Success
In fact I sort
of hope that you have been offended, but now let me say this, man to
man, that I think you have intelligence and I am sure you have ability,
but you have fallen into a habit that has whipped you.
No man is ever down and out until he is under the sod. You may be temporarily down, but you can get up again, and I am just sportsman enough to give you my hand and offer you a lift, if you will accept my apologies for what I have said. You do not belong in this town. You would starve to death in the real estate business in this place, even if you were a Leader in your field.
Get yourself a new suit of clothes, even if you have to borrow the money with which to do it, then go over to St. Louis with me and I will introduce you to a real estate man who will give you a chance to earn some money and at the same time teach you some of the important things about this line of work that you can capitalize later on.
If you haven't enough credit to get the clothes you need I will stand good for you at a store in St. Louis where I have a charge account. I am in earnest and my offer to help you is based upon the highest motive that can actuate a human being.
I am successful in my own field, but I have not always been so. I went through just what you are now going through, but, the important thing is that I WENT THROUGH IT, and got it over with. JUST AS YOU ARE GOING TO DO IF YOU WILL FOLLOW MY ADVICE. Will you come with me?"
The real estate man started to arise, but his legs wobbled and he sank back into his chair. Despite the fact that he was a great big fellow, with rather pronounced manly qualities, known as the "heman" type, his emotions got the better of him and he actually wept.
He made a second attempt and got on his feet, shook hands with the
salesman, thanked him for his kindness, and said he was going to
follow the advice, but he would do so in his own way.
Calling for an application blank he signed for the course on
Salesmanship and Business Management, made the first payment in
nickels and dimes, and told the salesman he would hear from him
again.
Three years later this real estate man had an organization of sixty salesmen, and one of the most successful real estate businesses in the city of St. Louis. The author of this course (who was advertising manager of the LaSalle Extension University at the time this incident happened) has been in this real estate man's office many times and has observed him over a period of more than fifteen years.