RIP Clyde Anderson: Legendary Salesman Never Made a Cold Call

By Phil Crone
Special Contributor

Long before social media connected the world and made business leads just a click away, Clyde Anderson developed his own network with good old fashioned diligence. The legendary building materials salesman never made a cold call.

A colleague who rode along with Clyde to learn the tricks of his trade asked him how that could be. Clyde replied, “I know everyone in this market and they know me. I see to that by being a member of professional organizations and never missing a meeting. I check the business journal for new business licenses and even ask the UPS drivers if they’ve noticed any new businesses coming in.”

Clyde’s willingness to go the extra mile to build a relationship extended to every aspect of his life including his faith, family, and friends (of which he had many). Always greeting friends and strangers with a warm welcome and a caring heart, Clyde’s uncanny knack for connecting people resulted in the recruitment of more than 1,000 people into the Dallas Builders Association. Many of them owe much of their success for the doors he opened for them.

For Clyde, the value of the product or service you sell is commensurate with the character of the individual who sells it. The notion may seem outdated to some, but in the building business it still holds true. Business relationships in this industry start by creating a personal rapport and trust in an individual to deliver on their promises. Clyde never failed in that respect.

In August, the Dallas BA honored Clyde by naming the Associate of the Year Award in his name. The following month, he received that award in recognition of his more than 50 years of service to the association and, after retirement, to charitable causes such as Homes for Hope, a non-profit organization that builds homes benefiting impoverished communities in the United States and around the world.

On Monday, with Linda, his wife of 47 years, and loving family by his side, Clyde lost his long battle with cancer. He will be laid to rest at Old Hall Cemetery on McGee Lane in Lewisville, Texas. Visitation will be from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 26th at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home, which is located at 740 S. Edmonds Lane, Lewisville, Texas 75067. The Celebration of Life will be at 2 pm on Monday, November 27th at “The Chapel” at Denton Bible Church, located at 2300 E. University Dr., Denton, 76209. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Homes for Hope.