of his competitor, why, it is the competitor's fault. To be sure, his stock is of a very much inferior grade; many complaints are made about it in other quarters. On the other hand, if these Lilies happen to be those of the house he represents, it is the grower's fault. He didn't know how to treat them; he gave them too much water, or not enough; too much bottom heat, or not enough. To make an impression, he must knock his competitors without mercy. His is the only house really worth while. He must also display a profundity of knowledge about all things horticultural and floricultural. If the Carnations are off crop, he certainly knows the reason and will gladly give the benefit of his knowledge to the grower. More dry blood, or sheep manure, or wood ashes, will remedy the evil. If a house of Roses looks poor, he has the remedy neatly tucked away in some recess of his brain. More ventilation, and less feeding, or vice versa; there's the remedy! If the soil in the bench is wet, there is too much water; if it is dry, it is too dry, of course. If the ventilators are up, there is too much air; if the ventilators are down, there is not enough air. And so ad infinitum.
Such men make themselves extremely obnoxious to the trade, and are a detriment to the house they represent.
Advice to Young Salesmen
And while on the subject of competitors and competition, if I may be permitted to speak out of the knowledge I have gained through twenty-eight years of varied experience, I would like to advise my younger friends on the road to bear two things in mind:
First: Attend to your own business exclusively. Whatever you have to offer to the trade, present it in a business-like, unaggressive manner, leaving it largely to the judgment of the buyer himself. But since there are no ironclad rules in salesmanship, any more than in any other vocations, it would be hard to lay down a principle that would apply to all cases alike. As I have mentioned before, it happens now and then that a buyer does not for the moment see the advantage of the article offered, and is hesitant about making a purchase. Here is where the knowledge of human nature will come in good stead. If you are convinced about the merits of the article yourself—in other words, if you are enthusiastic about it—you will soon find a way of presenting it to your buyer, and accomplish results. In the end, he may be thankful to you for your suggestions, and rely upon your good judgment in the future. But, I must reiterate, know your man, be convinced about the merits of your article, and be sure that for the time being you have the interests of your buyer at heart even as much as your own.
Second: Leave your competitors severely alone. If you cannot say anything favorable about a competitor, keep your opinions to yourself. Business men in general, and the florists, it seems to me, in particular, like fair play. They will stand no knocks administered to your competitors behind their backs. And many indeed will resent them. It would be well to remember that in many cases a boost to your competitor will help your own cause materially. If a florist appeals to you for judgment about a batch of poor Sweet Peas or bulbs which he purchased from your competitor, do not take advantage of the situation. Tell the florist that such things are beyond the control of any house; that the business policy of any house, big or small, is to satisfy a customer; that you can see no reason why your competitor would deliberately furnish inferior stock. Remember that the tables might turn some day in your own case and that you yourself cannot always guarantee results. In my early days on the road, I had many knockers, some ridiculing my enterprise, and others predicting my complete failure. I never paid the slightest attention to my "friends," going about my own business and abstaining from repaying their compliments in like coin. The late William K.
