objections

By Bob Schultz

3. Be totally prepared for every possible objection. Prepare to refute turndowns with an amazing variety of features, benefits and emotion-getting statements. Compile a list of at least l0 features and benefits for your company, locations, amenities and products. Learn this list through practice, drilling and rehearsal sessions.

Compile a list of 20 specific objections. Use three groups of objections: those you've heard personally, those you're waiting to hear, and those you would raise if you were the customer. Brainstorm with co-workers. Get specific-then develop answers to those objections and memorize them.

Any time a prospect offers resistance, it's great! Objections indicate interest. In the sales industry, objections are usually requests for more information, and they take five "hidden" forms: l. Obiections can be a need for rationalization. Sometimes an objection can be a cry for help. Deep down the prospect probably wants to be a bit more convinced that the investment is wise, safe and not extravagant. Price objections almost always fit into this "hidden" reason.

2. fnt prospect may be expressing a desire for ammunition and support. This objection centers on the need to get more support material to help convince others-family, associates and neighbors-who will question the investor's decision. It is your job to give prospects more than enough "comeback" ammunition.

3. Obiections are often a request for assurance. Any rational person wants to be absolutely certain that they are making the best decisionone they won't regret. When they put up barriers, all they may be asking you to do is to go over the reasons again to convince them that they are making the right decision.

4. Po, some prospects, raising objections is a matter of pride. As a matter of pride the prospect may feel obligated to "deal" or stall. An objection, especially a lower-price chal- lenge, is probably an attempt to "feel you out." Let's face it, most prospects think, "What have I got to lose?" Your job is to focus on quality, helping prospects understand that they are getting a great price for an even greater value.

5. fne objection may be 0n attempt to "blow smoke." Sometimes people just like hearing themselves talk. Others make silly statements to throw you off guard. Such objections should be treated as seriously as other reasons. How do you know what is important to the prospect?

Never take objections at face value. Search for the real message that is obscured by the tumdown. When you take an objection literally and give up, you not only lose the sale, but you do a monumental disservice to your customer. If the prospect really needs and wants your product and you don't close, some other salesperson will complete the transaction.

Handling Objections

Objections may come throughout your presentation, but they will usually explode as you move into the closing step. Consider: l. Obiections help minimize questions in the prospect's mind. The closing process invites objections. Your goal is to systematically eliminate or minimize any negatives.

2. You can use objections to do more than qualifying. "Hot buttons" are often obscured by turndowns and negative statements. Probe deeper for the signals.

When a prospect raises an objection, they mention it becausc they want to say something. Their words may or may not be significant. If someone raises an objection, even if you have the perfectly prepared answer, you may not want to immediately shoot down their objection with your gem. Just giving the answer itself is not always the best response.

View the selling situation as a tennis match. Player A serves the ball. Player B has to make an instinctive decision as to what to do, where to be and how to return the ball. Player B pauses for a split-second, makes a decision and attempts to return the volley. If Player B hits it successfully, that "thunk" causes Player A to pause, decide and respond. The process will go back and forth until one of the players does not pause/decide/respond correctly. For lightning-quick Serena Williams or Andre Agassi, the procedure seems effortless and flowing.

In sales, you must become the Serena Williams or Andre Agassi of objection-returning. Every time the prospect raises an objection, he or she is serving the "ball" to you. You must pause/decide/respond to return the volley. If you are successful, the prospect must do whatever he or she can to hit the "ball" back. Again, you pause/decide/respond. This goes on, as in a tennis match, until one of you misses the "ball."

Become more prepared and proficient in this process. When you understand what is happening as it takes place, you can become a Proactor, not merely a Re-actor. Also, you will discover superconfidence and mental agility.

Bob Schultz is a sales trainer, consultant and author ry'The Official Handbook for New Home Salespeople and Smart Selling Techniques (www. new home sp e c iali st.c om ).

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By Carla Waldemar

ll I'ARTY Johnson hangs his hat on IVlservice. In fact, that's exactly why he signed onto the sales force of Farmington, N.M.-based Construction Supply.

He'd earned his stripes as general manager of a yard in Durango, Co., in the '80s, then spent the past few years with a builders' association (including a term as president). "But," he explained, "I was eager to get back to the retail side of the industry-very dynamic these days. Here, I looked at its salespeople (led by general manager Roger Rick), looked at the team and the company's reputation, which is really important to me. its commitment to customer service."

Johnson recognized that the sales group had the same values he had, assuring him that in his absence they would take care of his customers, and he would do the same for them.

