HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-09-23, Page 10Page 2 Wiiigltanl Advance -Times, Thursday. Sept. 23, 190
WINGHAM MERCHANTS AND STAFFS ATTEND
PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND SALES CLINIC
Ninety-four Wingham busi-
nessmen .and members of their
sales staffs gathered at Dan-
ny's Restaurant last Thursday
evening for dinner and a retail
sales clinic conducted by Nor -
vin Allen, of Wichita, Kansas,
Those in attendance were the
guests of The Wingham Ad-
vance -Times and were the par-
ticipants in the "Harvest of
Values" promotion which is .an-
nounced in this issue of the
paper.
Barry Wenger, publisher of
The Advance -Times, acted as
chairman and introduced the
head table guests, among whom
were the speaker, Lorne Mc-
Donald, president of the Wing -
ham Business Association,
Mayor DeWitt Miller and Guy
Painter Sr., head of the firm of
Guy Painter and Associates,
which was in charge of the
sales clinic.
Mayor Miller and Mr. Mc-
Donald both spoke briefly of
the merits of co-operation with-
in the business community and
the need for enthusiasm and
good retailing practices if our
town is to develop and pro-
gress.
Barry Wenger referred to the
swift ohanges which are taking
place in the entire world of
business and said that retail-
ers must raise their sights if
they are to keep pace with ra-
dically altered markets and
buying attitudes, He said that
it is not enough to "repaint the
fixtures and nut in new display
windows." The greatest need
for awareness lies In the hu-
man element, the sales people
who serve the buying public.
"Zn this age of mechaniza-
tion," said the publisher, "there
is an increasing tendency for
sales personnel to consider that
they are merely part of, a big
anachine which dispenses goods
and services." Chief purpose of
the sales clinic was to noint out
the pitfalls into which sales
people may step, and how these
errors may be avoided. The net
result should be better service
to the public.
TOWN IS GROWING
Mayor Miller spoke with op-
timism of the town's future
and referred to possible expan-
sion within two local industries
which have recently changed
ownership, He stated his firm
belief that Wingham and its
surrounding area are on the
threshold of a new era of
growth and prosperity,
Lorne McDonald stressed the
Importance of co , operation
among the merchants them-
selves and expressed appreci-
ation for the opportunity af-
forded by The Advance -Times
to benefit from the sales clinic,
GUEST SPEAKER
Norvin Allen, who conducted
the clinic, is vice-president and
general manager of Consumers
Research Institute, a former
speech teacher at the Univer-
sity of Oklahoma and taught
radio and television techniques
at Wichita University,
Opening his address Mr,
Allen said that the people at
the retail sales level are the
.most important individuals In
the entire chain of consumer
goods distribution, all the way
from manufacturer or producer
to the consumer. It is at the
retail level that sales can be
either made or lost, Changing
conditions, he said, have crea-
ted the need for better selling
methods.
The speaker said that man.
kind's basio needs are food.
shelter, clothing, a mate, secur-
ity and prestige, in that order.
Retail sales outlets are engaged
in the business of meeting
those needs in a climate of
competition. When the goods
are supplied at fair prices and
the sales are supported by ade-
quate service, the retailer and
his staff is fulfilling his com-
plete rale of usefulness in Mo-
dern society,
He pointed out a little-known
•fact which has been firmly es-
tablished by research on sever-
al continents --only 9% of the
sales in today's consumer mar-
ket are made because of a price
inducement, Several other fac-
tors assume much greater rela-
tive importance as the custo-
mer makes his decision to buy.
As one instance, some 14% of
all sales lost by retail outlets
are because of grievances an
the part of the customer which
are improperly or inadequately
handled by the retailer or his
salesman,
His address dealt with the
obstacles to sales and how to
overcome them; the various
type sof personalities the sales-
man meets in the course of his
work and how to koep each
types of personalities the sales -
the store in which .he seeks to
deal; how to bring slow-moving
merchandise to the attention of
the buyer; how to close sales,
etc.
In summary Mr. Alien's re-
marks pointed up one essential
of good business; good value
and good service will bring
business and prosperity if the
sales people are courteous and'
knowledgeable In their work.
NORVIN ALLEN, who conducted the Re-
tail Sales Clinic sponsored by The Wing -
ham Advance -Times, is welcomed by Mayor
DeWitt Miller, right. Barry Wenger, pub-
lisher of the paper, is at left. Other photos
on this page were taken during the dinner
which was attended by business owners
and their sales staffs.
ATTENDANCE OF NEARLY 100 REPRESENTED LARGE CROSS-SECTION OF WINGHAM'S RETAIL BUSINESS AND SERVICE FIRMS
LORNE McDONALD, president of the Wing -
ham Business Association, gets very en-
thusiastic about better business as he'talks
with Mrs. DeWitt Miller, left, during the
dinner which preceded the Advance -Times
Sales Clinic at Danny's Restaurant on
Thursday evening. Mrs. McDonald is at
right.
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