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Author: 
 
 Scott 
 
 3 
 
 Walter Dill 
 
 Title: 
 
 Influencing men in 
 
 business 
 
 Place: 
 
 New York 
 
 Date: 
 
 1919 
 
9({'gl/S6^f 
 
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 Scott, Walter DiU, 1869- 
 
 ^^Iiifluencmg men in Imsinoss; tlie psychology of argii- 
 ^nent and suggestion, by Walter Dill Scott ... 2d ed. 
 New York, The Konald press company, 1910. 1919 • 
 
 vii p., 1 1., 11-186 p. iiicl. plates. 20"'". [$1.00 ] 
 
 1. Advertising. 2. lUisine.ss. ,3. Salesmen and salesmanship. I. Title. 
 
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 LIBRARY 
 
 School of Business 
 
 . Ji ^^^mmmif v'f^m 
 
 / 
 
- "4 
 
 *0 
 
 J 
 
 INFLUENCING MEN 
 IN BUSINESS 
 
 THE PSYCHOLOGY 
 
 OF 
 
 ARGUMENT AND SUGGESTION 
 
 BY 
 
 WALTER DILL SCOTT, Ph. D. 
 
 Director of Bwreau of Salesmanship Researcht Carnegie Institute 
 of Technology ; Director of the Psychological lAiboratory, North- 
 western University; President of National Association of Adver- 
 tising Teachers; Author of ^'Increasing Human Efficiency in 
 Bu»ine$s^^* ^'Psychology of Advertising^^* ^'Psychology of PiLblic 
 Speaking,'* and *' Theory of Advertising** 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 (Third Printing) 
 
 NEW YORK 
 THE RONALD PRESS COMPANY 
 
 1919 
 
^''» 
 
 -2 -^ 4^*11-^ 
 Copyright 1911 
 
 BY 
 
 Thb Ronald Press Company 
 
 Copyright 1916 
 
 . BY 
 
 The Ronald Press Company 
 
 AU Rights Reserved 
 
 HMt ^^F 
 
 \7 I5> 
 
 1!^ 
 
 r/»^ aw^/ior respectfully dedicates this contribution to the 
 
 psychology of business to the 
 
 YOUNG BUSINESS MAN 
 
 whose interest is in influencing men rather than in han- 
 dling things; nnd who is studying to make his 
 arguments more convincing and his 
 suggestions more coercive. 
 
 f 
 
 y 
 
 'A 
 
f 
 
 Preface to Second Edition 
 
 In this second edition the chapters have been 
 largely rewritten. Old material has been 
 omitted where such omission seemed desirable, 
 and all the chapters have been amplified by the 
 addition of new material. This revision was 
 necessary because of the very rapid advance in 
 the science of applied psychology. 
 
 Since the issuance of the first edition of this 
 work various contributions on Argumentation 
 and Suggestion have appeared in print, but the 
 most notable is that of Professor Hollingworth 
 in his book, "Advertising and Selling.'' 
 
 Walter Dill Scott. 
 
 Evanston, Illinois, 
 August 15, 19 1 6. 
 
i 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 Page 
 II 
 
 39 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter 
 
 ^ I Introductory . . . . 
 
 ^ II An Analysis of Deliberation- . 
 
 III An Analysis of Suggestion . 
 
 IV What Is Your Method of Deciding 
 Questions and Reaching Conclu- 
 sions? 
 
 Z' V When to Use Arguments in In- 
 fluencing Men .... 
 
 VI When to Use Suggestions in In- 
 fluencing Men . . . .101 
 VII i Making Arguments Effective . 115 
 VIII Making Suggestions Effective . 155 
 
 67 
 
 87 
 
 v& 
 
I ! I. 
 
 < . 
 
 ',v 
 
 ,igs. 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 INTRODUCTORY 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 I. Business Success is Largely Dependent upon 
 
 Ability to Influence Men 
 II. To Explain How Men are Influenced is a Problem 
 for Psychology 
 
 III. Typical Business Problems for Psychological 
 
 Solution 
 
 IV. Appeals to Reason 
 
 V. Suggestion is a More Subtle Force than Reason 
 VI. All Methods of Influencing Men may be Classified 
 either as Argument or as Suggestion 
 
M 
 
 li 
 
 : '■ 
 
 \\\ 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 INTRODUCTORY 
 
 L Business Success is Largely Dependent 
 UPON Ability to Influence Men 
 
 During the last few decades the business 
 world has brought about a complete revolution 
 in the methods of manufacturing, distributing, 
 and selling goods. That the revolution has 
 been beneficial and important no business man 
 will deny. But however important these things 
 are, the business man realizes that his most 
 pressing problem is methods of influencing men 
 rather than the handling of things. 
 
 The young man looking forward to a career •/ 
 sees that the man who has unusual ability in 
 handling men is sure to attain the position of 
 superintendent or manager; but that the man 
 who has great cunning in handling material 
 things is not thereby assured of a position above 
 that of a skilled mechanic. 
 
 II. To Explain How Men are Influenced 
 is a Problem for Psychology 
 
 The business world is now in possession of 
 many thoroughly established laws and principles 
 
 II 
 
T' 
 
 ■\ 
 
 . 
 
 ' 
 
 » 
 
 r 
 
 1 1 
 
 I: 
 
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 : 11 
 
 12 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 for the manufacture of goods and their preser- 
 vation and transportation ; for the best utiliza- 
 tion of tools and equipment; for the generation 
 of power, and for numerous processes con- 
 nected with the handling of material things. 
 The physical sciences have made their contribu- 
 tions, and the business world profiting thereby 
 has been enabled to bring about this revolu- 
 tion. 
 
 The business world has not been able to 
 revolutionize its methods of handling and in- 
 fluencing men. The young man preparing for 
 his future career has not been able to secure 
 adequate instruction in methods of controlling 
 men. He could enter a technical school and 
 be assured of securing practical instruction in 
 dealing with any desired class of material 
 things. Just as there can be no technical 
 schools except as they are founded upon the 
 sciences, so there can be no adequate instruction 
 in methods of influencing men unless it is 
 founded upon psychology — the particular 
 science which deals with the thoughts and acts 
 of men. 
 
 Although the science of psychology is not a 
 completed science, and even though its incom- 
 pleteness is especially apparent in some particu- 
 
 Introductory 13 
 
 lars having special bearing upon the problems 
 of business, yet its great fundamental principles 
 are well worked out and are of prime Impor- 
 tance. 
 
 III. Typical Business Problems for Psy- 
 
 CHOLOGICAL SOLUTION 
 
 The purpose of the present work is to set 
 forth certain established facts and principles of 
 psychology which have a most direct and prac- 
 tical bearing upon the problem of influencing 
 men under conditions existing in the business 
 world. Typical examples of definite business 
 V problems for psychological solution are such as 
 the following: 
 
 1. How can I Induce my employees to in- 
 crease the quantity and Improve the quality of 
 their work ? 
 
 2. How can I induce particular men to enter 
 my employ? 
 
 3. How can I sell you my line of goods by 
 personal appeal ? 
 
 4. How can I induce you to purchase this 
 same line of goods If I confine my selling plan 
 to printed advertising? 
 
 I ' 
 
 ill! 
 
 
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 l( 
 
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 I 
 
 I! 
 
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 14 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 IV. Appeals to Reason 
 
 There are business men who have been 
 eminently successful in handling men, and who 
 because of their successes assert that our four 
 typical problems have been definitely solved. 
 ^They assert that their success is due to the fact 
 that they respect the reasoning power of men. 
 They secure improved service from employees 
 by showing them the advantages of such im- 
 provement. They rely upon the argument that 
 improved service leads to increased wages or 
 promotion. They secure the services of new 
 men by presenting the advantages of the prof- 
 fered position In a logical manner. In selling 
 goods they analyze "tlielr propositions to find 
 the strongest arguments in favor of the goods 
 and then the arguments are arranged in a logi- 
 cal and climactic order. In preparing copy for 
 an advertisement they use the "reason-why" 
 method and attempt to make the reader feel 
 that there is "a reason why." 
 
 V. Suggestion is a More Subtle Force 
 THAN Reason 
 
 There Is another group of men, fully as suc- 
 cessful, who assure us that their successes in 
 
 Introductory i r 
 
 handling men are due to a force far more subtle 
 than reasoning. They grant the possibility of 
 reasoning with men, and even concede that on 
 paper It seems the wisest thing to do. In prac- 
 tice, however, they have but little confidence In 
 argumentation, for they believe that men In the 
 business world do not frequently carry out 
 elaborate processes of reasoning. In securing 
 increased efficiency from employees these suc- 
 cessful managers of men claim that they have 
 been successful because they have used sugges- 
 tion^ rather than argument; because they have 
 appealed to "the subconscious self" rather than 
 to the Intellect; because they have thus secured 
 Immediate action rather than deliberation. 
 They have employed suggestion rather than 
 argumentation not only for Influencing em- 
 ployees but also for securing the services of 
 new men, for selling by personal appeal, and 
 for selling by advertising. 
 
 VI. All Methods of Influencing Men 
 . MAY, be Classified either as Argu- 
 ment OR AS Suggestion 
 
 Since business success Is largely dependent 
 upon ability to Influence men, and since all 
 
Hi t 
 
 niH 
 
 \\ 
 
 II 
 
 I 
 
 ;■ i 
 
 \ f 
 
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 1 6 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 methods of exerting such influence may be 
 classified under our two headings of Argument 
 and Suggestion, it is of very great importance 
 that we should be in a position to judge cor- 
 rectly the contention of the two classes of suc- 
 cessful men as cited above — the one advocating 
 argument (reason) and the other suggestion. 
 To enable us to pass judgment wisely upon the 
 respective claims we must understand exactly 
 what are the results secured by argument and 
 the results secured by suggestion. Our point 
 of view must be that of the man who is being 
 influenced. What mental processes normally 
 take place as a result of argument (the pre- 
 sentation of arguments) and what mental 
 processes normally result from presenting sug- 
 gestions? These questions must be answered 
 before we are in a position to decide whether 
 argument or suggestion is the better foundation 
 for the methods of influencing men. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 AN ANALYSIS OF DELIBERATION 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 Deliberation Results from the Presenting of Argu- 
 ments or Reasons 
 A typical Act of Deliberation Consists of: 
 
 I. An Idea of Two or More Diverse Things Only 
 One of Which May be Chosen 
 II. An Idea of the Steps Necessary to Secure the 
 Things 
 
 III. A Feeling of Value Attaching to Each of the 
 
 Things 
 
 IV. A Comparison of Relative Values 
 V. A Conviction and Execution 
 
11 . 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 I: 
 
 if 
 
 f 
 
 II 
 
 ii 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
 ; »1 
 
 AN ANALYSIS OF DELIBERATION 
 
 Deliberation Results from the Present- 
 ing Arguments or Reasons* 
 
 • 
 
 In the following analysis of the results of an 
 argument it is assumed that the argument is 
 good and that the man being appealed to is 
 caused to consider or to deliberate. We shall 
 try to discover what is meant by such expres- 
 sions as: 
 
 **What do I do when I am deliberating?** 
 ''What do you do when you deliberate?" 
 To make the analysis concrete and definite 
 and to see its bearings upon our four typical 
 problems the questions may be put in this form : 
 What do you do — 
 
 .1. When you deliberate as to whether you 
 shall change your method of work? 
 
 2. When you are deliberating as to whether 
 you shall accept or reject a* proffered change in 
 position? 
 
 3. When you are deliberating as to whether 
 you shall purchase or reject the goods offered 
 by a salesman? 
 
 19 
 
?T[ 
 
 I 
 
 20 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 4. When you are debating as to whether you 
 shall respond to an advertisement? 
 
 A Typical Act of Deliberation Consists 
 OF: 
 
 I. An Idea of Two or More Diverse 
 Things Only One of Which May be 
 Chosen 
 
 If I am attempting to induce you to change 
 your method of work, you deliberate only if 
 you consider what I propose, and if my proposi- 
 tion is in only partial possession of your mind — 
 when your thought of my proposition is not 
 free from your thought of your method of 
 working; when you have in mind first the one 
 method and then the other, and even when you 
 are thinking of the one, you are aware that the 
 other is still to be thought of. First the new 
 and then the habitual method of work occupies 
 the focus of attention, but at no time does either 
 secure the full undivided attention. As soon as 
 you have settled on one alternative and 
 thoroughly banished the other your delibera- 
 tion has ceased. 
 
 If I am attempting to induce you to leave 
 your present position and to accept a position 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 
 
 21 
 
 with me, you may be said to deliberate upon 
 the proposition if you seriously consider it In 
 contrast to your present position. During the 
 deliberation the alternatives successively enter 
 the focus of attention. Reasons for retaining 
 the old position and reasons for accepting the 
 new keep passing through your mind. You feel 
 all the time that the problem Is not solved and 
 that before you finish you are again to think of 
 the alternative parti'ally banished from thought. 
 If I am a salesman and attempt to sell you 
 my particular line of goods you do deliberate 
 upon the purchase If you think, of the goods as 
 possible purchases but have a feeling that other 
 goods must at. least be considered. The other 
 goods may never be fully in your consciousness 
 but their presence must at least be sufficient to 
 make you feel that the purchase of other goods 
 is possible and worthy of consideration. My 
 line of goods does not Impress you as the only 
 thing to be considered. In considering them 
 you have a feeling that the evidence Is not all 
 in, and so you are led to consider, more or less 
 definitely, competing lines of goods or to con- 
 sider the advisability of not purchasing. 
 
 When you read an advertisement and de- 
 liberate as to whether you shall purchase the 
 
 / 
 
 -- ' if M i M i i ifi 
 
 MMB 
 
v. ■ 
 
 I 
 
 22 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 goods or not, the advertisement falls to occupy 
 your complete attention. You compare the 
 goods advertised with other similar goods, or 
 you compare purchasing with not purchasing at 
 all. The competing thoughts may for a time 
 practically banish the advertisement from your 
 mind. In some cases the advertisement seems 
 to hold the attention continuously, but all the 
 time you realize that there are other possible 
 goods and so you consider the advertised goods 
 in their relationship to the other and perhaps 
 better known goods. You are said to have an 
 idea of two or more acts or ends even though 
 one only is clear, and the other present only to 
 the extent of making you aware that there is 
 another to which you could turn your attention 
 if necessary. 
 
 A Typical Act of Deliberation Consists 
 OF: 
 
 II. An Idea of the Steps Necessary to 
 Secure the Things 
 
 I shall purchase either a new encyclopedia or 
 a new typewriter. I can not afford to purchase 
 both at this time. I am deliberating as to which 
 would be more useful. I have tried to get an 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 23 
 
 adequate idea of each but I find that my ideas 
 are not merely of encyclopedia and typewriter, 
 but rather of myself-securing-and-possessing- 
 the-encyclopedia, and of myself-securing-and- 
 possessing-the-typewriter. I do not conceive of 
 these possible purchases as things in the ab- 
 stract but myself as purchasing them is an essen- 
 tial part of my deliberation. In imagination I 
 go down to the book-store and select the 
 volumes; in imagination I go to the telephone 
 and ask to have the typewriter sent up on ap- 
 proval. In imagination I take the steps neces- 
 sary to secure the things. This taking of the 
 necessary steps is an important part in delibera-/ 
 tion. In anticipation I try out the thing pro- 
 posed. 
 
 If I am thoroughly convinced that I want a 
 thing I will take the trouble to find out what 
 steps are necessary to secure it. If, however, it 
 was a matter of but little difference which of 
 two purchases I should make, I would make the 
 one that caused me the least thought. If of two 
 equally desirable advertised commodities one 
 gave me full instructions as to how I should 
 place my order and the other left me to think it 
 out, I should take the line of least resistance 
 and order the one which gave the instructions. 
 
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 ''ii 
 
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 II 
 
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 24 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 FuU directions as to the necessary steps for 
 placing the order cause me to form an image of 
 myself as ordering. This projection of myself 
 in imagination into the future and into the acts 
 necessary for placing the order greatly increases 
 the chances that I shall respond favorably to 
 the appeal. 
 
 In deliberation the idea of the necessary 
 steps may be very vague and symbolic but in 
 some form it is undoubtedly present. In per- 
 suading men it is wisejtomake this idca"Q"f the 
 il^£^?sary steps^aTa^ar and distinct as j^sible 
 because of the vcry^important part it plays in 
 deliberation. The neglec^of this point has 
 weakened many attempts to^Tniruence mea, 
 
 A Typical Act of Deliberation Consists 
 
 OF: 
 
 HI. A Feeling of Value Attaching to 
 Each of the Things 
 
 Not only are we capable of having knowledge 
 about possible objects of choice, but these ends 
 thrill us more or less with pleasure or dis- 
 pleasure. The ^^thriir' may be very mild but 
 it IS an essential part of an act of deliberation. 
 We are creatures with feelings, and unless a 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 25 
 
 thing awakens this feeling of value it is dropped 
 from consideration. 
 
 We deliberate over a thing proposed only so 
 long as it appears to us to be 'Vorth while"; 
 and that it may be worth while it must appeal 
 directly or indirectly to our fundamental in- 
 stincts or to our acquired tendencies to action. 
 It must be in line with our ambitions and fixed 
 purposes. It must make an appeal having some * 
 relationship to human sentiment and to human 
 emotions. It must seem to advance our inter- 
 ests in some way. 
 
 If a series of arguments succeeds merely in 
 convincing us that we ought to perform a cer- 
 tain act but does not make that act seem valu- 
 able, and thus create a desire to perform the 
 act, the arguments have not been successful. 
 
 If I propose that you change your method of 
 work the proposed change will not be consid- 
 ered by you unless, to a degree, it awakens 
 hope, creates enthusiasm, or appeals to you as 
 being worth while. It must in some way make 
 its appeal to human interest and human senti- 
 ment. 
 
 If I propose that you accept a proffered posi- 
 tion you will not consider the matter unless the 
 new position is so presented that it appeals to 
 
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 26 
 
 
 
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 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 your self-interest—to your HpqiV. / 
 
 tlon. The salesman's tal s "e, ^'''"" 
 
 sideration if it seem! Z ff ''°"' '°"' 
 
 of the reader a de.lr. f '""•'* '" 'he mind 
 obre,-!- Tuu t . °'' '''= possession of the 
 object. Although deliberation is a iorical 
 process ,t ,s continued only so long as the S 
 being considered continue to L'kt' t^ 
 
 A Typ,„i Act of D.uberation Consists 
 IV. A Comparison of Relative Values 
 
 wh!AerTsh' >/"'' ''"" '''"^""ing as to 
 Whether I should secure my recreation from 
 
 golf or from tennis. I found it impracticable to 
 play both. When I tried to "think it ot r " mv 
 difficulty was in finding any satisf acto^ 'bal 
 for comparison. Golf is more expensive than 
 tenn,s, but has social features that are not pos 
 ble m tennis. Golf consumes more time than 
 tenms but ,s not so exhausting. Golf is more in 
 vogue ,„st now than tennis but afford lL7e 1 
 pleasure. Golf can be played more monAs o 
 the year but tennis can be played when I have 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 
 
 7 
 
 but a half hour for recreation. Most of my 
 friends play golf but I can play tennis better 
 than golf. None of these classifications seemed 
 satisfactory, but I find that I have settled the 
 matter by classifying the two forms of recrea- 
 tion according to the efficiency standard, i.e., 
 the production per minute. Tennis gives more 
 exercise per minute than golf. The double 
 standard of economy of time and of the amount 
 of exercise secured, made it possible for me to 
 decide in favor of tennis. 
 
 This difficulty of classification is not at all 
 exceptional as it is more or less characteristic of 
 the act of comparison as carried out in delibera- 
 tion. The real difficulty lies in establishing a 
 standard by which a choice may be made among 
 several courses of action. Doubtless these acts 
 of classification and comparison are sometimes 
 carried out rapidly and without special con- 
 scious attention; but in a typical act of delibera- 
 tion they are performed as acts of volition, of 
 which we are distinctly aware at the moment of 
 making the comparison. 
 
 When you listen to my arguments in favor of 
 my merchandise and are led to deliberate upon 
 the purchase, you consciously bring together the 
 advantages or values of my goods in compari- 
 
V' 
 
 El in 
 
 Ifl 
 
 f 
 
 I- 
 
 iijii 
 I. 
 
 Ilrl! 
 
 28 
 
 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 son with some competing goods and noc .u 
 judgment of more valuable nr / ^ ' ^* 
 upon them. You not onlv'th'^:; ' "'^j 
 then of the ofh^r « r ^ • °^ °"^ and 
 
 other, but you tl 'nk of thT " ^f ^'°" ^° ^^^ 
 .standing in'the par^'^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - 
 
 'ng a greater or a less value TT 1^ t ^^"^ 
 surh -, ^^.^ • value. Unless there i<! 
 
 such a comparison and unless if .'« m« , 
 
 a conscious process, you Tan 1? I 7 ""^ ^"' 
 deliberated at all. ^ ^' '^^'^ ^° ^^^^ 
 
 A TmcAL Act op Deliberation Consists 
 V. A Conviction and Execution 
 
 Iibe?a:il\:ZT?- ^" ^^^^-^^^ -d be- 
 cause thTs ast s^^ ( " "'"'^ '^^'"P^^^^^ be. 
 
 isnotca:r!:"rfctf%^tr"^^^^ 
 
 -nts made to influenc/^tlst-^^^^ 
 
 the arguments will cau«!^ fh« 7 ' ^' 
 
 de.ib„a.e bu. wH. LtbTa dt uT.r .o' « r tb" ^ 
 final and essential step. ""^^ ^^^ 
 
 When the mind Da«!«^c f-^ 
 
 '\^ 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 29 
 
 perfect syllogism consists of three parts — the 
 major premise, the minor premise, and the con- 
 clusion. Thus : 
 
 All metals conduct electricity. 
 
 Aluminum is a metal. 
 
 Therefore aluminum will conduct electricity. 
 
 *'A11 metals conduct electricity," is the major 
 premise. "Aluminum is a metal," is the minor 
 premise. "Therefore aluminum will conduct 
 electricity," is the conclusion. After we have 
 thought the major premise, and after we have 
 classified aluminum as a metal, we are abso- 
 lutely compelled to pass on to the conclusion 
 that aluminum will conduct electricity. 
 
 Frequently arguments are put into the form 
 of an implied syllogism. Such arguments may 
 readily be expanded into the form of the com- 
 plete syllogism. Thus, "He ought to be sup- 
 ported by the state for he is an old soldier," is 
 an abbreviation of — 
 
 All old soldiers should be supported by the 
 
 state. 
 This man is an old soldier. 
 Therefore he should be supported by the 
 
 state. 
 
 The life insurance agent occasionally puts his 
 
 II 
 
 I 
 
30 
 
 III 1 
 
 ii \ 
 
 
 'I 
 
 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 arguments Into the form of .n • r ^ 
 
 gism; thus, -You ouahfTn ?V ""^^'"^ ^^"o- 
 
 cause you; wife neet .? " °"' ' P°^'^y ^e- 
 
 ■' "' *^ife needs the orofprfmr. " t-i • 
 implies the syllogism— P^^^e^t'on. This 
 
 Takm. out a pCky ,, , p„,,^,„„ ^_^^ ^^^ 
 Therefore you ought to take out a poMcy. 
 
 "tate would be a profitable i„ve't;„e„Tr • "' 
 
 Th^^^real estate is i„ a growing part of the 
 Therefore it is a profitable investment. 
 
 «rengthe„ed, if it i, Jjid buV ,h f ,1"'""'' 
 made more apparent iffti. ■ ' '"""^ « 
 
 The attempt to compel assenf k 
 arguments in a sylloll T ^ P^^^^^ting 
 
 throw the hearer into f H^ "" ^' ^''^^' ^o 
 
 earer mto a defensive attitude. The 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 31 
 
 citadel of reason can not ordinarily be stormed 
 ^^ successfully by arguments without awakening 
 some resistance. When the public has taken an 
 attitude of self-defense, and attempts to avoid 
 our proposals, the arguments must be strong if 
 they are to result in victory. 
 
 The syllogistic argument is a method of get- 
 ting the intellectual *'drop" on the public, and 
 compelling them to hold up their hands. When 
 thus convinced the hands are brought down as 
 soon as possible, and the funds turned over are 
 the minimum amounts. 
 
 Any man will sign a note for a thousand 
 dollars if a revolver is held against his head and 
 he is threatened with death unless he signs. The 
 law, however, will not hold him for the pay- 
 ment of the note, on the ground that it was 
 signed under duress. A man convinced by the 
 sheer force of logic is likely to avoid the very 
 action which would seem to be the only natural 
 result of the conviction thus secured. This 
 situation is expressed by the familiar proverb, 
 # "A man convinced against his will is of the 
 same opinion still." The truthfulness of this 
 statement is continually illustrated by your 
 actions and mine. 
 
 My wife and Dr. Fletcher made me admit 
 
 (I 
 
Ill 
 
 |! 
 
 i; 
 
 ill 
 
 m 
 
 f 
 
 32 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 that I should chew my food with great care 
 The argument as presented was : - 
 
 A sensible man is one who takes pains to 
 acquire habus that will prolong life and 
 increase human efficiency 
 
 SSe' -fT'""' u^ ^°°^ '^ ^"^^ ^ habit. 
 food ''"^^^^ masticating my 
 
 iwo years ago I workerl nn ^u^ 
 for and agaln^'the „ectt:'f 1""' 
 t.on each year. When die argumeL wet 
 formulated in my mind I was thC^MyT: 
 
 y™Hf f*:r""?' °' '^■'■"^ ^ vacarioIeT^ 
 
 When the time for my vacation arrived I spent 
 the time, not on the golf links, but in worS 
 on my book, "Increasing Human Efficielc* ' 
 
 du« i r'^ t'*'""* ''™'"™ would con- 
 dutt elecmcey I would be impressed by Z 
 
 *> 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 33 
 
 If I already believed that a soldier should be 
 supported by the state; that real estate is a 
 profitable investment; that Fletcherizing is de- 
 sirable ; that vacations are essential, then the syl- 
 logism proving the case would appeal to me as 
 
 s a^p^al t£us^s 
 
 chief use we make^of the syllogism is to put 
 together the grounds upon which we would 
 have been logically justified in reaching the con- 
 clusion we already hold or in performing the 
 act which we have already performed. 
 
