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Why Is John Patterson the Father of American Salesmanship?
John Patterson was a visionary.
After buying the patent for the cash register in 1880, he created the foundation for the American salesman and sales force that we know today. But pay close attention. This is NOT a history lesson. This is a sales lesson.
Patterson was a thinker; he was a risk-taker; he was a reader; he was an entrepreneur; he was a teacher; he was a student-and he was a salesman. Certainly the best salesman of his time. Arguably the best salesman of all time.
If you read (and reread) this carefully, you will find several subtle clues that will lead you to sales greatness. For the rest, read The Patterson Principles of Selling.
Patterson’s success was due to his ability to blend the emotion that makes the sale with the logic that figures out the reasoning behind it. He used the perfect blend of logic and emotion. Forming opinions or justifying decisions lean toward being logical, but Patterson understood that the process of buying was an emotional one.
He knew it.
And he taught it.
Not just a businessman, Patterson was the creator of most of the practices that distinguish modern American business from all other businesses in the world. Not just a salesman, he was the founder of modern salesmanship. Not just a speaker, he was among the most effective of public demonstrators. Not just a financier, he was the chief exponent of getting money by spending money. Not just a manufacturer, he was the originator of the modern American factory. Not just a judge or a picker of men, he was the father of organized business and the developer of more business leaders than any other man of his time. Not just a man of commanding personality, he was a rare leader of men-equally sure of himself whether facing defeat or victory.
He is salesmanship’s father because of .
the strategies he created
the methods he pioneered
the manner in which he transferred his genius to his team
and their track record of success to prove it.
He is salesmanship’s father because he was the first person who realized a customer was more likely to complete a transaction through “wanting to buy” than “trying to sell.” Patterson created the original “pull through” sales model. He pioneered sales training. He taught his people to adapt and harmonize with the “probable purchaser” (which we now erroneously call the “prospect”). He inspired his people with ideas that worked. And he backed his salespeople with advertising and promotion so that his brand of cash register was by far the machine of choice.
But far and away, the overwhelming evidence of his genius was his concept of “Creating the demand for a receipt, rather than just trying to sell the concept of a cash register.”
Where did John Patterson get his concepts and strategies? He read.
Patterson believed a good book was a great mental possession. Only books worthy of being read again and again graced the shelves of his private library. All of his books were marked and underlined-from cover-to-cover. Whenever new information appeared, Patterson underlined it, book marked it, studied it, and put it into practice. Many underlined passages in his books show the essence of the message that captured his attention. Books helped to shape the man and the empire he built. Patterson believed that a good book was not the plaything for the idle hour, but a veritable means for generating power.
He read. And he generated power.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT NOTE: Before Napoleon Hill there was Orison Swett Marden. Napoleon Hill emulated Marden, who was the original positive-attitude genius of the 20th century. Lately I have been buying every Marden book I can get my hands on.
(For a complete list of Marden books, go to www.gitomer.com and enter the words MARDEN BOOKS into the GitBit box.)
About two years ago, I purchased a bunch of books from the original John Patterson library. Most of them were on longevity, plus a few biographies. As I was perusing the books last week, I pulled out the title He Who Thinks He Can by Orison Swett Marden. My blood ran cold. It is a first edition book published in 1908, and I realized Patterson had something in common. I smiled and went about my business. I carry the Marden book from Patterson’s library with me and read a page or two a day. I especially read the parts that Patterson underlined. As usual, he found the gems.
Everyone needs a father. Someone to look up to, admire and learn from. Not so much for the details, but for the big picture-the guiding light. To me, John Patterson is that man. I hope he can be your guiding light too.
Free Gitbit. Want the bare-bones list of the 32.5 Patterson Principles of Selling? Just go to www.gitomer.com; register if you’re a first time user, and enter the word PATTERSON in the GitBit box
Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless, is President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer. He gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service. He can be reached by phone: 704/333-1112 or e-mail: salesman@gitomer.com
c2004 – All rights reserved Don’t even think about reproducing this document or it’s contents without the written approval of Jeffrey Gitomer or Buy Gitomer 704/333-1112 salesman@gitomer.com
