They Really Did "Know the Territory"
Meredith Wilson, an Iowa native, wrote "The Music Man" for Broadway, and it starred Robert Preston as Professor Harold Hill. It later became a movie, also starring Preston; and last year, Hugh Jackman took the lead in a Broadway revival. The show starts out on a train in the early 1900's in Iowa. The riders are all traveling salesmen. (Yes, they were all men in those days, sad to say.)
Anyway, they are all grumbling about this upstart salesman that cons people in to buying band instruments for their kids. Once the instruments arrive, he disappears. Unbeknownst to the others, Harold Hill was aboard that train. Just before he quietly slipped off the train in River City, Iowa, one of the salesman said, "But he doesn't know the territory". That became the title of a Meredith Wilson biography.
It always reminded me of my great-grandfather Harvey J Coppock, a traveling salesman in the early years of the 20th century. Harvey would be gone for days, even weeks at a time, selling heavy hardware for the Sioux City Iron Company. He would be the first of 5 generations of Coppock's who were salesmen. And I think it's fair to say that each and everyone of them certainly "knew the territory".
What is "heavy hardware"? Well, he sold primarily to blacksmith shops, hardware stores, livery stables, and to any business that used anvils, metal hooks and fasteners, etc. He would travel by train to parts of Iowa and Nebraska. Later, he was the proud owner of a Model T for calling on businesses near Sioux City. Harvey and Mary Jane had 6 children, so we can only imagine how happy Mary Jane was when he returned home from his sales trips! Later, he sold farm machinery for the Pew Company in Le Mars, Iowa, which didn't require overnight travel.
Harvey's son, and my grandfather, Arnold J Coppock actually began his working career as a 19-year old tree grafter. It wasn't long before he was hired by the American Express Company to work at the train depot in Le Mars. No, he didn't sell credit cards! American Express was mainly a company that loaded and unloaded cargo and luggage from trains. That is the main reason that he never served during World War I, as railroad employees and workers were exempt from the military draft.
After losing their farm during the depression, Grandpa got a job selling Chevrolet automobiles. He did very well, and Clarence Grau hired him to sell farm machinery and automobiles for his dealership. In the early 1940's, he sold cars and farm implements while also managing the company.
He and his sons eventually bought Grau Company, renaming it Coppock Motors, Inc. in Le Mars. Though he wasn't a "traveling salesman" he was certainly successful at selling automobiles and tractors in his early years.
My father, Clyde Coppock, was originally a trained meat cutter. He worked at a local grocery store in Le Mars before joining the army in 1942. After he was medically discharged due to 2 heart attacks while cutting meat, he came home and found a job selling automobile parts in northwest Iowa. He did travel overnight some, but it was usually one or two nights a week, if that. He would sell to dealerships of both farm equipment and automobiles. The company was Sioux City-based: United Wholesalers.
One night, while staying in Cushing, Iowa, he was walking from his hotel to a restaurant, and he was hit on the head with a blackjack. That is a leather pouch often filled with lead. In those days, salesmen had to carry their cash with them as hotel rooms did not have safes. Just before getting hit, and realizing the predicament he was in, he yelled out loud for the town cop. They apprehended the would-be robber and recovered the money. My Dad loved selling, and he always regretted being a business owner.
I should add that my Uncle Ashton also sold automobiles for a time in the mid-1940's, after coming back to Le Mars after serving with the U.S. Navy during World War II. Ashton was a fantastic auto mechanic, and he then operated the service department at Coppock Motors, later serving as service manager for auto dealerships in Denver, CO.
While my background was initially a teacher, and later a school principal, I always had the "itch" to sell. My first selling job was with the Nystrom Company. My territory was central/western Iowa, and most of Nebraska. Nystrom was a manufacturer of maps, globes, charts, models, etc. for schools. My first year was a tough one, not used to setting my own schedule, making appointments, cold calling, etc.
However, my second year was the opposite. Winning the President's Award for exceeding my quota, I went on to win 4 additional diamonds for my ring. However, unlike my Dad, I preferred management over direct selling, and we moved to the Chicago area in 1983 after being named V-P of Marketing and Product Development. I was later named V-P of Sales for Nystrom.
The fifth in a long line of Coppock salesmen is perhaps the best of all in terms of accomplishments and longevity. David Coppock is a born salesman. He was hired right out of college by Professional Office Services, Inc. to serve as a territory sales representative. Of course, it might have only lasted a week or so had fate not intervened. Originally hired to represent POS in the Philadelphia area, one trip out there with Julie convinced both of them that Philadelphia wasn't to their liking. When he tried to phone POS that Friday afternoon after returning from PA, no manager was in the office to take his call.
When he reluctantly left our house in Park Ridge to begin training in Waterloo, Iowa, that next Monday, and before he could schedule a 1-on-1 meeting, he was asked to take the Waterloo territory instead. His happiness and relief were evident when he called Julie that same day.
David has now been with POS for 36+ years, and is now V-P of Sales for the Eastern United States. He has traveled the back roads of Iowa, he has managed sales reps in several states, and he has won several sales awards with the company. Kathy and I are so proud of his accomplishments. Good job, David!
Yes, salespeople really do need to "know the territory" if they are to be successful. And I'm so happy to be able to use "salespeople" as women now contribute mightily to their companies' successes in sales. When I started with Nystrom in 1973, there were 0 women sales representatives. We've come a long way, baby! Thanks for joining me on this "sales call".
DAC 2/24/2023
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