Ghristopher Golumbus, Americats first salesman

king turned him down. Undaunted, Columbus took his theories and proposals to Spain.

Negotiator. Too many sellers feel they have no negotiation power. They assume since the customer has the P.O. book, he has all the leverage. Leadership sellers understand ideas have power and leverage of their own.

As master sellers we must promote our idea, get our customers to say yes, and negotiate the terms of that yes. Columbus showed himself a master negotiator on many occasions, but never more than when dealing with the king and queen of Spain.

comes from hours spent on the basics. Columbus worked at, worked on, and studied navigation his entire life. He didn't just sail, he studied navigation from every possible angle.

The master of anything makes things seem impossible, but in truth the magic is based on a titanic storehouse of experience. The master pays more attention, for a longer period of time (usually a lifetime), than his counterparts. Columbus saved his life and the life of his men many times based on his preparation.

f rr's Drscuss the attributes that I-lmade Columbus a great salesman. Columbus defined himself. To become master sellers, we must define ourselves. "You're just a broker" or any other limiting definition made by others must be replaced with our own definition. "Excuse me, Mr. Customer, I'm not just a broker. I'm a money-making partner!"

The definition placed on Columbus was that of map maker and merchant marine. Columbus decided early that he wanted to be more than a mere sailor; he wanted to be discoverer of the New World! He made his own definition of himself and made it happen.

Persistence. Many salespeople don't prospect at all-these are the victims. Only 5O7o call back after the first no. Only 20Vo call back after the second no, and only lOVo call back after the third no.

At 25, Columbus swam six miles to shore clinging to a log to land in Portugal after his vessel was attacked by pirates. He got a job as a map maker and merchant marine sailing shipments to Iceland and similar voyages. He married into minor nobility and began his planning. It took him seven years to get an audience with the Portuguese king. The Portuguese

After another six years of yes-nomaybes from the Spanish potentates, Columbus decided to take his idea still elsewhere. This "walk away" was just the spark that Ferdinand and Isabella needed to "pull the trigger." If Columbus had continued to wait on a maybe, he would have failed in his quest. Only after he created outside interest using prospecting and the walk away did he earn the respect and the order from his prospective customers.

Preparation. Sailors of the day had compasses and charts of star positions, but they couldn't calculate longitude. Because of this, they were always a little (or a lot) vague on their position in uncharted waters, which led to disastrous voyages. Columbus' deadreckoning navigation skills were said to be magical, a valuable skill in a world unable to calculate longitude.

Columbus studied astronomy, map making, compass reading, and anything else that would make him a master navigator. He dedicated his life to his trade. Many salespeople want to be "big hitters" but they don't want to learn their craft. Long after Columbus was considered a professional sailor he continued to study.

Any skill that seems "magical"

Creativity. In his last voyage, Columbus found himself shipwrecked. The natives wished the Spaniards gone and refused food. Columbus convinced them that ftis God was displeased with them and proved it by "producing" a solar eclipse. Columbus had studied and timed his meeting with the natives with the appearance of the eclipse.

Tough Decisions. Columbus was judge and jury on his voyages. He ordered executions. He had to decide to turn right, left or back with many lives riding on his decisrons.

Sellers who refuse to make tough decisions struggle. Deciding to prospect and using the "walk away" are but two examples of tough decisions we must make as master sellers.

Great salesmanship can be found throughout history. Let's make our own historv todav!

Columbus knew that nothing happens, even the discovery of America, until the sale is made.

By Carla Waldemar