January 29, 2011

"DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER!"

We have all heard this phrase at one point or another in our lives. However, how many of us really participate in this act of not judging people by how they look or by what they wear?

This thought came to me today while my family visited an art gallery which is located nearly 60 miles from our home. My husband and I just recently purchased a few unframed pieces of art from a local art gallery which was going out of business. We were visiting this other art gallery today in order to have our artwork framed. While speaking to the salesman, it occurred to me that in that line of work it would be very easy to become biased and to judge people by how they look or how they dress. The salesman even told us a story about a couple who visited his store over the summer. This couple must not have "looked" like people who would be visiting an art gallery, and they must not have "looked" like the type of people who could afford to purchase any artwork. The salesman even remembered the type of clothing the lady was wearing: a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Apparently, the salesman did his duty of explaining the artwork to the couple, but clearly he had no expectations of the couple making any kind of purchase. However, the couple shocked the salesman by purchasing several "high quality" pieces, and they paid cash for their purchases.

What would have happened if this salesman would have just ignored this couple, and if he would not have taken the time out of his busy day in order to speak to this couple? He would have missed out on making a sale. This exact thing has happened to my husband and I over the last 20 years we have been married. I remember walking into an electronics store in order to purchase a VCR for my parents for Christmas; however, no salesperson wanted to help us. We had to actually go hunt down a salesperson and ask to be helped. I have actually walked out of stores because salespeople would refuse to help me, and I would go to another store to make the purchase where someone was willing to help me with my purchase.

All these scenarios are aimed toward salespeople; however, how many of us discount a person just because of how they look, what they are wearing, what type of car they drive, what kind of home they live in? I am sure many of us have walked away from wonderful friendships that could have been made. So, learn to get to know someone for who they are and not for what they wear or how they look. Never judge a book by it's cover!