 The Aristotelian logic — arguments pre- 
 sented in the form of a syllogism — is not to be 
 despised by the business man. It has a place 
 even though that place may not be so great as 
 assumed by some. The weakness of the syllo- 
 gism is that it compels assent rather than wins 
 approval. Since the_ actions of men are not 
 regulated exclusiv ely by reas on^ dependence 
 uponTogical arguments_i s precar ious^ 
 
 A conviction and an execution may result 
 without deliberation (e.g., the result of imita- 
 tion) so they are not the peculiarly characteriz- 
 ing features of deliberation. The steps which 
 precede the conviction differ in acts which may 
 be classed as deliberative and in those which 
 
 I 
 
 III 
 

 
 STAINED PAGE(S) 
 
 ? 
 
 34 INFIUENCING MeN IN BUSINESS 
 
 should not be so classed. We sho„l^ 
 the terra deliberation for th, , ''f "" 
 
 including the five steps. ''""'''"''' «* 
 
 You may properly be said to have deliber 
 
 ""orK (or to adopt the new) : 
 
 „hl; ^^■" J"" '""'' '"^ definitely i„ „ind 
 what ,s .nvolved in the proposed eha'n^e 
 
 2. After you have imagined yourself as tak 
 Z:^: """'"' "''' '■> 'ff- '"e proposed 
 
 -9ffi;r::^;:srtbS.'" 
 
 J- And then have taken steps to put vo„r 
 conviction into execution. '^ 
 
 a fie W "t"°" "'"' °'" "='' "^ ■'^ ">'de with I 
 a feel ng of greater certainty because of Z ' 
 
 formal steps taken in reaching it. Th re s an I 
 assurance in conviction after due dX ion 
 
 reached wi.h:uXr^tra;eri;t," 
 
 # 
 
 An Analysis of Deliberation 35 
 
 to tenaciously, even when assailed by later argu- 
 ments against the wisdom of the act. 
 
 The science of chemistry has rendered a 
 great service to the manufacturer of material 
 things by showing him exactly all the elements 
 included in the material with which he works. 
 The mM||facturer adopts his methods to utilize 
 as far ^possible all the elements indicated by 
 the chemical analysis. When the chemist re- 
 ports the essential constituents of cement in the 
 slag secured from steel, the manufacturer is 
 enabled to convert his dump heap into a valu- 
 able by-product. 
 
 The science of psychology makes clear to 
 the superintendent and to the salesman the fac- 
 tors involved in an act of deliberation. The 
 superintendent may thus persuade his employees 
 more successfully when he remembers that a 
 clear idea of the desired change is the first step 
 in deliberation. He may avoid trouble by pro- 
 viding that the how of the proposed change 
 shall be presented to the men. He may decide 
 to adopt some other method than argument 
 when he appreciates the mental processes in- 
 cluded in the normal reaction from arguments. 
 Every man whose success depends upon the in- 
 fluencing of men may be benefited by utilizing 
 
 
 
11 ' 
 
 m 
 
 \: 
 
 I 
 
 36 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 the findings of science rather than by followinff 
 the rule-of-thumb or the traditions of the house 
 Ihe salesman may make radical changes in 
 his method when he realizes that every act of 
 deliberation includes a feeling as to value 
 which attaches itself to each of the possible 
 choices of things or of acts. He may present 
 his case more skilfully when he knows that the 
 goods offered will be classified and compared in 
 the course of the deliberation. He may bring 
 the argument to a successful climax by keeping 
 ever m mind that conviction and execution are 
 the final and most essential parts of the 
 deliberation. 
 
 The manager of a steel plant should know 
 the chemical constituents of the materials used 
 The salesman or the superintendent who uses 
 arguments should know what mental processes 
 are awakened in the minds of men by the pre- 
 senting of arguments. Through understanding 
 the workings of the minds of his men he should 
 know (i) when it Is wise to resort to argu- 
 ments, and (2) how to construct them to secure 
 the maximum results. The answer to these two 
 questions will be taken up in later chapters.* 
 
 •Chapters V and VII 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 AN ANALYSIS OF SUGGESTION 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 Traditional and Modern Conception of Suggestion 
 I. The Working of Suggestion is Dependent upon 
 the Impulsive, Dynamic Nature of Ideas 
 XL Suggestions are Given by External Objects 
 (usually Persons) and Result in Acts Similar 
 to Imitative Acjts 
 
 III. Suggestion Includes No Comparison or Criti- 
 
 cism- "^ 
 
 IV. Suggestion Secures Direct Response Without 
 
 Any Delay 
 Illustration of Principles 
 
 I 
 
\ 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 AN ANALYSIS OF SUGGESTION 
 
 Traditional and Modern Conception of 
 Suggestion 
 
 The ancients defined man as the reasoning 
 animal. When they attempted to comprehend 
 the workings of his mind, it was by contrast 
 with the mind of the animal which was supposed 
 to be devoid of reason. They thought of man 
 as responding normally only to logical appeals. 
 Hence the problems connected with influencing 
 man were turned over to the logicians for solu- 
 tion. 
 
 Three centuries before the Christian era, that 
 great thinker, Aristotle, gave to the world a 
 master work on logic. He showed exactly how 
 arguments must be presented if they are to be 
 presented logically. The syllogism was fully 
 explained. Methods of analyzing and classify- 
 ing arguments were presented in detail. The 
 work of Aristotle was so accurate and so com- 
 plete that it dominated the thinking of all logi- 
 cians for twenty centuries. During all these 
 ages the only authoritative source of informa- 
 tion concerning the ever-recurring problems of 
 
 39 
 
 I 
 
 gg^g^ 
 
 
 I, 
 
T 
 
 \. 1 
 
 I 
 
 J. * 
 
 t 
 
 V 
 
 40 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 influencing men was the standard works on logic. 
 These books did not tell how men really think 
 and act, but how they respond to appeals when 
 they respond logically. 
 
 _ Historically speaking, the only method recog- 
 nized as important in persuading men and in 
 securing normal responses was what might be 
 called the logical method— the method of pre- 
 senting cogent arguments in a logical way. It 
 has been well to emphasize the logical nature 
 of man. It is well for the individual to attempt 
 to act logically and to conform his thinking to 
 the rules of logic. When, however, we desire 
 to exert the maximum influence over our fellows 
 we cannot be bound down to the requirements 
 of a logical presentation of our appeals. Many 
 men have suspected a force other than that of 
 logically presented arguments. In their failure 
 to grasp this other method they have been led 
 into most absurd errors. In die absence of 
 science, superstition, magic, and even witchcraft 
 have prevailed; and the charlatan has profited 
 by the ignorance of the public. 
 
 From the time of the ancients down to com- 
 paratively recent times it was more or less 
 definitely taught that profound and striking re- 
 suits on individuals or on groups could be pro- 
 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 41 
 
 duced only by means of some superhuman 
 power. The stars were accredited with a domi- 
 nating influence over individuals. To this day 
 we continue to use expressions which have their 
 interpretation in such superstitions. We *'thank 
 our lucky stars"; we rap on wood when we 
 boast; some of us carry a rabbifs foot in the 
 pocket; others almost believe in lucky stones; 
 while many assert that they are '^bewitched" 
 when they do some particularly stupid thing. 
 There was no possibility of great advance in the 
 methods of influencing men so long as it was 
 believed that factors in this influence were such 
 things as demons, good or bad spirits, relics, 
 birds' claws, stars, or any other supernormal 
 uncontrollable elements. Superstition retarded 
 the progress of truth. . 
 
 K nugget of truth is often encased in, a mass\ 
 of error. In the advance of any science a dis- \ 
 covered truth may seem to give credibility to 
 many errors. This is particularly true in the 
 case of Dr. Mesmer, of Vienna, who founded 
 the practice named after him as mesmerism. In 
 spite of the mass of errors that permeated his 
 teachings and the charlatanism that character- 
 ized his practice, to Dr. Mesmer must be 
 credited the honor of having inaugurated the 
 
 I 
 
 i, 
 
i 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 H^ 
 
 42 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 movement which resulted in a scientific study of 
 methods of influencing men. 
 
 Dr. Mesmer as a youth was taught that the 
 stars exerted an irresistible influence upon men. 
 As a medical student he tried to discover a 
 method for concentrating this influence and of 
 bringing it to bear upon single individuals. He 
 first made use of ''passes" with an ordinary 
 magnet, but later discovered that by means of a 
 series of rhythmical passes over the body of a 
 subject he could throw the subject into a trance 
 and cause him to think and to act in extreme 
 and weird ways. Instead of believing that the 
 trance was caused by a demon or by a force 
 emanating from the stars or the moon, Dr. 
 Mesmer came to the conclusion that the results 
 were secured by what he called ''animal magnet- 
 ism." Just as a physical magnet exerts an in- 
 visible but powerful influence over particles of 
 iron, so, he thought, one human individual may 
 exert an influence over others. Some individu- 
 als are possessed of much animal magnetism, 
 and are known as individuals of commanding 
 influence, of strong personalities, of dominating 
 wills. Also, just as a material magnet may upon 
 contact impart its magnetism to otherwise inert 
 metals, so the magnetic individual may by means 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 43 
 
 of passes over the body of a weak subject impart 
 influence and magnetize him. 
 
 In 1 84 1 a wise Scotch physician by the name 
 of James Braid witnessed the exhibition of a 
 mesmerist. This operator seemed to have won- 
 derful control over his subjects. He caused 
 them to sleep, to see visions, to have desires and 
 aversions. Dr. Braid at first suspected trickery, 
 but soon became convinced that the phenomena 
 were real. He was also convinced that the 
 theory of animal magnetism was not necessary 
 to explain the results. Braid and his followers, 
 Liebeaut and Bernheim, formulated the theory 
 that the results exhibited by the mesmerists 
 were produced by the unrecognized working of 
 the mind of the subject This unrecognized 
 force of the subject's own mind was called "sug- 
 gestion." The trance Into which subjects were 
 thrown by mesmerists was said by Braid to be 
 but artificial sleep produced, not by the power 
 of the mesmerist, but by the Ideas In the mind of 
 the subject. This artificial sleep was by Braid 
 given the name of Hypnosis, and was said to be 
 but an Instance of the extreme working of 
 suggestion. 
 
 Drs. Braid, the Scotchman, and Liebeaut and 
 Bernheim, who were Frenchmen, may In a sense 
 
 A 
 
I 
 
 44 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 be said to have discovered Suggestion. They 
 thought of It primarily as a force that could be 
 used for producing unusual, extreme, and even 
 abnormal results on human individuals. It was 
 readily seen, however, that the force which 
 could produce extreme results might certainly 
 be an important factor in producing the usual 
 and normal results. During recent years sug- 
 gestion has been heralded as the great force in 
 education and religion, in social and political 
 movements, and in the promotion of health and 
 the amelioration of sickness. It has been con- 
 fidently asserted that the results of the adver- 
 tiser and of all salesmen are dependent upon the 
 subtle working of suggestion rather than upon 
 the logical presentation of facts to the reason of 
 the customers. 
 
 We have been taught by tradition that man is 
 inherently logical, that he weighs evidence, 
 formulates it into a syllogism, and then reaches 
 the conclusion on which he bases his action. 
 I The more modern conception of man is that he 
 I IS a creature who rarely reasons at all. Indeed, 
 one of the greatest students of the human mind 
 assures us that most persons never perform an 
 act of pure reasoning, but that all their acts are 
 the results of imitation, habit, suggestion, or 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 45 
 
 some related form of thinking which Is dis- 
 tinctly below that which could be called reason- 
 ing. Our most important acts are performed 
 and our most sacred conceptions are reached by 
 means of the merest suggestion. Great com- 
 manders of men are not those who are best 
 skilled in reasoning with their subordinates. 
 The greatest inspirers of men are not those who 
 are most logical in presenting their truths to the 
 multitude. Even our greatest debaters are not 
 those who are most logical in presenting the 
 arguments in favor of their contention. 
 
 In moving and in inspiring men, suggestion 
 is to be considered as in every way the equal of 
 logical reasoning, and as such is to be made the 
 subject of consideration for every man who is 
 interested in influencing his fellows. While 
 tradition regarded man as wholly logical, the 
 modern conception, as already intimated, makes 
 him largely a creature of suggestion. Never- 
 theless the whole subject of suggestion has been 
 rendered ridiculous and its true value obscured 
 by a group of men who with inadequate psycho- 
 logical learning, have been presenting sugges- 
 tion as the open sesame to success in the busi- 
 ness world. These teachers would lead the busi- 
 ness man to assume that by suggestion an irre- 
 
U •'. 
 
 I 
 
 46 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 sistible hypnotic spell could be utilized in busi- 
 ness. In some instances correspondence courses 
 in salesmanship pretend, upon the payment of a 
 sum of money, to teach any unsophisticated 
 youth how to wield this mysterious and super- 
 human power. 
 
 ^ Because of the surviving influence of the tra- 
 • ditional view of man as essentially logical, and 
 because of the recent silly exaggeration of the' 
 value of suggestion, the business man is inclined 
 to look upon suggestion with little favor. 
 
 The following analysis is an attempt to pre- 
 sent suggestion without exaggeration and to 
 analyze it in such a way that the business man 
 can see its possibilities in connection with his 
 special task of influencing men. 
 
 I. The Working of Suggestion is Depend- 
 ent upon the Impulsive, Dynamic 
 Nature of Ideas 
 
 In trying to imagine how our minds work in 
 making decisions or reaching conclusions, we 
 are inclined to accept the traditional view and to 
 think of ourselves as acting according to the 
 rules of formal logic. We thus assume that we 
 think out the reasons pro and con, that we ar- 
 range these reasons in a logical order, that we 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 47 
 
 weigh the evidence and make our decision. We 
 assume that after the conclusion has been 
 reached or the action decided upon, we then, by 
 a distinct effort of the will, initiate the action. 
 We conceive of ideas as being nothing more 
 than formal, inert reasons and we assume that 
 to secure action we must add to our ideas the 
 activity of the will. 
 
 As a matter of fact this conception of ideas is 
 wrong and leads to error when we try either to 
 interpret or to influence human action. The 
 modern scientific conception of psychology is 
 that ideas are the most live things in the uni- 
 verse. They are dynamic and naturally lead to 
 action. This dynamic, impulsive nature of ideas 
 is expressed in the following law : 
 
 Every idea of an action will result in that 
 action unless hindered by an impeding idea or 
 physical impediment. 
 
 Or as expressed by Hollingworth, "Every 
 idea of a situation tends to produce movements 
 calculated to handle that situation.'* 
 
 It seems quite impossible for us to think in- 
 tently upon any movement without in some 
 degree making the movement. In some in- 
 stances we can detect ourselves making the 
 beginning of the movements, but in others we 
 
 \ 
 
 % 
 
S'^ 
 
 i ir: 
 
 48 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 can not. If I think of the letter *'o" I find that 
 in the muscles of my lips there is a tension 
 which becomes merely stronger for the actual 
 pronunciation of the letter. If I think intently 
 upon the letter '*k" I find that my tongue tends 
 to draw back into the position necessary for pro- 
 nouncing the letter. Even where these move- 
 ments are so slight that they are not observed 
 by the person himself, they may often be re- 
 corded by a planchette, ouija-board, or other 
 similar device. 
 
 The tendency for an Idea of an act to lead to 
 the act is also shown in glandular and involun- 
 tary muscle-actions. Thus if I get an idea that 
 I am going to blush, the idea sends the blood 
 rushing to my face. If I think intently of biting 
 into a ripe, juicy peach, the salivary glands re- 
 spond at once, even though no food has been 
 taken into my mouth. The influence of ideas 
 in the digestion and assimilation of food has 
 recently been fully proven. The idea that one 
 is to be sick is a factor in producing sickness. 
 The idea that one is progressing well and will 
 recover is a factor in bringing about the 
 recovery. 
 
 The wise parent and teacher make constant 
 use of the dynamic nature of ideas. The one 
 
 h 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 49 
 
 who fails to regard this fact gets into trouble. 
 The solicitous parent who upon leaving her chil- 
 dren said, *'Now, children, whatever you do 
 don't put beans in your noses," should not have 
 been surprised upon her return to find that the 
 children's noses were filled with beans. The 
 idea, *'beans in the nose," simply took posses- 
 sion of their minds and the dynamic force of the 
 idea led to the activity. In controlling children 
 parents and teachers learn not to suggest the 
 things which are to be avoided. The impulsive 
 nature of the suggested ideas is too much for 
 the children to resist. 
 
 The dynamic nature of mind is further shown 
 by the fact which is expressed in the following 
 general law : 
 
 Every idea, concept or conclusion which 
 enters the mind is held as true unless hindered 
 by some contradictory idea. 
 
 The inhabitant of southern Europe believes 
 that the Pope is infallible and that Mohammed 
 is the great enemy of mankind. The inhabitant 
 of southwestern Asia believes that Mohammed 
 is. the great prophet and that the Pope is an 
 impostor. The inhabitant of Germany believes 
 in the divine right of the ruler. The American 
 believes that the democratic form of govern- / 
 

 I 
 
 \ 
 
 50 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 ment Is the divinely chosen plan for national 
 government. Millions of men hold these be- 
 liefs and would be willing to die for them. In 
 I most instances this faith is not the result of rea- 
 son or any form of critical thinking, but Is the 
 result of suggestion. The ideas were merely 
 presented and led to their normal result, which 
 Is belief. 
 
 Thus the American public have come to be- 
 lieve that manual labor is degrading; that 
 wealth Is the only standard measure of achieve- 
 ment; that It Is unwomanly for women to con- 
 sume stimulants or narcotics ; that Ivory Soap Is 
 { 99 44/100 per cent pure; that White Rock Is 
 the world's best table water; that **there Is a 
 reason" for Postum; that the Gillette adds to 
 the sum total of human happiness. The belief 
 In these statements has become established In the 
 minds of millions, but in most of the instances 
 the belief Is the result of suggestion rather than 
 of any higher form of thought. The Ideas have 
 merely been frequently presented and their 
 dynamic Impulsive nature culminated In belief. 
 
 The general and universal tendency is to ac- 
 cept as valid all Ideas, and this result follows in 
 every instance unless with the Idea there arises 
 an idea of its falsity. 
 
 / 
 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 51 
 
 The significance of this fact of the dynamic 
 nature of thought and Its application to busi- 
 ness must be apparent to all. If we can give a 
 man any sort of an Idea It Is not necessary to 
 convince him of the truth of the Idea If we 
 can keep conflicting Ideas from arising In his 
 mind. If I can get you to read the sentence, 
 ''Morgan and Wright tires are good tires," you 
 will believe that they are good tires and that too 
 without any further proof, if only contradictory 
 ideas do not surge up into your mind. 
 
 When a man Is hypnotized and told that the 
 world Is to come to an end in thirty minutes, he 
 believes it fully because contradictory ideas do 
 not arise to inhibit the suggested idea of 
 
 calamity. 
 
 A crowd composed of Intelligent citizens will 
 accept as truth the most absurd utterances and 
 applaud proposed plans which individually each 
 man might scorn in derision. As Individuals we 
 inhibit more actions than we perform. A feel- 
 ing of responsibility and propriety restrains us 
 individually in a way that is absent when we be- 
 come absorbed in a crowd. Whatever is done 
 by other members of the crowd secure proper; 
 also, because of the many involved, the feeling 
 of responsibility is removed from each member. 
 
 ,) 
 
 ■: 
 
 im\\ . 
 
1 ' 
 I 
 
 52 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 . The crowd, being relieved from the restraints 
 ^ of propriety, of responsibility, and of critical 
 4 thinking, is'in a condition to exhibit the dynamic 
 force of ideas In an extreme form. There is an 
 alacrity of response, an immediate carrying out 
 of every suggested action, which is not apparent 
 in the action of single individuals. The indi- 
 vidual Is wholly absorbed In the crowd purpose 
 and Is completely devoted to that purpose, 
 whether It be the lynching of a negro, the adora- 
 tion of a hero, the winning of the game, or the 
 capture of the Holy Sepulchre. In times of 
 panics the Idea^ets abroad that property Is de- 
 preciating In valiie. This Idea is accepted by 
 most persons without proof simply because the 
 attendant conditions keep contradictory Ideas 
 from arising In the mind. Hypnosis and the 
 crowd remove the Inhibitions and permit the 
 dynamic nature of Ideas to manifest Itself. 
 7 The first characteristic of an aA of sugges- 
 tion, then. Is that the Ideas carry themselves out 
 Into action and Into belief by means of an in- 
 herent tendency. This tendency we speak of as 
 the "dynamic Impulsive nature of Ideas.'' No 
 act should be attributed to suggestion unless It 
 Illustrates this impulsive nature of ideas in a 
 more or less striking manner. 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 53 
 
 'r 
 
 II. Suggestions are Given by External 
 Objects (Usually Persons) and 
 Result in Acts Similar to Imitative 
 Acts 
 
 Unfortunately the word imitation is applied 
 to two distinct classes of acts. If I come to the 
 conclusion that a particular author is using an 
 excellent style, I may consciously and volun- 
 tarily attempt to imitate his style. This sort of 
 imitation is known as voluntary imitation. 
 There is another sort of imitation known as 
 non-voluntary imitation. This is well illustrated 
 by the tendency to imitate a yawn or cough. If 
 one member of a group coughs, others are 
 likely to imitate the act although there is no con- 
 scious desire to do so. If I associate with per- 
 sons having a peculiar intonation of voice I am 
 likely to imitate their peculiarities even though 
 such is not my desire. These are the sort of 
 imitative acts under consideration in this dis- 
 cussion. They are the sort of imitative acts 
 which we do without realizing them and which 
 we certainly never voluntarily perform; hence, 
 they are known as non-voluntary imitative acts. 
 Throughout the history of the development 
 of the human race, people have lived in groups. 
 Every group has had its common enemy and its 
 

 i\ 
 
 54 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 common friends. Unity of action and unity of 
 thought have been essential. Consequently we 
 have developed tendencies to produce such uni- 
 formities. The sight of one person performing 
 any act begets in others a tendency to perform 
 the same act. If one person has a belief which 
 he expresses in any way, others are inclined to 
 have the same belief. We are by nature great 
 imitators, and our credulity is greater than we 
 are willing to believe. 
 
 Hypnosis, mob-action, and panics are but 
 illustrations of extreme cases of the universal 
 tendency to imitate the acts of others and to be- 
 lieve what we assume they believe. In hypnosis 
 the subject becomes drowsy because of his be- 
 lief that the hypnotist confidently expects it of 
 him. He is unable to move his hand because of 
 his belief that the hypnotist knows that he can 
 not. He sees a vision because of his belief that 
 the hypnotist expects him to see the vision. It 
 makes no difference what the hypnotist actually 
 thinks, but only what the subject assumes that 
 he thinks. The ideas of the subject are sug- 
 gested because they result from the words and 
 acts of the hypnotist. 
 
 In mob-action, in panics, and in all forms of 
 social stampedes, the force of suggestion be- 
 
 ^. 
 
 3 
 
 i 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 55 
 
 comes irresistible. We all imitate the actions 
 that we see in others, and we believe what the 
 others believe. In mob-action of any form the 
 individual receives the same suggestion from 
 each individual composing the mob. The sug- 
 gestion comes from the words spoken, the ges- 
 tures made, the emotions expressed. The native 
 imltativeness and credulity of the normal in- 
 dividual is so great that such a wave of sugges- 
 tion is Irresistible. 
 
 The efficiency of advertising is doubtless In 
 part due to the action of suggestion and is much 
 like the working of suggestion In mobs. As I 
 read an advertisement of Ivory Soap In a me- 
 dium of wide circulation I feel that it Is being 
 read and believed in by multitudes of people. I 
 feel sure that It Is being purchased by thousands 
 of my fellow mortals. The suggestion that the 
 soap is 99 44/100 per cent pure does not seem 
 to come primarily from the concern which 
 makes the statement, but from the thousands of 
 customers who now believe It. The tendency to 
 act as they are supposed to act Is also no small 
 factor in causing mc to imitate their assumed 
 actions. 
 
 All acts resulting from suggestion are similar 
 to these non-voluntary imitative acts. Indeed 
 
 :| 
 
 11. 
 
.<> 
 
 I 
 
 56 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 all non-voluntary imitation is the working of 
 suggestion. Thus in a store I see a customer 
 making a particular purchase and I receive the 
 suggestion from this act and imitate it. I see a 
 fellow workman increase his pace and although 
 I have not intended to change my speed the 
 chances are that the suggestion will lead to a 
 non-voluntary imitation. If I see others joyous 
 or sad they give me the suggestion of joy or 
 sorrow and I non-voluntarily imitate their 
 moods. 
 
 If all our suggestions, in so far as they result 
 in actions, were received from persons we would 
 discard the word suggestion as a useless term 
 and employ only the term non- voluntary imita- 
 tion. As a matter of fact we receive many sug- 
 gestions from things as well as persons. As ex- 
 amples of suggestions received from things 
 there might be mentioned such devices as money- 
 envelopes, return coupons, dotted lines for 
 signatures, etc. 
 
 In carrying out all suggestions we feel much 
 as we do when we imitate. We feel that we 
 have not been forced, that we are doing just 
 what we wish to do, that it is the only natural 
 and rational thing to do under the circum- 
 stances. We deceive ourselves into thinking we 
 
 
 ! 
 
 
 i 
 
 J- 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 57 
 
 arc doing voluntarily that which we are doing 
 from a mere suggestion. 
 
 III. Suggestion Includes No Comparison 
 OR Criticism 
 
 Every idea is dynamic and must lead to action 
 or belief, or else it must call up another idea. 
 For instance, if I should state that the square 
 of twenty-six is six hundred and seventy-sbc, that 
 idea would be believed by you or else would 
 awaken in your mind the idea that I was merely 
 jesting or that I had made a mistake. If I 
 should state that you would now scratch the end 
 of your nose to remove the unpleasant feeling 
 caused by the fly sitting there, you would feel a 
 strong tendency to scratch your nose, or else the 
 idea would cause you to think how foolish it 
 would be to perform the act. In an act that can 
 properly be called suggestion the idea never 
 calls up other ideas, such as '*he is jesting" or 
 *'how foolish" — hvtt the idea is a ccepted uncri ti- 
 cally and without any deliberatioiL 
 
 When in conversation with certain indi- 
 viduals, we discover that for them our words 
 are powerful suggestions. If we say that the 
 day is fine, they respond that the atmosphere is 
 unusually bracing. If we state that they are 
 
 ^ 'ill! 
 
