The old idea of a sale was that one person’s profit was another person’s loss. The idea of a deal being two-sided and a benefit to both parties, is comparatively modern; but it is by virtue of this fact that good salespeople know the customer not as an enemy, but as a friend.

Pretended friendship does little good, the friendship must be actual. Why? Certainly not on account of the beauty of friendship as a sentiment. You may make such friendships elsewhere than in your business.  It is because if your customer is your real friend you will want him to make money — and salespeople can’t make money unless the customers do.

Here are the reasons why the salesperson who is dishonest can’t succeed:

1. Suppose he has seventy-five customers to whom he sells all their products.
2. He cheats all of them on every item.
3. They all fail.
4. He has no customers left to sell products to, and he fails himself.

You must approach the customer as a friend upon whom you propose to confer a favor. But before you approach them, ask yourself this questions:

• What is the size of his business?
• Will your products help increase it?
• What is its character?
• Are your products appropriate to it?
• Will they improve it ?
• What are the needs of his business?
• Will what you sell him remain on his shelves unsold, or will he use it, or sell it quickly and with profit?
• What are the troubles/issues/problems of his business?

You know something about the success and failure of hundreds of people in similar business.  Can you make the sort of suggestion that will bring your customers’ business up ten, twenty, or a hundred per cent, or are you the sort of person who will make an honest person resentful every time you offer a suggestion?

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