An article in the New York Times states, “there are, nevertheless, many instances where proper advertising is producing better results than the old method of personal solicitation – larger volume at lesser cost.” Is that an argument that sounds familiar? Throughout recent years, people have been sounding the alarm proclaiming that the position of sales representative is doomed. Of course, it’s not a new idea. As a matter of fact, the article I just quoted was written in 1916!

In the 1916 New York Times article, Arthur J. Steinfeld claimed that the railroads changed everything. People no longer required a traveling salesman to come to them – the customer could travel to the retailer, and it was advertising – not sales reps – who drew the customers to stores. Fast forward to 1962, and you’ve got “The Vanishing Salesman,” by E.B. Weiss – a book full…