■* — ■ -"^^ 
 
 I \ 
 
 Li I 
 
 ■, J'' 
 
 58 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 looking pale and weak, they -are likely to feel 
 sick at once and possibly send for a physician. 
 If we propose a game of golf, that particular 
 form of activity appeals to them as the only 
 possible pleasing form of recreation. Such in- 
 dividuals would be classed as extremely sugges- 
 tible. There are others for whom our words 
 are not taken as suggestions, but who are stimu- 
 lated to criticize, no matter what we say. If wc 
 remark that the weather is fine, they imme- 
 diately reply that it is liable to rain before night. 
 If we tell them they are looking sick, they reply 
 that they never felt better in all their lives. If 
 we propose golf, they advance six reasons why 
 it would be absurd for any sensible individual to 
 waste his time at that silly game. Such indi- 
 viduals, because of their complete lack of sug- 
 gestibility, are unsuited to any form of co- 
 operative endeavor and are out of place in 
 modern industry. 
 
 Since suggestion is free from criticism, 
 neither the opposite nor any possible alternative 
 to the thing proposed enters the mind. All 
 normal persons are suggestible under certain 
 conditions and take the suggestions given if 
 these are of the right sort and presented 
 properly. 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 59 
 
 IV. Suggestion Secures Direct Response 
 Without Any Delay 
 
 In deliberation we must delay in order that 
 sufficient time may intervene for possible al- 
 ternatives to arise in our minds for us to classify 
 them, to compare them, and to make a choice 
 between them. Deliberation thus places the sub- 
 ject in a more or less critical attitude, and unless 
 the argument is conclusive, this attitude is likely 
 to be retained and the proposed action perma- 
 nently resisted. Delay is essential for weigh- 
 ing arguments, but every moment of delay in- 
 creases the probability that no action will result. 
 The inherent weakness of deliberation is ex- 
 pressed in the familiar quotation, "He who 
 
 hesitates is lost** 
 
 In suggestion the proposed idea of an act is 
 allowed to take its normal course, which, ac- 
 cording to the impulsive nature of ideas, results 
 in immediate action. The proposed act may be 
 of such a nature that it can not be completed 
 till some future time. Even in such instances 
 the act is really begun at once even though it can 
 not be completed till later. For example, if it is 
 suggested to me that I secure a ticket when 
 down town tomorrow, and if without any con- 
 sideration I consent to do so, my consent is due 
 
 ) 
 
I 
 
 ih i 
 
 r 
 
 60 'Influencing Men in Business 
 
 to suggestion and the tickets probably will be 
 purchased tomorrow. The consent follows the 
 suggestion immediately and the tickets will be 
 purchased at the appropriate time and that too 
 without any deliberation at the later time of 
 purchase. Of course something might happen 
 in the meantime which would cause me to con- 
 sider the advisability of the purchase and in 
 such a case it would cease to be an act of sug- 
 gestion. 
 
 Illustration of Principles 
 
 The four principles revealed by the analysis 
 of suggestion are best understood when applied 
 to an extreme case, i.e., to the condition known 
 as hypnosis. Common charcoal and cut dia- 
 monds are each equally good examples of car- 
 bon. In the same way the working of sugges- 
 tion may be illustrated by profound hypnosis or 
 by the effect of such common advertising as 
 "Use Pears' Soap." 
 
 In presenting the subject of suggestion to my 
 classes in psychology I am accustomed to dem- 
 onstrate its most extreme manifestations. 
 Three of the most hi^ly esteemed men stu- 
 dents in the class are selected and seated in 
 comfortable chairs in front of the class. Turn- 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 
 
 61 
 
 ing my attention to these three I get them to 
 concentrate their minds upon the hypnotic con- 
 dition as I depict it. After a few minutes I 
 assert with a voice of assurance that their eyes 
 are getting heavy, are heavy; are closing, are 
 closed! If my remarks have been effectively 
 given the young men find that their eyes do just 
 as I suggest. After securing the successful 
 working of this suggestion upon their eyes, I 
 follow rapidly with other suggestions of increas- 
 ing difficulty. I assert that their right arms are 
 stiff and can not be moved. They often attempt 
 to show that their arms can be moved but 
 usually their attempts are unsuccessful. I assert 
 that their left arms are light, are rising up and 
 moving in a circle. This suggestion is usually 
 successful. I suggest that the bottle which I 
 hold to their noses contains a delightful per- 
 fume. Thereupon they enjoy the odor im- 
 mensely even though the bottle contains asa- 
 fetida. 
 
 It is evident that the four principles found in 
 the analysis of ordinary suggestion characterize 
 this extreme form of suggestion also. 
 
 I. The dynamic nature of thought was shown 
 in that the idea conceived by the young men 
 carried itself out even though it involved appar- 
 
!*>■: 
 
 1 
 
 f ■■ 
 
 62 
 
 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 ent absurdity. The Me^i «'r«,r 
 
 ^r- xneiaea, my eyes are closed '' 
 
 ex ernal objects or persons was illustrated by 
 my givrng all the suggestions to them. 
 
 watcao^'lf^ M,"" °^ ^°"^P^ri«on and criticism 
 
 enjoyed the odor because I told them thev 
 would, even though the odor of asafeTida il 
 excessively nauseous. , 
 
 4. That suggestion secures direct resDonsP 
 
 with which all suggested ideas were held as true 
 everyltaif "''' "''" ^^'^ ^^^'^'^^^ - 
 
 -^^^^^^^^P-^ . He should realized h^ 
 ever that hypnosis is simply an extreme ex- 
 
 ex'rel '"1?"'"". ^" ^^^^^^'^ ^^ «^« the 
 extreme working of a method of influencing 
 
 forms. The value of the four principles re- 
 
 fact tha they hold universally and hence are 
 applicable to every instance in which suggestion 
 IS used as a means of influencing men Later 
 
 An Analysis of Suggestion 63 
 
 chapters* will deal with the very practical prob- 
 lems of ( I ) when the business man should use 
 suggestion, and (2) how suggestions may be 
 made effective. 
 
 ^Chapters VI and VUL 
 
 t 
 
\i 
 
 111 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 WHAT IS YOUR METHOD OF DECII> 
 ING QUESTIONS AND REACHING 
 
 CONCLUSIONS? 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 Do People Deliberate or Do They Act Upon Sug- 
 gestion in Reaching a Conclusion? 
 Methods of Reaching a Decision: 
 I. Logical Reasoning : Benjamin Franklin's Method 
 Reason— Authority: Bismarck's Method 
 Reason— Emotion: Woman's Method 
 Reason— Suggestion: Flipped-Coin Method 
 Suggestion: Weather Vane 
 _Which of These Methods are Used Frequently and 
 Which but Occasionally? 
 
 <IL 
 
 in. 
 
 IV. 
 V. 
 
^■' 
 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 WHAT IS YOUR METHOD OF DECID- 
 ING QUESTIONS AND REACHING 
 
 CONCLUSIONS? 
 
 Do People Deliberate or Do They Act 
 UPON Suggestion in Reaching a Conclu- 
 sion? 
 
 In dealing with men we try to get them to 
 accept certain conclusions, to select certain ends, 
 or to act In particular ways. These results may 
 be secured either by deliberation or by sugges 
 tlon. The recognition of this fact Immediately 
 leads us to ask the following question, If conclu- 
 sions may be reached, ends chosen, and acts 
 performed, as the result either of deliberation 
 or of suggestion, then as a matter of fact how 
 do people decide — do they deliberate or do they 
 act upon suggestion ? 
 
 In the previous chapters we discussed typical 
 acts of deliberation and typical acts of sugges- 
 tion. As a matter of fact are these typical forms 
 the usual forms of deciding? Are there some 
 persons who habitually use the first of these 
 methods and some the second? Or is it true 
 
 67 
 
til 
 If 
 
 m 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 68 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 that certain types of decisions are made by de- 
 liberation and others by suggestion? The 
 answers to these questions lead to a study of the 
 different methods which are actually employed 
 in solving problems which arise from moment to 
 moment and from year to year. 
 
 Methods of Reaching a Decision : 
 
 I. Logical Reasoning: Benjamin Frank- 
 lin's Method 
 
 There is a method of deciding which corre- 
 sponds perfectly to what was presented in the 
 last chapter as a typical act of deliberation. We 
 shall speak of it here as the Benjamin Franklin 
 type. If you belong to this type and have a 
 problem to solve (e.g., change in method of 
 work, change of position, goods to be pur- 
 chased, etc.) , you solve it ( i ) by getting a clear 
 idea of the alternatives; (2) by getting in mind 
 complete data concerning the means necessary 
 for securing the alternative; (3) by awakening 
 the appropriate "feeling value" with each 
 alternative; (4) by comparing the different 
 alternatives, and by reducing the argument to 
 the syllogistic form to weigh the evidence ; and 
 (5) hy logically and coldly accepting that al- 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 
 
 69 
 
 ternative which the comparison shows to be the 
 most worthy. 
 
 In applying this method we are often unable 
 to reach a conclusion because of our inability to 
 reduce the argument to syllogistic form, and 
 hence to make exact comparisons and decide 
 which course of action is to be preferred. Ben- 
 jamin Franklin used this method extensively and 
 he has left us a description of the device he 
 employed to reach the conclusion. The follow- 
 ing is a quotation from a letter to a friend con- 
 cerning a difficult problem : 
 
 "In the affair of so much importance to you, 
 wherein you ask my advice, I can not, for want 
 of sufficient premises, counsel you what to de- 
 termine; but, if you please, I will tell you how. 
 When those difficult cases occur, they are diffi- 
 cult chiefly because, while we have them under 
 consideration, all the reasons pro and con are 
 not present to the mind at the same time; but 
 sometimes one set present themselves, and at 
 other times another, the first being out of sight. 
 Hence the various purposes or inclinations that 
 alternately prevail, and the uncertainty that per- 
 plexes us. 
 
 'To get over this, my way is to divide half a 
 sheet of paper by a line Into two columns; writ- 
 
;f 
 
 M 
 
 T 
 
 70 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 ing over the one pro and over the other con; 
 then, during three or four days' consideration, I 
 put down, under the different heads, short hints 
 of the different motives that at different times 
 occur to me for or against the measure. When 
 I have thus got them all together in one view, I 
 endeavor to estimate their respective weights; 
 and when I find tivo (one on each side) that 
 seem equal, I strike them both out. If I find a 
 reason pro equal to tivo reasons con, I strike 
 out the three. If I judge some two reasons con 
 equal to three reasons pro, I strike out the jive; 
 and thus proceeding, 1 find where the balance 
 lies; and if, after a day or two of further con- 
 sideration, nothing new that is of importance 
 occurs on either side I come to a determination 
 accordingly. And though the weight of reason 
 can not be taken with the precision of algebraic 
 quantities, yet when each is thus considered sepa- 
 rately and comparatively, and the whole lies 
 before me, I think I can judge better and am 
 less liable to take a false step. And in fact I 
 have found great advantage from this kind of 
 equation. In what may be termed moral or pru- 
 dential algebra." 
 
 This reasoning is in the form of an implied 
 syllogism, i.e., I must accept this because my 
 
 W 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 71 
 
 moral algebra shows It to be the more valuable. 
 The expanded syllogistic form is as follows: 
 
 I shall accept that alternative that my moral 
 algebra shows to have the greatest value. 
 
 My moral algebra indicates that A has the 
 greater value. 
 
 Therefore I accept A. 
 
 This method of Benjamin Franklin's is ap- 
 plicable to hesitation caused by considering the 
 consequences of acting or of not acting, as well 
 as to hesitation caused by weighing the respec- 
 tive advantages of several mutually exclusive 
 actions. Although very few persons have ever 
 employed the method In Its entirety, as did 
 Franklin, yet we all approximate the method in 
 our deliberate actions. Most of us never clearly 
 define the different reasons for or against any 
 action and we do not hold the different reasons 
 before us and compare them In a judicious man- 
 ner. Ordinarily one reason for or against an 
 action holds the attention and all other reasons 
 are crowded out and serve to delay action but 
 not to divert it. We are wise and judicious in 
 proportion to our ability to compare motives 
 and decide according to reason, but most of us 
 are neither wise nor judicious. 
 
iil t 
 
 •11 ~ 
 
 i|i 
 
 I' 
 
 ( 
 
 
 
 I Si 
 
 72 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 Doubtless you do not use this Benjamin 
 Franklin method in the exact and formal man- 
 ner described by him. When you do use the 
 method, you attempt to abbreviate it by refer- 
 ring the case to a general class and to one of the 
 classes to which you have formed the habit of 
 responding unhesitatingly. If you are consider- 
 ing the proposition of changing your method or 
 speed of work, and if you classify the act as one 
 of "increased pay," you will decide in the af- 
 firmative; in the negative, if you classify it as 
 merely "an attempt of the boss to speed up his 
 employees." If you are considering the offer to 
 enter the employ of a larger firm you will accept 
 it if you finally classify the proposed change as 
 "greater possibilities"; you will reject it if you 
 classify it as "loss of independence." The 
 salesman will sell you the goods if he can get 
 you to classify them as "good investments" ; he 
 will fail if you classify them as "speculations." 
 In deciding according to this Benjamin 
 Franklin method, whether the process is carried 
 on slowly and formally as advised by Franklin 
 or whether it is shortened by referring it to a 
 class with its stereotyped form of response, 
 there is in either case ( i ) a deliberation involv- 
 ing comparison, and (2) a decision free from 
 
 Reaching Conclusions y^ 
 
 effort as soon as the evidence is all in and the 
 case definitely classified. 
 
 
 Methods of Reaching a Decision: 
 
 II. Reason — Authority : Bismarck's 
 Method 
 
 There is a second method of deciding which 
 is much like logical reasoning but differs from 
 It in one very essential feature. In this second 
 method after the evidence is all in there seems 
 to be no balance in favor of either alternative, 
 so the question is decided after the deliberation 
 has been exhausted. The decision is finally 
 made by an effort of will. 
 
 The struggle may be severe, but in any case 
 the deliberation is brought to a close and the 
 question settled by a determined "I will !" The 
 reason alone seems inadequate to meet the case 
 so the authority of the Individual is needed to 
 supplant the reason. This type is therefore 
 properly called the reason-authority type of de- 
 cision, or the Bismarck type, if named after the 
 one who is reputed to have surpassed others in 
 deciding in this way. 
 
 In deciding according to the Franklin method 
 the vanquished alternative drops out of mind 
 
n 
 
 I 
 
 H 
 
 ^i' 
 
 f 
 
 f 
 
 74 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 and IS not attended to at the crucial moment of 
 decision. In the Bismarck method both alterna- 
 tives are kept in mind and by an act of will the 
 one is vanquished and the other selected. In 
 making the choice the subject is aware of what 
 he is losing and so must struggle to give it up. 
 
 If you decide problems according to the Bis- 
 marck method then at the moment of decision 
 you will have in mind both the profits to be 
 gained by a change of method of work and also 
 the sacrifice of ease necessary to make the 
 change. The evidence is not clear as to what is 
 the right course to pursue and only by a de- 
 termined ''I will!" can you settle it. If you 
 settle the same question by the Franklin method, 
 then at the moment of decision one alternative 
 has already been eliminated and the victorious 
 one holds your undivided attention. In the Bis- 
 marck decision one alternative never succeeds in 
 securing exclusive attention. 
 
 If the salesman has been unable to banish 
 competing lines from your mind so that with 
 other goods as well as his in mind you are com- 
 pelled to make the effort to decide which you 
 will choose, you decide according to the method 
 of Bismarck. If he has succeeded in banishing 
 all competing lines from your mind and has 
 
 \ 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 75 
 
 enabled you to make your decision without 
 effort, then he has enabled you to decide accord- 
 ing to the method of Franklin. As a matter of 
 fact most persons rarely use the Bismarck type 
 of deciding. We usually think of the person 
 with a strong will as making frequent use of the 
 Bismarck method. However, the man who is 
 able to utilize the Franklin method is to be 
 credited with an equally strong will. The man 
 deciding according to Franklin's method shows 
 his strength of will by his mastery in weighing 
 evidence and classifying the cases that arise for 
 solution. The man deciding according to the 
 Bismarck method shows his strength of will by 
 deciding without delay. Franklin's method is 
 in general the more desirable form of strength 
 of will but in a crisis Bismarck's type of strength 
 of will IS necessary for heroic action. 
 
 Methods of Reaching a Decision: 
 
 III. Re^^son— Emotion : Woman's Method 
 
 The woman's method of decision differs 
 materially from the two preceding types. In 
 this third type insufficient time is given to the 
 deliberation, or difficulty is found in classifying 
 the problem. The deliberation is interrupted 
 
_— -»u.«9Wub. 
 
 I 
 
 *' 
 
 76 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 by a sudden extreme feeling of value attaching 
 itself to one or the other of the contemplated 
 alternatives. The feelings rush in and take the 
 place of reason. In deciding by the woman's 
 method we are scarcely able to see how we 
 reached our conclusion and we often speak erf 
 such decisions as being intuitive. We simply 
 feel that we should decide in a certain way and 
 fortunately the feelings are frequently right. 
 Women are supposed to decide in this way more 
 often than men. They are supposed to have 
 more perfectly developed instincts or intuitions. 
 Their sentiment vanquishes attempts to utilize 
 sophisticated reasoning and the outcome is fre- 
 quently wise and in every way as worthy of 
 respect as are the results of more complete 
 forms of deliberation. 
 
 A single illustration will make clear this 
 method of deciding. If you are contemplating a 
 change in method or speed of work, and are 
 considering the alternatives, you decide accord- 
 ing to the woman's method if a sudden rush of 
 feeling or rise of sentiment towards one of the 
 alternatives cuts short your deliberation and 
 settles it for you even though the evidence is not 
 yet all in and though the *'I will!" has not been 
 resorted to. 
 
 ( 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 77 
 
 This method is not at all confined to women 
 but IS a very common method of deciding any 
 question in which feelings and emotions are 
 prominent. 
 
 Methods of Reaching a Decision : 
 
 IV. Reason— Suggestion : Flipped-Coin 
 Method 
 
 The flipped-coin method of deciding is like 
 the woman's method in that in each the delibera- 
 tion is suddenly cut short and a definite conclu- 
 sion reached. The flipped-coin method differs 
 from the woman's method, however, in that the 
 factor which brings the deliberation to an end 
 in the woman's method is an internal stimulus— 
 a surging up of feeling; the factor which stops 
 the deliberation in the flipped-coin method is an 
 external stimulus accidentally arising at the 
 critical moment. 
 
 If I am debating whether I shall continue my 
 work or go to the ball game, I may feel that 
 either course is not far wrong and yet I may be 
 unable to decide which to pursue. In such a 
 dilemma I sometimes flip a coin and let the 
 chance falling of the coin settle the matter for 
 me. This device for settling problems is typical 
 
 / 
 
 ii 
 
 .'* 
 
 !l 
 
i^ 
 
 FP^ 
 
 wi 
 
 I 
 
 >* 
 
 78 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 and IS Intended to symbolize numerous decisions 
 in which we permit some external happening to 
 take the place of further deliberation. When 
 our attempts to deliberate have been futile we 
 sometimes '*wait for the question to settle it- 
 self." This may mean that we abandon all hope 
 of settling the question; it may mean that we 
 are waiting for further evidence; but it fre- 
 quently means that we have merely ceased to 
 deliberate and are waiting for a successful sug- 
 gestion. 
 
 If you are debating as to whether you shall 
 change your place of employment, and if you 
 are having difficulty to decide, you may suddenly 
 stop your deliberation and imitate the action of 
 a fellow employee who has succeeded in solving 
 the same problem for himself. The fact that 
 you had attempted to decide the problem by 
 deliberation and had failed puts you in a posi- 
 tion where a chance suggestion acts most power- 
 fully. Reason thus gives way to suggestion, 
 whether the suggestion be given by such a 
 device as flipping the coin, the example of a 
 companion, or by some more worthy external 
 
 cue to action. 
 
 This flipped-coin method is frequently em- 
 ployed in purchasing goods. If you are deliber- 
 
 % 
 
 % '! 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 
 
 79 
 
 ating concerning the purchase of a fountain pen 
 and the relative merits of the different makes 
 have not enabled you to decide according to 
 logical processes as to which one to purchase, 
 the sight of an advertisement of one of the 
 makes may settle the question for you. If you 
 are passing a stationer's store and see one of 
 the makes In the window, the sight of the pen 
 may be a sufficient suggestion to end the de- 
 liberation and to secure the purchase of the pen. 
 The genial companion, the hail-fellow-well- 
 met, uses this method of decision very exten- 
 sively. Most of the things we do are not done 
 for sufficient logical reasons. The man who re- 
 fuses to give heed to the suggestions of his 
 fellows and to determine his actions accordingly 
 Is not a pleasant person to be with. Where 
 logical reasons are adequate they should be fol- 
 lowed. An attempt to consider, to deliberate, 
 should be as universal as possible. But since 
 most questions do not admit of logical deter- 
 mination, much opportunity Is left for sugges- 
 tion as supplementary to reason. This form of 
 determination Is perhaps more common In the 
 business world than any of the types previously 
 discussed. We start to reason but end with 
 suggestion. 
 
 \ \ 
 
 y 
 
fH 
 
 ? 
 
 80 Influencing Men in Business 
 Methods of Reaching a Decision : 
 J V. Suggestion : Weather Vane 
 
 The method of deciding which Involves no 
 dehberation whatever is called suggestion. The 
 thing is accepted at once and acted upon without 
 any hesitation and hence without any possibility 
 or tendency to deliberate. 
 
 If I propose to you that you change your 
 method of work— either as to quality or quan- 
 tity—and if you accept the proposed change 
 without weighing the merits of the case and 
 without considering the rejection of the pro- 
 posal, then you decide In a way that is properly 
 designated as the working of suggestion. If I 
 propose that you "quit slaving for your old 
 boss" and "get into the band wagon and join 
 forces with me," your acceptance is the result'of 
 suggestion unless you consider the advantages 
 of remaining in your former position and con- 
 sider also the disadvantages of entering my 
 employ. If I offer you my line of merchandise 
 in such a way that my method of offering It or 
 my "personal magnetism" are sufficient to cause 
 you to buy without consideration, you then act 
 upon suggestion. If the assertion in my adver- 
 tisement, "Morgan and Wright tires are good 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 
 
 81 
 
 tires," unsupported by any form of argumenta- 
 tion, should convince you that my tires are good 
 tires, then your conclusion would be wholly due 
 to my suggestion. 
 
 Which of These Methods are Used Fre- 
 quently and Which but Occasionally? 
 
 When we study the classifications of methods 
 of deciding we see that the various classes differ 
 first as to the prominence of deliberation, and 
 second as to the manner In which the delibera- 
 tion is completed or avoided. In Franklin's 
 method the deliberation is fully developed; 
 with each succeeding class this deliberation 
 grows less till in the last class it is wholly absent. 
 
 M In the Benjamin Franklin method the delibera- 
 tion is brought to an end by balancing the 
 books; in the Bismarck method by a tug of the 
 
 / will ; in the woman's method by a sudden awak- 
 ening of the feelings and emotions; in the 
 
 i flipped-coln method by a chance suggestion ; and 
 in the weather-vane method deliberation is 
 avoided altogether because of the extreme work- 
 ing of the suggested conclusion, end, or activity. 
 Every question you decide is settled according 
 to one of the methods here considered. It be- 
 comes a matter of interest and importance to 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 
 I: 
 
 i' 
 
 i 
 
 ':■ ^ 
 
■fl 
 
 « I 
 
 
 !• I :' 
 
 #ii 
 
 i 
 
 1.1 
 
 m 
 
 
 82 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 know which of these methods are used fre- 
 quently and which ones but occasionally. 
 ^ Formerly it was supposed that man was 
 * primarily a reasoning creature and that he de-^ 
 cided practically all questions according to 
 either the Franklin or the Bismarck method. 
 Suggestion was relegated to abnormal psy- 
 chology and supposed to be characteristic of 
 children and hysterical adults. A more careful 
 study of the methods used in every-day experi- 
 ences has brought out the fact that Franklin's 
 method and the Bismarck method are not com- 
 mon methods in the usual experiences of life in 
 the home, on the street, or in the business and 
 industrial world. More common than either of 
 these two are the methods of deciding in which 
 deliberation is curtailed by some other shorter 
 and simpler method of reaching a conclusion. 
 
 A study of the methods which we all use in 
 deciding leads inevitably to the conclusion that 
 some problems are solved one way and some 
 another. There is perhaps no normal adult who 
 does not employ at least occasionally each of the 
 methods described above. Under certain con- 
 ditions we use one method and under different 
 conditions we use others. We vary from day to 
 day and from moment to moment in our suscep- 
 
 Reaching Conclusions 
 
 83 
 
 tibility to argumentation and to suggestion. In 
 deciding certain classes of questions we do not 
 feel satisfied till we have deliberated; in other 
 instances we feel no such need for deliberation 
 but respond with alacrity to appropriate sugges- 
 tions; persons and classes of society differ also 
 in the extent to which they use the different 
 methods of deciding questions. 
 
 ^:i 
 

 it 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 WHEN TO USE ARGUMENTS IN 
 INFLUENCING MEN 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 I 
 
 
 I- 
 
 9 
 
 \ 
 
 Both Argument and Suggestion are Effective in 
 Influencing Men 
 
 I. Argument Preferred in Exploiting Any New 
 
 Thing: Educational Campaign 
 11. Argument Preferred in Securing Relatively- 
 Important Acts 
 III. Argument Preferred in Exploiting Anything 
 Having Unusual Talking Points 
 • IV. Argument Preferred when It is the Exclusive 
 Form of Persuasion 
 V. Argument is Necessary in Influencing Pro- 
 fessional Buyers 
 VI. Argument Sometimes an Effective Form of 
 
 Flattery 
 VII. Hollingworth's List of Conditions that De- 
 mand Argumentation 
 VIII. "System's" List of Conditions that Demand 
 Argumentation 
 
 
 ^ I 1 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 • > :■■ r-- i. t- 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 ' ij 
 
 in- iiiiiH— Mill— I 
 
 :^i 
 
 WHEN TO USE ARGUMENTS IN 
 INFLUENCING MEN 
 
 Both Argument and Suggestion are Ef- 
 fective IN Influencing Men 
 
 The four preceding chapters have made it 
 evident that both argument and suggestion are 
 to be used in influencing men. Under some 
 conditions men can not be influenced except by- 
 arguments; under other conditions arguments 
 are less potent than suggestions. Some men are 
 especially susceptible to one of the forms; cer- 
 tain classes of decisions may be secured by one 
 of the methods of deciding more readily than 
 by another. Furthermore some men are 
 naturally experts in presenting arguments while 
 others are most successful when avoiding argu- 
 ments and depending upon suggestions. 
 