"It's vital that a sales team have the same values." he said. "We're located in a very competitive environment. with four independents, a Home Depot. and a Lowe's coming in November, which makes it real challenging. So it boils down to, how can we take care of our customers? Customer satisfaction is everything. If you do it well, you've got a competitive edge. Price is not foremost when people are investing in a lifestyle; they want to be confident in a well-built house that won't fall apart. They look to experts for that confidence-a professional that takes interest in their project, not only with the contractor, but the homeowners themselves."

The entire sales group has been assembled to serve. "The consumer is faced with an extensive list of decisions to be made and needs advice."

Johnson counseled. "It can be overwhelming, and we help them focus and make informed choices. We salespeople here have no specific areas; everyone's pretty much trained to wear many hats. Sure, it's easier to specialize, but that might be a danger if you can't answer all of their questions. Instead, we educate everyone at our product-knowledge meetingshow things are handled, sold, and used. The experienced staffers answer questions for the less-experienced. It's teamwork."

General manager Rick empowers the staff. "He's established a policy that people be self-contained," Johnson noted. "If there are customer issues that need a solution, you make the decisions-even if there are mistakes. Then, at meetings, we back up and see if we could have done it better. Lots of people are afraid to make decisions, but here, just use good, common sense and share it with the group later to see if there's a better way. Part of every sales meeting is dedicated to these issues."

He added, "There's also a suggestion box, and it's taken seriously. Many companies don't make the effort to follow up, but here, each one is reviewed and feedback given on if it's not used, why not. In fact, in everyone's annual evaluation they look at, do you make recommendations to improve the business?"

And that harks back to the key factor that separates the successful from the failures: how they take care of their customers. "What business solutions can we bring to the table?" asks Johnson. "How can we help our customers work efficiently time-wise and logistics-wise- make them money and save them money, too? The fewer times I talk to my builder, the better, because that means fewer issues."

Those solutions are arrived at slowmo style, one by one. Johnson analyzed his community of 45,000 anchoring New Mexico's wide-open Four Corners spaces: "Everyone in a 1O0-plus radius comes here to do business. The community is right in the middle of a gas field so. as prices rise flike now], the economy booms. But only 250 permits are issued each year, so we're too small to have tract builders. There are 25 or 30 custom builders, and every one builds differently. We thrive on our ability to take a look at each contractor and literally sit down and ask, 'What do you need?' They can go to Depot and find product, but they cannot find a construction coordinator to integrate a whole job."

He cited a recent conversation with a new contractor who was unaware of the help he needed planning and with the construction schedule. "He didn't realize that, because this town is off the beaten path, it takes longer for materials to get here," Johnson related. "If he doesn't understand that, he'll order doors and then have his crew sitting around idle for weeks, which significantly impacts profits."

He reiterated, "You can get product at Home Depot. They do a good job merchandising; they have a wider range of products; they're open weekends. They've put $17 million into their land and new facility-yet they can't operate any cheaper than I can: same bills for lights, gas, drivers. They create a wonderful impression as price-competitive, but what about the service concept? They can't tell you what you'll need to complete a project. I listen to your crew, your employees, your homeowners. Anyone can sell lumber at a cheap price, but a sales professional can help homeowners build a quality investment. That's our competitive edge."

And it's sharpened by word of mouth. which Johnson considers the most effective kind of advertising"better than having an ad or a banner. I'd rather hear. 'Go down there and talk to Construction Supply; they know all about hardware.' Then they go and talk to that person, confident that they've got the right professional resoufces.

"I was brought on to suggest new ways to grow the business." Johnson recapped. "I suggested looking into installed sales. Here. we've sot a group of progressive thinkers who decided it would be smart to be first in the area [to do so], so we're investing our time and resources in equipment. training. And with more boxes coming, you've got to provide business solutions like this to stay in business. The ones that can't figure it out won't be around to compete the next building season."

Back to that competitive edge. He figures builders will eat it up, especially as product liability presents more and more drains on profits. "It puts contractors at risk. Look at mold," he said, pointing to poor installation of windows and doors. "Contractors are saying, 'Wait a minutel I can't afford to send my construction team for installation training, and I can't be certified with l0 different manufacturers.' But as a salesperson with product training, I have resources to do this inhouse and offer him peace of mind, reduce risk and answer questions if problems arise. Remember, if a builder's risk goes up, so does the cost of construction. So at a certain point. consumers can't afford to build houses or build them smaller. which affects the whole economy of the area."

"It's a really exciting time," Johnson smiled, brimming with passion, "and good for anyone able to take care of his business "

Trade Secrets: Government Business

Construction Supply has been a landmark in the Four Corners area. serving customers since the 1870s. Over time, the company has added two locations and some big government accounts. "The Bureau of Indian Affairs is doing lots of construction, both remodeling and building new houses," according to Johnson.

