The Sales History Podcast

Send us a Text Message.In the January 1918 edition of Business Philosopher Magazine, a story by William W. Woodbridge was printed. It's the story of a down-and-out salesperson, John Bradford, who essentially fired himself! It's a story of getting right with yourself. I fell in love with it, and wanted to share it with you."Bradford, you're fired!"@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.The beginnings of the modern sales profession (1890-1920) were associated with trust, respect, and even admiration. 100 years later, the sales profession sits at the bottom of Gallup's annual listings of ethical professions...along with politicians. What happened? Where did it all go wrong?I put my finger on it. In this episode, I diagnose the specific period where it all went bad, explore the many justifications and debates around high-pressure versus low-pressure selling, and why we may still have hope to return to those trusted roots.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.Some individuals from sales history moved mountains - and nobody knows about them today! This time, I wanted to highlight one from the 1970s & 1980s - Barbara Pletcher. She noticed a void in the development of women for the boardroom, and it started with sales skills. I found her story really compelling. The way she thought about raising the bar for all is brilliant. Here's her story...@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.The way we live today wasn't defined just via the invention itself. Things like the steam engine, telegraph, reaper, highways, the telephone, the automobile...and just about every other revolutionary advancement was met with extreme skepticism. They all HAD TO BE SOLD.  The incredible inventors had to be ingenious salespeople, too. Here are their stories. In this episode, which I really enjoyed researching, I take you through the stories of so many things we just assume have always been around - and must have sold themselves...but didn't. @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

Send us a Text Message.The early 1900s were made up of the foundation layers for our great profession. Incredible ideas. Great Writing. Things we all use still today. However, there were a few odd ideas out there, too. Here's a collection of ten of those odd quotes on everything from bowel movements, your thyroid, and your ability to fight that made up these fine individuals' thoughts around what led to success in sales.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership, which includes several quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

This episode dissects prospecting from 50 to 120 years ago...discussing five key elements:1) The origins of the word "prospecting" as it relates to sales2) The mindset - quality prospecting over simply focusing on metrics and scale3) Metrics and prospecting quotes - the counterpoint of above in terms of working backwards to determine how many prospects you have to reach out to to hit your numbers4) The use of the telephone in prospecting - some initial thoughts on multi-channel versus a reliance on the tool5) Data around the number of touches it takes to develop a prospectThere's nothing new in the world of sales, except for the history you do not know. @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership, which includes several quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

We've heard it all before - the "death of" this, and the "demise of" that as it relates to the sales profession. Everything is dead, right? Well, like so many other sales-related things, this concept isn't new, either. Experts have been casting the profession and its elements to the grave since the early 1900s. In today's episode, I share multiple times when the sales profession was theoretically on its deathbed - and why it not only survived but thrived. I also take you through why things that work, specifically the "service mindset", disappear and then reappear to help us through troubled times.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes several quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

Let's explore sales discounting…it's history, commentary, and why we haven't been able to break this terrible habit. It's a problem that's as prominent and as recognized today as it was in the early 1900s. @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes several quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the Show.

In 1937, Paul W. Ivey released a second edition of his book, Salesmanship Applied. Chapter 6 is one of my favorites from my collection of books from 75+ years ago. Want to be the best version of you? Instead of recreating the wheel on these ideas, let's turn the clock back 87 years. We spend so much time on sales methodologies and techniques to be better - but how about building up the value in ourselves?  Ivey nails it with these ten...@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

Sales - the most brilliant minds in the profession view our responsibility as "selling ideas'. Those brilliant minds date back to the 1600s and Sir Francis Bacon, the late 1700s and Benjamin Franklin, and many more throughout the 1900s. In today's episode, we'll explore the advice from Bacon, Franklin, and a couple of amazing thought leaders on selling from the 1950s - how logic polarizes an audience, along with how to think differently about your approach. @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

Our version of sales recruiting, sales training, dedicated territories, quotas, salary + variable compensation plans, even sales kickoffs all began between 1890-1920.  The process designs, compensation strategies, and almost all of the selling methodologies are based on this foundational approach - which, for the most part, I'd argue has been correct. Sure, people argued for change, but the core has been the core.In today's episode, I take you through the "why", inject some wisdom from the great Arthur Sheldon, and take you to an exploration of why we may need to shift going forward. Those cores have changed, in ways you maybe haven't thought about.  @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

Salesman's "Creeds" - There was a concept that started popping up around 1905, spreading to individual companies, industries, and eventually to entire cities by the 1910s. Established to change the perception of the sales profession. these "creeds" defined a core set of beliefs every salesperson should have in taking goods to market.In this episode, we'll talk through what these creeds were, why they were developed, how they were used, and how the concept is suddenly springing up again today. @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the showSupport the show