 With our present incomplete knowledge of 
 business psychology it is impossible to define all 
 the conditions under which the business man 
 should make use of argument or suggestion. 
 However, enough has been ascertained to pro- 
 vide the business man with a fairly satisfactory 
 chart for his guidance. 
 
 87 
 

 ! 
 
 if 
 
 i 
 
 
 88 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 In the following discussion special attention 
 will be given to advertising because our psy- 
 chological knowledge of that branch of business 
 is well advanced, because advertising is a good 
 typical form of business, and because it has a 
 definiteness and concreteness about it that 
 makes It good as an illustration. Each business 
 man should be able to make the applications to 
 his own business, for men are largely the same 
 in all forms of business and industry. 
 
 1. Argument Preferred in Exploiting 
 Any New Thing: Educational Cam- 
 paign 
 
 That argument is needed in exploiting new 
 goods is a statement that holds true of all mer- 
 chandise whether a new class of goods or 
 merely a new brand of an old class. 
 
 I secured a phonograph and records for the 
 language phone method of teaching a foreign 
 language because of argument. Until I had 
 considered these arguments the suggestion that 
 I should secure the equipment would have had 
 no effect upon me. In selling similar novel de- 
 vices some sort of a protracted educational 
 campaign is ordinarily a prerequisite. The 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 When to Use Arguments 
 
 89 
 
 typewriter which I purchased was a make new 
 to me and I would not have been influenced by 
 suggestion to make such a purchase, but I did 
 yield to what seemed to me at the time suffi- 
 cient reason for my action. 
 
 In exploiting a new brand or a new make of 
 a well-known article, the arguments should be 
 devoted to presenting the new features even 
 when the article as a whole may best be sold by 
 suggestion. Thus when a new type of piano- 
 player is put on the market, if it is one that in- 
 creases the orchestral effect of the piano, this 
 fact should be presented in the form of an 
 argument for the purchase of this particular 
 player. The public should be persuaded by 
 arguments to select this particular make, if they 
 purchase at all, and then the suggestions to pur- 
 chase may be effective in securing immediate 
 action. 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 II. Argument Preferred in Securing 
 Relatively Important Acts 
 
 Argumentation is the only effective method 
 of inducing men to perform important acts. I 
 would spend a nickel upon the merest sugges- 
 tion that I should do so. I would not spend a 
 
]'■■ 
 
 > if 
 
 «ii 
 
 
 |! 
 
 *: 
 
 t&^ 
 
 90 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 thousand dollars upon suggestion but only as 
 the result of deliberation following the pre- 
 sentation of arguments. In inducing people to 
 spend money, arguments are essential if the 
 amount of the purchase is any appreciable pro- 
 portion of their total capital. In inducing 
 people to purchase, the power of suggestion 
 decreases directly with the increase of the pro- 
 portion of the cost of the article to their total 
 wealth. The working of suggestion is then not 
 dependent directly upon the size of the pur- 
 chase bufupon the proportion of the cost to the 
 total wealth. It may mean as much for me to 
 purchase a current magazine as for a capitalist 
 to purchase a block of new stock. In such an 
 instance suggestion might be equally effective in 
 inducing me to purchase the magazine and the 
 capitalist to purchase an interest in a seasoned 
 stock. 
 
 Whether in the field of commerce or of in- 
 dustry, arguments are necessary in persuading 
 men to change their customs and habits. The 
 introduction of the piece-rate system into a 
 community accustomed to fixed wages demands 
 arguments. To induce men to enter unknown 
 fields of activity demands an educational cam- 
 paign based on arguments. 
 
 When to Use Arguments 
 
 91 
 
 r 
 
 III. , Argument Preferred in Exploiting 
 Anything Having Unusual Talk- 
 ing Points 
 Occasionally staples or specialties which have 
 altogether unusual talking points are placed on 
 the market. In some instances the price is 
 actually lower than that of competing goods. 
 Thus some of the newer brands of sewing 
 machines which sell for $40 are fully equal to 
 some of the older machines that are sold for 
 $60. Some of the newer makes of automobiles 
 are fully equal to the older makes which sell 
 for several hundred dollars more per car. 
 
 Goods are sometimes placed on the market 
 which are clearly superior to all competing 
 goods and yet cost no more or but little more. 
 When the Domino lump sugar was first adver- 
 tised it was cleaner, more convenient, and more 
 attractive than any other sugar on the market. 
 The Domino Crystal Salt was at one time the 
 only salt on the market which did not cake and 
 which ran freely from the container. The 
 Gillette safety razor had very decided points of 
 superiority over any of its original competitors. 
 When goods have such talking points on 
 price or quality as those here cited they should 
 be used as the basis for arguments for the pur- 
 
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92 
 
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 II 
 
 I>'fl™nc,ng Men ,n Business 
 
 chase of the eoods Tu 
 
 Poims should be empha^"d H"™'" "™"8 
 
 f the possible cusTom tha "b" ^"T'^'^ 
 
 f compering l;„es. Thrcut"/°°f ,"'"• •*» 
 
 •° «« logical reasoning TrT/Ih ;;''' ""^ '^'l 
 
 - ' 0/ their deliberat "Vi^/f f d''^ "" 
 balancing of acconnfc • r * definite 
 
 Wth the'„n„s„aTa"gl'e"„,^^°' *' S""^' 
 .«"ing goods may b^ «Td ^f ^f" " "''' "' 
 influence men. l/thl , f '" '"^P" to 
 and convincing arLmel 1' IT^" ""''''''> 
 he u,i,i«d as 'far S7„: b r"lf ': ""^^ ''■°"'^ 
 being made to mdu-ZJ^T " '"™Pt ''s 
 
 feed salaries to the p™;^'" '" ''"^^ '™"' 
 to increase their L^!/ '>"'"" '""^ also 
 
 »en should be Ibor cTeZ IT'""^' '"' 
 arguments that th^^Jr , ^ convincing ' 
 
 -, increased fe^sld^r-"- 
 
 IV. Argument Preferred when It k . 
 
 ExcEus,VE Form ot Pe^ Js^o'^ ™' 
 
 They see other, p rctsinf 1°' ^''^""^'"8- 
 
 °' *»■> «ends /urcha::;^bt-t:: t^ 
 
 .1 
 
 » 
 
 I 
 
 When to Use Arguments 
 
 93 
 
 subjected to the influence of imitation. The 
 salesman attempts to sell them the advertised 
 goods and so brings his personal influence to 
 bear upon them. They inspect the goods and 
 so supplement the words of the advertisements 
 with observation. They may have had other 
 and favorable experiences with the goods or 
 the house and so in one way or another they 
 are predisposed to do that which the advertis- 
 ing attempts to induce them to do. With cus- 
 tomers thus predisposed to purchase, sugges- 
 tion may be sufficient, but where some influence 
 other than advertising is not exerted and where 
 the customers are not predisposed to make the 
 purchase, there is need of **reason-why'' copy, 
 of **data-built" copy. Facts, data, reasons, must 
 be presented in sufficient abundance to enable 
 the uninterested possible customer to overcome 
 his indifference and to see why it is to his in- 
 terest to purchase the goods. 
 
 Occasionally advertising is the exclusive sell- 
 ing plan. This is frequently the exclusive 
 method •'employed by mail-order houses. In 
 such instances it is wise to present arguments 
 pretty fully so that the readers may have ade- 
 quate data for accepting or rejecting the goods. 
 The advertisement may well be of the sort 
 
1' 
 
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 94 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 copy.'" etc '' "'■''^^"■^^y ^°Py'" "data-built 
 
 V. Argument is Necessary in Influenc- 
 ing Professional Buyers 
 
 In selling to professional buyers mere M,«r 
 gestion s not sufficienf Q. • . ^* 
 
 nIo.« I, u , '"'^'^"^- Suggestion has its 
 p ace here but there is absolute necessity for 
 reasons why." The merchandise must be 
 shown to meet the demands of the coluLr 
 o such goods. The professional buyer haMt ! 
 ally analyzes and compares, at least more than 
 ordinary purchasers. The goods offered do not 
 stand out m his mind as unrelated things bu 
 
 same class. The professional buyer does not 
 
 caut T "r'"''"r '^^^"^^ '^ '^ ^-^ ^"t Z 
 cause It IS ^.//.r. In order that he may be 
 
 assisted to formulate this judgment of bette 
 
 ^^e^merchant must furnish him with adequate 
 
 What has been said of methods of selling to 
 professional buyers may be applied directly to 
 methods of selling technical equipment and all 
 gc^ds^tW are sold strictly according tot^^^^^^^ 
 
 i 
 
 When to Use Arguments 
 
 95 
 
 VI. Argument Sometimes an Effective 
 Form of Flattery 
 Argumentation is often advisable because 
 people like to assume that they are following 
 their reason. The arguments in favor of an 
 automobile may not be comprehended and yet 
 after reading the arguments the reader may de- 
 cide to purchase the particular make because he 
 assumes that the arguments would convince him 
 if he could understand them. In advertise- 
 ments of Grape Nuts the statement, '^There's 
 a reason," has weight even though the reader 
 has no idea as to what the reason is to which 
 reference seems to be made. We often demand 
 that appeals should be made to the reason and 
 until such an appeal has been made we are 
 unwilling to decide. We are flattered by at- 
 tempts to convince us with reasons and so the 
 "reason-why" copy is more successful in ad- 
 vertising than one might anticipate even in in- 
 stances where decisions are not the result of 
 deliberation. The mere presence of arguments 
 may often allay suspicion, though not an argu- 
 ment is read. Even where the arguments are 
 read, their significance may not be appreciated 
 in the least and yet the reader may be so flat- 
 tered by the presence of the arguments that 
 
When to Use Arguments 
 
 ^ :i it 
 
 I 
 
 
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 96 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 they are as effective in securing a decision as 
 they would be if the arguments were fully 
 understood. 
 
 VII. HOLLINGWORTH^S LiST OF CONDITIONS 
 
 THAT Demand Argumentation 
 
 "Argument .... is especially fitted, by its 
 nature and by the way it is reacted to, ... . 
 for articles which are in themselves, or from 
 the use to which they are put, impersonal, 
 utilitarian, instrumental; and for articles which 
 are intended not so much to fill present needs 
 only, but also to create new needs or desires — 
 such articles as books, plows, buttons, hammers, 
 trucks, etc. — in general, to those things which 
 partake of the nature of a tool." 
 
 97 
 
 vertisements needed to induce an unintended w} 
 expenditure of money, or needed to bring ^ 
 about a radical change in a man's usual way of 
 buying, or an innovation in his habits — as buy- 
 ing from a dealer not usually patronized by 
 him, buying by mail instead of from a dealer, 
 having an arficle made to order instead of buy- 
 ing ready-made, or vice versa, or hunting for a 
 store that can supply the article.'* 
 
 i 
 
 "II 
 
 VIII. "System's'' List of Conditions that 
 Demand Argumentation 
 
 System's Magazine for September, 19 12, In 
 "How to Advertise to Men," attempts to 
 classify the conditions in advertising that de- 
 mand dependence upon an argumentative form 
 of copy. The conclusion is reached that the 
 copy should be argumentative whenever the "ad- 
 
 A ! 
 
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 1 • 
 
 ■I- 
 
 I 
 
 •'5 f 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 WHEN TO USE SUGGESTIONS IN 
 INFLUENCING MEN 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 I. Suggestion Preferred when Inadequate Time is 
 
 Given for Arguments 
 II. Suggestion Preferred in Securing Action Fol- 
 lowing Conviction 
 III. Suggestion Preferred as a Supplementary Method 
 
 of Convincing 
 IV. Suggestion Preferred in Dealing with the Gen- 
 eral Public 
 V. Suggestion Preferred for Securing Immediate 
 
 Action 
 VI. Hollingworth's List of Conditions in Selling 
 
 Goods that Demand Suggestion 
 VII. Argument or Suggestion: Resume 
 
f 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 WHEN TO USE SUGGESTIONS IN 
 INFLUENCING MEN 
 
 1. Suggestion Preferred when Inade- 
 quate Time is Given for Arguments 
 
 An argument can not be presented in as brie^ 
 a form as a suggestion. If people would stop 
 to read the arguments appearing in advertise- 
 ments, then doubtless all advertisers would 
 make extensive appeals to the reason. By care- 
 ful investigation it has been determined that but 
 few people spend much time in reading adver- 
 tisements. It has been estimated that the 
 average reader does not spend more than ten 
 minutes in reading the advertisements appear- 
 ing in a single issue of a monthly magazine, a 
 daily or a weekly paper. That is to say, the 
 reader of a magazine glances through one hun- 
 dred pages of advertisements in less than ten 
 minutes. Advertisements in daily papers are 
 read equally fast. A common practice is to 
 turn over all the pages, to glance at all the ad- 
 vertisements, excepting the smallest ones, but to 
 read few or none of them. For this great class 
 of potential buyers arguments are usually lost. 
 
 lOI 
 
 1 
 
 /•.r\ 
 
 ■■ 
 
 «M 
 

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 102 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 If a single suggestion Is given by means of a 
 picture or of display type, the advertisement 
 may be effective with thousands of persons who 
 would not take the time or the trouble to read 
 the arguments. 
 
 The question concerning the relative merits 
 of arguments and suggestions in advertisements 
 IS not whether people are affected more by the 
 reading of arguments than by the reading of 
 the suggestions. The question is whether the 
 argument or the suggestion Is the more effective 
 \ method of appealing to the average man who 
 reads all sorts of publications, who rides on 
 street cars and passes by the bill-boards. The 
 probable answer Is that most people are af- 
 fected more by suggestions In advertisements 
 than by argumentations simply because they 
 will not take time to read the arguments to the 
 same extent that they do take time to read the 
 suggestions. The long argument Is read by a 
 few and these few are much Impressed; the 
 short argument Is read by many and they are 
 all a little affected. Other things being equal, 
 the number of persons who will read an adver- 
 tisement decreases directly as the size of the 
 copy Increases. The effect produced by the 
 reading of the advertisement increases directly 
 
 When to Use Suggestions 
 
 103 
 
 with the size of the copy and the time consumed 
 In reading it 
 
 II. Suggestion Preferred in Securing 
 Action Following Conviction 
 
 In advertising goods thoroughly known, 
 argument Is often superfluous and mere sug- 
 gestion is adequate. Most magazine readers 
 are convinced that Ivory Soap Is a good soap. 
 All that is left for the manufacturer to do is to 
 give the suggestion which will lead to the pur- 
 chase. If it is deemed wise to convince the 
 public that the familiar goods possess a par- 
 ticularly desirable quality this may often be 
 accomplished by suggestion instead of by argu- 
 mentation, provided the goods are already well 
 established In the confidence of the people. A 
 familiar example is that of the attempt to con- 
 vince the public that Ivory Soap is particularly 
 pure and delicate. This suggestion of purity 
 and delicacy Is given by means of artistic pic- 
 tures showing cultivated people using the soap 
 and using it for delicate work. The suggestion 
 is also given by means of the repetition of the 
 phrase, 99 44/100 per cent pure. General 
 readers are affected by this suggestion, and 
 
 ■TP^«9i^?'"^E*! 
 

 if 
 
 I 
 
 ! 
 
 if 
 
 . I 
 
 104 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 have come to the conclusion that Ivory Soap Is 
 particularly pure even though they are quite 
 unable to cite a single reason for such a con- 
 elusion. 
 
 In our task of persuading men, perhaps In 
 most mstances, we attempt to get them to do 
 what they already know they should do. The 
 superintendent does not have to convince his 
 men that they should render better service. The 
 function of the superintendent Is rather to get 
 men to do what they already know they should 
 do and what In fact they themselves desire to 
 do. The right suggestion helps the men and en- 
 courages them to do what without suggestion Is 
 impossible for them. The suggestion to the 
 desired action needs to be frequently repeated 
 that It may be constantly In mind. This repeat- 
 mg of the same suggestion over and over again 
 has a cumulative effect which Is greater than 
 could be secured by lengthy or by diverse 
 arguments. 
 
 III. Suggestion Preferred as a Supple- 
 
 MENTARY MeTHOD OF CONVINCING 
 
 Much advertising Is Intended not to sell 
 goods but to supplement other selling methods. 
 
 When to Use Suggestions 105 
 
 This is true not only of street car and poster 
 advertising but also of much advertising waged 
 in magazines and newspapers. The supple- 
 mentary nature of advertising is particularly 
 apparent in advertising such things as automo- 
 biles, typewriters, dictographs and in all forms 
 of insurance and financial advertising. The 
 function of the advertisement in such instances 
 is to get the potential purchaser in a favorable 
 attitude toward the commodity and then the 
 consummation of the sale is left to the sales- 
 man, booklet, or catalogue, or to some other 
 person or selling device. This supplementary 
 advertising may sometimes use arguments, but 
 its chief dependence is upon some form of sug- 
 gestion. 
 
 Street-car and out-door advertising is in the 
 main only supplementary and hence suggestion 
 is extensively used, while logical arguments play 
 a less important part. In advertising goods 
 which are to be purchased at a later time and 
 only after inspection, it is not necessary to con- 
 vince the customer by reasons presented in the 
 advertisement but to suggest some single fact 
 which may be sufficiently compelling to cause 
 him to inspect the goods. In this way the sup- 
 plementary advertising greatly simplifies the 
 
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 1 06 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 task of the clerk, the drummer, or the selling 
 plan whatever it be. 
 
 ^ In persuading men, logical reasoning is prac- 
 tically never to be used alone. After the argu- 
 ments have been presented skilful suggestions 
 should be used as a supplement. This supple- 
 ment often changes threatened defeat into suc- 
 cess. The skilful pleader before a jury, the 
 wise politician, and the successful superin- 
 tendent of men, all alike are compelled to 
 resort to suggestion to supplement their argu- 
 ments in their attempts to influence men. 
 
 IV. Suggestion Preferred in Dealing 
 with the General Public 
 
 If we should divide all customers into the 
 two classes, professional buyers and the general 
 public, then in appealing to this latter class 
 special attention should be given to suggestion. 
 In an advertisement containing both a good 
 suggestion and a good argument, the sugges- 
 tion is read often and the argument rarely. 
 From infancy we have been accustomed to re- 
 spond to suggestions so frequently that we 
 follow this habit in purchasing merchandise 
 even though we ought to make such purchases 
 
 When to Use Suggestions 107 
 
 only after due deliberation. Deliberation is a 
 process of thought which is very elaborate and 
 very exhausting. The general purchaser — ^the 
 housewife — does not ordinarily rise to such an 
 undertaking but contents herself with a process 
 very closely approximating the working of pure 
 suggestion. Even though she begins to deliber- 
 ate, the process is likely to be cut short by the 
 effect of a clever suggestion. A suggestive pic- 
 ture means more to her than any possible mass- 
 ing of facts and figures. Such a suggestive 
 phrase as "Spotless Town" when associated in 
 her mind with Sapolio becomes more effective 
 in selling her a washing compound than any 
 statement concerning its chemical purity. The 
 suggestive force of imitation is with her so 
 powerful that she follows the actions of others 
 with more confidence than the findings of her 
 own deliberations. 
 
 V. Suggestion Preferred for Securing 
 Immediate Action 
 
 President Hadley of Yale some time since 
 delivered an address in the Auditorium at Chi- 
 cago. At the time he was suffering from a very 
 severe cold. In the midst of his remarks he 
 
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 io8 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 stopped, remarked that he was a victim of a 
 cold and cleared his throat Immediately not 
 less than a hundred persons in the audience 
 began to clear their throats and to cough till it 
 was difficult to hear him speak for some 
 minutes. Not long ago I was in a company 
 where a man in a conspicuous position yawned. 
 Immediately a score of persons were affected by 
 the suggestion and unconsciously imitated his 
 action. The peculiarity of suggested action is 
 that the action follows at once upon the giving 
 of the suggestion. The result of presenting 
 arguments is deliberation with its attendant 
 hesitation. 
 
 Where any sort of an educational campaign 
 is to be waged preceding the desired action, 
 arguments are desirable. When immediate 
 action is sought and no attempt is being made 
 to educate, suggestion is preferred. In creating 
 sentiment in favor of a magazine, data must be 
 presented concerning the virtues of the maga- 
 zine. When the magazine is out and on the 
 newsstands and the purpose of the advertise- 
 ment is to secure immediate purchase, then 
 suggestion is superior to argument. The 
 greatest suggestion in securing immediate sales 
 of a magazine by means of advertising is re- 
 
 When to Use Suggestions 109 
 
 puted to have been the advertising done by the 
 Delineator when they forced us to purchase by 
 the use of suggestion, "J^st get the Delineator !" 
 
 VI. Hollingworth's List of Conditions 
 IN Selling Goods that Demand 
 Suggestion 
 
 HoUIngworth's classification Is not so much 
 the conditions in selling goods that demand sug- 
 gestion, as it is a classification of the kinds of 
 goods that may be sold advantageously by 
 suggestion. According to the classification 
 which he recently proposed, suggestion is well 
 
 adapted : 
 
 "i. For all personal articles, the use of 
 which is intimate and private, as toilet articles, 
 gifts, stationery, etc. 
 
 "2. For articles of luxury, display and adorn- 
 ment, as jewelry, fancy dress goods, feathers 
 and plumes, flowers, etc. 
 
 "3. For articles enjoyed in themselves or 
 for their own sake, rather than for remote 
 service which they may render, as drinks, musi- 
 cal instruments, sweetmeats, toys, etc, 
 
 "4. For articles calculated to promote the 
 hodily safety of the individual or of those de- 
 
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 no Influencing Men in Business 
 
 pendent on him, as disinfectants, safety devices, 
 insurance, weapons of defense, etc. 
 5. For all food products. 
 "6. For all clothing which tends to be orna- 
 mental rather than utilitarian in character, as 
 ties, collars, laces, canes, etc." 
 
 VII. Argument or Suggestion : Resum£ 
 
 To influence men effectively is no simple task. 
 Some men seem naturally gifted with this power 
 and are able to accomplish as much intuitively 
 as are other men after much study devoted to 
 the subject. The men with such talents as well 
 as those less generously endowed may increase 
 their skill in influencing men by proceeding 
 scientifically at their task. The two methods 
 available for influencing men are those of argu- 
 ment and suggestion. Which general type to 
 employ is a problem that can not be easily 
 solved. In attempting to secure light upon the 
 subject and to choose wisely between argument 
 and suggestion, the business man can not safely 
 follow the advice of his chance counselor nor 
 may he follow precedents, for there is no uni- 
 formity among counselors nor among successful 
 precedents. 
 
 When to Use Suggestions 
 
 III 
 
 If the business man Is an advertiser and is 
 considering methods of influencing the public, 
 he can decide wisely only after a careful analy- 
 sis of the problem confronting him, both be- 
 cause of the nature of his goods and because 
 of the nature of the responses that may be 
 secured from his possible customers. If his 
 goods are new, an educational campaign must 
 be waged in which logical arguments have a 
 prominent place. If his goods have unusual 
 talking points, these should be presented, if he 
 depends upon advertising exclusively, he must 
 then supply his customers with adequate data 
 for purchasing the goods. If he is selling 
 mainly to professional buyers, arguments are 
 essential. If his possible customers may be in- 
 duced to glance at his advertisement but may 
 not be induced to read arguments, then argu- 
 ments should in the main be eliminated and 
 suggestions made effective. If his goods are 
 thoroughly known to the customers, a mere sug- 
 gestion may be more effective than any possible 
 argument. If the advertisements are depended 
 upon not to sell the goods but merely to famil- 
 iarize the public with the goods or to make 
 them favorably disposed towards the goods, 
 then suggestion Is all the case demands. The 
 
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 112 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 general public responds more readily to suffges- 
 tions than to arguments; hence in dealing with 
 this large group it is usually wise to construct 
 the copy according to this habitual method of 
 response of the general public. Immediate 
 action IS more often secured by suggestion than 
 by argument. 
 
 Whatever the end sought through persua- 
 sion, the problem is similar to that of selling 
 goods by means of printed forms of advertis- 
 ing and the solution of the problem is equally 
 complex and equally important in every line of 
 Dusmess. 
 
 After the business man has analyzed methods 
 ot persuading men and after he has decided to 
 employ either argument or suggestion, then a 
 further problem awaits him— How shall he 
 construct his arguments or his suggestions so 
 they will secure the maximum results > The 
 next two chapters will deal with these practical 
 problems. 
 
 / 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 MAKING ARGUMENTS EFFECTIVE 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 The Requisites of Completed Deliberation 
 I. Creating an Adequate Idea of What is Offered 
 II. The HOW Supplements the WHY in an Argument 
 
 n/ ,x?^. ^l^""^ ""^ ^^^^'""^ ^"^ Sentiment in an Argument 
 IV. Weighmg the Evidence 
 
 V. Concluding the Argum£nt 
 
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 If 
 
 II 
 
 ii 
 
 t 
 
 iP^h 
 
 ■J 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 MAKING ARGUMENTS EFFECTIVE 
 
 The Requisites of Completed Delibera- 
 tion 
 
 As shown in Chapter II, "An Analysis of 
 Deliberation," we present arguments in order 
 that we may make people deliberate. That 
 their deliberation may be complete they must 
 do five things : 
 
 1. They must have an adequate idea of the 
 thing which we are attempting to persuade them 
 to choose or to do. 
 
 2. They must have a clear idea of just what 
 they must do to choose the thing proposed. 
 
 3. They must be led to attach value to our 
 offer. 
 
 4. They must consciously weigh the evidence 
 which we have presented in comparison with 
 reasons for selecting other things or for not 
 acting at all. 
 
 5. And finally they must be led to make a 
 more or less logical deduction resulting in con- 
 viction and the performance of the act which we 
 arc advocating. 
 
 The strength of an argument can not be 
 
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 ft 
 
 ii6 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 judged by its phraseology but depmds exclu- 
 sively upon the success it has in c lusing per- 
 sons to perform these five essential steps in a 
 typical act of deliberation, 
 
 L Creating an Adequate Idea of What is 
 Offered 
 
 An argument must give data concerning the 
 thing proposed. The skill is not so much in giv- 
 ing much data as in giving the most effective 
 data. The real essential nature of most things 
 does not consist in the material substances which 
 compose them but in the relationships and func- 
 tions which they sustain. Water is not ade- 
 quately described by stating that it is composed 
 of two parts of hydrogen to one of oxygen. 
 The important thing about water is the uses 
 which may be made of it. No one is able to 
 give an exhaustive description of anything. The 
 relationships which even a simple thing sustains 
 are innumerable. A bar of soap may be com- 
 pletely described so far as Its chemical constitu- 
 ents are concerned but no exploiter of soap has 
 been able to tell us all that might be said about 
 his soap. There Is no end to the possible uses, 
 the possible methods of securing it, the possible 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 117 
 
 savings and delights which may be secured from 
 
 it. 
 
