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Actually, the most successful of all policies is to have a wide range of related articles to sell; like the Fuller brush items of sale; or the cosmetic or auto supply sellers.

You should study this side-line matter with special care. True, it is easy to clutter up your line with too many items or side lines, and thus "reduce the punch" you put into selling anyone of them. The thing to aim at is to have some varied items, perhaps only two, three or four, or perhaps a dozen, which have the best chance of interesting the person you will call on to sell your main item. (You should, of course, always have a main item, on which you put your hardest drive; this main item being the one with either the largest volume possibilities and liveliest, widest appeal, or else the largest profit possibilities; preferably both.

You must also watch out so that you don't switch your sales talk too soon to the side-line, and thus prematurely spoil a sale for your main item. Don't even show your side-line until you are sure you have been turned down (or made a sale) on your main item.

It is also a good sales plan to use one of your side-line articles as a "premium" for large quantity purchase, or for some introductions to neighbors or friends, or for some other service.

A point to watch about side-lines is that they should not be high-priced articles. After you have sold your main item, (presumably one which calls for a number of dollars), you should not at once urge another high-cost article on your customer. The more logical offering is a low-priced side-line item. It is for this reason that salesmen selling rather large or fairly expensive items should not carry any side-lines. To sell customers such fairly expensive articles is a sufficient accomplishment for the time being, and any further offering would be something like an anti-climax.

To choose a right side-line you experiment. You carry two or three on a trial basis, and watch carefully what happens. They will soon demonstrate their "speed" and "appeal". It may also be the case that you need some different side lines for different types of customers or localities. What will appeal to city folk won't perhaps appeal to small town or rural folk. What appeals to women won't appeal to men, and so forth. It is possible to have half a dozen side lines, with samples compactly carried, each ready to demonstrate to different groups of prospects, as seems fitting.

Once in a while you find people in a "buying spree mood", and then you can trot out everyone of your side-lines. The young women who buys your nylon hosiery main line may next be interested in your sideline of costume jewelry, and then go on to interest in several other items, if she has the money and is in a "buying mood". You must have skill here at what is known as "suggestive selling"; that is, how to lead easily from one article to another without boring your customer, always with expressed regard for your customer's need or taste, so that the selling does not seem forced or over aggressive.

Herewith is a list of side-lines which have demonstrated possibilities and appeal. Many or most of these companies specialize in supplying them to local agents; but some sell mostly direct by mail to customers, and negotiations are necessary as to wholesale or commission prices and selling aid. In most instances you set the price you sell at, based on cost and your idea of salability. Here are the concerns to contact:

