The Evolution of the Salesperson

Over the years the art of selling has evolved beyond our imagination. The days of selling door to door and traveling across the country to make a profit are almost extinct. Salespeople have been taught to hit the street, knock on doors and close deals but global markets, increased technology and complex products have combined to make the buying and selling business more profitable than ever. In “Death of a Salesman”, Willy Loman portrays a traveling salesman trying to fulfill the American Dream of not only being successful but more importantly to be respected and well liked. Willy is a weary and perhaps failed salesman who works on straight commission with barely enough money to pay his bills. Selling products today still has a large impact on our economy today but a lot of what the typical old-time salesman did as recently as ten years ago is now obsolete and replaced by an ever advancing technology. I will explain how selling has advanced immensely over the years from the historically door to door selling to global selling. A salesperson is defined as a provider of goods and services to the community or company. Their first impression is crucial to their success. They must be able to sell all day and the days following. Many people use fancy titles to disguise the fact that they really are a salesperson, but if your job is to sell someone a product or service, then you’re a salesperson. Their job intensity varies depending on many reasons such as the product being sold, rival competition, company quotas, etc. As technology has evolved so has the process of selling. Isaac Merrit Singer and Milton Hershey are two examples of successful selling businessmen whose products are still being used today. Isaac Singer founded the largest manufacturer of sewing machines in the world. He often went door to door advertising and