A History of Enterprise Sales: The Almost Complete Evolution of Human Commerce and Professional Selling in the Enterprise Technology Industry by Someo
From door-to-door artwork sales to AI-powered revenue platforms-the remarkable journey of how selling evolved from street-corner hustle to boardroom science.
Have you ever wondered how we got from ancient merchants trading mammoth steaks for fire-starting technology to today's sophisticated sales professionals using conversation intelligence and predictive analytics? This entertaining journey through the history of enterprise sales reveals the fascinating evolution of humanity's most enduring profession.
Author Gari Johnson, with over 40 years of experience in technology sales across the Asia Pacific, takes you on an irreverent yet insightful tour through the greatest hits and spectacular failures of selling. From his teenage years posing as an artist selling questionable artwork door-to-door (spoiler alert: he wasn't the artist), to witnessing the rise of systematic sales methodologies that transformed desperate hustling into respected business consultation.
What You'll Discover:Ancient Foundations: How Mesopotamian merchants developed the first customer qualification processes and why Silk Road traders were history's first international sales force, dealing with challenges that make contemporary global account management seem like a gentle stroll.
The Snake Oil Revolution: How patent medicine showmen created the blueprint for modern product launches, complete with spectacular presentations and social proof that Silicon Valley would later adopt wholesale (minus the banjo music).
Professional Transformation: The remarkable evolution from Arthur Miller's tragic Willy Loman to today's strategic business advisors who combine systematic methodology with authentic relationship building.
Methodology Wars: The fascinating period when consultants rushed to develop systematic approaches to sales excellence, leading to the proliferation of SPIN, MEDDIC, Target Account Selling, and countless variations.
Technology Revolution: How CRM systems, mobile devices, social selling, and AI-powered conversation intelligence enhanced rather than replaced human capabilities, making salespeople superhuman rather than human-less.
The Modern Era: From product-led growth disrupting traditional enterprise sales to the customer success revolution that transformed "Always Be Closing" into "Always Be Helping."
Why This Book Matters:Unlike traditional sales training books written by consultants who claim their version is "revolutionary," this comes from someone who has actually lived through the transformation. Johnson witnessed firsthand how systematic approaches evolved while preserving the human elements that make selling both challenging and rewarding.
With equal parts historical insight, practical wisdom, and gentle mockery of the industry's more absurd moments, this book reveals how selling became both more sophisticated and more ethical.
Perfect For: Sales professionals seeking to understand how their profession has evolvedBusiness leaders wanting to comprehend the strategic importance of systematic sales approachesStudents and academics studying the intersection of technology, psychology, and commerceAnyone curious about how persuasion works in modern business environmentsAbout the Author:
Gari Johnson is a senior technology go-to-market leader based in Sydney, with over 40 years of experience helping tech companies across Asia Pacific. Having surfed every tech wave from the PC boom to the rise of AI, he's worked with startups, Fortune 500 companies, and everything in between, including leadership roles at Zendesk, Salesforce, Oracle, IBM, and VMark.
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