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Summary
Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum was one of America’s greatest entrepreneurs. He was poor at birth and rich at death. He made his career as a model for others to follow. The lecture written 1882 almost a century and half ago sets the tone of advertising which is relevant even today. His strategies might be exactly what you need to grow your business. He assumes that moral life is the best path to business success. He creates an optimistic energy that makes the listeners want to go right out and conquer the world.
a) Be Polite and Kind to Your Customers
Politeness and civility (courtesy) are the best capital ever invested in business. The truth is that the more kind and liberal a man is, the more patrons(customers) will be. Your business will be unavailing (ineffective) if you or your employees treat your customers abruptly (in rude manner). The man who gives the greatest amount of goods of good quality for the least sum will generally succeed best in the long run. Men who do sharp bargains with their customers, they will never see them again as customers.
b) Be Charitable
Men should be charitable because it is our duty and a pleasure. If you are charitable and liberal, you will get patronage (support from a rich or more powerful person) but sordid (immoral), uncharitable and miser will be avoided everywhere. The best charity is to help those who are willing to help themselves. It is better to assist those who are struggling for themselves. Don’t fall into the idea of some persons who give prayer instead of potato and a blessing instead of bread to the hungry.
c) Don’t Blab (reveal secret)
You should not say your secret plan to others. Some men have a foolish habit of telling their business secrets. When they earn money, they say their neighbours how it was done. Say nothing about your profit, your hopes, your expectations, your intentions. You should reveal your secret neither in letters nor in conversation. Business men of course must have to write letters, but they should be careful what to put in letters. If you are losing money, you should not tell others about it. Otherwise you will lose your reputation.
d) Preserve Your Integrity (the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles)
Integrity is more precious than diamonds. So, it is said that honesty is the best policy. You should not earn money dishonestly. We know it is easy to obtain money dishonestly but we should not have such idea in our mind. We have seen many men in prisons since they attempted to obtain money dishonestly! When once your dishonesty is revealed, your every way to success is closed forever. The public properly ignores all whose integrity is doubted. Honesty erects the foundation of all success in life. Uncompromising integrity of person is invaluable (extremely useful). Either the man is rich, polite and pleasant, none of us dare to deal with him if we suspect about his honesty.
The writer says that to be rich is not always equivalent to being successful. There are many rich but dishonest men while there are many poor but honest men. The inordinate (excessive) love of money may be the root of all evil. But money itself, when properly used, is not only a handy thing but affords the gratification (satisfaction) of blessing. The history of money getting is a history of civilization. Finally the writer the writer to all men and women to make money honestly.
Questions
1) Why should one be polite and kind to their customers?
Ans: One should be polite and kind to their customers because politeness and kindness are the best capital ever invested in business. If one is polite and kind, he/she can increase more customers. One’s business will be unavailing (ineffective) if he/she treats the customers abruptly.
2) How can charity be a duty and a pleasure?
Ans: Men should be charitable because it is our duty and a pleasure. If we are charitable, you will get support from others too. Uncharitable and miser are avoided everywhere. The best charity is to help the poor and those who are struggling for themselves.
3) What does the writer mean by “there are many rich poor men” ?
Ans: The man who is rich but doesn’t spend money even in need is supposed as rich poor man. The writer says that there are some people who seem rich outside but they are poor inside. They are miser and don’t spend money even for necessary work. So, these rich people are not rich and successful because to become rich means not to be successful. There are some people who are really poor but they are honest, helpful, generous and religious; in fact these are the rich people in real sense.
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