Self Rating Scale for Salesmen from the Depression

(December 1932 Opportunity Magazine)

These twenty-five questions will help you put your finger on the weak spots. You may find what has been holding you back! Take stock of yourself; smooth out your low points and then strive for improvement all the way down the line. It will then be just a question of time before you collect big dividends in the shape of increased sales.

Read the questions and check those you can answer with a strong "yes." If in doubt don't check! Consult the score table for your rating.

1. Am I sociable?
2. Do I think in terms of success?
3. Do I really like selling?
4. Do I think of my customers interests?
5. Do I read sales literature?
6. Do I study my prospects?
7. Is my personal appearance a credit to myself and the company I represent?
8. Do I realize that success in selling is a matter of study and perseverance and that the element 
of luck is small?
9. Am I cheerful in the face of interruptions?
10. Am I always courteous even with unreasonable prospects?
11. Am I always scrupulously honest in my representations?
12. Do I think of selling as a dignified calling worthy of my best efforts?
13. When faced with competition, am I inspired to excel?
14. Do I know that my line of goods is the best on the market?
15. Do I try to make repeat sales?
16. Do I talk quality first and price later?
17. Do I stay with a line of goods long enough to give the line a fair trial?
18. Do I spend sufficient time perfecting my demonstration to make it convincing?
19. Do I take advantage of every modern convenience in selling, such as the telephone, 
telegraph and letter service?
20. Do I canvas systematically and never skip places because they look uninviting?
21. Do I work regular hours even when the weather is unpleasant?
22. Do I put in the extra time to close a deal when necessary?
23. Do I put extra effort into selling after a poor day?
24. Do I put extra effort into selling after an unusually good day?
25. Am I determined to stick with selling despite the lure of a blind alley, time clock, type of job?

Score Table

No. of Questions Answered Favorably Rating
25: Star Salesman
20: A Success
15: On The Way
Below 15: Need Overhauling