 In presenting an argument in favor of any 
 proposition it is not necessary to present much 
 data but only such data as Is essential to the pur- 
 pose in hand. The question then naturally arises 
 as to what data should be presented and what 
 omitted. This question can not be answered 
 merely by a study of the thing offered for sale, 
 or of the act desired, but rather by a study of 
 the persons who are to be affected by the 
 argument. 
 
 Professor Harlow Gale attempted to dis- 
 cover the most essential data for selling soap. 
 Under the conditions of his experiment he found 
 these six reasons for buying soap to be ranked 
 as follows, the most Important being given 
 first: 
 
 1. Purity by government test 
 
 2. Old firm 
 
 3. Home Industry 
 
 4. Attractiveness 
 
 5. Special sale ^ 
 
 6. Souvenir prize 
 
 In "Advertising and Selling*' for February, 
 19 13, W. A. Shryer presents the following 
 
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 ii8 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 classifications which he regards as important in 
 selling various classes of merchandise : 
 
 The dominant primary appeals: (i) pride, 
 (2) acquisitiveness, (3) health, (4) utility. 
 The secondary or subsidiary appeals : ( i ) clean- 
 liness, (2) caution, (3) taste, (4) ease, (5) 
 beauty, (6) sentiment, (7) pleasure. 
 
 HoUingworth arranges the data making the 
 strongest appeals in general as follows: In the 
 first group are the appeals to health, cleanliness, 
 science, time saved, appetizing, efficiency, safety, 
 durability, quality, modernity, family affection. 
 In the second group are reputation, guarantee, 
 sympathy, medicinal, imitation, elegance, cour- 
 tesy, economy, affirmation, sport, hospitality. 
 In the third and last group fall substitutes, clan 
 feeling, nobbiness, recommendation, social su- 
 periority, imported, and beauty. 
 
 In my study and analysis of advertising 
 successes I have found many successful argu- 
 ments based on data (concepts, appeals, mo- 
 tives, reasons, etc.) other than those in the lists 
 here reproduced. This fact does not in the least 
 prove the futility of these lists, but it does em- 
 phasize the necessity of an analysis of the goods, 
 the customers, and the methods of distribution 
 in every advertising campaign. 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 119 
 
 If we assemble all the possible data for argu- 
 ments, scores or even hundreds of convincing 
 points may be made in exploiting almost any 
 commodity. Almost all goods offered for sale 
 could make a majority of the appeals mentioned 
 above, but the order of efficiency of the different 
 motives would vary from one commodity to 
 another. 
 
 Most salesmen get Into the habit of present- 
 ing their goods In a particular way and so fail 
 to realize the possible range of appeals that 
 could be made for the goods. Let any man 
 check up his practice with these lists and he 
 doubtless would find some appeals which he is 
 neglecting and which might be very effective. 
 
 11. The how Supplements the WHY in 
 AN Argument 
 
 If by arguments I am trying to induce you to 
 establish a factory In my town I first present 
 reasons why your factory would be particularly 
 profitable there. If I should be able to give 
 enough arguments in favor of the proposition, 
 you doubtless would figure out for yourself how 
 you would go at it to establish the factory. You 
 are not convinced, however, till, in imagination, 
 
 \i 1^ 
 
^H^ 
 
 : i 
 
 H 
 
 I: 
 
 (M 
 
 If' 
 
 120 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 you have established your business there. If, 
 when In imagination you have projected yourself 
 into the future, no insurmountable difficulties 
 occur to you, you may be convinced and decide 
 to act. Before you are convinced you are likely 
 to figure out how my proposition could be car- 
 ried out. I would greatly increase my chances of 
 convincing you if instead of confining myself to 
 why you should build the factory, I should de- 
 vote much of my presentation to describing 
 vividly just what you would have to do to follow 
 out the plan I am proposing. If by my words 
 you are led to imagine yourself as establishing 
 the factory, the mental image thus formed in 
 your mind is more of a ''clincher" than any rea- 
 son for the action that could possibly be offered. 
 If I am selling, by means of advertising, one 
 of the best known household commodities, my 
 sargument is incomplete unless I state where the 
 goods may be secured. Even though the goods 
 may be had at every grocery store, and even 
 though every possible purchaser may know 
 where to get them, yet the advertisement should 
 contain a statement as to how the goods can be 
 secured. The function of such a statement is 
 to cause the possible purchaser to imagine him- 
 self as going to the store to secure the goods. 
 
 ,j^ 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 121 
 
 He might possibly think out how to get the 
 goods as soon as he had read the descriptions of 
 my goods, but my statement of the necessary 
 means for securing the goods makes easy this 
 
 essential step. 
 
 As a matter of fact there Is no household 
 commodity so well known that every possible 
 purchaser knows just where and how to secure 
 it The salesman is so well acquainted with his 
 goods and knows so well how customers may 
 secure them that he is inclined to forget that 
 one of his special duties is to educate new cus- 
 tomers as to where and how the goods may be 
 
 had. 
 
 Even though an advertisement has made me 
 want a thing, I am inclined to procrastinate un- 
 less all the steps necessary for securing the 
 goods are clearly in my mind. 
 
 I decided to try a particular make of shoes 
 and to secure them at a convenient time when in 
 Chicago. As a matter of fact I did not know 
 exactly where they were on sale. I could easily 
 have found out but I didn't, so I have procras- 
 tinated the purchase which I would have made 
 if the place for securing the shoes had been 
 
 definitely in mind. 
 
 Many advertisers neglect to emphasize the 
 
 
i 
 
 M 
 
 • H 
 
 122 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 means for securing the goods which they exploit. 
 The goods may have general distribution and 
 may be on sale at all stores handling that gen- 
 eral class of merchandise, but many possible 
 customers are not aware of that fact. They 
 may be convinced of the desirability of securing 
 the goods, but they fail to purchase because of 
 the uncertainty as to the place or means of 
 securing the goods. 
 
 Furthermore, the emphasis upon the steps 
 necessary to secure the goods acts not only as a 
 source of information for possible new custom- 
 ers, but also as a most powerful stimulus to 
 action for both new and old customers. 
 
 A large proportion of all advertisements of 
 goods having a general distribution fails to 
 make use of this psychological fact. In the 
 current issue of one of the leading American 
 magazines there are 65 full-page advertise- 
 ments of goods having general distribution. Of 
 these 65 advertisements, 22 state with some 
 completeness the means of securing the goods. 
 Such expressions as these are used in the ad- 
 vertisements : 
 
 "Your druggist and your grocer have X — ." 
 
 "Price $3.00, $4.00, $5.00, to $15.00, at 
 leading dealers everywhere,'* 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 123 
 
 "Write for catalogue B and name of nearest 
 
 dealer." 
 
 "Sold by all first-class dealers." 
 "Sold by all grocers, 10 cents a package." 
 Of the 65 advertisements 7 give no hint as 
 to methods of securing the goods — no price, no 
 address, no statement that the goods might be 
 had at local dealers, no information of hint as 
 to what action is desired of possible customers. 
 The remaining 59 advertisements have in- 
 adequate information as to methods of securing 
 the goods. In fact I can not learn from some 
 of the advertisements whether the goods adver- 
 tised are on sale, for instance, in Evanston or 
 even in Chicago. 
 
 \ This failure to emphasize the means of se- 
 curing the goods advertised is the most glaring 
 weakness in advertising at the present time, and 
 renders ineffectual many otherwise urgent 
 arguments. 
 
 Sign-posts are not necessary in primitive vil- 
 lages. In great cities sign-posts are needed on 
 every corner and these must be supplemented 
 by courteous policemen. Modern methods of 
 merchandising have transcended the few re- 
 quirements of the village shopkeeper. There 
 are so many possible roads which the customer 
 
 ^ 
 
 I 
 
 1' 
 
'H 
 
 \t 
 
 
 124 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 may take that he is coming to depend more and 
 more on tihe "sign-posts" for his directions. 
 He IS unwilling to think for himself where 
 others will do it for him more satisfactorily. 
 
 The modern merchant can not be too specific 
 in his directions as to the exact steps necessary 
 in answering an advertisement or purchasing 
 goods. It is an important question : How may 
 the advertiser best present to the public the 
 method of securing the goods? 
 
 The most fundamental condition in any such 
 advertising is that the method of securing the 
 goods should be made clear to all possible cus- 
 tomers who are not familiar with the goods. 
 Even if the commodity has been on the market 
 for decades and if it is to be had at all grocers 
 or druggists, the place where it can be found 
 should be stated in every advertisement. The 
 construction of the advertisement should be 
 such that when a new possible customer reads 
 the advertisement there arises In his mind a 
 picture of the place where the goods can be had 
 and of the method of securing them. The 
 advertiser can not assume that the possible cus- 
 tomer will use any mental effort in creating this 
 mental picture. He can not be depended upon 
 to do any constructive thinking, and unless the 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 125 
 
 advertiser has made the method of securing the 
 goods so plain that the mental picture must be 
 seen by the new customer, he will not see It and 
 will leave the advertisement with no thought of 
 securing the goods advertised; or at least he 
 will be inclined to procrastinate the actual pur- 
 chase because of his mental inertia. 
 
 The wise salesman induces his customer to 
 try on the clothing, to drive the automobile, to 
 play the musical instrument, etc. The wise 
 advertiser presents the goods, so far as pos- 
 sible. In such a way that the customer will not 
 be compelled to use any original thought In con- 
 ceiving of all the steps involved in the securing 
 of the goods. 
 
 III. The Place of Feeling and Sentiment 
 IN AN Argument 
 
 Much advertising fails to get at the feelings 
 and emotions, the instincts and sentiments. It 
 must not only convince the public that they 
 OUGHT to act, but it must present Its proposi- 
 tion so that it will make them WANTJXLact 
 
 We are late in reaching the pew but early at 
 the bleachers. We put off writing to cousins 
 and aunts, but the fiancee is answered by ''return 
 
 Il 
 
li 
 
 
 X 
 
 9 
 
 r ' 
 
 126 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 mail." The dictates of reason may be resisted 
 but not the promptings of sentiment and emo- 
 tions. 
 
 We put off the things we know we OUGHT to 
 do but not the things we want to do. 
 
 Almost every one who reads the advertise- 
 ments of automobiles hankers after a machine, 
 but unless his income is adequate his better 
 judgment convinces him that it would be fool- 
 ish extravagance to make the purchase. In this 
 case we seem to have hesitation produced by 
 the judgment even when the purchase is 
 prompted by intense feelings. But the judg- 
 ment is easily convinced of the wisdom of any 
 act which excites intense desire. In the case of 
 the automobile the judgment easily recognizes 
 a fanciful need and yields to the promptings of 
 
 desire. 
 
 A current advertisement takes advantage of 
 this psychological situation and makes a most 
 clever appeal to possible purchasers of auto- 
 mobiles. The following extract from the text 
 of the advertisement is very adroit: *Tou may 
 think you don't WANT a motor car. But there 
 isn't any question about your needing one. 
 There is a difference between wanting a thing 
 and needing it There is nothing that 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 127 
 
 you could invest the money In that will pay you 
 such a big dividend in the saving of your time 
 in business and the saving of your health for 
 years, as the purchase of a motor car. A good 
 thing is a better thing the sooner you get it." 
 
 If this advertisement is able to convince a 
 man that he OUGHT to get the car he will do 
 so at once because he already wants to pur- 
 chase it. When desire Is surging we are easily 
 convinced that we ought to act, and hence the 
 act follows immediately. When the judgment 
 is convinced but no desire Is enkindled, pro- 
 crastination keeps the Intended act from tak- 
 ing place. Many articles of merchandise may 
 be so presented that the public will desire to 
 purchase them. Or they may be so presented 
 that the public will merely be convinced that 
 the goods OUGHT to be secured. The practical 
 problem then arises as to methods of making 
 the public WANT to act and want to follow out 
 specific directions. 
 
 Advertisers have been successful In accom- 
 plishing this purpose in various ways. Some 
 of these successful methods are worthy of 
 consideration. 
 
 Goods offered as means of gaining social 
 prestige make their appeals to one of the most 
 
 I 
 
t. 
 
 h 
 
 !li' 
 
 III 
 
 fU 
 
 r« 
 
 liiH 
 
 i 
 
 .tl 
 
 k. 
 K 
 
 
 i: 
 
 1 
 I 
 
 ■ II 
 
 P}ll 
 
 ,28 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 profound of the human mstmcts. In monarchies 
 
 ■™:rrC- wS,":h;c:weaUempe,o 
 
 ^™;e merchandise used, by the "sweU and 
 Xger" is absurd, but it makes it Poss.We for 
 !r advertiser to secure more responses tl^an 
 mkht oA rw se be possible. As an illustrafo,, 
 As fact we need but to loolc at the successful 
 ^dve isements of clothing ^t^'bdes etc 
 
 ^e quality of »he goods *em»^'^" j„7 "° 
 seem to be so important as the apparent pres 
 [reiven by the possession of the goods. 
 "S which are presented as suppl,.ng a 
 
 need long felt by the public - J^^^f J*^ 
 ™,f delav In the case also of objects wnici 
 supply any of the fundamental instinct,ye needs, 
 hfchancls are that we shall act "".ngly^ 
 The instinctive desire to w,n social W'-'^al^ 
 but a typical illustration of an appeal to the 
 
 fundamental instincts. .1.1,. :j,,s 
 
 Our feelings may be awakened by he da 
 
 themselves, by 4e manner m ^^f .*^;to 
 
 c-.«fpr1 or bv a combination ot tne two. 
 
 m'ide tf -vo^' viands is pleasing in itself 
 
 „Lhe manner of presenting the idea may add 
 
 I'ch toTt:^easing val«.when presented as is 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 129 
 
 done, for example, by the National Biscuit 
 Company In placing Nabisco before the public. 
 In the advertisements of Nabisco an attempt 
 was made for many months to please by means 
 of fairy maids serving the product, by means 
 of alluring verbal descriptions of the goods 
 and by perfect harmony between the Illustra- 
 tion and the type matter. 
 
 The man with the proper imagination is able 
 to conceive of any commodity in such a way 
 that It becomes an object of emotion to him and 
 to those to whom he imparts his picture, and 
 hence creates desire rather than a mere feeling 
 of ought. It would be hard to conceive of any 
 more prosaic things than correspondence 
 schools, dental cream, billiard tables, tobacco, 
 soap, flour, fountain pens, foods, musical In- 
 struments, automobiles, heating plants, radia- 
 tors, financial securities, and insurance. In the 
 mind of the artist these homely commodities 
 are transformed Into objects that awaken our 
 sentiments and aesthetic feelings. The adver- 
 tisement reproduced as Figure i presents to us 
 a correspondence school in such a way that our 
 sympathies are aroused at once. Figure 2 pre- 
 sents the telegraph and telephone in a new light 
 to most of us, and In such a way that it assumes 
 
' i 
 
 I 4 
 
 Ik 
 
 'ni 
 
 ii 
 
 !■: 
 
 |i 
 
 |; I: 
 
 Ii 
 
 130 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 a sentimental value In our minds. Figure 3 
 presents a tooth paste in such a way that the 
 presentation awakens our appreciation of the 
 beauty of the mother and child, who are made 
 even more attractive because of the use of the 
 tooth paste. Figure 4 is realistic as well as 
 artistic. It makes us all feel that a billiard 
 table is a most desirable thing. Figure 5 
 spreads a halo of sentiment about a tobacco so 
 that even the non-users regret their inability to 
 enjoy the pleasures of Velvet Joe. All these 
 five advertisements — and many others — present 
 their merchandise in such a way that a senti- 
 mental value attaches to the goods advertised. 
 They not only please us by the method of pre- 
 senting the goods, but they also cause us to 
 ascribe to the goods themselves something of 
 sentimental value. 
 
 The advertiser should be a good business 
 man and should know the goods to be exploited. 
 He should be a practical psychologist and know 
 the human emotions and sentiments. He should 
 also be a man with a fertile imagination that 
 he may be able to think of his merchandise in 
 its most attractive forms. He must also pre- 
 sent his arguments — ^whether picture or type 
 matter — in the most artistic manner possible 
 
 .!f% ^ 
 
 <€ 
 
 That coupon 
 
 gave me my start '* 
 
 "It's only a little while ago that I was just where you. 
 are now. My work was unpleasant: my pay was small. 
 I had my mother to take care of, and it was tough sled- 
 ding trying to make ends meet. I hadn't had much 
 schooling. I didn't know enough to fill any better job 
 than the one I had. 
 
 "One day I saw an advertisement of the 
 American School. It told how other men got 
 better positions and bigger salaries by taking their 
 courses. I didn't see how a correspondence school 
 could benefit me. but as long as it didn't cost any- 
 thing to mark the coupon I thought it was worth 
 investigating at least. I marked the coupon and 
 sent it in on the next mail. 
 
 "That was two years apo, and now I'm drawing more 
 money evtry wetk than I uaed to get in a month. '* 
 
 If you want a better job, if you want more congenial 
 work, if you want a salary that will put you in the cla»* where 
 
 you belong — 
 
 SIGN AND MAIL THE COUPON NOW 
 
 American School 
 
 ^ JLof Correspondence. Chicago. USA 
 
 This school has no connection with any other school usinq the mime "amrricnn 
 
 , . Clrrtrlnl K»<rlMwr 
 
 , Elrr. I.ickl A P<>«rrSap<. 
 
 . .F.lrrlriral IVirrM.a 
 
 ..Arrbitrcl 
 
 ..nnlldiac CoiitrartKr 
 . Arrhilrrtiiml llrtfli 
 . Sirurtiiral IkraffanaK 
 , .MriirliirAl F.iirinrer 
 , < wwf r.i. FnrtBecT 
 .TiTil Curiaccr 
 
 MrcliaNlnil f itrli>*rr 
 
 .SInm F-rian-r 
 . .Maiiirlp«l>:iiKia««r 
 .fima FiiriH. F.art**«P 
 >6a« Tr»el«r f.mtiw^r 
 
 .tmwftr 
 
 . Rawkkm^r _ 
 
 .Ntrii»rr»pli.r I 
 .Priiat* Hecrcury 
 
 Ae«*iiiilaac ■ 
 
 .C<Mt ArMkaHlant ' 
 
 .CrHT4r»Mit An-mt m 
 
 .AndiCsr | 
 
 ■ Pirc Im laapn^tar I 
 .Fira la*. Ailjn.trr 
 .Mr* lam. F\p.r( ■ 
 
 ■ liariMr Pirtar. Op'r " 
 
 ■ Irriratina l.Bfia«cr I 
 .T.ilila RaM 
 .rall.(. rrrpmr»t»rf ■ 
 
 ■ lata. M.ckaalciaa " 
 
 Namk .... 
 AODRISS 
 
 ....a......... ...... 
 
 Figure 1 
 
 
 M 
 
 il 
 
r 
 
 m\ 
 
 I 
 
 V 
 
 ■ 
 
 Fairy Magic — Telephone Reality 
 
 A tent large enough to shelter 
 his vast army, yet so small that he 
 could fold it in his hand, was the 
 gift demanded by a certain sultan 
 of India of his son, the prince who 
 married the fairy Pari-Banou. 
 
 It was not difficult for the fairy 
 to produce the tent. When it was 
 stretched out, the sultan's army 
 conveniently encamped under it 
 and, as the army grew, the tent 
 extended of its own accord. 
 
 A reality more wonderful than 
 Prince Ahmed's magic tent is the 
 Bell Telephone. It occupies but a 
 few square inches of space on your 
 
 desk or table, and yet extends over 
 the entire country. 
 
 When you grasp it in your hand, 
 it is as easily possible to talk a 
 hundred or a thousand miles away 
 as to the nearest town or city. 
 
 In the Bell System, 9,000,000 
 telephones are connected and work 
 together to take care of the telephone 
 needs of the people of this country. 
 
 As these needs grow, and as the 
 number of telephone users increases, 
 the system must inevitably expand. 
 For the Bell System must always 
 provide a service adequate to the 
 demands of the people. 
 
 American Telephone and Telegraph Company 
 
 And AssocrATED Companies 
 
 One Policy One System Universal Service 
 
 Figure 2 
 
 "And I havegmn^ilfeerto 
 thank, who trained me in the habit 
 of brushing my teeth twi^^a^^y. 
 
 '* But, Betty, you have som^lung: 
 which makes the habit more rof a 
 pleasure than a duty, the ddBcious 
 
 COLOaTE'S 
 
 RIB%ON OENTOL CROW 
 
 Reprinted by courtesy of Colgate & Co. 
 Figure 3 
 
 1 ' 
 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 f!'"' 
 
 r^HONf^,^^ ^, 
 
 MStMS 
 TEUMOUt 
 
 Fairy Magic — Telephone Reality 
 
 . j^' 
 
 
 A tent large enough to shelter 
 his vast army, yet so small that he 
 could fold it in his hand, was the 
 gift demanded by a certain sultan 
 of India of his son, the prince who 
 married the fairy Pari-Banou. 
 
 It was not difficult for the fairy 
 to produce the tent. When it was 
 stretched out, the sultan's army 
 conveniently encamped under it 
 and, as the army grew, the tent 
 extended of its own accord. 
 
 A reality more wonderful than 
 Prince Ahmed's magic tent is the 
 Bell Telephone. It occupies but a 
 few square inches of space on your 
 
 desk or table, and yet extends over 
 the entire country. 
 
 When you grasp it in your hand, 
 it is as easily possible to talk a 
 hundred or a thousand miles away 
 as to the nearest town or city. 
 
 In the Bell System, 9,000.000 
 telephones are connected and work 
 together to take care of the telephone 
 needs of the people of this country. 
 
 As these needs grow, and as the 
 number of telephone users increases, 
 the system must inevitably expand. 
 For the Bell System must always 
 provide a service adequate to the 
 demands of the people. 
 
 American Telephone and Telegraph Company 
 
 And Associated Companies 
 
 One Policy One System Universal Service 
 
 Figure 2 
 
 "And I have grandmother to 
 thank, who trained me in the habit 
 of brushing my teeth twice-a-day. 
 
 "But, Betty, you have something 
 which makes the habit more of a 
 pleasure than a duty, the delicious 
 
 COLOftTE'S 
 
 Rlg^gPN DENTOL CREiepl 
 
 ..w- i-i„.-i^..tf.^iEj^ 
 
 Reprinted bv courtesy of Colgate & Co. 
 Figure 3 
 
... i 
 
 M 
 
 't 
 
 "The stock 
 ain't fed yet, 
 Hiram!" 
 
 % 
 
 I i 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 P'Hveu jn town A>r c<;iXltu^y■ 
 
 irranf 
 
 of {xiiM-^i 
 
 ixTxiirf. are xu; 
 
 x!5 »*^.i!ch r\ br;iusnt victory iw/n: 
 
 "imlB^ 
 
 .r^j 
 
 i:;;^^)*, i-Ct^iterw^s.*-- 
 
 ; I ;r;r^- .f "/f ' \^.- 
 
 ■^,ihUt 
 
 T;;uv;*Xii::;H ot bv=?«tfs afe rtUKfivsu «•;?!; Bijisiirds, Moine;'!;. (ai!i«rs, San;? ;u>ii i^a;!««V5r^. 
 
 crvJK>t;v 
 
 f vvivjf ftod;i^ Ist^;- win' boys Si«! >4ir)^i iitA(! k<?«p ;Jicm o«V 5ti* stm^r 
 
 SUPERB BRUNSWICK 
 
 Home Billiard Tables 
 
 Hih cs;:^x;tiy Jskfr our f3>;:\';>us ri-ifvj^ation Sab5«j— i=>r a)! garsfs o^ Caroui and Pocket Hii- 
 ; :>! ■ , ,-::-♦ «\s''is and >:ji-iit',j«.s thra barraoaia* -.vitb hoRse s«rj't>«r.(liuii;^v 
 
 M, - svh.. arc v^^isird^ ;it Hsliwiis- Hopj>e. Svt«)n. Is^iSiSn- -perform th«;r bav-t^p^t 
 . -0 I ;,t'ic ;,on.-;« s!:y!e<!. , l.rife, sp*p(L ae'-.-ttracv- • ^ti; st ienttfic play-.Kg rjuaUtie^ are attitsr.t'i' 
 
 "GRAND" and "BABY GRAND" Playing Outfit FREE 
 
 T^*■'■<.■>'A^'l>''ft^?=r'B.■^.BV^>f;,\^'f>' hi*- •.>«P'-r5:'iV 
 
 A Year to Pay 
 
 Ot;r pv»pv;Uvr px;xv:ti4*c i>;«n ■'-'>,? >v'w fr* w); ^>.-f < 
 -« ?ii- A- *;}' l-ffi>»'f-_^t»i i«» -sSu'T' pay iXNittt!»<'r -is \ >«» 
 :,.V,vv. Evec the wesUhJi^jit Rv'O-.v^S .''..%■ wiyi-w 'A'- 1' \»- 
 
 f?4;!< jtiAtvi-rajf-Jw-l Coe*. fefti^V, .Vii.-ij^*, Spirit 
 i{ line M»S1U*?." <'cat Jjiciur** *;i ?Jr«B->w\.ic ii-^;K<'' 
 
 t 
 
 
 -1 
 
 I 
 
 
 I'j-t the ft-,^ap'>» while ti-.-j 
 
 
 Mail For BiUiardBookFREE 
 
 J **BiIliard«— The Home Magnet 
 
 I 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 Figure 4 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 135 
 
 under the restrictions imposed upon him. 
 Many of our successful national advertisers 
 have come to recognize the fact that the artist 
 is demanded for the most skilful exploitation 
 of merchandise. The literary style employed 
 in the advertising pages of our best magazines 
 may be compared favorably with the editorial 
 pages. The illustrations which are the most 
 successful meet the requirements demanded by 
 the combined judgment of the business man, 
 the psychologist, and the artist. The most 
 convincing arguments are those that most ade- 
 quately describe the merchandise; most skil- 
 fully appeal to the fundamentals in human 
 nature; and are clothed in the most artistic 
 forms. 
 