It's the story for so many - great at selling, promoted into leadership without training or a holistic understanding of what the role actually is. In today's episode, I share a parable written by Worthington C. Holman in 1909 about a medieval military leader named Dunderblitzen Von Shoosh. I loved this story so much, I had to share it...along with lessons for today.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

I went digging...into the origins of email as a communication medium. Along the way, I found a ton of really interesting timeline milestones that are amazing, interesting, and in some cases pretty funny.So, in this episode, we explore those milestones - from invention to the CAN-SPAM act, and how we really haven't fixed a whole lot along the way.Here's the article I reference - with a full timeline with resources, links & pictures: https://toddcaponi.com/history-of-email-in-sales-and-marketing/@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

Sales compensation plans - where did they come from? How did they evolve to where they are today? Are there lessons we can learn from their origins we can apply today to make our plans more of what they are meant to be?In today's episode, I take you back as far as 1914 to learn about the types of quotas, the mistakes they acknowledged in 1918, and the lessons from the 1920s about compensation plan design that are possible things to consider even today.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

Can you imagine - a profession so deplorable that those in it were rounded up and murdered? As crazy as it sounds, I found that it actually happened during the Roman Empire B.C. In an incredible find, I uncovered a sales history well over 2,000 years old where money was prioritized over virtue - in a way we still see today. In today's episode, I tell the story, with quotes from the great philosophers and poets from the final two centuries B.C.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the showSupport the show

If sales has changed so much, why haven't the #salestips? Reading a collection of the top sales tips in 1913 - and I swear I was reading a collection of the top sales tips today. There's no conflict...at all. What's presented as revelation today on all of the socials are fundamentally the same through the eras of selling, so in today's episode, I share them. Worthington C. Holman's 9 things a successful salesperson must do, from System Magazine's February of 1913 edition. And given that Holman was an artist with his words...they're even better back then!@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

There's a direct correlation between the difficulty of the selling environment and the need for optimized sales management. There was a lag between the modernization of sales and the modernization of sales management. In this episode, we track that evolution...from the 1900s through after the lesser-known depression of the early 1920s. The amazing thing - the lessons they learned 100 years ago, we still often ignore today. Let's dig in...@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the showSupport the show

“It is far better that the quota be right than that it be simple.” – 1926Something odd struck me as I was investigating the origins of quotas and variable compensation. 75-100 years ago, organizations did MUCH MORE with MUCH LESS data. Today, not sure anyone could claim that quota setting is in a good state - and I think I know why.In this episode, we explore how quotas were set back then...much more correctly...and why there's a very real way for us to fix it today. (I will be doing another episode on quotas & variable compensation structures...today is just focused on an era of when quotas were set right!)@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

Every "greatest sales book of all time" listing has its share of "snubs", or books that should be on it that aren't. Even worse...I have yet to find a list that hasn't snubbed an entire era!In this episode, I highlight six of many books from 1900-1930 that should be on the lists, but aren't. @saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.Support the show

In another case of a misguided Google result, it's time to set another record straight. What was the first "modern" sales methodology? What was it? Who developed it? And why did it serve as a baseline for so many companies throughout the early portion of the 1900s?@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

It's sales kickoff season. Kickoffs, or what was called sales 'conventions", have been around for at least 130 years. Today, we dig into the first known kickoff that I could find, from 1887. We'll dig into what they did, lessons learned from those 100+ year-old kickoffs, and a modern view of how you can apply those to yours today.@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past@saleshistorian on Twitter - daily quotes, pics & comics from the pastThe Transparent Sales Leader - my newest book which includes a number of quotes and lessons from sales' past.The Transparency Sale - the first book, named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

While reading and studying books and magazines on sales leadership from the late 1800s through the 1940s:The problems of sales & leadership are almost all the same today...except for one thing. There are no articles, or even expressions of consternation, about forecasting in sales back then. I think I put my finger on why - and while it might not solve all of our forecasting issues, there's a core question that should strike everyone who listens...Why do we try to predict when a buyer will buy via forecasts and stages that are based on seller activities? 100 years ago, their processes NEVER were "discovery", "qualification", "demo", "proposal", "close'. Never. Listen in to what was the basis of EVERY sales process and forecasting methodology 100 years ago...a systemic recognition of buyer behavior. NOW AVAILABLE: The Transparent Sales Leader: https://www.amzn.com/1646870646 @saleshistorian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SalesHistorian @saleshistorian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saleshistorian/Reach out at tcaponi@salesmelon.com

