In a bygone era, the persistent salesman was the one who knocked on doors all day.

Peddling vacuum cleaners or encyclopedias, he would go from house to house, getting rejected over and over again until he finally got a chance to make a sale.

And then he went on to the next street and the next.

As with many aspects of the industrial age, it was labour intensive and required sweat to be effective.  The successful salesman was often the one who rang the most bells, the one who placed his foot in the most doorways so that he could be heard.

But times have changed.

The new persistent salesman of the knowledge age looks different.

He persists by finding new, innovative ways to connect with his audience.

By building relationships based on trust and consistently meeting needs.

By continuing to learn, about his customers, his industry and his craft.

By telling stories and creating content that resonates with the market.

By finding new ways to create a buzz about his products that generates attention.

By remaining optimistic even during challenging times.

By building a reputation for excellence over many years.

By exceeding his customers’ expectations with every interaction.

By becoming the go-to guy, the expert, the authority on what he sells.

Now replace the word salesman with whatever it is that you do and replace the word customer with whoever your stakeholders are.

And remember that today’s persistent salesman doesn’t knock on doors, customers knock on his.

Do they knock on yours?

Previous post – What the Conformist Asked the Rogue

Next post – The Pain That Comes With Living Your Purpose