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 er's Drscuss the attributes that I-lmade Columbus a great salesman. Columbus definei himsetf. 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 Worldl He made his own definition of himself and made it happen.

Persistence. Many salespeople don't prospect at all-these are the victims. Only 507o call back after the first no. Only 20Vo call back after the second no, and only 10Vo 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 decisions.

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.

Simpson Takes over Mason County's Shelton Mills

Simpson Lumber, Shelton, Wa., has finalized its purchase of Mason County Forest Products' sawmills in Shelton,.

In anticipation of the switchover, Mason County idled the large-cutting and small-dimension mills July 31. Simpson plans to restart them in phases over the next several months and increase production over the next two to three years as the market improves.

Simpson has also entered into a new ground/building lease with the Port of Shelton, where the mills have been located since 2004.

Simpson also operates mills in Tacoma, Shelton and Longview, Wa.; Meldrim, Ga., and Georgetown, S.C.

Associations Partner on Wood Dust Warnings

Western Wood Products Association and the Lumber Association of California & Nevada have banded together to help their members comply with California's new wood-dust requirements.

"This is an example of the wood products and lumber industry working together from the sawmills to the retail lumber and wood products dealers to meet the specific requirements in the California law," noted Frank Stewart, product support manager for WWPA. "The fact that we came in as a unified industry on this issue made it easier to work with the state agencies."

In December 2009. wood dust was added to the Proposition 65 list of more than 800 chemicals and other substances that can cause cancer or birth defects. The final rule goes into effect Dec. 18.2010.

The two organizations have been meeting with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the California Attorney General's office to clarify the recommendations and requirements for communicating the wood dust warnings. Both groups are developing signage and other materials for mills and lumber manufacturers to include with their products, plus detailed posting recommendations for retail dealers.

"We're confident we can help both those selling into California from outside the state borders and those who sell the products in the state," LACN executive director Ken Dunham said.

Central California's High Sierra Lumber Consolidates

High Sierra Lumber & Supply has closed its location in Woodlake, Ca., and moved inventory to its sister company, High Sierra Lumber & Truss, in Tulare, Ca.

Jeff Holmes, general manager of the Woodlake facility, blamed the weak building and construction market for the move. However, the site is not up for sale or lease because the company hopes to reopen there when conditions improve.

Holmes said that the move "will allow me more time on the road to contact those in our service area to place orders, have deliveries scheduled, and provide as much support for their needs as we can."

Mendo Mill nas taken over the former Piedmont Lumber store in Lakeport, Ca. (Rick White, store manager).

After Piedmont closed July 26, Mendo Mill bought the property and reopened Sept. 13, with a paved drive-thru lumberyard.

Orchard Supply Hardware, San Jose, Ca., opened a 43,000-sq. ft. store with 14,000-sq, ft. nursery Sept. 11 in Concord, Ca.

It's OSH's 89th store and third to open this year.

Home Depot expects a December opening for a new 667,000-sq. ft. DC in Ontario, Ca., serving its stores in Los Angeles and Orange counties, as well as the Bakersfield area.

Lowe's received approval to build in a new home center in Carlsbad, Ca., and has submitted plans to build a 121,000-sq. ft store with 31,658-sq. ft. garden center in Poway, Ca.

Habitat for Humanity nas opened ReStore discount outlets in Oxnard, Ca. (Wendy Monk, store mgr.), and Belfair, Wa. (Tammey Newton, executive director).

Thieving vandals caused $3,500 in damage Sept. 13 to the Redmond, 0r., ReStore.

Reliable Wholesale Lumber, Huntington Beach, Ca., began winding down lumber operations in Stockton, Ca. Oct. 1.

The wholesaler is currently looking for a tenant to lease the 10-acre contractor yard.

Weyco Shutters LVL Plant

Weyerhaeuscr'. Feclcral Wa1'. Wa.. closccl its LVL plant in Albany. Or.. carly last nronth and laicl cltf 70 lrorkers.

Thc plant producecl enginecretl u'ood hcadcrs. beams. ancl scal'litlcling planks. Thc compuny crlled thc closLrre inclefinitc. but "expectc(l to bc long-tclrn."

kccp thc bLrckct fronr falling wasn't uscd. OSHA f ined the ntill ncarlv 560.(X)0 in salctr f incs relatcd to his cleatlr.

Three New Stores Target Hardware-Deprived Town

Soon. thc resiclcnts ol' Wilsonvillc. Or.. will no lonqcr havc to leavc tcl',ln lirr prirrt antl harclr.i are.

Roseburg

Forest

Products has eliminated the third shift at its stud millin Dillard, Or.

Lam-Wood Systems, Denver, Co., is now exclusive distributor for RedBuilt's Red-l and Redlam lines in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska. Kansas and western lowa. To ease the transition, RedBuilt technical sales rep Bret Maynard is joining the Lam-Wood sales team

Thunderbolt Wood Treating, Riverbank, Ca., has been added to the list of aooroved manufacturers in PG&E's Greenbook and in the Overhead Standards Book

The aoproval is for ACZA Chemonite-treated Douglas fir utility poles up to 40'.