• Your Name Buckle Co., 19 W. 27th St., N. Y. (belt buckles with name on, to sell at about $3.00).
• American Aerovap, Inc., 170 W. 74th St., N. Y. (insect killer, spray, to sell at about $1.98).
• Eastern Products Co., 1170 Broadway, N. Y. (intercommunication system, to sell at about $20.00).
• Torrington Brush Works, Torrington, Conn. (auto washing brush, cleans car in 7 minutes, to sell at about $1.98).
• Main Line Pens, 497 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.; also Royaline, Inc., 2 East 23rd St., N. Y. (retractable ball pens, to sell at about 50 or 60¢).
• Warner Stationary Co., Box 482, Aberdeen, Md. (rubber stamps, gummed labels, etc.).
• Davidson Balloons Co., 515 Madison Ave., Plainfield, Mass. (balloons printed with customer's name, to sell at about $3.25 per gross).
• Circus Balloons Co., Scarsdale, N. Y. (balloons in animal shapes to sell at 52 for $1.00).
• Barrell Steel Equipment Co., Ambler, Pa. (ball-bearing four-drawer steel letter files, to sell at about $27.00).
• P. Kat, 1521 Sheridan Ave., Box 57, N. Y. (seamless steel wheelbarrow, rubber tired wheel and handles, to be sold at about $11.00).
• Strobel Mfg. Co., 2412 Market St., Louisville, Ky. (an unusual item—a sprayer that stains shoes by spray—no rubbing).
• Just-rite Mfg. Co., 2061 N. Southport Ave., Chicago 14, Ill. (warning flash for auto use).
• Marsten Sales Co., Danvers, Mass. (101 re-blade knife).
• The Monroe Co., 125 Church St., Colfax, Iowa (folding tables, large size, for churches, lodges, retailers, farms, institutions, etc.).
• Weatherproof Co., 1407 E. 40th St., Cleveland, O. (storm windows of aluminum).
• Hygrade Hardware & Supply Co., 865 Amsterdam Ave., N. Y. (self-acting closet lamp, to sell at $1.00).
• Arthur Lee Co., 16 Court St., Brooklyn, N. Y. (ball pens, purchasable at 10 for $1.00, saleable at 15 or 20¢ or 3 for 50¢).
• Kristee, 159 Akron, O. (new plastic mending tape).
• L. & M. Co., 510 St., Charles Street, St. Louis, Mo. (plastic aprons).
• Blair, 53 LE, Lynchburg, Va., (household products).
• P. M. Air Cushion, 601 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles 5, Calif. (pocket air cushion, for various handy uses, 16" x 16" size blown up).
• Mar-Mil Shirt Co., 7913 Blue Ash Blvd., Cincinnati 36, Ohio (custom-tailored shirts).
• Personality Portrait Co., 130 W. 42nd St., N. Y. (enlargements of photos into portrait in color in oils, in gold metal frame).
• Ester Leather Co., 145 St. Paul St., Rochester, N. Y. (leathercraft items).
• Thomas A. Wolfe, Inc., 1133 Broadway, N. Y. (kitchen cutlery and flatware).
• Richard Alan Co., 1728 W. Walnut St., Chicago 12, Ill. (portable washing machine—fits over a tub).
• Home Optical Service, 519 Main St., Cincinnati 3, O. (optically ground sun glasses to order).
• Solar Sturges Mfg. Div., Pressed Steel Car Co., Melrose Park, Ill. (stainless steel line, of cookware).
• Cedar Sales, 527 S. 29th St., Manitowoc, Wis. (casting rods for fishermen).
• Sierra Tool Co., 10747 Chandler Blvd., North Hollywood, Calif. (home workshop power tools).
• Acme Fireworks Corp., River Grove, Ill. (complete line of fireworks).
• Maxilume Company, 125 W. Hubbard St., Chicago 10, Ill. (refrigerator defroster).
• R. L. Mitchell Rubber Co., 2110 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles 65, Calif. (colored rubber door mats).
• Western Hardware Mfg. Co., 3830 M. Fratney St., Milwaukee, Wis. (electric steam irons).
• The Sheldon Co., 720 S. 23rd St., Milwaukee, Wis. (special ironing board cover, plastic clothes line).
• The Alden Spears' Sons Co., 131 10th St., Cambridge 42, Mass. (knife sharpener).
• Saladmaster Sales, Inc., 131 Howell St., Dallas, Texas (kitchen chopper—peels, grates, slices, shreds).
• Jay Jay Metals Specialty Corp., 340 Stanton St., N. Y. 2, N. Y. (infra red broiler).
• Dayless Mfg. Co., 663 N. Wells St., Chicago 10, Ill. (self-wringing sponge rubber mop).
• Allen Portrait Co., Box 1481, Little Rock, Ark. (sepia photo enlargements 8" x 10").
• Certified Products, Louisville, Ky. (all kinds of paint).
• Samuel Rosenweig Access. Co., 8 Herzl St., Brooklyn 12, N. Y. (all types of plastics—table cloths, aprons, drapes, cottage sets).
• Martin Associates, 35 Central Ave., Newark 42, N. J. (combination hair dryer, room heater, fan).
• National Co., 214 Summer St., Boston, Mass. (name plates for houses).
• Hopkins Hosiery Co., West Roxbury, Mass. (women's nylon hosiery).
• Modern Terminal Supply Co., 55 W. 42nd St., N. Y. (watches).
• Madison Plastics, 303 Fourth Ave., N. Y. 10, N. Y. (glow-in-the-dark plastic house numbers, pictures, ash trays, etc.).
• Meyerson Calendar Co., 712 Federal St., Chicago 5, Ill. (calendars).
• Carroll of Carrollton, Carrollton, O. (stainless steel cookware).

You should select, as a side-line, if possible, something which has a repeat sale; so that your acquaintance, the relation with your customer, can be of value to you not just for one sale of one item, but for more at later times. This is the logic of the "side-line"—to mention after you have sold a customer your main line: create a basis for a later visit.

