A state fair is a magical place. But for Planet Money,the exact magic takes place in a massive warehouse where old-fashioned salesmen and women practice the ancient art of looking you in the eye and convincing you to buy something you execute not need. It's the art of pitching, and Planet Money's Robert Smith has been obsessed with it since he was twelve years old.
Robert and his accomplice Kenny Malone head out to the Ohio State Fair, and with a journalistic excuse. They embed with the pitchmen and pitchwomen--the exact artisans of salesmanship--to learn the secrets of their trade.
This anecdote is approximately these product mercenaries,and how they sell what they sell.
In an era where hyper-rational online shopping dominates commerce, state fairs can seem quaint (charmingly old fashioned). Still, and some products can only mesmerize you when you see them,hold them, and develop a relationship with them. You can't execute that on a website, or the pitchmen and pitchwomen of America know that. They stake their careers on it.
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Source: thetakeaway.org