My last post was how it came that Elmer Wheeler was commissioned to make a study of salespeople. Now a bit of info about the scope and impressive results from this study, which was referred to as the Wheeler Word Laboratory.
The purpose of this unique laboratory, which operated for more than 10 years, was to study the effectiveness of sales techniques. Specifically, to measure the combination of words and sales techniques and determine what combination produced the most sales.
Many stores and manufacturers participated in supplying the Wheeler Word Laboratory with hundreds of selling sentences to be tested and opened their doors to be a testing ground for marketing words and techniques.
Sales Gains Recorded Everywhere
Wherever a salesperson replaced a routine sales line with a “Tested Selling Sentence” and a “Tested Technique”, sales gains are noted. For instance, a single sentence increased sales of a manufacturer’s hand lotion at B. Altman’s on Fifth Avenue from 60 per week to 927.
Another tested combination of words converted an astounding 78 percent when used at R. H. Macy & Company to sell a particular brand of coffee and tea.
Bloomingdales, Saks 34th Street, Abraham & Straus of Brooklyn, and William Taylor’s of Cleveland completely sold out of toothbrushes when two “Tested Selling Sentences” were tried – for the first time in the history of these important stores.
10+ years of studying salespeople – 10+ years trying out formulas, rules, and principles – brought forth some pretty good ideas.
“SO WHAT ARE THEY?!!!” you ask. “What ARE these great advertising ideas?” Next post, I promise.
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