s.

[Sidenote: Insurance Against Undervaluation]

Thorough preparation in _comprehension of values_ is the salesman's best
protection against a personal inclination, or an outside temptation, to
cut prices. If your preparation for your chosen career has been limited
to _gaining knowledge_, and you have not studied its true _worth_ to
every imaginable prospective buyer, you will be apt often to offer your
services for far less than their full value. Conversely sometimes you
will be likely to think your services are worth more than they really
are. You may fail to close sales because your price is too high. A
pre-requisite of good salesmanship is the _right_ price. _If your
preparation for selling your services has been thorough, you will
realize the exact worth of your knowledge and skill_. You will neither
suggest inferior value by quoting a cut price on your capabilities, nor
demand so much as to indicate the characteristics of displeasing egotism
or greed. _If you know what you are truly worth, you will make the right
price on your real value._ Then your self-confidence in your worth will
lend you power to convince the other man that your services would be a
good "buy" for him.

[Sidenote: Seeing Into Opportunities]

If you can imagine _all the various uses to which your ability might be
put_, you will appreciate the full value of every opportunity you
perceive. Not only will you see the chances for success that are all
about you, but you will _see into_ them. When your mind _catches sight_
of success chances, they will look _familiar_ to you because of their
similarity to opportunities you _previously had thought about_ and
connected with your own qualifications. If you are prepared to perceive
and to appreciate fully each indication of a success opportunity that
comes within the range of your mental vision, you will promptly begin
working a chance "for all it is worth," as if it were a newly discovered
gold mine.

[Sidenote: Service Purpose In Preparation]

Possibly what you have read has unduly impressed you with the idea that
the salesman's motive in his preparation is selfish. So perhaps it is
well to pause here for the reminder that your primary salesmanship
purpose should be true _service_. You are preparing yourself thoroughly
in knowledge of your full sales value, _as a measure of success
insurance and self-protection._ It is not true sales service to give a
buyer value greatly in excess of the price q