CHAPTER PAGE

To begin with . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
How to study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24
I. The universal need for sales knowledge. .  29
II.  The man-stuff you have for sale . . . . .  63
III.  Skill in selling your best self . . . . . 108
IV.  Preparing to make your success certain. . 137
V. Your prospects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
VI.  Gaining your chance . . . . . . . . . . . 179
VII.  Knowledge of other men. . . . . . . . . . 209
VIII.  The knock at the door of opportunity
and the invitation to come in . . . . . 239
IX.  Getting yourself wanted . . . . . . . . . 270
X. Obstacles in your way . . . . . . . . . . 298
XI.  The goal of success . . . . . . . . . . . 332
XII.  The celebration stage . . . . . . . . . . 368

To Begin With—­

[Sidenote:  Salesmanship Essential to Assure Success]

There are particular characteristics one can have, and particular things one can do, that will make failure in life certain.

Why, then, should not the possession of particular opposite characteristics, and the doing of particular opposite things, result as certainly in success, which is the antithesis of failure?

That is a logical, common-sense question.  The purpose of this book and its companion volume, “The Selling Process,” is to answer it convincingly for you.

Success can be made certain; not, however, by the mere possession of particular characteristics, nor by just doing particular things.

Your success in life can be assured; but only if you supplement your qualifications and make everything you do most effective by using continually, whatever your vocation, the art of salesmanship.

* * * * *

[Sidenote:  Why Are Some Men Failures Who Deserve to Succeed?]

Life can hold nothing but failure for the ill-natured, unsociable, disgusting tramp who is known to be ignorant, lazy, shiftless, a spendthrift, a liar, and an all-around crook.  Such a worthless man will make a complete failure of life because he is so dis-qualified to succeed.

On the other hand certain success ought to be achieved by the good-natured, intelligent, reliable man who continually wins friends; the truthful man who has a fine reputation for thrift, honesty, neatness, and love for his work.  He seems entirely worthy of success.  Yet for reasons that baffle himself and his friends it sometimes happens that such a man is unsuccessful.

The defeat in life of one who appears so deserving of victory seems to prove that success cannot be assured by the development of individual characteristics and by doing specific things.  But such a wholly negative conclusion would be wrong.  When a worthy man fails, he loses out because he lacks an essential positive factor of certain success—­the ability to sell his capabilities. By mastering the selling process this failure can turn himself into a success.