John Patterson’s Notes To His Salespeople in 1893

Imagine: it’s spring 1893. You’re a salesperson for the National Cash Register Corporation (NCR). Your ultimate boss? Oh, it’s just the founder of the modern sales profession…John H. Patterson.

The person responsible for almost everything about sales today, back in the 1890s, wrote a newsletter to his salespeople across the country on a regular basis. In this episode, we explore some of the thoughts, tips, and rules for the NCR team.

Trust me – they’re amazing, and still applicable today.

@saleshistorian on Instagram – daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The 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.

COMING IN JANUARY OF 2026 – Four Levers Negotiating – chock full of history quotes, too…pre-order now.