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There are infinite ways to gain new business. We took two new paths last year at Gordon Lumber–one analytical, one human–and as a result pushed our sales up 21%. Here's how we did it, starting with the analytical approach.
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There's a lot more involved in selling a new product than just rolling up to a jobsite and pitching the latest LBM snake oil.
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Interfor's net earnings took a nosedive during the third quarter, going from C$1.4 million (US$1.4 million) during 2010's third quarter to C$6,000 (US$5,880) this year. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based timber company reported a 32% increase in sales, however, to C$200.2 million (US$196.2...
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Poor business conditions and competition have forced dealers to rethink how they pay their sales reps and how they measure success.
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Sales negotiations are as much about tactics as about products and price. Here's a full hand of tactics to make sure you maintain the upper hand.
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Indian tribes can be profitable, if sometimes problematic, customers.
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When using financial information to analyze sales, most dealers are about as sophisticated as a game of checkers. A few businesses, using the same board of financial data, have advanced to chess. Now TW Perry has figured out how to play chess on several boards simultaneously.
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Tim Seims has a decidedly unenviable job: Selling technology to building material dealers.
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If you manage a sales staff, or you're out on the road or at the sales desk fulltime, ask yourself: Am I showing the right skills for this job? Here are 10 areas that consultant Chris Rader says you should examine, correct, and nurture:
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Wolseley Plc, 49% owner of Stock Building Supply, announced that Chip Hornsby stepped down as group chief executive, effective immediately. The move ends a nearly three-year period at the top in which Wolseley struggled to survive the global recession and ultimately ended up selling a majority...
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Representatives from 27 custom builders were among more than 400 people who gathered inside Raleigh, N.C.'s Convention Center a few months ago. They were looking for something that meeting organizers said they weren't getting enough of: information about new products.
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As the concept of cross-selling has become the mantra for LBM dealers, so too has the promotional tagline, the "one-stop shop." Such an astounding number of LBM dealers tout themselves this way that it's easy to wonder if the phrase has any brand equity at this point.
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Reports from the last few months validate our worst fears for the industry. Just when we thought it could not get worse, it has. Threats to business are so prevalent that salespeople readily accept questionable sales opportunities at reduced margins. But challenging economic times do not mean...
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Since Edward Hines Lumber Co. acquired Muench Woodworking in May 2003, it has not only helped grow the firm's overall sales, but also has unlocked new markets for the company.
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The PC Building Materials showroom in New Albany, Ind., doesn't look much like it did when the new facility first opened 10 years ago. Window and door displays have been moved to the back, lighting fixtures hang near the vanities, and there are vases for sale in the kitchen vignettes. And you won't...
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You can transcend the negative archetypes of sales by focusing on a commitment to personal growth and accountability.