Yes, they're lucrative; and yes again, they're mighty challenging, starting with the bidding process.

"The government requires three bids on every project, and the competition's pretty fierce," he said.

"But when you win a project, you'll sell them several hundred thousand dollars' worth of product. And, because it's big enough, you can bid truckloads direct from the manufacturer - sheeting, drywalland never have to handle it first; that's how we can afford to operate on a lower margin-lower than 107o. Some below 57o."

The challenge, Johnson explained, "makes you work really hard to get the bid and keeps you real sharp. And it takes quite a bit of paperwork. But for those hundreds of thousands of dollars. it's worth your time to plug it in."

R:tln:ns

Tuggle Lumber, Americus, Ga., has been opened by Jim Tuggle

Stock Building Supply has its first locations in New York bv acquiring Bellevue Builders Supply,with yards in Rotterdam, Walton, Richmondville, Palatine Bridge, Roxbury, Sidney and Oneonta

McCray Lumber Co., Overland Park, Ks., has acquired 11 acres with a 55,000-sq. ft. warehouse in Liberty, Mo., to open its eighth Kansas City area lumberyard this summer ...

Mifflinburg Lumber, Mifflinburg, Pa., was opened May 1 by Bill Seigel and Dave Iddings; Cliff Bowersox, mgr. ...

Interstate Lakeland Lumber, Greenwich, Ct., applied to build a 52,000-sq. ft. warehouse

Lovells Home Center. Lovells. Mi., has been opened by Robert and Donna Bumgardner, with plans to add a garden center and lumber business

Williamston True Value Home Center, Williamston, S.C., was renamed Ace Hardware Center

Madden's Ace Beachside. Davtona Beach Shores, Fl., is relocir ing to a 25Vo larger, 7,500-sq. ft. facility early this month

Walser's True Value, Fairmont. Mn., is closing with the retirement after 30 years of owner Duane Walser ...

Rocky's Ace Hardware opened its 25th store May 12 in Fitchburg, Ma. (Eli Houle, mgr.)

F.C. Cline Lumber Co., Anderson, fn., vacant since 1993, was destroyed by a May 4 fire ...

Rhinebe c k Hardware, Rhinebeck, N.Y, closed May 22 after 4l years in business, following the death of owner Wink Bathrick ...

Ace Hardware, Coan Rapids, Mn., is relocating to a new site

84 Lumber Co. opens a 18,390sq. ft. store this month on l0 acres in Brooksville, Fl.; opened a 20,000-sq. ft. store last month in Kissimmee, Fl. (Mark Truluck, mgr.), and plans to open a retail store in the summer and a component plant in the fall in Genoa, Il. ... 84's Mount Vernon, Oh., facility lost a roof from its side dock during a May 18 storm ...

Home Depot opened new stores April 29 in W. Saginaw, Mi.; Oneonta, N.Y., and Greenfield, Ma., and April22 in Grand Haven, Mi., and Festus, Mo. ...

Home Depot acquired 20-unit retailer Home Mart, bringing its store count in Mexico to 39

Lowe's opened new stores last month in E. Ocala, Fl.; Tahlequah, Ok.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Harriman and Shelbyville, Tn.; Rosenberg, Tx., and Fort Payne, Al., and in late April in Festus, Mo.; Roanoke Rapids, N.C., and Livingston, Palestine and NE Dallas. Tx ...

Lowe's begins producing steel, fiberglass and wood doors in September at its new 210,000 sq. ft. millwork facility in Janesville, Wi., and has begun hiring at its new Southeastern distribution center in Kissimmee, Fl. (Tony Gariety, DC mgr.) ...

Lowe 's received approval to build in McAlester, Ok.; will unveil stores late this year in Cornelia, Ga.; Ithaca, N.Y., and Inverness, Fl., and early next year in Owatonna, Mn., and Frankin,In.

Lowe's Staten Island, N.Y, store was robbed of $100,000 by two gunman who beat and tied up the store manager after forcing him to unlock the safe May 18 prior to the store's opening ...

F.D. Colson Lumber Co., North Wildwood. N.J.. was demolished to make room for new condos

Imperial Fastener & Industrial Supply, Evansville, In., is opening a new INCoU industrial supplies showroom...

Lumber Liquidators, Colonial Heights, \y'b., offered $5 million for a 307,000-sq. ft. former John Deere plant in James City, Va. ... Lumber Liquidators won the Virginia Vanguard Award from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce for fastest growth in the retail and wholesale category ...

Wrouslr:ns/tlnuntruntns

Potomac Supply Corp., Kinsale, Va., opened a new $5 million sawmill at its 123-acre complex in Kinsale, Va.

