ever becomes _necessary_ for
you to win a welcome, this chapter will prove valuable reading. You will
be helped to gain your desired chance, and the danger of your failure
will be minimized, if you _know how_ to knock and exactly _what to do_
to assure your welcome.

Even the master salesman can never be absolutely certain of the
reception he will have from any prospect. Therefore he "goes loaded" for
all imaginable contingencies. You, the salesman of yourself, should be
likewise prepared with knowledge of how each and every step in the
selling process may be taken most effectively. Whatever emergency
arises, you must be ready to take the fullest advantage of a favorable
turn, and equally ready to reduce as much as possible any disadvantage
you encounter.

[Sidenote: Knocking and Getting In]

Of course it will avail you nothing if you succeed only in _reaching_
the particular man through whom you have planned to gain success. And
after you meet him it will do you no material good to _size him up_
correctly; if you are then unable to hold his _attention_ to your
presentation of ideas. Your preliminary skillful salesmanship would all
be wasted. Evidently, in order that you may continue the process of
gaining your chance, it is necessary that you should know how to knock
on the door of his mind in such an _agreeable but compelling_ way that
he will be _forced_ to let his attention come out _pleasantly_ to you
and your purpose. Hence right knocking at the door of opportunity
immediately follows the size-up as an essential part of the process of
making success certain.

It is necessary next for you to know how to prevent a turn-down on the
front porch of your prospect's mind, and how to insure _the admission of
your ideas to his thoughts_. You can compel your prospect to open the
door of his attention, but in order to get _inside_ his mind and secure
his _interest_ in your purpose, you must win his _willing invitation_
for your ideas to enter his thoughts and make themselves at home there.

[Sidenote: Certain Success Methods]

We have seen how you can make certain of gaining your chance to reach
the door of opportunity. You can size up surely your prospect's dominant
characteristics and what he is thinking. Likewise you can guarantee to
yourself, first the attention, and second the interest of the man you
have come to see. It is necessary only that you use the methods of the
master salesman to _compel_ the opening of