A once admired profession, taught in colleges and high schools in the early 1900s, was detested by the 1960s. Why? And can we get our mojo back?In this episode, we explore a 1965 study on what makes a profession prestigious matched up against the profession of sales - and why at least one scholar believes we may never get back to once was both trusted and respected!The new book, The Transparent Sales Leader, is NOW AVAILABLE for pre-sale and will launch on July 5th. Chock full of takes and quotes from sales history, this book lays out a structure for sales leadership, optimized for science, and all on a bed of sincerity and transparency. Order now for Kindle and Paperback. https://www.amzn.com/B0B23DZHFR/

Sales objections - they've been around since the beginning of time. But the amazing thing is, they read almost EXACTLY as they do today. What's even more amazing? The experts answers to the most common ones that come up.In today's episode, we choose six - and the experts from 1907 to 1920s answers may actually be useful to you today! I also dig into a new way to think about objections - transparency style. Enjoy...Got feedback, or things you want me to research? Reach out directly at info@toddcaponi.com.

"If the truth won't sell it, don't sell it." - the words of Arthur Dunn from 1919. In the early 20th century, the sales profession embraced a culture of honesty & transparency. In today's episode:We start with an amazing passage from Baltasar Gracian from his 1647 book, The Art of Worldly Wisdom. We explore the brilliant quotes and minds of that period as it relates to honesty in sales. Then, we put a bow on it by theorizing on why the sales profession sits at the bottom of Gallup's annual "Trusted Professions" list - and why honesty is the key to regaining our admiration.Follow daily sales history quotes @saleshistorian on both Instagram and Twitter.Check out www.toddcaponi.com for articles, the books, videos & his speaking & workshop programs.

With Ask Me Anything's (AMAs) being all the rage today, there was a similar outlet for salespeople...in 1906! Via Salesmanship Magazine, every month, salespeople from around the country were encouraged to send in their questions. Experts fielded those questions and provided their answers.In today's episode, we explore four "queries" from that year.1) A question about a sales pursuit and the associated expenses2) A question about prospecting - getting in, and what to say3) A job search question for an individual struggling to find a sales job in a new city4) A precarious situation where the answer is...you guessed it...TRANSPARENCY!@saleshistorian

Wondering what sales influencers would be the best follows for you on LinkedIn? Well, in today's episode, I give you that list - but from 100 years ago! The dawn of modern sales took place in the early 1900s - the individuals each left an indelible mark on all of YOUR sales careers - even today.So let's explore - the Top Five Sales Follows from 100 years ago...#5 - Noval Hawkins - "The greatest salesperson in the history of Ford Motor Company" & multi-time sales author#4 - Lucinda W. Prince - THE pioneer for women in sales#3 - Worthington C. Holman - Co-authored the first NCR sales manual, multi time author, publisher, editor and quote machine#2 - Dr. Orison S. Marden - the GOAT of business philosophers, who "has had children named after the titles of his books"#1 - Arthur Sheldon - the GOAT of sales philosophers, who, when he died in 1935 was referred to as "THE philosopher of selling"

An amendment to Season 1, Episode 10's episode on "When Did Cold Calling Begin?", this episode tells of two newly found stories - of the first found (so far) B2C telephone cold calling campaign in 1910, and the first found B2B telephone cold calling campaign from 1914. The success rate, the scripting, the analysis of numbers and the foundational technique is so amazing, given much is what we still teach today - albeit there was a transparency faux pas in the B2B story you've got to hear. (h/t Jeffrey Blackwell)

If the saying "if we don't know history, are we doomed to repeat it" is true, then why can't we use history to also predict the future? In this episode, I attempt to do just that. "Buyers know more nowadays" isn't just a quote from LinkedIn today, but also from a sales book in 1912! More information hasn't meant the demise of the profession - it's created more of a need for it!With this in mind, let's dissect the past to predict the future! 

Isn't it ironic? Today, we fret over the challenge of building and leading teams that are all remote. However, the original sales leaders in the "modern" era of sales (i.e., 1907-1920s) - were REMOTE sales leaders. And, they built, trained and motivated teams without Slack, without email, or without even the ability to talk to them on the phone!In this episode, we explore the origins of sales leadership, how it was done remotely, and attempt to tie those concepts to today's remote requirement.

100 years ago - 1922 - the sales world encountered a year with 85% salesperson turnover. You read that right! A year when "sales executives discharged practically ALL of their salesmen"! The crazy part - just 18 months earlier, the sales world "took almost anybody into their sales forces". What happened? Could it happen again today? The lead-up is eerily familiar. Better to know so we can avoid it than bury our heads in the sand and pretend like it cannot happen, right?

