The rlTurn of the Year" conversation

"I just buy the stuff; I don't know exactly how much we use."

We must recognize these statements for what they are: sidesteps. Here are some responses that will get around these sidesteps: ll rTaNv oF us Do Nor KNow how much the account base IVlwe are currently working can produce for us. Coming into a new year is a natural time to look at our account base with a more detached eye than normal, to see if we are calling on the right kind of accounts to reach our goals.

We begin our "Tum of the Year" conversation by thanking the customer for any or all of the business we have done over the last year.

"Jason, I wanted to thank you for all the 2x4 you bought from me last year. I was going over the records; we have done five cars and l0 trucks over the last 12 months."

After that, we ask the customer about their total purchases of that product.

"Jason, out of curiosity, how much 2x4 did you buy total last year?"

Assuming we didn't get all the business, after the customer gives us the total we ask, "What will it take for me to get more of your business in 2010?"

Often sellers will tell me, "He spreads it around; I'm not going to get it all." (Not with this attitude we won'tl) If we don't ask for all of it, someone else will. Or they will say, "I know how much he uses." Even better to ask a question we know the answer to.

The point is to get the customer to talk about all the possible (not probable) things they can and should buy from us. Often our customers have us in a box-"I buy all my 2x4 from Jason, my OSB from Tommy, etc." The turn of the year is a good time to break up (limiting) prejudices our customers may have about us. We go through the items our customers are buying from us and the products they can (should) buy from us.

Often customers will sidesteP:

"I really couldn't tell you how much we use."

"A hell of a lot less than before, I can tell you that."

"It varies"

.

"Are you in front of your computer? Can we take a quick look at it?"

"How much did you buy last month?"

"You must have a general idea. Can you give me a ballpark?"

"Can we set up a time to go over this?"

Preparation is key. If we are not ready for sidesteps' they will derail us. When we are prepared, these false objections fall away quickly.

Once we have thoroughly (it may take more than one conversation) gone over all inventory items, we talk about the coming year.

"Jason, I appreciate you taking the time to go through this with me. I am going to redouble my efforts to keep the best deals we have on all of these products in front of you. Am I contacting you in the right way? "

When we have finished this process with all of our accounts, we can begin to look at our coming year and decide who we will keep, who we will stop calling, and who we will spend more time with.

Many of us are working account bases that, even if we got all ofthe business, would not be enough to support us!

Time is money, and all we have as salespeople is our time. The biggest leak in most of our boats is spending time (money) with accounts that will not buy or cannot buy enough from us to be a good use of our time.

Remember, working non-buying or too-small accounts is robbing us from the time we need to find more accounts like the ones that are buying from us. In addition to time. thev drain the energy we need to generate profitable business.

We can have the "Turn of the Year" conversation with our accounts any time of year (I suggest every 90 days we re-evaluate our account base), but with 2010 around the corner, now is a very good time.

James Olsen Reality Sales Training (so3) s44-3572 james@ reality-salestraining.com

North Pacific Selling Sacramento

DC to OrePac

North Pacific, Portland, Or., has agreed to sell its industrial wood products business in Sacramento. Ca.. to OrePac Hardwood Products, Wilsonville, Or.

"OrePac and NorthPacific have been amicablecompetitors in the Northern California market over the years," said North Pacific president and c.e.o. Jay Ross. "It became apparent there would be tremendous synergies if these businesses were combined. While we weren'tlooking to sell our Sacramento operations initially, we believe our Sacramento team will benefit greatly being part of OrePac and their California strategy."

OrePac currently operates a distribution and milling operation in Fresno, Ca. "The addition ofNorth Pacific's Sacramento distribution center will expand OrePac's services to include all of Northern California, as well as our central valley customers," said OrePac president Brad Hart.

The deal was expected to close by Dec.1.

Northwest Glulam Producers Join Forces

Calvert Co., Vancouver, Wa., has taken over operations of Cascade Structural Laminators, Eugene, Or., and CSL president Steve Killgore has joined Calvert as a sales and product development specialist.

Calvert acquired CSL's remaining inventory and customer list, but none of the product names were transferred. CSL'smain glulam manufacturing facilityin Chehalis, Wa., was destroyed in a fire May 27.

Killgore and Calvert president Doug Calvert are in the process of purchasing additional equipment in anticipation of improving markets and sales growth. "We have not decided on the location of the new line," Killgore said. "I still have the site in Chehalis, but there are other options closer to Calvert."

Green LBM Marketplace Blooms in San Diego

EcoBlu Products, Carlsbad, Ca., has opened EcoGreen Exchange, a showroom for green building products that will double as the company's new corporate headquarters.

The facility will provide exhibit space to green LBM vendors to showcase their products to homeowners, builders, contractors, architects, government entities, and other green industry professionals. Vendors will also have access to meeting rooms for seminars or training events.

"We have really seen a shift in homeowner's interest in building green, and our new EcoGreen Exchange will make environmentally friendly products more accessible than ever," said EcoBlu president/c.e.o. Steve Conboy. "It will be like having a trade show every day for the vendors we recruit to be in our facility."

The new facility in Vista, Ca., will also house a new technical support center, a coating equipment fabrication center, and research and development lab.

MossLumber & Hardware is closing its yard in RedBluff, Ca.

The four-unit chain also has listed its property in Redding, Ca., for sale at $2.2 million, hoping to lease the land back from the new owner

SantaClara Lumber & Millwork, Santa Clara, Ca., closed Oct. 30, after 85 years of business. Equipment and remaining inventory were auctioned off Nov. 18.

Lumber Baron, Albany, Ca., sustained an after-hours blaze that began in the back of its yard. The cause ofthe Nov, 12 fire is under investigation.

- Eagle Valley Building

Uupply, Baker City, 0r., will close at the end of the year, so owners Glen and Cledith VandenBoses can retire, HD Supply witt ctose its 2't-yearold facility in La Habra, Ca., at the end of January and has filed suit claiming it's being forced out so the city can redevelop the propefi.

Chester Hardware, Chester. Ca., has become a True Value franchise and been renameO Chester True Value Hardware.

Sencer Enterprises signed a 10year, $1.42-million lease for a 6,603sq. ft. store in Carlsbad, Ca., to open Ace Hardwareof Carlsbad.