 IV. Weighing the Evidence 
 
 Arguments are not assumed to convince im- 
 mediately but to lead to a mental see-sawing, a 
 weighing of evidence and a passing of judg- 
 ment. In presenting my arguments to you I am 
 on my guard to present them in such a form 
 that you will actually be able to weigh them and 
 to pass judgment as to the value of the thing 
 which I am trying to persuade you to accept or 
 
 • (*■ 
 
II 
 
 (.,, 
 
 r 
 
 fit, I 
 
 41 I 
 
 t 
 
 136 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 to do. I therefore present my arguments In a 
 logical and simple manner. If I am trying to 
 induce you to change to the *'task and bonus'* 
 system of wage I must show you what you 
 would get according to the new system if trans- 
 lated into the terms to which you are accus- 
 tomed. In this way you will immediately pass 
 the judgment of ''more profitable" upon my 
 proposition. I must conform to your habits of 
 thought; I must describe things in a manner 
 which causes you to classify them favorably, to 
 imagine yourself as accepting and acting upon 
 my arguments and hence enabled to weigh my 
 evidence effectively. 
 
 In so far as possible we all reduce our actions 
 to habit and respond in a stereotyped way to 
 whole classes of things. There are certain 
 classes of things which we habitually reject 
 without hesitation; there are other classes 
 which we accept in a perfectly automatic man- 
 ner. Every business man has formed the fixed 
 habit of rejecting every proposition which he 
 classifies as unprofitable. He has an equally 
 fixed habit of accepting anything which he 
 classifies merely as profitable. The function of 
 my argument is then to cause the public to 
 classify my proposition with a group towards 
 
 P'igure 5 
 
 
 
 I 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 U l l iliiii li nf ■I li ym i HHP 
 
 ■ l^Bip 
 
 it! 
 
 h 
 [.1 
 
 •t 
 
 
 [^i 
 
 
 136 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 to do. I therefore present my arguments in a 
 logical and simple manner. If I am trying to 
 induce you to change to the **task and bonus** 
 system of wage I must show you what you 
 would get according to the new system if trans- 
 lated into the terms to which you are accus- 
 tomed. In this way you will immediately pass 
 the judgment of *'more profitable" upon my 
 proposition. I must conform to your habits of 
 thought; I must describe things in a manner 
 which causes you to classify them favorably, to 
 imagine yourself as accepting and acting upon 
 my arguments and hence enabled to weigh my 
 evidence effectively. 
 
 In so far as possible we all reduce our actions 
 to habit and respond in a stereotyped way to 
 whole classes of things. There are certain 
 classes of things which we habitually reject 
 without hesitation; there are other classes 
 which we accept in a perfectly automatic man- 
 ner. Every business man has formed the fixed 
 habit of rejecting every proposition which he 
 classifies as unprofitable. He has an equally 
 fixed habit of accepting anything which he 
 classifies merely as profitable. The function of 
 my argument is then to cause the public to 
 classify my proposition with a group towards 
 
 
 EiV^ 
 
 i-as-i 
 
 y*.^-. 
 
 Suppose we haven't made a million. 
 
 Let's be grateful this Thanksgivin' 
 
 For all those daily blessin's 
 
 That make our lives wuth livin'— 
 
 Thankful that we've got kind fren's- 
 
 No debts we cannot pCiy, 
 
 A lot o' health, enough o' wealth 
 
 An' three good meals a day. 
 
 I'm thankful I can stretch my legs 
 
 Defo' a cheerful fire. 
 
 An' smoke cool, mellow VELVET 
 
 In my sweet, old, seasoned briar. 
 
 <l^f" 
 
 IN THIS season of thankfulness for the fmits of earth, let us 
 not forget the "blessed weed" that grows in the Blue Grass 
 Country — Kentucky's Barley dc Luxe, thai in the form of 
 VELVET, The Smoothest Smoking Tobacco, brings cheer 
 and comfort io millions of men. 
 
 Many a Thanksgiving feast will be topped off with a sweet, 
 old, seasoned pipe, full of cool, slow-burning VEIVET whose 
 aged-in-the-wood mellowness brings content. 
 
 May your Thanksgiving pipe be sweet with if. 
 
 10c Tint 5c Metal-Lined Bags 
 
 One Pound Glass Humidors 
 
 ■^^^4i£ttm_M^*MD5€actio Oar. 
 
 Artw 
 
 P"igure 5 
 
 s-m- 
 
 ^ \^^'^:.' -^^r ^. - 
 
 "X 
 
 -X 
 
 ?"08ACCoi^ 
 
 Z w 
 
:::=ssms^isim 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 139 
 
 which they have formed the habit of acting 
 favorably. Thus if I can get business men to 
 classify my offer as profitable they will accept 
 It; if they classify it as unprofitable they will 
 reject it. 
 
 In reality, arguments are necessary only in 
 advocacy of propositions which are so complex 
 that they can not readily be classified with a 
 single group of things towards which action is 
 stereotyped. If I am trying to persuade you to 
 purchase a home you may classify the purchase 
 of the particular piece of real estate as securing 
 a home, a good investment, or an act which 
 will please your family, or an act which will 
 bring you into association with very desirable 
 persons. On the other hand you may classify 
 the purchase of this real estate as the sort of 
 deal which a friend made and on which he lost 
 heavily, as a move which would limit your 
 freedom of action, as removing you too far 
 from your place of business, as being an outlay 
 of money greater than is warranted at the 
 present time, or as making it impossible for you 
 to be in the market for a bargain. All I can do 
 by argument is to present the real estate to you 
 in such a manner that you will be likely to 
 classify it with the things toward which you act 
 
 * 
 
 - 
 
 n 
 
:'!; 1 
 
 llr. 
 
 t'B * 
 
 OB f 
 
 ii 
 
 140 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 favorably with the greatest alacrity, and to try 
 to keep out of your mind everything which 
 would lead you to classify it according to some 
 of the unfavorable groups. As a real estate 
 dealer I must find out what particular concep- 
 tions of real estate are most likely to be 
 grouped in classes towards which the possible 
 buyers are accustomed to respond most favor- 
 ably. If my patrons are conservative and re- 
 spond regularly only towards what seems to be 
 particularly safe, then I must emphasize the 
 substantial nature of my offerings. If they are 
 looking for an investment, then I must show 
 how the city is growing and how there will be 
 ready sales. Great skill is required in present- 
 ing any commodity so that it will be most favor- 
 ably classified. 
 
 A business phonograph is a new business ap- 
 pliance. Whether the business man will pur- 
 chase It or not depends upon how he classifies it. 
 The reproduced advertisements of business 
 phonographs. Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, are all ex- 
 cellent attempts to present such arguments that 
 the customers may classify the equipment favor- 
 ably. The advertisement reproduced as Figure 
 6 presents the business phonograph as a simple 
 device which will enable the correspondence 
 
 How many times do you 
 use this 
 
 when vou mii^ht use this? 
 
 If you learn to use the 
 
 Dictatin^ 
 Machine 
 
 I'-f.-i-i S.)!-'-/);i.iiMt, ?p:;.ifv 'Mk!.' ! V r' 
 
 it will double the output of letters per day, get each day's work 
 out on time and cut down telegrapli bills. 
 
 The United States spends over $27,000,000 annually in send- 
 ing telegrams. The average cost ol each is 42 cents. How 
 much do vou contribute'^ Far more than vou would if vour mail 
 w'as promptly handled. 
 
 to 
 
 I lie Edison Dictating Machine has been developed t 
 its jjresent advanced design by a corps of experts under / 
 the personal supervision of. I homas A. Edison. It is the ma- y^ 
 c.hii>e approved and l.ihcled by t{je Underwriters* Labors- • 
 
 tories, Inc., under the (\\r(<ivm ni the National Board of Fitir ^Send in 
 
 Underwrilers, and the onlv dictating machine equipped with / ilu» coupon 
 »n Auto Index for conveying correction?, instructions, etc. / 
 
 to th<=> transcriber. Its many rnecfianicaland electrical ^Th>m»»A.Ldmi».\»c 
 Hdvaritages are ex{>iained in our lioqklets, which / C>i»««». N. J.**' 
 
 \'oH should read betore investigating. >^..Sr**,'"^'?r ^"'•^ ^-^^^ 
 
 <^ Thr If ft J tii.'tirxi, \fan,' 
 Ser-iic etertjtihetc, inchidins ikr puncipat y iim Mtchior ma> (ir tcUptcd iv mr 
 
 r(4lMk- 
 
 ^j^ 200 I »kf »id« Aw. , y 
 
 . ~" .:~ ■ : ;■ ::f ;:. .: _ • •. , ^. Aadw«. 
 
 Figure 6 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 140 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 favorably with the greatest alacrity, and to try 
 to keep out of your mind everything which 
 would lead you to classify it according to some 
 of the unfavorable groups. As a real estate 
 dealer I must find out what particular concep- 
 tions of real estate are most likely to be 
 grouped in classes towards which the possible 
 buyers are accustomed to respond most favor- 
 ably. If my patrons are conservative and re- 
 spond regularly only towards what seems to be 
 particularly safe, then I must emphasize the 
 substantial nature of my offerings. If they are 
 looking for an investment, then I must show 
 how the city Is growing and how there will be 
 ready sales. Great skill is required in present- 
 ing any commodity so that it will be most favor- 
 ably classified. 
 
 A business phonograph is a new business ap- 
 pliance. Whether the business man will pur- 
 chase It or not depends upon how he classifies It. 
 The reproduced advertisements of business 
 phonographs, Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, are all ex- 
 cellent attempts to present such arguments that 
 the customers may classify the equipment favor- 
 ably. The advertisement reproduced as Figure 
 6 presents the business phonograph as a simple 
 device which will enable the correspondence 
 
 <M 
 
 How many times do you 
 use this 
 
 when you mii^ht use this? 
 
 If you learn to use the 
 
 Dictatin 
 Machine 
 
 it will double the output of letters per day, get each day's work 
 out on time and cut down telegrapli bills. 
 
 The United States spends over $ 2 7, OOO.OOO annually in send- 
 ing telegrams. The average cost ol each is 42 cents. How 
 much do you contribute) Far more than vou would if vour mail 
 was promptly handled. 
 
 l.lie Edison Dictating Machine has been developed to 
 its present tulvanced design by a corps ol expeits under / 
 the personiil suporvit^ion of 'I homas A. Edison. It is the nia- ^ 
 
 ; chine approved and labeled by the Underwriters* Labors- / 
 
 tones, hu... under the direcljnn of the National Board of I'ite '^Send in 
 
 L nderwrilers, ar.d tfir unH dictating machine equipped with / UiU coupon 
 an Auto Index for ton veving correclions, mstructions, etc. / 
 
 to the transcriber. Its many mechanical ancf electrical ^Ty»fm»»\tA»t».\aK^ 
 advantages are explained in otir booklets, which • Oi»n«e?N' f **' 
 
 vou should read })efore investigatins;. ^ ^mtvoAmr yoat t«wUei. 
 
 >cf'af ete'(jahei\', including thr p; <.'JC(><*<' X inu M»cKii>c «>»> I* •d»p»«i «u mr 
 
 M 
 
 y ic»i Mx) rWrOrk*! «<}T«nU«n. 
 
 ^- 200 1 «ike»id* Av*. , .-y 
 
 ^^^omohCtSdlion^ Otanje, N, J. y_ 
 
 Figure 6 
 
M 
 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 
 1 
 
 f 
 i 
 
 y-^ 
 
 
 1 
 
 tl 
 
 
 1 ^H 
 
 \ 1 
 
 
 k ■.! 
 
 1 
 
 \ i 
 
 ■% 
 
 t 
 
 Ml. \\'liil(\ ill** senior i-atlnrr is away, m) Im 5l<'Si<.gra|)her ^jx-mls iwr 
 time reading arul d-ting lancy work. 
 
 Mr. Black, the iunior [>artner. had only six ktler? to {li< tale, ^o his 
 slenograjthef gets thi"VJgh arnJ g<;es ln>ine eari\. 
 
 Mr. Grev. the clue! correspondence cleik. dictated all niornint; to hi-^ j^teno- 
 gra})h^^v. She tian-cnhed all aiternoon, and 6 o'clock was iio\\h< r«-- near 
 thnaioli. Now \\ the 
 
 Edison ^^ 
 
 ne 
 
 I :-\i,l s:ili>i»(i;li<-i!. fvri.iy "M».V t-' I -ii?, r. 
 
 woukl l)c urjllea 
 
 this otfjce. the typ<.*\v riling work could Le ciiuailv clivi-icd, all the Irtlcrs 
 bffore « !<»ing lime, nohody wojtj lie ove»A\ofkfd. ■Ani\ no time would 
 
 he \va<tef.l, for anyone f an ur,tl<"i.<tarul letter* dii tateJ lh»s way a? 
 
 ^■ajiiy a* a telephone cot)\er<afi«^n c.tu ht; uivierftood. ^ 
 
 y ihr r,tiiwn Ditialiaij Mat hsne ha« \>et\\ i\r\ eloped lo its present ^ 
 advaficet) design by a corps >\ exj>'.nts ur.der the personal /^ . . 
 suprrvi'^ionof Thrtnas A. FaJisoi!. It i5 the machine rtppiovetl /_ 
 atidlaheledhytheLruleruriter*'Lal)oratories''»~.. under the ^ '* ^""P*"" 
 (life< ti;.n of tlic National Board of h ire L fulerwriter*. and ^ \\,M*t\ R<Ji.oa.li««. 
 the onh Hk talinK machine equip(>ed w i<h an Aiilo, hidcx • 2iXi i .k'«i» -w 
 lor convrvsnp . ...re.:l)on-< .n«tru.:t.on». -k,. to tiv l^.v.KnUi. • ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^, ,^ 
 
 !!» niar.v in*'<hitJii«al ani.1 eUitrual *viv^nia)j« atf "Xi>Ui!i»'<3 ^ l^«.Kjf». " 7 A* <'oo<f. (Ac 
 
 111 <ur f.'.< kit. vvIikK you S.!«>utd n-A'.] bfk r<- iliV'ti^'-^ltn^'. ^ Typeanirt anj ihf^ M'.-'J'/ 
 
 .Sfr: 
 
 t'ccriju'lieie, irtilu-Jins} the 
 C<in'i^^ian Cilies. 
 
 •.',i!>.)/ 
 
 
 . M»vKir,r m«> !•■ »d»»jl«i I" ir.v %«*fk, 
 r^ Old y.mr l«».k!»'! on i»« m«< >»»»»! ««<J 
 / rt«>l!i>-«l rMiv«tiU«f*. 
 
 ^ N.m. 
 
 Figure 7 
 
 ^:' !^«'; 
 
 21 *' 
 
 S' 
 
 3TAyi5I1| 
 
 !i:/ 
 
 .U /^ 
 
 ,Ji 
 
 ;?? 
 
 ■ : ■! I 
 
 i^ 
 
 o. 
 
 ,\^.' 
 
 KJUOUCXXXUGEIIKKXrCT CCCII.I.I. 
 
 Mi if 
 
 r 
 
 ;^v^/y/? 
 
 ■ an 
 
 ,■ UP! 
 
 ill! 
 
 ; ■;/ ■ 
 
 
 ''''2_iuv'''-''i'^' 
 
 Making the 
 
 "Big Man" 
 More Productive 
 
 The Edison Dictating Machine gives the valuable man more time 
 for productive work. It means increased efficiency for the "big 
 man." It is a time-saving measure applied w here it yields the greatest 
 returns. A sound business investment. 
 
 '^^^ 17 J C ^ ^ ^ Dictating 
 iLaiSOn MachinI 
 
 and Transophone 
 
 . J he Edison Dictating Machine makes you independent of another's leisure or 
 convenience. It is ready for service at any lime^- early or late. Mr. Edison has 
 developed it lo the highest perfection in points of service and convenience. 
 
 Tlie Tranisophone, his latest invenlion, is a boon to the stenographer. 
 
 Tiie L<ii»on rcprevntativc in yout tov,n wiil g!a<j!y give you a friic d^iuoDilifttion upon request. 
 
 This Coupon Brings Our Literature 
 
 t}«- J..-ti«<i l)Hl:i<wt ^!8rr,in- tsl«^.-(T.iai Ml «v,i;lbl h '■( i:. lb.- i!i,-(:. .'a|- (.iiria.-,, f.n.cf l\; 
 KUivftUtc many ru-vi tod ciciu«vr icat.ifrs v-'i.irH Mi, Edium tiss „Mt.i- :ci.d ilw r.j.iism ■ - 1.-,^» 
 
 s'jjtes 
 
 vnonuwfl.ulkioju 
 
 D«pl. 13f>4. 
 Orange, N. J. 
 
 Xocl^fr.^rftt^d 
 
 THOMAS A. EDISON, Inc. 
 Dept. 1394, ORANGE, N. J. 
 
 GcDjIi'nien: - Pki5<- »cnU n)e Urc antl wi hoot ohligation your timAlei on 
 cort«fK)nd<-nce Hficiency, "The 1 ifr<l Buun>-sji Man." 
 
 M«mr 
 
 A46trfn 
 
 Your Fimi N«rn* 
 
 Figure 8 
 
 tJ 
 
 u 
 
 \i 
 
Mr. Edison Presents 
 
 The Edison 
 
 Dictating Machine 
 
 an^Transophone 
 
 better and more desirable than ever 
 
 Pressed steel 
 construction 
 
 in pedestal, cylinder rack 
 and cabinet contribute to 
 strength, durability auid 
 lightness. 
 
 The accessibility 
 
 of parts bears an impi.>r- 
 tant relation to the cost 
 of up-keep. 
 
 Sanitube, 
 
 with germicide filler, 
 metal tubing, makes 
 dictation safe, pleasant 
 and efficient. 
 
 Covered Wheels 
 
 avoid annoyance while 
 speaking; protect parts. 
 
 Self-Stopper 
 
 saves motor wear and 
 current expense. ' 
 
 Chip-Brush, 
 
 cleans the ■ cylinder of 
 wax chips. 
 
 Locked-Arm 
 
 prevents losing place on 
 cylinder. 
 
 Double Diaphragms 
 
 arc easily replaced, and 
 make machines useful for 
 both dictating and tran- 
 scribing. 
 
 Collapsible Mandrel 
 
 avoids sticking and slip- 
 ping of wax cylinder, 
 aligns all cylinders to uni- 
 form position f orindexing. 
 
 Speaker-Guard 
 
 protects sapphire points 
 and prevents scratching 
 of cylinder. 
 
 Friction-Grips 
 
 attach on cartons to pre- 
 vent cylinder breakage. 
 
 Auto Index 
 
 Easiest, efficient system 
 for advising transcriber 
 of corrections. 
 
 Edison -made motors 
 operate on least current; 
 are strongest; run with 
 
 Int lieating in cnmpleUiy rn- 
 closeJ cabinet* without 
 inrch.inical ventilation; 
 bmshr* quitikly rcplaceti. 
 
 Send for the booklet 
 *'The Tired Business Man*' 
 
 ^^^^^ TRADE MARK 
 
 IMCO««»0»9ATEO 
 
 Dept. 1393, Orange, N. J. Service Everywhere 
 
 Figure 9 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 145 
 
 department to get out all letters on time and 
 hence to avoid the necessity of sending tele- 
 grams. The advertisement reproduced as 
 Figure 7 presents the business phonograph as 
 a device for adjusting the work of the indi- 
 vidual stenographers. The advertisement re- 
 produced as Figure 8 presents the phonograph 
 as a device to enable the ''big man" to become 
 more productive. The advertisement repro- 
 duced as Figure 9 presents the business phono- 
 graph, not as a device for rendering any 
 particular service, but as a perfect instrument. 
 
 Advertisements reproduced as Figures 6, 7, 
 and 8, each emphasize but a single service ren- 
 dered by the phonograph. The last of this 
 series (Figure 9) emphasizes no service but 
 brings out clearly the perfection of the con- 
 struction of the instrument. Each of the ad- 
 vertisements presents such data that the busi- 
 ness man who reads it is almost forced to 
 classify the business phonograph with a group 
 of things (avoidance of expensive telegrams; 
 equation of work of stenographers; accomplish- 
 ment of maximum by high-priced men; perfec- 
 tion in details of office equipment) toward 
 which he has formed the habit of acting 
 favorably. 
 
 
 ».,■ 
 
 '•11 
 
 'i\ 
 
 ;r I 
 
 II 
 
 ) A 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 » p i w iii— mi— i—H 
 
 i ^ 
 
 Mr. Edison Presents 
 
 The Edison 
 
 Dictating Machine 
 
 anof Transophone 
 
 better and more desirable than ever 
 
 Pressed steel 
 construction 
 
 in pedestal, cylinder rack 
 and cabinet contrihuteto 
 strength, durability and 
 lightness. 
 
 The accessibility 
 
 of parts bears an innpor- 
 lant relation to the cost 
 of up-keep. 
 
 Sanitube, 
 
 with germicide filler, 
 metal tubing, makes 
 dictation safe, pleasant 
 and efficient. 
 
 Covered Wheels 
 
 avoid annoyance while 
 speaking; protect parts. 
 
 Self -Stopper 
 
 saves motor wear and 
 current expense. 
 
 Chip-Brush, 
 
 cleans the cylinder of 
 wax chips. 
 
 Locked-Arm 
 
 prevents losing place on 
 cylinder. 
 
 Double Diaphragms 
 
 arc easily replaced, and 
 make machines useful for 
 both dictating aod tran- 
 scribing. 
 
 Collapsible Mandrel 
 
 avoids .sticking and slip- 
 ping of wax cylinder, 
 aligns all cylinders to uni- 
 form position f orindexin g. 
 
 Speaker-Guard 
 
 protects sapphire points 
 and prevents scratching 
 of cylinder. 
 
 Friction-Gripa 
 
 attach on cartons to pre- 
 vent cylinder breakage. 
 
 Auto Index 
 
 Easiest, efficient system 
 for advising transcriber 
 of corrections. 
 
 EdisoD-made motors 
 
 operate on least current; 
 are strongest; run with 
 
 lea heating in compUleftf eu- 
 cloteJ cabinet* without 
 mn'h.'inical ventilation; 
 brushp» quickly rrplaced. 
 
 Send for the booklet 
 '^The Tired Business Man" 
 
 lARK 
 
 ^^^"^^ TRAOC Mi 
 
 IfMCORP'ORATEO 
 
 Dcpt. 1 393, Orange, N. J. Service Everywhere 
 
 Figure 9 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 145 
 
 department to get out all letters on time and 
 hence to avoid the necessity of sending tele- 
 grams. The advertisement reproduced as 
 Figure 7 presents the business phonograph as 
 a device for adjusting the work of the indi- 
 vidual stenographers. The advertisement re- 
 produced as Figure 8 presents the phonograph 
 as a device to enable the "big man" to become 
 more productive. The advertisement repro- 
 duced as Figure 9 presents the business phono- 
 graph, not as a device for rendering any 
 particular service, but as a perfect instrument. 
 
 Advertisements reproduced as Figures 6, 7, 
 and 8, each emphasize but a single service ren- 
 dered by the phonograph. The last of this 
 series (Figure 9) emphasizes no service but 
 brings out clearly the perfection of the con- 
 struction of the instrument. Each of the ad- 
 vertisements presents such data that the busi- 
 ness man who reads it is almost forced to 
 classify the business phonograph with a group 
 of things (avoidance of expensive telegrams; 
 equation of work of stenographers; accomplish- 
 ment of maximum by high-priced men; perfec- 
 tion in details of office equipment) toward 
 which he has formed the habit of acting 
 favorably. 
 
 f 
 
 1 
 
■I 
 
 f t 
 . » 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 .H 
 
 ■It ■ 
 
 I' 
 
 I 
 
 146 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 In presenting my arguments I must do it so 
 that you may compare and weigh them with 
 those presented for any competing line of 
 goods. My duty is not to assist you to call up 
 these competing and contrasted ideas but to 
 hold your attention so far as possible to my 
 offers. I should emphasize particularly those 
 points in my commodity at which comparisons 
 with other things are made most readily and 
 favorably. 
 
 Whether my line of goods will be chosen 
 when brought into competition with other 
 goods, depends largely upon how it is classified 
 in the minds of the public. If I am selling a 
 steel filing case it will be selected if it is classified 
 by the public as a convenience used by successful 
 competing firms ; but will be rejected if classified 
 as a product of a new and successful method of 
 electric welding. It will be chosen if classified 
 as an economy in space and money; but re- 
 jected if classified as a piece of office furniture. 
 If I am selling a revolver it will be selected if 
 classified as a protection, but rejected if classi- 
 fied as a powerful weapon. By means of sales- 
 men and advertising, a merchant may in a large 
 degree determine how the public shall classify 
 his commodity. Almost any article of mer- 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 147 
 
 chandlse may be, and actually is, classified in a 
 score of different ways. Ordinarily the mer- 
 chant follows precedent or habit in deciding 
 how his goods shall be classified in advertising 
 and in selling talks. Whether he hits upon a 
 good or a bad classification is largely a matter 
 of luck, for no business man today knows how 
 his goods should be classified to secure the 
 greatest possible results. By bitter experience 
 he may have found that one particular classifi- 
 cation succeeds and that another fails, but he 
 does not know the relative merits of different 
 classifications. At this point the psychologist 
 should render inestimable service to the busi- 
 ness world. In any particular case he should 
 be able to determine the relative merits of dif- 
 ferent classifications. He should be able in 
 advance to determine the success of any par- 
 ticular appeal in comparison with any other 
 method of presenting the same goods. He 
 should thus be in a position to save the business 
 world from some of its unsuccessful advertis- 
 ing campaigns and hence to reduce the cost of 
 distribution. 
 
 V. Concluding the Argument 
 
 The argument is not completed till It ends in 
 

 I !' 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 S i 
 
 1 ' 
 
 ■ 
 
 , 
 
 148 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 conviction and execution. The classification 
 leading to comparison would seem to necessi- 
 tate the conviction and execution, but unfortu- 
 nately the concluding step can not be thus 
 assumed. For example, I may have led my 
 employees to classify piece rate as a wage; and 
 by comparison with other wages they may think 
 of it as a larger wage. But before the argu- 
 ment has completed its function it must lead 
 each man to go through a process of thinking 
 something like the following syllogistic form 
 of reasoning: 
 
 (Major premise) I will seek any oppor- 
 tunity to secure a larger wage. 
 
 (Minor premise) The piece rate offers an 
 opportunity to secure a larger wage. 
 
 (Conclusion) Therefore I accept the piece- 
 rate system. 
 
