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Show THE TOWN DOCTOR j; (Tin: l)o(;.r of To-.wis) f : ............................ ............... on ................... .......... Tin: vilal prnlili-tii that confronts tvery comniunily today is one of Hcll-Ini;. Hcll-Ini;. II. lias always been one of a: 1 1-Jisk 1-Jisk but in llm probably of less inipni'lanc", jiiiici! most towns could fci-t by on tlie ririiiiB market, so to liiiak. A C.:w j.-iiiM ui'.n slore keepers IhuiiKlit of Ibeir business as many now Ihink of their community. They lliriiiKlit because their store bad been In existence for years, it always would he; there were people and people peo-ple had to buy what the store carried In slock. Then came automobiles and Hood roads, free mail delivery, radio, telephones and inercliaiils. With the coming of these, "store keepers" and "clerks" had to become merchants ami sales people, or lose their business busi-ness to those who were. llecauso for ages past comparatively comparative-ly no constructive attention has been paid to community building, com-Inunily com-Inunily planning, selling and analysis, It Is often considered as unnecessary. Many people reason that he-cause there always have been cities, towns and viliiages, there always will he, the same as some retailers still think of their slore as a supply depot where people who have a definite idea of what they want, will get it without invitation in-vitation from them or encouragement or service from the clerk. You know what happens 'to "store keepers" who refuse to bo merchants who do not sell. The same will happen to towns and communities who take a liko attitude at-titude This is a Selling Age. There isn't n business, a profession, or a job, that doesn't require some form of selling. sell-ing. Every married man was a salesman, sales-man, when ho induced "her" to say "yes." And the wise married man hasn't quit selling! Every married woman sells sometimes, and how! She has to, to make life bearable. The sliebas and the snicks are constantly selling. You and I arc selling. We may not carry a sample case, we may not he behind the counter, but we are -everlastingly Bollinr something an Idea, ourselves, or perhaps a friend. When yon ask for a rais", a day off, a little more credit, or any favor or courtesy, you are selling. Someone said, "Selling is giving the other fellow fel-low a reason why he should do what you want hini to do or not do, and salesmanship is getting him to do it." 'oiiiniiinit y selling is getting other people to think your town is a better place in which to invest their money for a factory, a business, an enterprise for real estate, merchandise or any of those things that will materially benefit. Communily salesmanship is doing those things that will induce them to do it, and avoiding those things that will keep them from doing It. You are a salesman or a saleswoman saleswo-man for the place where you live. You are working on a commission basis; you get paid according to what you do, and you will get paid, and generously. You do not have to own real estate, operate a store, be a professional pro-fessional man or in any business, to profit from communit3r growth and expansion, but even if you didn't make a dime actual cash out of it, it is worth the effort to enjoy better, more interesting and attractive surroundings, surround-ings, to have better schools, mors parks, etc., which are bound to come as a result of selling your community not considering the satisfaction you get out of doing something for tho good of all something that you know, you ought to do. No doubt there will be "store keepers" keep-ers" and "clerks" for several years to come; there will always be cities and towns, but because your town has always al-ways been, as far as you are concerned, concern-ed, that is no. reason why it will continue con-tinue to be. It may exist throughout your life time, as a sickly city, a tired town, vanishing village, or callous community, but without getting sold on it yourself, and without selling it ; to others, by your every action, word and deed, your community cannot keep up to and ahead of date. Don't let your community get behind be-hind the times. Do your part. It will be just as modern, just as alive, as will work to make is. Copyright, 1929, A. D. Stone. Reproduction Re-production prohibited in whole or in part. This Town Doctor Article is published pub-lished by this paper in cooperation with the local Lions Club. |