A Washington government official called on me some time ago, and before he had reached my desk I knew he was a man of importance, on an important mission. He had that assured bearing which indicated that he was backed by authority—in this instance the authority of the United States—and the dignity of his bearing and manner commanded my instant respect and attention.

The impression you make as you enter a prospect’s office will greatly influence the manner of your reception. It is imperative to make a favorable first impression, otherwise you will have to spend much valuable time and energy and suffer a great deal of embarrassment in trying to right yourself in your prospect’s estimation, because he will not do business with you until you have made a favorable impression on him.

Some salesmen approach their prospect with such an apologetic, cringing, “excuse me for taking up your valuable time” air, that they give him the idea they are not on a very important mission, and that they are not sure of themselves, that they have not much confidence in the firm they represent or the merchandise they are trying to sell.

Approach the one with whom you expect to do business like a man, without any doubts, without any earmarks of a cringing, crawling or craven disposition. Enter his office as the Washington official entered mine, like a high-class man meeting a high-class man. You will compel attention and respect instantly, as he did.

Your introduction is an entering wedge, your first chance to score a point. If you present a pleasing picture as you enter you will score a strong point. Here is where you must choose the golden mean between cringing and over-boldness. If you approach a man with your hat on, and a cigar or cigarette in your mouth, or still smoking in your fingers; if your breath smells of liquor; if you show that you are not up to physical standard; if there is any evidence of dissipation in your appearance; if you swagger or show any lack of respect, all these things will count against you. If you present an unpleasing picture, if there is anything about you which your prospect does not like; if you bluster, or if you lack dignity; if you do not look him straight in the eye; if there is any evidence of doubt or fear or lack of confidence in yourself, you will at once arouse a prejudice in his mind that will cause him to doubt the story you tell and to look with suspicion at the goods you are trying to sell.

A salesman once entered a business man’s office holding a tooth-pick in his mouth. You may think it was a little thing, but it so prejudiced the would-be customer against him at the start that it made it much more difficult for him even to get a chance to show his samples. The business man in question was very particular in regard to little points of manners, and was himself a model of deportment.

I know of another salesman who makes a most unfortunate first impression because he has no presence whatever, not a particle of dignity; he is timid and morbidly self-conscious, and it takes him some minutes after he has met a stranger to regain his self-possession. To those who know him he is a kindly and genuinely lovable man, but he does not appear to advantage at a first introduction. He is a college graduate, and was so popular and stood so high in his class that he was proposed to represent it at commencement. He was defeated, however, on the plea that he would make such a bad impression on the public that he would not properly represent the class.

Self-possession is an indispensable quality in a salesman. It is natural to the man who has confidence in himself, and without self-confidence it is hard to make a dignified appearance or to make others believe in you.

What you think of yourself will have a great deal to do with what a prospect will think of you, because you will radiate your estimate of yourself. If you have a little seven-by-nine model of a man in your mind you will etch that picture on the mind of your prospect. In approaching a prospect, walk, talk and act not only like a man who believes in himself, but one who also believes in and thoroughly knows his business. When a physician is called into a home in an emergency, no matter how able a man may be at the head of the house, no matter how well educated the mother and children may be, everybody stands aside when he enters. They feel that the doctor is the master of the situation, that he alone knows what to do, and they all defer to him. Everybody follows his directions implicitly.

You should approach a possible customer with something of this professional air, an air of supreme assurance, of confidence in your ability, in your honesty and integrity, confidence in your knowledge of your business. Your professional dignity alone will help to make a good impression, and will win courtesy. It will insure you at least a respectful hearing, and there is your chance to play your part in a masterful manner.

A publisher who has a large number of book agents in the field, advises his men to act, when the servant answers the door bell, as though they were expected and welcome. He tells them, if it is raining to take off their rubbers, if it is muddy or dusty to wipe off their shoes and act as though they expected to go in.

The idea is to make a favorable impression upon the servant first of all, for if they were to behave as though they were not sure they would be admitted, apologizing for making so much trouble and assuming the attitude of asking a favor, they would communicate their doubt to the servant, and would not be likely to gain admittance, not to speak of an audience with the mistress. In short, the carrying of a positive, victorious mental attitude, the radiating of a vigorous expectation of getting a hearing will get you one.

The agent who rings a door bell with a palpitating heart, with a great big doubt in his mind as to whether he ought to do it, and who, when the door is opened, acts as though he were stealing somebody’s valuable time, and had no right to be there at all, will create a prejudice against him before he opens his mouth. And before he gets a chance to plead his cause he will probably find the door closed in his face.

You should seek admission to a house as though you were the bearer of glad tidings, as though you had good news for the family, as though you were conferring a real favor on them by calling their attention to what you have to sell.

Whatever you are selling, whether books or pianos, hardware or drygoods, your manner will largely determine the amount of your sales. There are salesmen who approach prospective customers just as though they not only did not expect an order, but rather expected, if not to get kicked out, at least a polite invitation to get out.

I was in the office of a business man recently, when a man of this stamp came in and crept up to him with a sort of a sheepish expression on his face, as much as to say, “I know I haven’t any right here, but I have come in to ask for a favor, which I feel sure you won’t grant.”

“I don’t suppose you have an order for me to-day, have you?” he said. Of course, the man, without a moment’s hesitation, said, “No.” And the salesman crept out as though he had almost committed a sin by entering at all.

Now, there is something in every manly man which despises this self-depreciating spirit, this false self-effacement, this creeping, cringing, apologizing attitude, which robs one of all dignity and power. If you approach people as though you expected a kick, you are pretty sure to get it. It may come in the form of a gruff refusal, of a snub, or of a polite invitation to get out, but you are likely to get what you invite—a rebuff of some kind.

If you approach a man at all, do it in a brave, vigorous, manly way. Do not ruin your cause by giving him a contemptible picture of you at the very outset. At least let him see that you are self-respecting, manly, that there is nothing of the coward in you. Even if he declines to give you an order, compel him to respect you, to admire you for your dignified, virile bearing. No one cares to do business with a person he cannot help despising, while a man who creates a favorable impression will at least get a hearing.

We recently asked a representative of a big concern how he managed to do so much business with people whom very few salesmen can approach.

“Well,” he said, “I will tell you. One reason is that I never go to a man as though I had no right to. I do not creep into his office and look as though I expected a kick or a rebuff. I walk right straight up to him in the most manly and commanding way possible, for I am bound to make a good impression on him, so that he will remember me pleasantly, even if I do not get an order. The result is that men who are very difficult to approach often give me business they refuse to others because I am not afraid to approach them and to say what I want to say pleasantly, without mincing or cringing or apologizing.”

This man says he has little difficulty in getting into the private offices of the most exclusive business men, presidents of banks, great financiers, high officials of railroads and other representatives of “big business,” and that they are his best customers.

To sum up, your attitude, the spirit you radiate, your personality, will have everything to do with your salesmanship. The impression you make will be a tremendous factor in your sales. For this reason you should never approach a prospect until you feel that you are master of the situation. Then you will carry the conviction and give the impression of mastership, and that is half the battle.