This is not a true story, but it could be.
If you’ve never been to Kansas, take my word for it – it’s windy, and dusty. In ancient times, before air conditioning, people opened windows to cool off their houses in the summer. And, yep, lots of dust blew in. In the days before window screens became commonplace; lots of other stuff blew in, too.
Electrolux (a Swedish company) began manufacturing vacuum cleaners in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1931; and they started selling them door to door soon thereafter. They hired an enthusiastic young man to cover eastern Kansas, and he developed a fool-proof sales pitch. Charlie Williams was a real go-getter.
One hot summer day he pulled up on the dirt road outside the Smith’s farm house in Pottawatomie County, grabbed his demo unit and briefcase out of the back of his Model A Ford, and bounded up the front steps, ready to make another sale.
Mrs. Smith answered his polite knock, and, being right neighborly, invited him into the parlor for a cool glass of lemonade. After a couple of sips, Charlie began his pitch.
“Mrs. Smith, with your permission I would like to demonstrate the finest cleaning machine manufactured anywhere in the world today. It is my distinct honor to be able to offer it here in Kansas. May I show it to you?”
“Certainly, sonny. Go right ahead.”
Charlie produced a paper bag from his brief case, unrolled its carefully creased top, and deposited about a quart of the world’s nastiest dirt and trash on Mrs. Smith’s parlor carpet. “Mrs. Smith,” he said, “if my vacuum cleaner won’t pick up every last speck of this dirt, I will get down on my hands and knees and eat what remains.”
Mrs. Smith as clearly amused. “I sure hope you’re hungry, sonny,” she chuckled. “You apparently didn’t notice that the electric lines ended at the last crossroads, about two miles back down the road.”
Rule of thumb: The will to buy is one thing. The ability to buy is quite another.
Make sure you understand your market's structure in great detail; and never forget to ask who is paying.
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