There are hundreds of minor items which can be such side-lines. They are best when even slightly "related". For example, if you sell hosiery or clothes, sell also the new plastic alligator scuffs sold by Acme Shield Co., 693 Broadway, N. Y., or a pouring spout (J. Dapter Spout Co., Akron, O.); or a utility pad (Craig Industries, 3318 Harvard Ave., N. W., Canton 9, Ohio); or Christmas or greeting cards (see item No. 11); or a utility kitchen cutter (A. N. Brooks, 1452 Merchandise Mart, Chicago 54, Ill.).

For men in particular such sidelines with appeal would be an electric blade sharpener for razor blades (Blademaster, Inc., 315 East 91st St., New York), or a special billfold, or imprint airflow pen (Charms & Cain, 407 So. Dearborn St., Chicago 5, Ill.); or an automatic "electric brain" to turn heat down or up at fixed times (Temp-O-Matic, 123 Madison St., Chicago 2, Ill.); or a combination hammer-screw driver set (Brocker Mfg. Co., 8 N. George St., York 9, Pa.), or unusual paints (such as Bear Paint Co., Inc., Sand Lake, Mich.; or Coast Industries, 1004 S. Los Angeles 15, Calif.) or an automobile back, rest (Frank Veale Mfg. Co., 1709 Central Ave., Columbus, Indiana).

Here, now, are a few other side-line classifications:

Ties—
Delmar Tie Co., 267 Federal St., Youngstown, Mo.
Prince Edgar Ties, P. O. B. 2303, New Orleans, La.

Watches—
Marvel Wholesale Watch Co., Mancester, Conn.

Advertising—
E. E. E. Co., Inc., Fleuro Signs, 106 Forsythe St., N. Y. 2, N. Y.
License Equip. Co., 3530 E. 88th St., Cleveland 5, Ohio.
Sta-Put Signs, 298 5th Ave., N. Y. C.
D. L. Sewell, Clementon, O.

Vitamins—
Marton, Inc., 470 N. Decatur, Memphis 4, Tenn.

Women's Clothes—
S. Angell & Co., 236 W. 27th St., New York, N. Y.
Associated Lines, 220 5th Ave., New York, N. Y.
Felmar, Importers, Blue Island, Ill.
Gerber Sales Co., 45 S. Wells; Chicago 6, Ill.
Mitchell & Church Co., Binghampton, N. Y.
Rand Fashions, 37 W. 17th St., New York, N. Y.

Automotive—
Bonard Coutts, 1911 N. Norton, Spokane, Wash. (magic sunshade).
Caroline Chemical Co., Four Oaks, N. C. (battery charger).
Safety Industries, 1577½ W. Wash. Blvd., Los Angeles 7, Calif. (foglite headlights).
Autotray Co., 36 N. Penna.. St., Indianapolis 4, Ind.

Shoes—
Consolidated Shoe System, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
Doublewear Shoe Co., 315 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, Minn.
Charles Chester Shoe Co., 1650 Chester Bldg., Brockton, Mass.
Bear Brand Mfg. Co., Cumberland City, Tenn.

Toilet Goods—
Sargeant Acnoid Pharmaceutical Co., Highland Falls, N. Y.
Peggy Newton, Newark, N. J.

Jewelry—
Fain's Wholesale Jewelers, 93 Nassau St., New York, N. Y.
Sterling Mfg. Co., 1828 Amsterdam Ave., New York, N. Y.
Warner Shops, 1512 Jarmen Ave., Chicago 26, Ill.
Robert H. Merkel, Buffalo 21, N. Y.
World Wide Diamond Co., 2451 S. Mich. Ave., Chicago 16, Ill.

Cookware—
Kitchen Craft Div., West Bend Aluminum Co., West Bend, Wis.
International Edge Zone Co., 451 15th Ave., Newark, N. J.

Toys—
Child-Craft Co., 915 Corbet St., Tarentum, Pa.
Sax-on, 3840 Fullerton St., Chicago 47, Ill.
Fisher Price Toys, East Aurora, N. Y.
Atlantic Binders Corp., 56 S. 11th St., Brooklyn 11, N. Y.

Mens Tailoring—
Schaefer Tailoring Co., Cincinnati 2, Ohio.