Arthur Motley: What a Good Salesman is Made Of

Arthur Motley was an American publisher who has turned the fledgling Parade Magazine into one of the most profitable Sunday supplements in the history of newspaper. In 1959, Parade Magazine has reached 10 million copies in circulation each week - a number five time higher than when Motley took over the magazine in 1946. Today, Parade Magazine supplements more than 130 newspapers with weekly circulation of over 24 million copies. No wonder why his colleagues cited him as the “greatest salesman God has ever created.”

While Motley was in the University of Minnesota, he thought his good voice would help him land an acting career. But after graduation in 1922, Motley moved to New York City. There, Motley realized that if he was to go farther, he has to do something more than just buying balcony tickets to Broadway shows.

Motley taught English at Hamline College in St. Paul but has to quit later because teaching was not for him. He went to Columbia Law School, but decided one year later that law was not for him although he passed all his subjects. He worked with Smith Brothers Company, selling cough syrups from town to town through medicine shows.

But Motley’s greatest break came in 1928 when he worked for Crowell-Collier Publishing Company. From his first job there as advertising space salesman, he became the manager in Detroit in 1935. He was recalled to the New York office in 1940 to serve as executive assistant to the president. In 1941, Motley became the publisher of American Magazine.

Motley helped lift Parade Magazine, which was losing thousands of dollar at that time. Motley thought that smaller newspapers were better in the suburbs since more veterans were returning after the World War II. His strategy was effective and Parade Magazine was out of debt within just two years.