In the world of sales, there are often no right answers. What would you do in this tough sales situation? Make the call below, and see instantly how your judgment compares. Final results will appear in LBM Journal. Be sure to check back next month for a fresh Tough Call.

Tough Call - No New is Bad News

In almost every way, Joe is the ultimate sales rep. He’s got a great attitude about your company, a true desire to help his builder and remodeler customers, and his sales numbers consistently place him near the top of your sales board. His recent 40th birthday marked his 20th year with your company. Solid, positive, effective…what more could you ask for?

Actually, as good as Joe is, there is one negative. He absolutely refuses to sell your new products. Period. It doesn’t matter what the product is. Recent examples are a new window line with better thermal properties and a lower price, and a new line of composite decking with a more realistic look and feel and a longer warranty. Joe is convinced that the brands you’ve carried for years are somehow superior to products boasting the latest innovations.

In the past, Joe’s resistance to the new hasn’t done any real harm—it’s been more of a running joke within your company. You always figured that as long as he hit his numbers, you’d put up with this one quirk. But as they say, that was then….

Now, with precious few new construction and remodeling projects to bid on, you know you’ve got to do something to stand out from the competition. Since your head-to-head competitors are pulling back and waiting for the storm to pass, you see an opportunity to set your company apart. The key: innovative new products.

You’ve identified products in three of your strongest categories—windows, insulation, and decking—that represent significant advances over existing products. Since the manufacturers are slogging through the building slump with you, all of them are eager to work with you with a promotional push into your market.

Nearly everyone on your staff is re-energized. Finally, instead of waiting for the turnaround to happen, they have a solid opportunity to pursue. They know that if handled effectively, this initiative could have positive long-term effects for the company—and their paychecks.

As one of your consistent sales leaders, Joe’s enthusiastic participation is vital. But now more than ever, he’s dug in his heels. He has convinced himself that these truly revolutionary products are nothing more than snake oil. “I’ve built a reputation of trust with my customers,” he says. “I’m not about to kill that by pushing some untried new gimmicks.”

What would you do?

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