Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1899 — THE RULE OF THREE [ARTICLE]

THE RULE OF THREE

Advice of a Business Men to Young Men Seeking Success. Th ere are good b uainess reasons for expecting more young men to venture into mercantile and industrial enterprises during the present year than have done so in the last five or six years all told? Present business conditions throughout the country and the constant expansion in all lines—notably in all departments of the dry goods trade—will certainly be a powerful incentive toward new busines* ventures. The foundations of many prosperous careers can and will be laid during 1899 and 1900. But there will also be some utter failures, no matter how great the general prosperity. Whether the individual young merchant in each case is to succeed or fail will depend upon himself and upon the methods he adopts. The present is therefore an opportune time for speaking a word, trite but true as gospel, that may save some from disaster, and that will most assuredly bring success to all who follow it faithfully. After an intense business .experience of 30 years the writer of thia article desires to urge upon young business men —and upon old business men, too, for that matter—the supreme importance of what may be called the commercial rule of three, as embodied in these three rules: Be prompt; be thorough; keep every promise. In these three rules lies the whole secret of success for the merchant. They sound simple, but if you analyze them you will find that they cover the whole scope of business enterprise. They imply honesty, industry, unselfishness, devotion to duty—all the fundamental principles of modern commerce. They are the sum and substance of all the teachings of centuries of prosperous effort by the greatest commercial race on the face of the earth. The merchants of the United Statee are again facing great opportunities, and thousands of young men are about to face these opportunities for the first time. Upon all we would urge the vital importance of the “rule of three” in the successful conduct of any business enterprise, large or small, distributive or manufacturing. If you expect to succeed in business—if you expect to be able to compete with your neighbors and finally acquire a competence for yourself—adopt the rules of promptness, thoroughness and reliability. Choose now between them and failure, for there is no other choice. Be prompt yourself, and require every man, woman and child identified with your enterprise in any way, however remote, to be prompt ia everything they undertake in relation to your business. Be thorough yourself, and set the example to all associated with you. It is not enough t* be thorough pait of the time, or only when you feel well and are in a good humor. Be thorough all the time ia everything pertaining to your business'. No item is so small that you can afford to slight it. Thoroughness and promptness must be two of thewatchwords of any man’s career as a successful merchant or manufacturer. And the third, no less important, must be fidelity to hispromises. Be sure never to permit yourself, under any circumstances, or to permit any of your employes or representatives, to make a business promise to your customers that you cannot faithfully execute. Lose the sale—lose the customer, if necessary-*but never make a promise that you cannot keep. Let rule number three be a sacred watchword in your store, like the other two rules that go with it. Be careful about saying what you will do, and then always do frhat you say you will. The young men who, by hundreds and thousands, will go into various kinds of business enterprise* during this* year and next, should engrave these words on their business brains: Be prompt, be thorough, he sure to keep your promises.—Chicago Dry Goods Reporter.