught a nice mess of fish. Now that incident, which was humorous to start with, gradually took on a new light to me as the day went on. I fashioned out this rule: Catch fish with the bait they like, not the bait you like. In other words, I like a good juicy steak, but the fish would not bite on steak. They want what they like. In selling, this same rule applies. Use the bait that the prospect will like. That is why many salesmen find out in advance the likes and dislikes of a prospect. If he is a rabid football fan, then familiarize yourself with some football technique. But if he detests football games, never, NEVER, talk about football games. Every housewife knows this rule of winning and holding the man through his stomach, and she feeds him the food he likes. Joseph P. Day Makes A Sale Joseph P. Day, New York’s foremost realtor, was sitting in the Empire Building in lower New York, discussing new offices with Elbert Gary. Day wanted to change Gary’s mind without resentment. Gary wanted to move into better offices to oblige the young directors who were coming into the company. According to E. T. Webb and J. P. Morgan, in their book, Strategy in Handling People, this is the way Day changed Gary’s mind: “Judge, where was your office when you first came to New York?” “Why, it was in this building,” replied Gary. After a short pause Day asked, “Judge, where was the Steel Corporation formed?” “Right here in this very room.” Day let these two single selling sentenc es sink into Gary’s mind. In a few seconds they struck home, and Gary exclaimed, “We were born here – we’ve grown up here – and here is where we are going to stay!”
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