 Perhaps my presentation of the case in estab- 
 lishing both the major premise and the minor 
 premise may have fulfilled the steps previously 
 specified under sections i, 2, 3, and 4 of this 
 chapter. The employees may thus have a clear 
 idea of wage and of piece rate. The piece rate 
 with its possibility of a larger wage may have 
 been made to seem valuable. The piece rate 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 149 
 
 may have been classified as a wage, and by 
 comparison may seem to be a larger wage. The 
 final step demands that these ideas should be 
 brought into the form of an actual syllogism, 
 or into some other effective form, so that the 
 employees shall be forced to the conviction that 
 the piece rate is desirable for them and hence 
 they would be inclined to take the necessary 
 steps to accept it. 
 
 In using argumentation to secure a high 
 grade of employees, my task is not complete till 
 I have made each candidate go through a men- 
 tal process somewhat like the following: 
 
 (Major premise) A man should choose that 
 employment which offers the greatest ultimate 
 reward. 
 
 (Minor premise) Your employment offers 
 the greatest ultimate reward. 
 
 (Conclusion) Therefore I accept employ- 
 ment with you. 
 
 Most of my argument may have been de- 
 voted to establishing the ideas summarized in 
 the major and minor premises, but the success 
 of the argument is measured by the degree to 
 which I have secured conviction and execution 
 as expressed in the conclusion of the syllogism. 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
* I t 
 
 ^ i I 
 
 \ i 
 
 * ' * 
 
 ' ' I 
 
 i ' I 
 , ( 1 
 
 ■ ' I 
 
 I 
 
 :f,li 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 150 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 In selling automobile tires by argumentation, 
 my aim may be to cause the possible purchaser 
 to go through a series of mental processes that 
 may be summarized in a syllogism as follows : 
 
 (Major premise) I shall purchase the tire 
 that gives me the lowest cost per mile. 
 
 (Minor premise) Your tire gives the lowest 
 
 cost per mile. 
 
 (Conclusion) Therefore I shall order your 
 
 make of tire. 
 
 My selling talk (copy, demonstration) may 
 be devoted mainly to establishing the major or 
 the minor premise. In establishing these 
 premises my dependence may be on the mental 
 processes discussed under the headings: **Cre- 
 ating an Adequate Idea of What is Offered"; 
 *The How Supplements the Why in an Argu- 
 ment"; "The Place of Feeling and Sentiment in 
 an Argument"; and "Weighing the Evidence." 
 But the result of the entire argument Is to se- 
 cure the mental states expressed by the customer 
 In the "therefore" of the conclusion. 
 
 In all these illustrations, and In all examples 
 of attempts to Influence men by means of argu- 
 mentation, it is not Important whether the 
 argument be cast In the form of a perfect syl- 
 
 Making Arguments Effective 151 
 
 logism an implied syllogism, or in some form 
 quite different from the syllogism. But it is 
 important that the reader or hearer should be 
 led to reach the mental state symbolized by the 
 therefore" m the conclusion of a perfect 
 syllogism. r ^L 
 
03 
 
 !^ 
 
 ■<■■ ' 
 
 [I 
 
 « 
 
 
 
 It: 
 
 I fi 
 
 ri 
 
 ■(i ji 
 
 . j !■ > 
 
 .:< 
 
 i 
 
 /^ 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 MAKING SUGGESTIONS EFFECTIVE 
 
 OUTLINE 
 
 Mankind is Influenced More by Suggestions than 
 by Syllogistic Arguments 
 
 I. The Working of Suggestion is Dependent upon the 
 Dynamic, Impulsive Nature of Ideas 
 II. Suggestions are Given by External Objects and 
 
 TTT c '" ^''^^ ^''"''^'' *° Imitative Acts 
 
 III. Suggestion Excludes Comparison and Criticism 
 
 IV. Su^g«t,on Secures Direct Response Without 
 
ijl;! 
 
 • 
 
 K ^ 
 
 t f 
 
 'ill 
 
 si 
 
 I 
 
 ^Hn 
 
 
 I 
 
 '■ it I 
 
 i 
 
 . *■ 
 
 lift 
 
 _ --I 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 MAKING SUGGESTIONS EFFECTIVE 
 
 Mankind is Influenced More by Sugges- 
 
 TION THAN BY SYLLOGISTIC ARGUMENTS 
 
 We have numerous books on the study of 
 arguments but there is not a book and scarcely 
 a chapter of a book (so far as the writer 
 knows) which deals with the methods and 
 devices of utilizing suggestions in business. It 
 is interesting to the man in business to know l 
 that suggestion is, in his hands, a more power- \ 
 ful means of influencing men than is argument, 
 but what he wants to know is precisely how he 
 may give suggestions. The methods of giving 
 suggestions and the sorts of suggestions which 
 will be effective are discovered from a study of 
 the principles found in an analysis of suggestion 
 itself. 
 
 I. The Working of Suggestion is Depend- 
 ENT Upon the Dynamic, Impulsive 
 Nature of Ideas 
 
 From this principle we learn that in giving 
 suggestions the thing of importance is to give 
 
 155 
 

 i'i. 
 
 
 t- 1 
 
 . .f trl 
 
 !m! 
 
 !■' r 
 
 156 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 the idea and then to trust to It to accomplish 
 results. If I wish you to purchase a particular 
 make of automobile I must get the idea of that 
 automobile into your mind. If I want you to 
 engage a certain class of employees I must get 
 into your mind the idea of these persons con- 
 sidered as possible employees. It is not neces- 
 sary to convince you of the wisdom of the ideas 
 but merely to get the ideas into your head, and 
 then to trust to their dynamic natures to carry 
 themselves out. If I want the American people 
 to go to an exposition I must keep the idea of 
 that exposition before them. It is not so im- 
 portant what I say about the exposition as that 
 I put the matter before them so they will have 
 the idea of the exposition vividly in mind. 
 
 This dependence on the dynamic force of 
 ideas has made successful much advertising and 
 other selling campaigns where there is no evi- 
 dent attempt to convince the public. The ad- 
 vertisement of White Rock reproduced as 
 Figure 10, is a quarter-page advertisement that 
 may possibly be very successful. There is no 
 adequate ground given to convince us that 
 White Rock is "The world's best table water." 
 Yet the idea is conveyed to us by these words 
 and many of us are profoundly impressed by it. 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 157 
 
 This may be a very good advertisement, but if 
 It were not for the dynamic force of the idea 
 
 "Tki WbrU*9 Best Table Water**^ 
 
 Figure 10 
 
 conveyed the advertisement would be prac- 
 tically worthless. 
 
 When we speak of the dynamic, Impulsive 
 nature of Ideas, we are using the word idea In 
 the broadest possible sense and Inclusive of all 
 such mental processes as sensations, percep- 
 tions. Images, and memory. Some of these 
 mental processes are much more dynamic than 
 others. That Is to say, some of them lead to 
 action more surely than others. 
 
 Perceptions axe_rnore dynamic than memory 
 or any form of mental image. The visual per- 
 ception of a peach (actually seeing It) will 
 cause me to spend my money more readily than 
 any memory or mental Image of the peach. 
 The mere memory of a peach may cause my 
 mouth to water but the sight of the ripe fruit 
 
// / 
 
 ■ll.rl 
 
 ii 
 
 M 
 
 \\ 311 
 
 
 .♦ 
 
 ! 
 
 158 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 affects me to an even greater degree. In the 
 history of the race, individuals have been accus- 
 tomed to act mainly upon perception and less 
 often upon memory or imagination. 
 
 Although we react readily to things that 
 reach us directly through our senses, we react 
 less readily to tJiose things which reach us indi- 
 rectly by means of such symbols as printed and 
 spoken words. Pictures, especially if colored, 
 are like the actual visual perceptions of the ob- 
 ject. Hence pictures are more dynamic than 
 verbal descriptions. A diagram or a chart also 
 partakes of the nature of direct perception and 
 frequently secures action in a most astonishing 
 way. Thus in Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14, the 
 reproduced advertisements convince and move 
 the public in a way impossible for mere verbal 
 descriptions. --^ 
 
 A spoken or printed wordyis a less effective 
 method of presenting a thing or a cause than is 
 a picture or any real object which has become 
 associated with the thing or the cause. The 
 sight of the ruins in the Forum at Rome in- 
 spires one with awe for ancient civilization in a 
 way impossible for words to accomplish. The 
 effect of monuments and memorials is most pro- 
 found, and is due to the fact that visual perccp- 
 
 JW^ 
 
 \ 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 159 
 
 tions are more dynamic than symbolic ideas. 
 The effect of souvenirs and novelty advertising 
 is due to the same cause. The sight and the 
 touch of a real object associated with a par- 
 ticular line of merchandise, influences us toward 
 that merchandise in a striking way. 
 
 Positive ideas are more dynamic than nega- 
 tive ones, even when logically they seem identi- 
 cal. *The chances are only one to four that 
 you will lose,'* is logically identical with the 
 statement, "The chances are four to one that 
 you will win." The latter would secure re- 
 sponse more readily than the former. The 
 statement, "It will keep perfectly for thirty 
 days,'' is more dynamic than the statement, "It 
 will not begin to decay for thirty days." The 
 human mind responds more readily to the posi- 
 tive idea than to the negative, even in instances 
 where differences^ in response might not be an- 
 ticipated. "Walk down the middle of the 
 plank," is carried out more readily than "Don't 
 step near the edges of the plank." "Look 
 straight ahead," is a command less difficult than 
 "Don't look to the right or the left." "Secure 
 the genuine," is more effective than "Avoid 
 substitution." 
 
 We are also accustomed to respond to single 
 
 I 
 
ii 
 
 1 60 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 things rather than to groups of things ; to con- 
 crete situations rather than to abstractions; to 
 objects within the focus of attention rather than 
 to those on the fringe of consciousness. 
 
 .m 
 
 II. Suggestions are Given by External 
 Objects and Result in Acts Similar 
 TO Imitative Acts 
 
 The effectiveness of a suggestion depends 
 much upon the source from which it comes. 
 The most powerful source is a person who 
 assumes, and is believed to possess, a friendly 
 and sympathetic attitude. Abraham Lincoln 
 was one of the most successful of American 
 diplomats. He knew how to deal with men 
 and fortunately he has given advice on this 
 particular point: 
 
 "When the conduct of men is designed to be 
 influenced, persuasion, kind, unassuming per- 
 suasion, should ever be adopted. It is an old 
 and true maxim that *a drop of honey catches 
 more flies than a gallon of gall.' So with men. 
 If you would win a man to your cause, first con- 
 vince him that you are his sincere friend. 
 Therein is a drop of honey that catches his 
 heart, which, say what he will, when once 
 
 m 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 161 
 
 gained, you will find but little trouble in con- 
 vincing his judgment of the justice of your 
 cause, if indeed that cause really be a just one. 
 On the contrary, assume to dictate to his judg- 
 ment, or to command his action, or to mark 
 him as one to be shunned and despised, and he 
 will retreat within himself, close all the avenues 
 to his head and his heart; and though your 
 cause be naked truth itself, and though you 
 throw it with more than Herculean force and 
 precision, you will be no more able to pierce 
 him than to penetrate the hard shell of a tor- 
 toise with a rye straw. Such is man, and so 
 must he be understood by those who would lead 
 him, even to his own best Interests.'* 
 
 The sympathetic foreman and salesman in 
 their dealings with men, accomplish results that 
 are Impossible for their less sympathetic com- 
 petitors. Certain organizations have come to 
 realize that In training salesmen the most im- 
 portant result IS to beget a feeling of real inter- 
 est in and sympathy for the customers with 
 whom they are to deal. They must be taught to 
 assume the attitude of sympathetic helpfulness. 
 
 Prestige transforms all acts and words Into 
 veritable suggestions. The words of a great 
 authority are accepted as facts, and that too 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 K -St 
 1 t 
 
 162 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 without criticism. His acts are imitated not 
 only in the field of his specialty but also in the 
 non-essential details of his daily life. The man 
 of prestige thus determines the thoughts and 
 acts of his fellows. He is their veritable Bible 
 and rule book. This working of prestige is 
 observable in all human organizations. The 
 nobility of a land sets the fashions for the com- 
 mon people. The city dweller determines the 
 philosophy, the religion, and the ethics for the 
 country dweller. The wealthy are imitated by 
 the poor. The successful are imitated by the 
 unsuccessful. The athlete is imitated by the fan, 
 not only in the method of playing the game but 
 also in the selection of clothes, tobacco, razors, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 The women of Paris at one time were sup- 
 posed to surpass all other women of the world 
 in womanly graces and accomplishments. Paris 
 was the center for refined literature, for paint- 
 ing, and for all the other humanities that might 
 be thought of as womanly in any particular. 
 Because of this fact the women of Paris ac- 
 quired great prestige in the eyes of all the 
 world. Consequently the women of all lands 
 wanted to act like the Parisian woman. They 
 desired to imitate her in clothing, and hence 
 
 i 
 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 163 
 
 costumes purporting to come from Paris could 
 be readily sold and at a handsome price. 
 
 The men of London at one time were sup- 
 posed to possess the most manly virtues. Their 
 virility was demonstrated by the fact that in 
 direct competition they had become possessors 
 of the colonial, the naval, and the financial 
 powers of the world. They lived like gentle- 
 men and ruled like kings. They accordingly 
 became possessed of a prestige that extended to 
 all the nations of the earth. Because of this 
 prestige the Englishmen set the fashions for 
 the men of the world, and have been able to sell 
 English clothing at great profit. 
 
 The indirect method of giving suggestions is 
 not at all confined to verbal expressions, but 
 may include such devices as that presented in 
 Figure 11. If the advertiser of Scot tissue had 
 said directly that his merchandise had most 
 marvelous absorbent power, I would have ques- 
 tioned his statement. But when he makes the 
 statement indirectly by means of an apparent 
 photograph, I am convinced withqut any ques- 
 tion. If the advertiser of a revolver should tell 
 me that with his weapon it is as easy to shoot 
 a man as it is to point a finger at him, I should 
 naturally question the accuracy of his statement. 
 
 4 
 
t I 
 
 N,; 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 164 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 When, however, I look at the picture of the 
 Savage pistol (Figure 12), I feel that it would 
 be as easy to shoot as to point the finger. If 
 the Phillips- Jones Company should assert that 
 they had accomplished a marvelous feat in 
 uniting shirts and drawers, the public would be 
 incredulous. Yet by means of the picture of the 
 magician performing that act, the public has 
 been convinced (Figure 13). If the owners of 
 automobiles were told that the **lowest cost per 
 mile'* was the only standard for judging tires, 
 they might be impressed, but the statement 
 would first be questioned. These same owners 
 are convinced without any questioning when 
 they see the picture of a tire being weighed on a 
 scale on which **lowcst cost per mile** is the 
 highest weight (Figure 14). 
 
 The words of a great authority are sugges- 
 tions for those to whom he is an authority. His 
 words are accepted as facts; they are not sub- 
 jected to criticism but are accepted unhesi- 
 tatingly. This power of suggestion in the words 
 of men with authority, with power, and with 
 technical ability is made much use of in dealing 
 with men. The expert workman becomes the 
 boss of a gang and his words are carried out 
 without question. The man whose personality 
 
 SeofBsj 
 
 ^ "' 
 
 owels 
 
 
 Absorbency- 
 
 The Quality and Price Test of a Paper Towel 
 
 No purchasing agent of a railroad, corporation, factory, 
 department store or hotel can afford to overlook the 
 absorbent test in buying paper towels. This absorbent 
 test decides whether you are saving or wasting money 
 —maybe hundreds of dollars— on a year's supply 
 
 Since the primary purpose of a paper towel is to absorb 
 water, the quickness with which your paper towels can 
 absorb and the quantity they can absorb in a given time 
 will determine their quality. This photographic illustra- 
 tion shows an absorbent ScotTissue Towel rolled up in 
 pencil fashion and placed in a glass of water— make the 
 test for yourself and see whether or not 
 
 ^cofHssuelowels 
 
 Hm 
 
 Use Like • Blotter** 
 
 Are Cheapest by This Test 
 
 Buy your paper towels on this absorption test and you 
 will be satisfied. Find out.whether you are paying 
 paper towel prices for paper only or whether you are 
 buying absorbent paper. There is a mighty big differ- 
 ence. ScotTissue-s go further and cost you less because 
 they absorb quicker and absorb more water 
 
 To Large Consumers 
 
 Our Service Department is prepared to study conditions in your 
 establishment and devise means for effecting substantial econ- 
 omies in your paper towel and toilet paper supplies You will be 
 surprised to find in how many different ways they can do this and 
 the amount they can save you This entirely apart from the great 
 saving which the installation of ScotTissue Towels and other 
 ScotTissue products will show you. 
 
 ^u^ ^''' ^^"<*- .»" charges prepaid. 750 ScotTissue 
 absorbent Toweh 'orBOOwest of Mississippi River and 
 in Canada) fort2 00 An economical fixture $1 extra 
 
 SCOTT PAPER COMPANY PhiUdelphia. P.. 
 
 Maken o/ ScolTiuue ToifieU and Toikt Paper 
 
 Figure 11 
 
 I 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 ! ! 
 
 t t 
 
 '} \ 
 
 -■ li 
 
 k 
 
 f 1 
 
 164 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 When, however, I look at the picture of the 
 Savage pistol (Figure 12), I feel that it would 
 be as easy to shoot as to point the finger. If 
 the Phillips-Jones Company should assert that 
 they had accomplished a marvelous feat in 
 uniting shirts and drawers, the public would be 
 incredulous. Yet by means of the picture of the 
 magician performing that act, the public has 
 been convinced (Figure 13). If the owners of 
 automobiles were told that the ^lowest cost per 
 mile" was the only standard for judging tires, 
 they might be impressed, but the statement 
 would first be questioned. These same ow^ners 
 are convinced without any questioning when 
 they see the picture of a tire being weighed on a 
 scale on which **lowest cost per mile'' is the 
 highest weight (Figure 14). 
 
 The words of a great authority are sugges- 
 tions for those to whom he is an authority. His 
 words are accepted as facts; they are not sub- 
 jected to criticism but are accepted unhesi- 
 tatingly. This power of suggestion in the words 
 of men with authority, with power, and with 
 technical ability is made much use of in dealing 
 with men. The expert workman becomes the 
 boss of a gang and his words are carried out 
 without question. The man whose personality 
 
 ow«ls 
 
 Absorbency 
 
 The Quality and Price Test of a Paper Towel 
 
 No purchasing agent of a railroad, corporation, factory, 
 department store or hotel can afford to overlook the 
 absorbent test in buying paper towels. This absorbent 
 test decides whether you are saving or wasting money 
 —maybe hundreds of dollars— on a year's supply 
 
 Since the primary purpose of a paper towel is to absorb 
 water, the quickness with which your paper towels can 
 absorb and the quantity they can absorb in a given time 
 will determine their quality. This photographic illustra- 
 tion shows an absorbent ScotTissue Towel rolled up in 
 pencil fashion and placed in a glass of water— make the 
 test for yourself and see whether or not 
 
 ScoflTssttelowels 
 
 61 ASS 
 
 If 
 
 Use Like a Blotter" 
 
 Are Cheapest by This Test 
 
 Buy your paper towels on this absorption test and you 
 will be satisfied. Find out.whether you are paying 
 paper towel prices for paper only or whether you are 
 buying absorbent paper. There is a mighty big differ- 
 ence. ScotTissue-s go further and cost you less because 
 they absorb quicker and absorb more water 
 
 To Large Consumers 
 
 Our Service Department is prepared to study conditions in your 
 establishment and devise means for effecting substantial econ- 
 omies in your paper towel and toilet paper supplies You will be 
 surprised to Hnd in how many different ways they can do this and 
 the amount they can save you This entirely apart from the ereal 
 saving which the installation of ScotTissue Towels and other 
 ScotTissue products will show you. 
 
 We w'lll send, all charges prepaid. 750 ScotTissue 
 a&sorftfn/ Towels 'or600 west of Mississippi River and 
 in Canada) for 12 00. An economical fixture tl extra 
 
 SCOTT PAPER COMPANY PhiUdelphi*. P.. 
 
 Maker* of ScolTiuut Tojpeli and Toilel Paper 
 
 Figure 11 
 
 .'. }| 
 
 r 
 
 ■' I 
 
 ;, : I 
 
t i 
 
 fit 
 
 \ 
 
 » 
 
 I I 
 
 9, 
 
 SAVAGE 
 
 The ONLT Automatic 
 
 that Skoots 
 
 lO shots 
 
 QuickLhs. 
 
 6 or 8 in all otker makes 
 
 and Aims easy as 
 pointing your linger. 
 
 Figure 12 
 
 U The only thing in the world that will get 
 there without apparently moving is a shirt- 
 tail. - You know where — up ! ! 
 
 H Obviate discomfort— What good is a 
 shirttail anyway? 
 
 If That means GLUS — the shirt with 
 drawers attached — same price as the ordi- 
 nary shirt because the tail material is used 
 for drawers — sensible economy. 
 
 $1.50,— $2,— $2.50,— $3, up to $12. 
 
 OLUS ONE PIECE PAJAMA. Delight- 
 ful for lounging or sleeping. No strings to 
 tighten or come loose. $1.50, — $2, — $2.50, 
 — $3,— $3.50 and $4. 
 
 If your dealer cannot supply you, write 
 us. Olus booklet on request. 
 
 PHILLIPS-JONES COMPANY, he. 
 
 1199 Broadway, Dept. S, New York 
 
 ^ 
 
 !5 
 
 Figure 13 
 
\ ''• 
 
 ^^V.■JW.Vl»^^>>x,,.x^^^5.^^VlM*»;«>W>^M■^^K;:■M(^.y;-;S*;":*:M^M*:*!A: 
 
 — » No Rim-Cut* 
 
 mm ii iiii i iiiiiiiiwwi* 
 
 ; "On Air" Cure 
 To S»*«« BJowOut* 
 
 I Rubber Rivrti 
 
 To Cotnbat Loo»e Ti«n««1» 
 
 AllWe*th«r 
 Double-Thick Trifad* 
 
 -^ PopoUrily 
 
 l^<w«»t Co»t 
 ■ \ P<-t Mil* 
 
 ( 
 
 
 Weigh Tires 
 By This Scale 
 
 The»e are th* trouUe* you wish to cure. 
 The«e are the service* you seek. But a tire 
 can't render what it lacks. What thc^maker 
 fails to give it can't be given you. 
 
 Let us avoid generalities and get down to 
 specific facts. These are the ways in which 
 Coodyears excel. These are the reasons why 
 they hold tc^ place. These are the advantages 
 they offer you over any rival lire. 
 
 No-Rim-Cut Tires 
 
 Are the Only Tires Which Weigh 
 Up to These Requirements 
 
 Rim-Cut tirtg ■■. »>;;<(<• i«>:vs*:W«- «> flifm. 
 Am! :lw i<-;"--<- »vl«.-i5 iu'Ak^^ >; >rr';-<>'<<-«i»lt: :s « 
 
 •.', ':;;>!i(vi i.->l>f"' <-i<* rtiw!«ait~!i w<<-^r"(.>!^-:\fr 
 •••.:r:- Th-s !•>:-:< (r.v.fs* Jiix i);:sl-<-.:r;H»; f>^. 
 
 < rlif-r m»if<rr cm-.-ws :i. 
 
 Loom! tf »•««!» *f<- <<"-:<i;!n; '^\ i: \n--tti 
 m.t:;<<l ■■y'r::A\ r<- ■■.:■.,- <-^ fi>(> •k.-mi-: \,\ <>(> (.-r 
 
 >•:<■!;:.<) iki--::';iJ ;!«■ v::i<"a'''4»M<«r:. I !•■'■< >s <<;'"•' 
 
 AllW«*thcf trend* «■<• vy?*; w. <.>t>.i':yf!a* 
 
 n<- flat :»«f s:;i<K(i\ v» »t>»ry c»n ':««' S: (>!«!« 
 ■f<'a'\. \{k\ sf .•»>)> *»<■; "i:«*» »N>;1> <J<-!>1\ *harp. 
 
 Popularity 
 
 p;<':v:-» ■•• ii(t«-r "silt-ns <A 
 ^■(•y^s ful* T:<>xi-«<. i t**'* 
 
 OODt^YEAR 
 
 No-Rtm-Cut Tire* 
 
 With A«.W«i«h«rTr«ja» or Smooth 
 
 Th«! sh^'ws ih<r v.-r<!>ri <i ::s«s--l«»««ir?<J<iof 
 (luw*!tr<is ■>< '.Uf-v.. ' Ar.H rKis y<-<»r i>f<-r» itrf 
 fi.»<>g:r;({ K< <.>xi<lv<->irs iV«;i»r ;)><;:; <:\«t Ixrfr-r*". 
 
 I llfti! I. •!>((■ :•• 1<^S ;:'-:-ubW to I w<-r >::>s^ («M- 
 
 mJo - (•■ f.ist ;!)?■ »~"<v' jjs jl>ui >t>i; s. ••!(. 
 16 Extra Prices 
 
 xvKivj; (■••^. »K<T iJ'.an <.«»:->Ktar |>fi>.'«'S oi:«»<- 
 arc <;<«--tinf J ?;«(;!•.«■«■. Tt»> >.i«-..- !>> namf b«;<>fc 
 KaH-)|)v:; Ik; (JtT <.'KX*JyM«'. A::<; WOIO ■■Kar^Jp f:>: 
 tjifvc <;(<■■> "hi:; {>-f>f:y«->-r tsks i"'-r (<>vr. 
 
 /.):>:■.'( j;:<:g<r lio-s tn (-rtr:<><. Iht>><- ;<ri arhi- 
 lr(»r\ f.>:~!». W <-tjf}> ;l«r»» Ky 
 
 iht'm bv.ll:«ir vnwlh. 
 
 tfCM^ 
 
 \V hon vox <\n m>« >o«"i; 
 "Oft? (i;«fK«'.»rs. An<l ;«>> 
 lipal^f wii! supply ih*n» 
 
 Swi&'-fe'i'i'^i'i'ifiMif'^' 
 
 ^::fe«:ft..;>;i>...:ft:SiA;^ 
 
 July 18, 1914 
 
 Figure 14 
 
 i 
 
 THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, AKRON, OHIO 
 
 'ussssrmmwmmm*. 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 169 
 
 carries the most weight is assigned the most 
 important duties. 
 
