How to Win an Argument
by Albert Edward Wiggam. 1935.
16 pages

This booklet was reprinted by GM (from a Detroit News newspaper article) in 1935 for Oldsmobile sales personnel. In the introduction, H.E. Halston, Oldsmobile General Sales Manager, discusses the importance of persuading a potential buyer (opponent) without getting into an argument and expresses his endorsement of the article’s content.

In the mid-1920s, two New York University public speaking/debating professors went out into the workforce. They took short-time jobs and documented 20,000 sales talks and arguments. After sifting through their data, Drs. Richard C. Borden and Alvin C. Busse concluded that there are six fundamental principals to avoid a argument while selling:

1. Don’t try to do all the talking yourself: Denying your opponents the opportunity to talk will diminish their attention to you, thus stimulating their desire to argue. Repressing people’s opinions inflates them and increases impatience. Be a good listener first and a good talker second.



2. Don’t interrupt your opponent: Interruptions and comebacks do not pay, no matter how gracious you are. The goal is to persuade – not defeat.



3. Avoid an argumentative, belligerent, positive attitude: If you become positive and argumentative, you rouse the same emotion in your opponent. To avoid a face-saving argument use a smooth, moderate manner tone.



4. In the first half of the argument - inquire rather than attack: Never start an argument by telling the component you think he is wrong; instead start by asking him with interest why he thinks he is right.



5. Clearly re-state the gist of each argument your opponent advances – as soon as advanced: This shows that you are listening and understand what the opponent is saying.



6. Identify the primary argument with one key issue and don’t digress from that issue: It is exceedingly difficult to make an important decision on short notice if there is more than one critical consideration.

Borden and Busse found that all the successful arguments followed these principles, and all the unsuccessful ones violated them.

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