"Why Ghouls Leave Home" by Ray Bradbury

Strange to say, this brief humorous piece is not Google-able: although I'm sure the piece is in a printed bibliography of Bradbury, the title is not to be found online.  So, I figured, why not be the first person to put the bibliographic info online?

Probable first appearance in: FANTASCIENCE DIGEST, Jul-Aug-Sept. 1939.

Just a few paragraphs, with a high pun rate; Bradbury first describes Kuttner's pet ghoul Oliver (whom Kuttner sent over to visit Bradbury), and then his own ghoul Moses Gable.  Quite funny, and appropriately classified by the fanzine as "humor."

MY HERO!!

This is an excerpt from "Biography of the Blind" (1838).  Presumably mythological, but hopefully based on fact:

Perhaps one of the greatest curiosities in the city of Augsburgh, is a bookseller, of the name of Wimprecht, who had the misfortune to be born blind, but whose enterprising spirit has enabled him to struggle successfully against the melancholy privation he is doomed to sustain, and to procure, by his industry and intelligence, a respectable and comfortable support for a large family, dependent upon him.  His stock consists of more than 8,000 volumes, which are subject to frequent change and renewal.  When he receives new books, the particulars of each are read to him by his wife, and his descrimination enables him to fix its value; he recognises it by his touch, at any future period, however distant, and his memory never fails him, in regard to its arrangement in his shop.

Selling Retail. John Lawton.

Selling Retail.
John Lawton

This business book is better than most because the author doesn't just repeat the same thing over & over with an endless supply of anecdotes.  Yes, there is repetition and yes, there are anecdotes, but he has a few good ideas in here.

1. There is a huge difference between features and benefits.  In book land, for example, the feature of a book may be that it is a first edition, but the benefits are that the book will be a treasured bit of history that will increase in value, be a great conversation piece, add real substance to a collection, be bibliographically important, etc.  Benefits must be explained, customized, and demonstrated if possible.  Features are useless unless their benefits are expounded upon: benefits sell the product, not features.
2. Know your product, your company, and your competition.
3. Get as much information about your customers and what their needs are: why does your customer need a particular product?  Often, the customer thinks an item will satisfy his/her needs, but the knowledgeable salesperson may be a better judge of that!  Open the lines of communication with your customer.

That's the Cliff Notes version, but the book also has a lot of one-liner tidbits of good advice.  Recommended reading for anyone in sales.