226 SELLING LATIN AMERICA 
of the company to make a preliminary tour 
through the lands in question for the purpose 
of studying the situation and ascertaining the 
demands existing for similar lines. On such 
a trip prices should be carefully observed, 
strict attention paid to duties, freight and other 
incidental charges. It is by noting and study 
ing these conditions that you will be able to 
meet and overcome competition. Special 
care should be exercised in giving the natives 
just what they want and not in trying to foist 
on them the thing you wish them to have, even 
should it be better, cheaper and more practic 
able. With this object in view, local dealers 
and merchants should be interviewed and care 
taken to ascertain every detail that might pos 
sibly have any bearing on your future market 
ing plans. Being thoroughly prepared in ad 
vance helps materially in smoothing the road 
to be travelled. Samples of competing lines 
with prices and minute data of all kinds should 
be sent to the home office for reference pur 
poses. 
It will soon be apparent, assuming that the