Mill Suffers Second Fatality

Thc Occupltional Salctr'& Hcalth Atlrninistration is investigertins thc clcath ol'an e lcctrician w'ho rias killecl u hile u orking on a pluner at thc Yakama Forcst Prorlucts rnill ncar' White Su an. Wa.

According to ar-rthoritics. a h-n.'drar-rlic cllinclel holcling the planer s cilnopy cloor nray havc failccl causing thc dool to collapse- or.r .luntcs Espinosa. 62. "He was caught betwcen thc dool and thc trantc ol'the planer." said county coroncr Juck Hawkins.

It u'as thc second clclth at the ntill this ycar. In Januarv. Tvler Challinor'. 10. uas wolking on a tractor ultcn its large buckct lell and crushecl hirn. A hydraulic cvlindel I'rLilecl in that acciclcnt. und a safety bar dcsisncd to

A ycar aso. Russ ancl Pes t)ubcls r'lrt.5'ql \\'i].,trrr ille'. lrr:l t'ctttrrittittr: Irardu ur.c stolc. Shcbuski & Llovds. tlrrr lo lr hllt lr' ri it lr t lr. e itr ( )\ \'r' pur' poltecl codc violations. The couplc |cccntlv openccl a lle\\'stofc on thc other sirle ol town-t)o it llestWorkshol.r Har.rlu arc. 'I-hcil lirnncr storcfront is bcing lcnroclclccl into an Acc Haldrrarc. set to ol)cn in late Octobcr-or Norenrbe r. And Frccl Mcycr is also comilrg to Wilsonr illc u ith a sLrltcrstolc that will inclucle a Iargc paint ancl hurclu'ure sect on

States Industries Pushes for Speedy Bankruptcy

Harclwood pancl ploduccr Statcs Inclustries. Eugenc. Or.. ri hich enterccl Chaptcr I I bankruptcv on Aug. l-1. Iras rcccircrl l Slli .-5 nrillion bid lilr its assets.

The offer came from Renwood States Lending, an investment group that has already purchased States' debts. The deadline for additional bids is Oct. 13, with an auction to follow on Oct. 20.

"We believe the process needs to move quickly," said John Davidson, States' chief restructuring officer. The company once employed more than 400 and had a second plant in Mocksville, N.C. That facility closed in 2009, and the remaining 230 employees have taken pay and benefit cuts.

In its bankruptcy filing, the 44-year-old company listed assets of $20.6 million and liabilities of $28.5 million. According to Davidson, the company has sufficient financing to support suppliers and customers through the sale and transition to new ownership.

Lowe's Facing, Filing Suits over Proposed Projects in West

Lowe's Cos. is running into legal troubles over proposed home improvement centers in Silverthorne, Co., and Petaluma, Ca that the chain thought had been approved.

Residents of Silverthorne are suing the city to halt progress of a store slated to start construction in the spring for an early 2012 opening. The plaintiffs claim that in plans the town incorrectly categorized the project as a "hardware store" (a use-by-right entity), instead of a "lumberyard" or "building materials business" (light commercial).

Over in Petaluma, Lowe's has hinted that it may file suit if the city doesn't finish an environmental review on time. By law, an EIR must be completed within one year, but the Petaluma city manager contends the deadline is not "solid."

BlueLinx Holdings, Atlanta, Ga., advised shareholders to accept an upgraded, $4-per-share buyout offer from majority owner Cerberus.

Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa., has sold its Cosmopolis, Wa., cellulose mill to investors, including private equity firm The Gores Group, Los Angeles, Ca., and packaging vet Dermot Smurfit.

The mill, shuttered for five years, will be refurbished and restarted as Cosmo Specialty Fibers.

Canfor is permanently closing its Clear Lake sawmill near Prince George, B.C., Jan. 13.

The Clear Lake fingerjoint mill shut down Aug. 12.

Western Forest Products' sawmill in Ladysmith, 8.C., restarted Sept. 7 to serve Chinese construction markets. The facility had been idle for more than 2 years.

Norbord's OSB products have earned the "Green Approved" seal from the NAHB Research Center. Certified products include Pinnacle, TruFlor, Stabledge, TallWall, Windstorm, Trubord, Rimboard and Solarbord.

Anniversaries: Patrick Lumber Co., Portland, Or., 95th ... C&D Lumbor, Riddte, or., 60th Pacific Western Lumber, Lakewood, Wa., 25th Plateau Forest Products, Bend, 0r., 2bth Pro Lumber, Florence, Or., 1Oth.

DURASTRANDFTOORIilG

Weather happens. Wet wood swells. Such are the facts. The good news is, at last there's a solution engineered to address the challenge head on. PointSlX'* Flooring and pointSlX Durastrand Flooring feature a patented taperededge technology that offsets the effects of moisture, eliminating the need for sanding.

By Bernard Kliska