In 1880, Phineas T. Barnum summed up a lifetime’s experience as a showman, entrepreneur, and politician in his short book, Art of Money Getting. I originally produced a Web edition of this book in 2002, and have just updated it to contemporary Web standards (XHTML Strict/CSS) with Unicode typography. In the process, I had an opportunity to re-read it, and once again found it wise, pithy, and inspiring. Barnum has an aphorism for every situation, and an amusing anecdote for each insight.
I particularly love the story in chapter 2 about meeting the showman in London who put him to shame and the story of the Irish harbour pilot in chapter 12,
Like the Irish pilot, on one occasion when the captain, thinking he was considerably out of his course, asked, “Are you certain you understand what you are doing?”
Pat replied, “Sure and I knows every rock in the channel.”
That moment, “bang” thumped the vessel against a rock.
“Ah! be jabers, and that is one of ’em,” continued the pilot.
Enjoy the book for yourself—it’s a quick read!
Thanks, John. I have been reading some motivational books so it will be interesting reading this. It sounds like P T Barnum was a story teller.
I read the Wiki page and never knew that he ran for Congress. He lost to another Barnum, a third cousin. There is a Barnum born every minute.
Chapter 17, “BE POLITE AND KIND TO YOUR CUSTOMERS”.
This is heresy. One should talk down to your customers till they do things the way you want. Market share and profits are overrated.
By all except the owners. ;-)))
@ Dime & Dev: How true, but I would note that customers are far more savvy today and are more than appreciative of:
1. Good quality and uniqueness of product; particularly the latter.
2. A fun and whimsical environment. Folks are always asking to buy some of our visuals (particularly my most prized possession- an autographed picture of Derek Jeter) and many have been caught dancing in the aisles to contagious tunes!
3.Owning their size. Now. Not in two weeks.
4.Speed of check-out service. As a consumer, I find myself highly annoyed at long lines (mostly at grocery stores) with nary a manager in sight to direct traffic and man more registers. This “Let them eat cake!” attitude is pure anathema to a fellow retailer.
I can be the most demanding consumer imaginable because I know first-hand how easy good customer service can be. People in my business always say, “It is so much more stressful to do the wrong thing than the right.”
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You should be a policeman. A job where the customer is always wrong.
Officer, I wasn’t speeding. It was the car. I was just sitting here barely moving.
” One should talk down to your customers…” Or have your poorly paid baristas do it for you by engaging your customers in gratuitous and unsolicited discussions of race relations in America. Better still, threaten to hire 10,000 refugees so that in addition to paying confiscatory prices for a vaguely coffee-flavored milkshake, your patrons can look forward to the unique experience of being served by a recovering Somali warlord or a recent dropout from The Psychos for Allah School of IED Design.
P.S. — Q: What else, besides that other place which shall not be named, but if it were would sound something like “Rick O’Shea”, isn’t worth the price of a Grande Caffè Latte at the flagship Starbucks in Seattle?
A: A Grande Caffè Latte at the flagship Starbucks in Seattle.
Giggling here! One of the best aspects of owning a sports-oriented retail business is that customers get into heated discussions about issues I encourage: Yankees/Red Sox; Ohio State/Michigan; Red Wings/Blackhawks, et al.
I’ve actually heard customers complain that we’ve hung UCLA jerseys next to USC but it’s all in fun (sorta) and doesn’t end up in a cacophonous melee!
Even the vague connection between one of the best cartoon strips (Rick O’Shea) and Voldemort is slanderous!
I always wonder about the nuance of the two words “slanderous” and “libelous”. Libel is written and slander is spoken but slander sounds worse for some reason. Is it because only newspapers and publishers could libel others easily?
This book is less than 50 pages. Brent could even read this. Mike will scour the pages for cheerleader pics. Mike the pics are near the egress.
It may take me a couple months to look up the big words, but it sounds interesting.
Brent, you have the book upside down. (We need to put an artificial horizon on his Kindle.)
What about fashion models in boxer shorts?
Victoria promised me not to say anything but a brief illusion to it might not be unmentionable.
EThompson, as an old grocer I see things differently. A grocery store is for the most part efficient. They are running at a low margin on goods. They also are one of the speediest when it comes to the amount of ideas checked out per customer.
Dime; have to disagree because I’m living it. Now.
