How to win friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

James B. Boynton had to present a lengthy market report. His firm had just finished an exhaustive study for a leading brand of cold cream. Data were needed immediately about the competition in this market; the prospective customer was one of the biggest—and most formidable—men in the advertising business. And his first approach failed almost before he began. “The first time I went in,” Mr. Boynton explains, “I found myself sidetracked into a futile discussion of the methods used in the investigation. He argued and I argued. He told me I was wrong, and I tried to prove that I was right. “I finally won my point, to my own satisfaction—but my time was up, the interview was over, and I still hadn’t produced results. “The second time, I didn’t bother with tabulations of figures and data. I went to see this man, I dramatized my facts. “As I entered his office, he was busy on the phone. While he finished his conversation, I opened a suitcase and dumped thirty-two jars of cold cream on top of his desk—all products he knew—all competitors of his cream. “On each jar, I had a tag itemizing the results of the trade investigation. And each tag told its story briefly, dramatically. “What happened? “There was no longer an argument. Here was something new, something different. He picked up first one and then another of the jars of cold cream and read the information on the tag. A friendly conversation developed. He asked additional questions. He was intensely interested. He had originally...