 Our subjection to authority is so great that 
 it can be taken advantage of in most absurd 
 ways. In persuading men we try to make our 
 words appear as though they proceeded from 
 an authority even when a moment's reflection 
 would show the unreality of the claim. Thus 
 in the case of the reproduced advertisement of 
 Van Camp's pork and beans in Figure 15, I am 
 impressed by the statements, **Culinary art cohi- 
 bined with science has revolutionized Baked 
 Beans. The dish of today, as baked by Van 
 Camp, is a new creation.'' The picture leads 
 me to suppose that the statements of the adver- 
 tising writer are the words of what appears to 
 be an expert chef. The statement is to me a 
 suggestion in so far as I accept it without criti- 
 cism or proof. This device of showing what 
 appears to be the photograph of an expert in 
 connection with statements is a common one in 
 advertising and one that is most effective since 
 it increases our suggestibility very greatly. In 
 this way the prosperous-looking business man 
 is represented as approving of some proposi- 
 tion appertaining to business. The physician 
 seems to be affirming the statement that refers 
 
 i 
 
 iiig 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 m, 
 
 i 
 
 IHiHIIiiiMIII^^ 
 
 "On-Air" Cure 
 To S*v«> BiowOutf 
 
 Rubb«r Rivrt» 
 
 To Cotnbftt Loot* Tresil* 
 
 AII-W«»tHer 
 D<>ubl«vThicii TiT»d» 
 
 Mf ^5 PopuUrily 
 
 
 Weigh Tires 
 By This Scale 
 
 Thfte are the trouUet you with to cure. 
 Th<t« are t)ie aervice* you aeek. But .a tire 
 can't render what it lacks. What th^maker 
 fail* to give it can't be given you. 
 
 Let us avoid generalities and get down to 
 specific facts. These are the ways in which 
 Goodyears excel. These are the reasons why 
 they hold t<^ place. These are the advantages 
 they offer you over any rival lire. 
 
 No-Rim-Cut Tires 
 
 Are the Only Tires Which Weigh 
 Up to These Requirements 
 
 Riin~Cutting -t mmU- Ini'.y^ySU' in ihfm, 
 
 A»»<l :i»* iV;"---€' *.liic-;* Hlfii^ry K >r«J^<>>*»l»k" ::* » 
 
 Biow-wuli slw <■•.»««(«>»♦ Iik:vi.-i.x;<i« <}>«■ *'> 
 <■::■■:. I h:v <■■.:.-;< (xv.t'N* •.(lis f»".»}-<'-.:r;»»; r>r: 
 
 Loom: tfo«W» »ft- <■<<'• '.ksn; S> » pt-roi 
 
 <:: MO :*h«'r tiro. 
 
 AUWe*lh«t tre«<ia »f<- ■■ .;<; .■: ' v> .<;\i»r« 
 ■«!>. '\\-r*x- !:r<- :-«Kh ■»««) <)• -uttlr d>«.fe. Ti%f.y 
 arc fe*l ami >;:;;<>•■( m. «•> ti>r\ ;»(> ';so f. |>lsm 
 ir«r(»*i. I Ix . s';>M> "'■ 
 
 Th* sh-i-ws i!«f »<T«)ir« of "(MIS- •■■l»i«Ktr<'«!<K:l 
 (m«i*»r;rfs ■ < '(trrrr, ' Arifi rKis \<ar ••♦•or* srf 
 
 iTiiio - (•■ t"*i •''>»• '~'»v--- gs tim; >(>« s- etc. 
 
 ' ;"!■■<■ 
 
 ■'•V »\i;Jj <;*"■;■. Hr;j*r:> 
 
 Popularity 
 
 tw'f^,>(<: i>,-x»» •■■ G»t>«;v«-sr 
 u(fs fufe {'ifeti^Bi. H""? 
 
 OODtSYEAR 
 
 ei*^ AMIOM, OHIO 
 
 No-Rim-Cut Tire* 
 
 Wiillt Ait.WtMilK«r Tf<MuU or SnyMith 
 
 16 Extra Prices 
 
 Y«5i. «Jr»(.<:«o thc-c f'-aUiffx. i\.vtf »»■,• <(> molten 
 
 hdti-)>K':; l»aj<«T<.KN»ije.v. A::<; v-mr .jiarije fix 
 twt-<- i.i<« «(«!• {rfj^if?)**)' Bsk* i"r t<>v.-. 
 
 PhiS ;.<» <{««» ^■:• (k:< lai'fj r«f(j«ir:.<-n». V?>:!;|;li<<i 
 tr»r> (.»::». W r»j{U !l»«-»n Ky 
 
 W hon ont <{f> «J« you'll 
 >♦(«:! (I<;<Klv<-Krs. Aim{ ;if(\ 
 
 THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, AKRON, OHIO 
 
 ToftMilo, Canada 
 
 l>«Mte«M C«M> «ti«*« S«w*rW« K*4 
 
 t«3 ffiKiM <-'<<iM 
 
 M«taie» City, Mexico 
 
 July 18, 1914 
 
 Figure 14 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 169 
 
 carries the most weight is assigned the most 
 important duties. 
 
 Our subjection to authority is so great that 
 it can be taken advantage of in most absurd 
 ways. In persuading men we try to make our 
 words appear as though they proceeded from 
 an authority even when a moment's reflection 
 would show the unreality of the claim. Thus 
 in the case of the reproduced advertisement of 
 Van Camp's pork and beans in Figure 15, I am 
 impressed by the statements, **CulInary art com- 
 bined with science has revolutionized Baked 
 Beans. The dish of today, as baked by Van 
 Camp, is a new creation." The picture leads 
 me to suppose that the statements of the adver- 
 tising writer are the words of what appears to 
 be an expert chef. The statement is to me a 
 suggestion in so far as I accept it without criti- 
 cism or proof. This device of showing what 
 appears to be the photograph of an expert in 
 connection with statements is a common one in 
 advertising and one that is most effective since 
 it increases our suggestibility very greatly. In 
 this way the prosperous-looking business man 
 is represented as approving of some proposi- 
 tion appertaining to business. The physician 
 seems to be affirming the statement that refers 
 
I 
 
 ,♦1:. 
 
 ■« 
 
 170 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 to the medicinal qualities of goods. The ex- 
 pert accountant is depicted as recommending 
 the adding machine. The typewriting girl is 
 represented as describing to us the virtues of a 
 new machine. The beautifully dressed lady 
 speaks from the finely executed half-tone to 
 assure us of the peculiar loveliness of the ad- 
 vertised costumes. 
 
 Imitation is one of the most common forms 
 of suggestion. We imitate the acts of others 
 without considering the advisability of so doing. 
 This fact is most significant in understanding 
 methods of influencing men. We Imitate others 
 more readily than we follow their words. 
 "Come on!" Is more effective than "Go on!'* 
 If I see others looking Into a shop window I 
 too am Inclined to stop and look. If others 
 are Interested in one class of sport, that is the 
 particular form that entices me. All fashions 
 and customs are but testimonials of the power 
 of Imitation as a form of suggestion. 
 
 In persuading men it is frequently possible 
 to avail oneself of the suggestive force of imi- 
 tation even when direct imitation Is impossible. 
 Thus pictures of others performing any par- 
 ticular act Induce us to imitate the pictured 
 actions. The advertisement reproduced as 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 171 
 
 Figure 16 creates in the mind of the reader a 
 tendency or even a desire to imitate the de- 
 picted action. 
 
 We imitate most readily those whom we look 
 up to as authorities or those who are our peers 
 and belong to our social class. This fact is 
 taken advantage of by presenting pictures of 
 individuals having the appearance of authority 
 in the field of the advertised commodity. At 
 the same time, the individuals of authority are 
 represented as belonging to the social class of 
 the possible customers. The reproduced ad- 
 vertisement of Firestone tires (Figure 17) is 
 cleverly constructed to utilize this tendency. 
 The men who should know tires are the dealers, 
 the automobile owners, and chauffeurs. These 
 men seem to recommend these tires enthu- 
 siastically. Furthermore, these men are of the 
 social classes that purchase tires. 
 
 The purchaser of a mop is ordinarily either 
 the wife or the maid. These are also the per- 
 sons whose judgment of a mop is of most value. 
 In exploiting a mop it is important to represent 
 the ideal wife as approving it if it is to be sold 
 to wives. However, if it is to be sold upon the 
 recommendations of maids it is important that 
 the ideal maid should be represented as using 
 
 
■■* 
 
 t ; if, 
 
 
 h'^: 
 
 I 
 
 ■-■» 
 
 4 
 
 
 h 
 
 >^[ 
 
 .',.1* 
 
 ilil* 
 
 Jll 
 
 
 ' I 
 
 I 
 
 t 
 
 ■ 
 
 172 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 and approving the mop. The advertisers of 
 the 0-Cedar mop solved this problem in a very 
 clever way. In their advertising they represent 
 their mop as being used with great approval by 
 an individual that may be interpreted equally 
 well as a wife or as a maid (Figure 18). 
 
 III. Suggestion Excludes Comparison and 
 Criticism 
 
 If I am trying to persuade you by means of 
 suggestion, then I must see to it that no thought 
 of other possible lines of action should enter 
 your mind. I must not mention competitors 
 nor present my commodity in such a way that 
 you would be likely to think of other possible 
 lines of action. Also in presenting to you my 
 line of goods I must not compel you to make a 
 choice between different classes of goods which 
 I offer. 
 
 According to this principle in persuading 
 men the agent avoids all reference to competi- 
 tors and the salesman attempts to hold your 
 attention down to one class of goods at a time. 
 Salesrooms are sometimes so constructed that 
 customers can see none of the goods except as 
 they are presented by the salesman. The sales- 
 
 I 
 
 of 
 
 Baking Beans 
 
 II 
 
 Culinary art combined with science has revo- 
 lutionized Baked Beans. The dish of today, 
 as baked by Van Camp, is a new creation. 
 
 No home or hotel can produce anything like it The 
 only way to get Beans like these is to let us bake them 
 for you. 
 
 m 
 
 Pork&Beans ?^S^^^ 
 
 AUo Baktd Without th* Saw 
 
 10, 15 and 20 Cents Per Can 
 
 
 Figure 15 
 
 
INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
 t 
 
 'iffi' 
 
 i 
 
 1 ■■ 
 
 ' 
 
 lira II 
 
 172 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 and approving the mop. The advertisers of 
 the 0-Cedar mop solved this problem in a very 
 clever way. In their advertising they represent 
 their mop as being used with great approval by 
 an individual that may be interpreted equally 
 well as a wife or as a maid (Figure 18). 
 
 III. Suggestion Excludes Comparison and 
 Criticism 
 
 If I am trying to persuade you by means of 
 suggestion, then I must see to it that no thought 
 of other possible lines of action should enter 
 your mind. I must not mention competitors 
 nor present my commodity in such a way that 
 you would be likely to think of other possible 
 lines of action. Also in presenting to you my 
 line of goods I must not compel you to make a 
 choice between different classes of goods which 
 I offer. 
 
 According to this principle In persuading 
 men the agent avoids all reference to competi- 
 tors and the salesman attempts to hold your 
 attention down to one class of goods at a time. 
 Salesrooms are sometimes so constructed that 
 customers can see none of the goods except as 
 they are presented by the salesman. The sales- 
 
 Baking Beans 
 
 Culinary art combined with science has revo- 
 lutionized Baked Beans. The dish of today, 
 as baked by Van Camp, is a new creation. 
 
 No home or hotel can produce anything like it. The 
 only way to get Beans like these is to let us bake them 
 for you. 
 
 PorkaBeans ^^^^ITcSL 
 
 Alto B*tk*d Without thm Sauc* 
 
 10. 15 and 20 Cents Per Can 
 
 Figure 15 
 
 nil 
 
 ,1 
 
 1 
 

 i 
 
 ■i 
 
 
 I 
 
 (^ ': 
 
 *'Thc 'Emery' label is a 
 certificate of character for 
 a shirt: represents thirty- 
 five years* shirt-making 
 experience; stands for a 
 manufacturer of national 
 fame; means unsurpass- 
 able workmanship, finish 
 and style." 
 
 "The 'Emery' Nek-ban- 
 tab saves my time of 
 mornings — opens the 
 starched-up collar but- 
 ton pocket and lets 
 me insert the button 
 in a jifTy. Only the 
 'Emer/ shirt has this 
 convenience." 
 
 "The 'Emery* Guaranty 
 Bond (with each slurt) 
 makes 'Emery' shirts a 
 safe investment, whether 
 bought singly or by half- 
 dozens. Fit, color and 
 wear are Gaaranteed. If an 
 'Emery' shirt goes wrong 
 the dealer replaces it.'* 
 
 It pays to look for (^K0^ when you buy shirts. Price $1.50 up. 
 Your dealer can supply you. Or we will send name of dealer who 
 will, together with Catalog of Emery _ Shirts from which .to select. 
 
 Write us for "Ethics of a Gentleman's DrestJ* 
 
 W. M. STEPPACHER & BRO., Inc., 
 
 Philadelphia 
 
 Offices also — New York, Chicago, St. Louis 
 
 Figure 16 
 
 l\ 
 
 \j 
 
 -I 
 
 Figure 17 
 
. ' 
 
 u, 
 
 Ml 
 
 
 P 
 
 15 J 
 
 ,♦ 
 
 « 
 
 '^''•WMiHiX^M^if^'. ■ ' - 
 
 Like A Fairy's Wand! 
 
 The New, Improved. AdjusiaUe 
 
 Clianges Dull. Lifeless Floors To 
 Mirror-Like Lustre and Brightness 
 
 Miss O-Cedar is the good fairy who keeps more 
 than two million homes clean, bright and cheer- 
 ful. One sweep of her wand (an 0-Cedar Mop) 
 and dull, dingy floors or woodwork spring into 
 scintillating brightness, with every beautiful, 
 delicate detail of their grain revealed. 
 
 Cleans as It Polishes 
 
 Sold by all druggists, gro- / 
 
 cers, hardware and de- 
 partment stores. Either 
 style, round or tri- 
 angular, in two 
 sizes at 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 and 
 S1.25 
 
 / 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 *Kl 
 
 
 ..-...-W'W&U. 
 
 This New, Convenient 
 Handy Handle Hin^e** 
 
 IS now a part of every 0-Cedar Polish Mop 
 and makes it perfectly adjustable. 
 
 Ckannell Chemical Co.. Chica^ -Toronto-bndon-Berlin 
 
 Figure 18 
 
 Making Sugigestions Effective 177 
 
 man makes the most of this unique opportunity 
 and presents to the customer a single line of 
 goods and gets a decision on that. This speci- 
 men of the goods is then removed from sight 
 and another presented, but, so far as prac- 
 ticable, the customer is not allowed to have two 
 possible choices before him at once. This 
 method has proved very successful. 
 
 We are more inclined to question a statement] 
 expressed in direct language than we are the] 
 same statement if expressed indirectly or ij 
 figurative language. That is to say, figurativi 
 and indirect language increases suggestibility/ 
 This fact Is taken advantage of In many of thfe 
 most successful attempts to influence men of 
 which we have record. Mark Antony's oration 
 at Caesar's funeral, as presented by Shakes- 
 speare. Is one of the most masterly uses of in- 
 direct and figurative language in stirring men to 
 action. This form of expression takes us off 
 our guard and keeps us from criticizing what Is 
 said. In fact, the speaker does not seem to 
 assert anything which could be criticized, but 
 he leads us to think things which would be 
 criticized and would lead to antagonism if 
 asserted directly. This figurative and Indirect 
 form of language is thus able to instil in us the 
 
 I 
 
 
 m^ 
 
 
If 
 
 B i 
 
 178 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 desired ideas without giving us any occasion to 
 question what has been said. 
 
 In some instances the name of a commodity 
 suggests Indirectly a superior quality. As ex- 
 amples of this should be cited Cream of Wheat, 
 Ivory, White Rock, Sunklst, etc. These names 
 suggest a quality In such a clever way that It can 
 scarcely be questioned. 
 
 A spirit of frankness, openness, and confi- 
 dence allays suspicion and Increases suggesti- 
 bility. The man who has confidence In himself 
 and his wares has an easy battle with the com- 
 petitor who lacks self-confidence and who Is not 
 sure of the value of his proposition. No man 
 can hope for respect from others unless he has 
 It for himself; he can not readily win others to 
 his cause unless he has first convinced himself. 
 No man can do himself justice In a calling which 
 makes him feel apologetic, and neither can he 
 successfully advocate a cause for which he feels 
 called upon to apologize. The remarkable 
 effectiveness of such phrases as **The kind youUl 
 eventually buy,'' Is to be found In this spirit of 
 unbounded confidence which the promoter dis- 
 plays In his commodity. 
 
 A critical audience can not be moved by sug- 
 gestion. Its confidence must first be secured. 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 179 
 
 The task of the advertiser Is made difficult be- 
 cause of the suspicion with which his copy is 
 received. The public are not Inherently sus- 
 picious but have been made so because of their 
 experience with advertisers. The first great 
 American advertiser was P. T. Barnum. He 
 worked on the theory that the American public 
 liked to be humbugged. He gave them what 
 he thought they wanted. The second great 
 epoch In American advertising was the exploi- 
 tation of the worthless and even harmful patent 
 medicines. A third campaign that should be 
 recognized Is the publicity of the fakers who 
 still continue to rob the American public of 
 millions of dollars annually. P. T. Barnum, 
 the patent medicines, and the fakers have cre- 
 ated general suspicion toward all advertise- 
 ments. The advertisers* great task Is to 
 counteract this baneful Influence. They are suc- 
 ceeding In this task most creditably. In our 
 best publications all advertising firms as well as 
 all copy received are scrutinized with great 
 care. Almost a score of states and several 
 large cities have recently passed laws against 
 fraudulent advertisements. Satisfaction guar- 
 anteed, goods sent on approval, money back at 
 your request, and other related policies are 
 
 > 
 
n 
 
 ii 
 
 1 1 
 
 I 
 
 ii 
 
 \ 
 
 1 80 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 rapidly coming into vogue. If by the united 
 efforts of the advertisers of America suspicion 
 could be removed from the purchasing public, 
 suggestion would become the great method of 
 exploiting merchandise, and the present high 
 cost of distribution would be materially re- 
 duced. 
 
 IV. SiJggestion Secures Direct Response 
 Without Delay 
 
 • 
 
 In order that the response may be carried 
 out by suggestion, everything must be done to 
 make such response as easy as possible. We 
 must plan that the desired step shall not be of 
 such a nature that it would be likely to cause 
 hesitation. Thus in an advertisement in which 
 suggestion is depended upon, the reader should 
 be called upon to do something which is simple 
 and easy. Many firms find it wise to supply the 
 coupon in connection with the advertisement, so 
 that the reader may fill it out and mail it at 
 once. Other firms offer samples, catalogues, or 
 demonstrations upon request; goods are sent 
 C. 0. D., or charged, or to be paid for upon 
 approval, or upon the promise of money back 
 if not satisfactory. These devices are wonder- 
 
 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 181 
 
 fully successful in begetting action immediately 
 following the suggestion. 
 
 Great ingenuity is exercised by some general 
 
 Quick Delivery Coupon Brings 
 The OKver 
 
 T3rpewriter 
 
 Sevente^i Coits 
 a Day! 
 
 *Fhw coupofi'On-wheeU will'ruBft the OUvei 
 Typewriter to any poihc in the States^ It's our 
 long-distance Quick Delivery Service. losert your 
 name and addraa, atUch check or draft for $15 
 and send it on. Tht Oliver Typewriter will be de> 
 livered in record4>icakiag time, in perfect working 
 order. Yon o^n pay tMilanoe monthly at the rate, 
 of seventeen cent* ^ day, whilt you an MWf I**,' 
 typewrilert 
 
 "•1 
 
 <Nicfc IM(f«y C«v« «i (M» Haab 
 
 ctoMd pluM Ritd III M nirtm, ^ „^ Mdk. M 
 tgrw 10 «■•• 17 c*MS a dar Mi4 MM h^MM. ■>. 
 
 •**••••••••••••••••••• 
 
 ***•••••• ••'••••••••••• 
 
 OLIVJCR 
 
 /»/ Standard Vitibtt Writfr 
 
 Our army of Oliver agents, over ts.ooo^ronf^ 
 cannot possibly meet personally all who wish to 
 avail themselves of this Seventeen-Onts-a-Day' 
 Offer. We print this coupon to meet the emergency^ 
 It is the Seventeen-Cents^-I^y Selling Flan re-, 
 duced to its simple^ formiv ~~^ 
 
 ^e coupon extends the advantages of this 
 tremendously popular plats to tha'nwst remote 
 points of this or any other countfjr. It cuts all 
 -fed tape"— does away with delay— places the 
 worid's best fioo typewriter on your desk, for 
 •Seventeen Cents a Day. Put your name on the 
 coupon now and we will ship your Oliver. 
 
 The Oliver Typewtittr b mad^ of the most 
 .lejqiensivt materials employed in .typewriter 000- 
 ^•tructbn. It is built with infinity care, by highly 
 ^killed, highly paid, workmen 
 
 , It k)oks easy for see our acres et special madib- 
 try. directed by trained brains and hands, turn 
 Cons of m^tat into trainloads of typewriteru 
 
 But bfck of this vast equipment, back of the 
 great ofganizatioa, back of the big expenditure— 
 overtkadowini all im importance— ia THE BIG 
 IDEA that ^ods expression in this marvelous writ* 
 ing machioeJ 
 
 Figure 19 
 
 distributers in suggesting immediate action as 
 well as in controlling the conditions to make the 
 suggested action easy of execution. Thus in 
 
'■ 1 
 
 . I 
 
 hi 
 
 >lr! 
 
 182 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 the reproduced advertisement of the Oliver 
 typewriter (Figure 19) the suggestion to action 
 is given by the coupon in the form of an auto- 
 mobile. The ease of response and the prompt- 
 ness of delivery are also suggested by the sen- 
 tence, "Quick delivery coupon brings the Oliver 
 typewriter for seventeen cents a day !" 
 
 The proprietor of a large railroad lunch 
 counter inaugurated the policy of serving two 
 sandwiches when but one was ordered. The 
 customer was in no way obliged to eat and pay 
 for the second sandwich, but when it was before 
 him the suggestion to accept it was so strong 
 and It was so easy to do so that the sale of 
 sandwiches was greatly increased. 
 
 After the salesman has properly presented 
 his offerings, he is in a position to say, "Now 
 that you fully appreciate my goods how large 
 an order shall I write out for you ?" The ad- 
 vertisement closes with an appeal to send for 
 circular, to write for demonstration, or to call 
 at once to inspect the goods. These means to 
 help you to decide and to execute your decision 
 are quite essential since procrastination is so 
 likely to keep you from doing the thing which 
 you were just on the point of doing. 
 
 In purchasing advertised goods (mail-order 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 183 
 
 advertising particularly) there is usually no 
 reason why you should place your order now 
 rather than some hours or days later. Every 
 student of industrial history knows that in the 
 past it has usually been true that the person who 
 placed his orders earliest secured the best 
 goods. But in advertised goods all orders must 
 be filled with goods of uniform quality. 
 
 In personal forms of selling the presence of 
 the seller fixes the moment at which the buyer 
 could most conveniently make his purchases. 
 But when the seller is the printed page appear- 
 ing regularly, there is no particularly appro- 
 priate time for action. This is one of the 
 fundamental inherent weaknesses of most forms 
 of advertising and is an obvious cause in in- 
 creasing and making habitual this natural ten- 
 dency to procrastinate. If we procrastinate 
 purchasing advertised goods till a more con- 
 venient season, the convenient season may never 
 come. 
 
 A short time ago I went, toward evening, 
 from Evanston to Chicago. On the way my 
 eye caught sight of a street-car card containing 
 the following sentence : "Why not take supper 
 at Henrici's to-night?'* The definiteness of the 
 question got the better of me. I went to Hen- 
 
 I 
 
y 
 
 
 184 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 rici's for supper that evening, although I had 
 not intended to till I read the street-car card. 
 If the sentence had read, *'Try a supper at 
 Henrici's" — it would not have been effective 
 with me for that night — I would have pro- 
 crastinated. 
 
 During the months of October, November, 
 and December, certain magazines make especial 
 efforts to secure new subscribers. One year's 
 subscription received in October is good for 15 
 months; received in November, good for 14 
 months; and received in December, good for 
 13 months. Such appeals are sufficient to over- 
 come the tendency to procrastinate in many 
 instances. 
 
 Offers which are advertised as good till a 
 particular date, are sometimes accepted by more 
 persons than would have accepted if the offer 
 had had no time limit. 
 
 All these schemes to secure action by limit- 
 ing the time within which an action may take 
 place have been successful in particular in- 
 stances, but they are not subject to general 
 application in any way. 
 
 The salesman who depends upon the power 
 of suggestion presents the order blank at the 
 psychological moment, and, without taking time 
 
 Making Suggestions Effective 185 
 
 to consider, the customer signs for his orders. 
 
 * The agent completes his suggestion by skilfully 
 putting the question which leads to the order. 
 He does not say, ''Will you take the policy?" 
 but, **Shall I make it for ten thousand?" The 
 agent may also effectively put the question in 
 
 .some such form as tJie following: **Now that 
 you understand the nature of our policy, do you 
 think your wife would be sufficiently protected 
 by a policy of fifty thousand?"; "Realizing as 
 you do the call which may reasonably be ex- 
 pected for the goods, do you think one car load 
 will be sufficient to supply the demand?" When 
 the customer has not yet decided to make the 
 purchase his decision is sometimes forced by 
 such suggestive questions as, "Shall I send it, or 
 will you take it with you?"; "Shall I charge it, 
 or do you prefer to pay cash?"; "At what hour 
 would it be convenient to have it delivered at 
 your office?" Unless these suggestive questions 
 are put by the right person and at the right time 
 they are absolutely worthless. When properly 
 used they are most effective. 
 
 in persuading men we wish to depend upon 
 
 the working of suggestion we must not only 
 disarm them of suspicion, but we must make 
 response easy and suggest definitely the nature 
 
 F 
 
1 
 
 I 
 
 ili>l >l 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 186 Influencing Men in Business 
 
 of the response and the time at which the act 
 should take place. The degree to which we 
 accomplish this is the measure of our skill m 
 carrying suggestion to a happy conclusion. 
 
 % i\ 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 If. 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 • 
 
tH 
 
 ♦ ^ 
 
 " : 
 
 K 
 
 I! 
 
 i 
 
 Date Due 
 
 APR 2 6 1994 
 
 J/253 
 
 * ^ 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY L 
 
 BRARIES 
 
 0041413660 
 
 \ ■ 
 
 K IV 
 
END OF 
 TITLE 
 
 I