They should be of course but it’s difficult here in my little town; it’s not easy to find people to work at Whole Foods or Fresh Market. I have similar issues in my retail stores in CA and both businesses pay far higher than minimum wage! In fact, I’ve never paid attention to minimum wage because I’m interested in only one thing- getting what I need for my business. I need more than a barista.
You should stop shopping at Whole Foods and Fresh Market and try some real grocery stores. ;-)))
Dev; if it makes you feel any better, I also give a lot of business to Publix for all of my staples because I’m too lazy to drive to Costco and go through that hideous experience navigating huge trolley carts to buy 48 packs of toilet paper (that won’t fit in the trunk, anyway) for a two member family.
There are times when we need to go to Home Depot and that is precisely why men were put on this Earth! :)
Here on the left coast we have Grocery Outlet or, as I call it, Cheap Grub for Skinflints. I shop there because it lets me save money on inconvenient necessities like food so I’ll have more to spend when I go to … Home Depot!
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That was a great read! Plain speaking, and fun stories (although with the greatest showman in history telling them, they may have received a bit of polishing)
I liked best the proto-socialist who professed:
“I have discovered there is enough money in the world for all of us, if it was equally divided; this must be done, and we shall all be happy together.”
“But,“ was the response, “if everybody was like you, it would be spent in two months, and what would you do then?”
“Oh! divide again; keep dividing, of course!”
and this Dickensian bit:
“there is no class of persons who are so unaccommodating in regard to dying as these rich old people, and it is fortunate for the expectant heirs that it is so.”
Thanks for posting it, John!
Quote from “Be Polite and Kind to Your Customers”.
“Men who drive sharp bargains with their customers, acting as if they never expected to see them again, will not be mistaken.”
No such thing as “driving a sharp bargain.” It has to be offered up front with no badgering and the people will come.
Just ask Sam Walton.
Liz, there are salespeople who say anything to get the sale. There was a friend that told me about a used car lot’s front end warranty. “As soon as the front end leaves the lot the warranty is up.” People can promise the moon. They just have problems with the dumb shipping department. (smile)
Dime, the American consumer is the savviest, most knowledgeable of them all. Salespeople exist only to ring up the sale because the merchant and the customer make the deal the second the consumer walks into the store.
I had an interesting experience a couple of years ago when we expanded one of our spaces; we took the additional 800 square feet and within 30 minutes the customers told me I hadn’t merchandised the new space properly by walking away. Our sales force was a bit dumbfounded that by mid morning, we had completely changed the merchandise emphasis and all the visuals.
The space has become very productive since our opening debacle but the lesson learned is that consumers are very focused and know exactly what they want regardless of who tries to sell them.
Bought a car lately? I’m easy because I know precisely what I’m going to buy before I walk in.
I have not bought a car recently.
Liz, we agree. People are smart. They have more information. With the Internet they don’t have to go to that “one store”.
In Japan, I have been spoiled by really good service. For the most part it is near perfect as long as you don’t ask for something they have been trained for. They do follow the manual.
“In Japan, I have been spoiled by really good service.”
Envious sigh here …
I’ve had nothing but pleasurable experiences shopping there even in the metropolis of Tokyo where so many people are living in such a small geographical area. As an ex-New Yorker, I was always amazed at the civility of the throngs of Tokyoites crossing a traffic intersection. :)
The power of 10 Cents.
“”How can I help you so much with so small a sum?” asked the gentleman in surprise. “I started out this morning (hiccuped the fellow) with the full determination to get drunk, and I have spent my only dollar to accomplish the object, and it has not quite done it. Ten cents worth more of whiskey would just do it, and in this manner I should save the dollar already expended.”
I like this quote about moral hazard in DON’T INDORSE WITHOUT SECURITY.
“it is a hard thing; my friend here has ruined me,” but, you should add, “I have also ruined him.” If you had said in the first place, “I will accommodate you, but I never indorse without taking ample security,” he could not have gone beyond the length of his tether, and he would never have been tempted away from his legitimate business. It is a very dangerous thing, therefore, at any time, to let people get possession of money too easily; it tempts them to hazardous speculations, if nothing more. Solomon truly said “he that hateth suretiship is sure.”
John, you keep the place popping. This one was a true gem.
You betcha! This post was particularly “popping” because it dwelt on a topic to which we all relate. :)