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author of The Salesman's Magician
Rich imagination, keen observation of human behavior, and a desire to fill
life's journey with humor and wit define K. Karl Leavitt and his work. Born
in northern Vermont to globetrotting parents, he found himself moving to
new, frequently exotic locales, such as Nigeria during the Biafran war. With
the chaos of this civil war as a backdrop, Karl was educated in part by an
accomplished British tutor, who exposed him to numerous cultures, economies,
and life experiences at an early age. Through her influence, Leavitt
learned the value of observing human interactions, becoming more aware of
the consequences of peoples' behavior as a result.
As an adult, he discovered he had an aptitude for computers. Never one to
accept the status quo or to sit idly by, in his first job as night computer
operator, Leavitt rewrote the company's programs so they could run
unattended.
"It's my fate to be in a computer room at 3 a.m., surrounded by ailing
circuit boards and the guts of harddrives strewn about while the fire
control system dumps halon," he has lamented, perhaps once too often.
Fate, however, had other plans in store, and he soon enjoyed regular
promotions to positions of greater responsibility.
While still immersed in technology, Karl exhibited a natural rapport with
clients and found himself increasingly being called upon to assist in the
planning, writing, and presentation of proposals and marketing materials as
a technical consultant to various salespersons and marketing executives. He
enjoyed the challenges of understanding their problems, thinking on his
feet, and devising solutions that made sense. He found himself amused, yet
frustrated, as the sales people took what they learned and tried to sell
pre-determined solutions to non-existent problems.
He would just have to show them how.
Karl became a salesman for an East Coast technology services firm and turned
his sights to diversifying the firm's market share. Over the next several
years he applied all he learned, while studying the methods and results of
others. He avoided the mistakes he saw others make early in his career,
bringing a common-sense approach to sales. He found himself consistently
exceeding his goals and quotas.
Invigorated by his success, he set his sights ever higher, ultimately
working as the managing director of marketing and sales for a billion-dollar
high tech firm. He continued to earn new customers and significantly
broaden market share by actively helping his customers find solutions that
worked for them. An independent thinker from the start, K. Karl Leavitt
has made his own mark by formulating a successful selling approach that can
produce extraordinary results for salespeople in every line of work.
Thus, the foundation for The Salesman's Magician was created. Rekindling
the exuberant imagination of his youth, Leavitt's delightful parable, The
Salesman's Magician, will help others discover what he learned through years
of observation, practice, and up-through-the-ranks experiences. Based on a
clear understanding of what customers want and need, Leavitt's effective and
ethical selling philosophy is one salespeople in every industry will want to
put to use immediately. The Salesman's Magician will engross readers while
inspiring them to lead with their hearts as well as their minds.
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