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Four Greatest Door-to-Door Salesmen

Introduction

Door-to-door selling has rather a bad name nowadays. Most people I mention it to
respond with ‘double glazing’ and ‘knife sharpening’. But many other products have
become successful through this medium, and some large companies built. You can
buy cosmetics (Idea 36) or cleaning products (Idea 35), but I start with what was a
genuine win–win for door-to-door sales technique, good for the company and good
for the householder.

Idea 34 – Security from cradle to grave (Prudential)

In 1948 The Prudential Mutual Assurance, Investment and Loan Association was
formed to serve the needs of the British professional classes. Their loan and life
products were offered only to the affluent. Companies at the time were unwilling to
take on the risks involved in insuring the working classes.

It was a deputation of factory workers combined with a recommendation from
Parliament that persuaded the company to issue life policies for small sums. The fear
of the poor, that they would not have a proper funeral, led to life policies for small
sums, with weekly or monthly payments to cover, in the first place, funeral costs.

The industrial department opened in 1854 and appointed agents to sell ‘penny
policies’ to Victorian workers. Industrial insurance quickly became the most impor-
tant part of the company’s business.

A leading light in all of this was Henry Harben, the secretary of the company.
He put down values of simple product design, effective distribution and efficient
service. The door-to-door salespeople were central to all of these values.