The best podcasts give you access to top performers; salespeople, leaders & influencers, right? But, how about a top performer...from 100+ years ago?!?This week I've got a special episode for you -  where I (fake) interview Norval Hawkins (1867-1936), known as the greatest salesperson to ever work for Ford, whom Henry Ford himself referred to as "my million dollar man". Hawkin's writing is profound, just thinking about things differently - but incredibly applicable to today.So, in this interview, I play the role of podcast interviewer, and I play the role of Norval Hawkins, answering the questions using his own thoughts from ~ 100 years ago.If you have feedback, let's hear it! Reach out via www.toddcaponi.com, connect on LinkedIn, or follow on Instagram or Twitter @SalesHistorian, where I post daily with quotes from sales history's past.

The question: Where did the qualification construct BANT come from? In looking for the answer, I realized something...Sales processes of the early 20th century? All buyer-focused steps - what is the buyer doing? Sales processes since the 1950's, when BANT came around? All seller-focused, all the way down to our CRM stages.To be truly buyer-focused, shouldn't our processes & measures be housed in recognizing buyer behavior?

Sales compensation - commission-only until the 1900's. And, for good reason. You wouldn't pay a rep you rarely see a salary, right? Sales are face-to-face. Travel is slow, there's no real-time distance communication, and no CRM system, so it's what you did. Sell something, get paid - a lot. Don't sell something, don't get paid. The birth of salary+commission changed that, and inspired the need for quotas. In this episode, we track that progression, the original purpose of a quota, and how we've convoluted that purpose over time. Maybe we should consider going back?

Cold calling - some love it, some hate it, but when did it start? Specifically, when did salespeople start cold canvassing (in-person), and when did they start doing it using the telephone?The answers are pretty clear, and what you find in a Google search are NOT the correct answers...clearly. Let's debunk the false, and get to the truth about where our cold outreach began.

Are you responsible for "drumming up business" in your role? Do you "carry a bag" as a salesperson? Do you know where those terms come from? They come from the traveling salespeople of the 1800s. In today's episode, I tell their story - of the hard-drinking, back-slapping "Drummer" - and of the horseback riding "Bagmen" - what it was like to be one, and where those terms came from.@SalesHistorian on Twitter or Instagram

Many view the past-10-plus-the-next-10-years as a period where technology is and will completely change the sales profession. But if we use history as a guide, where technology was changing an awful lot more than it is today, salespeople will ruin it again.  The rise of the telephone, email, even LinkedIn...may have done more harm than good for a profession reliant on its reputation.In this look back at the rise of technology-enabled sales from the advent of the telephone, we explore the lessons learned from sales' past as our filter for selecting the sales technologies we leverage in the future.

If there was a Hall of Fame of sales thought leaders & pioneers, who would you put in it? Zig Ziglar? Dale Carnegie? Brian Tracy? Who else?Arthur Sheldon needs to be on that list - I'd argue ahead of all three! Lost in the pages of sales history's past, upon his death in 1935, the Chicago Daily Tribune referred to him as “the author of more works on salesmanship than any other person” and “THE philosopher of selling.” Today, I share his story. 

Phrenology. Physiognomy. Graphology = A couple of the sales methodologies of 100 years ago that may sound really strange to us today, but were embraced and pervasive back then. So pervasive, the Ford Motor Company swore by one of them. The pioneers of this weirdness were the heralded keynotes at sales events. In this episode, we dive into those strange (by today's standards) methodologies of sales' past.

We so often hear and see people proclaiming that "Sales should be taught in college". Well, it was...and in high school, too, back in the early 1900's. The most prominent universities in the country (Harvard, Wharton, etc.) had it. Then it disappeared - for decades. Now it's coming back - aggressively. Why did we need and have it 100+ years ago? Why did it disappear? Why is it back now? Could it disappear again? All covered in this week's Sales History Podcast. 

Imagine, it's 1920, and someone is sitting around asking themselves, "I wonder what the history of sales is". They do the homework, then they write about it. Well, I found it. And in this episode, I summarize it - the History of Sales from the beginning of time through 1920.

105 years ago - the sales profession was not only respected & trusted, it was admired! As evidence, the first World Sales Congress was taking place in Detroit, keynoted by the President...in the middle of a world war! Here's the story of the event, my take on how we've lost our way, and how to get it back!

"Salesmanship" - a pervasive word at the time, but that doesn't necessarily mean women didn't play a prominent role in the profession 100+ years ago. And even more amazing, in this episode, I tell the story of Lucinda W. Prince, who became the profession's leading advocate for empowering women to embrace, establish and excel in sales.

William Faulkner called him “the father of American literature”. From my research, Mark Twain may also be “the pioneer of sales enablement”. In this first episode, I tell you the story of how Mark Twain saved the Ulysses S. Grant family, turning his book into the 2nd best selling book of all-time (at the time) through creating a sales enablement environment supporting 10,000 salespeople!