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 - Balky Builder

A local builder with a great reputation and a history of loyalty to his suppliers would be a great fit with your company. But you can’t get him to return your calls, let alone meet with you. Is there no way in?

With the housing market flat and lumber prices a fraction of what they were a year ago, you’ll never meet your budget without some new builders among your loyal customers. After doing your homework you identify a local builder who matches your ideal profile: Balky Builder is based close by; the owner is organized, pays his people well, would generate repeat high-volume sales, has growth plans, schedules flawlessly, works from detailed blueprints, receives high marks from all his customers and is very loyal to his suppliers once he’s on board. Your emphasis on service and support is just what he needs, and he would truly benefit from switching to your company—if only you could make the connection.

But everything you do fails. You’ve tried stopping by his job sites to see if you could run into him, and every time you call, his receptionist screens you out. You leave a message, but you’ve never received a return call. Not once.

You know you could convince him to do business with you if you could only get him to talk to you.

What do you do?

 

	Win Him Over...
	...with your work. Create a fake take-off based on actual counts from his job. Price it aggressively.
	Draft Your Boss
	Get the boss to call him; maybe he only responds to the guy at the switch.
	Tempt Him
	Dream up an irresistable giveaway. Mail him a $50 bill cut in half, and tell him he’ll get the other half in exchange for 20 minutes of his time.
	Be Persistent
	Plant yourself on his radar screen. Plan to check in with him every 30 days in different ways whether he responds or not.

GOT A TOUGH CALL OF YOUR OWN? Send it to Rick@LBMJournal.com. If we publish your Tough Call, you'll win a free LBM Journal shirt. And don't forget: there's a new Tough Call each month: check the back page of LBM Journal or come back to www.LBMJournal.com next month for a fresh challenge. If you don't get LBM Journal, subscribe today! It's free for qualified subscribers.