The Art of the Sale

In Promo by Draco Deville

 

All that glitters is not gold.

 

Imagine, if you will, a child entering a shop, their tiny eyes darting from shelf to shelf.

After surveying the entirety of available wares, the glint of a shiny new toy stops them in their tracks.

Just look at it! As if it was made just for them.

In the moment, there is nothing they could possibly desire more–the immediate gratification of possessing this shiny new thing.

And, in that moment, they are right.

But, with the passage of time, the shiny new toy–the object that at one time represented all of their desires–loses its shine.

It was made cheaply, corners were cut, and eventually… it breaks.

Now, this once beautiful shiny toy lies broken… useless… all of its value stripped, and the credits spent wasted on a temporary desire.

And who is to blame? The child? The maker of the toy?

The salesman.

To be a salesman—a true salesman—requires more than simply providing goods and services to your patrons.

It is not simply a matter of satisfying their surface desires, facilitating a basic transaction in the here and now.

The best salesmen cut beneath the surface and understand their patrons’ needs.

A true salesman respects the craft and treats their profession like an art.

At a cursory glance, one might think that Aarman Fidel and I are similar.

We are most certainly not.

While we both may be considered salesmen, you, Aarman, are a purveyor of cheap goods and surface desires. You lack the sophistication and expertise that one can only gain from experience. In short, you are an amateur.

I, by contrast, am a consummate professional.

While you peddle cheap wares throughout Arcadia, selling your patrons on sex and the shallow and temporary thrill that accompanies, I have spent my entire life cultivating an extensive knowledge of the people of Arcadia.

I have developed a reputation for truly understanding my patrons, having precisely what they need and, most importantly, offering it at a price they simply cannot refuse.

While many in Arcadia have come to you to satisfy their immediate desires, all understand that Deville’s Emporium is where they go to acquire something that lasts.

While you sell the shiny toy that breaks with time, I provide what patrons simply can’t live without. And, because of this quality, my patrons have certain loyalty to me that you are simply incapable of understanding.

I have been in this business for a long… long time, Aarman. I’ve seen people like you come and go, but I am immemorial. Long before you and long after you, Arcadia will understand that I am the only true salesman here.

My ledger runs deep, encompassing all levels of our society—just who is in The Shopkeeper’s debt may surprise you.