Forest Products Processing Center, Center Barnstead, N.H., has opened in the former Timco Inc. facilities, closed since September; the business offers kiln drying, lumber storage and reloading, and custom remanning (Earl Perrino, general mgr.)

Wheeler Lumber has reopened its Whitewood, S.D., treating facility, a year after it was decimated by fire

Raven Logistics opened a new reload, Raven Distribution of Ohio, in Navarre. Oh. ...

Valley Timber Sales, Troy, Va., is now running two cylinders, one ACQ, one CCA

ForestExpress, Atlanta, Ga., was renamed Liaison Technologies ...

Rayonier, Jacksonville, Fl., agreed to acquire roughly 83,000 acres of timberland in southern Alabama for $94 million from Great Eastern Timber Company, I LC; an early third quarter closing is anticipated

Ace Hardware Corp. opened its first international buying office, AGD Asia, Ltd.,in Hong Kong

Ace Hardware honored representatives from Black & Decker/ DeWalt, Essential Industrie s, Inc., Johnson Level & Tbol, Scotts Co., Tyco Plastics, and Wayne Water Systems as Hardware Vendors of the Year; Custom Accessories was honored as Ace's International Vendor of the Year, Shur-Line Corp., as the Children's Miracle Network Vendor of the Year, and B&K Industries as Import Vendor of the Year

TimberTech broke sround for a 140,000-sq. ft. wa-rehouse in Wilmington, Oh.

Advanc e d Commercial C ontracting, New Orleans, La., lost a lumber warehouse and a door/window shop in a May 14 blaze

Do it Best's INCoU Distributor Supply recently honored White Distribution & Supply, Fairbury, Il., as Distributor of the Year; Imperial Fastener & Industrial Supply, Evansville, In., Rookie Distributor of the Year: Hanneke Industrial Supply, St. Louis, Mo., e-Commerce Member of the Year. and Energizer Industrial, St. Louis, Mo., Vendor of the Year ...

Langdale Mill has been bought by the city of Valley, Al., in an auction bid for $300,000; the 500,000-sq. ft., 25-acre riverfront mill was purchased as part of a downtown revitalization plan

Beadles Lumber Co., Moultrie, Ga., recently installed Progressive Solutions' Lumber Track and Tag Track software at its Beadles and Balfour facilities ...

Trex Co., Winchester, Va., was named #50 on Business Ethics magazine's listing of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 20O4

Mid-State Lumber Co., Brachburg, N.J., is now stocking a full range of Trim Joist products ...

Austin Wholesale Decking, Austin, Tx., is now the exclusive distributor in 36 states for Premier Composite Railing & Deck

Anniversaries: Clinger Lumber, Milton. Pa.. 150th... Hamilton Lumber Co. Inc., Hamilton, In., 35th ... Owens Forest Products. Duluth. Mn..30th

Housing starts in April (latest figures) fell 2.1Vo to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.969 million single family starts slipped 0.7Va to 1.540 ... oermits rose l.2Va to a 1.999 million rate.

"We all knew fhis uvas going to be a huge undertaking, but I don't think any of us (at C. H. Carpenter Lumber) realized just how big it turned out to be, We saved time and money,and got a lot of extras we didn't even know about - by working with people who had experience and expertise in fhis type of project."

"Our layout, designed for optimum materials handling, has increased our efficiency and has almost eliminated product damage."

Listings are ofien submitted months in advance. Always ver|h' dates and locations with sponsnr before muking plans to atterul.

Furr

Mid-America Lumbermens Association - June ll, Sunflorver Shoot-Out golf tournament, Rolling Meadorvs Golf Course. Junction City, Ks.; (800) 7 47 -6529.

Southern Building Show - June l1-12, Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta. Ga.; (800) 854-7'736.

Temperate Forest Foundation - June 16-19, South Central Teachers Tour, Hot Springs. Ar.; (503) 519-6'762.

Louisiana Building Material Dealers Associaton - June l7-19, summer outing, Perdido Beach Resort, Orange. Al.'. (512') 472I t94.

Association of Consulting Foresters of America - Jrune 20-24, national conference, Chattanooga, Tn.; (703) -54tt-0990.

Lumbermen's Association of Texas - June 23-24, committee meetings, Austin, Tx.l (800) 749-5862.

Michigan Lumber & Building Materials Association - June 24-26, board meeting. Holland, Mi. ; ( 5 I 7 ) 394 -5225.

Forest Products Society - June 27-30. annual meeting, Amrvay Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, Mi.; (608) 231-2152.

Furv

National Hardwood Lumber Association - July 5-9, lumber grading course, Elkins. W.V.; (800) 933-0318.

Construction Suppliers' Association - July 8-11, summer management conference, Callalvay Gardens Resort, Pine Mountain, Ga.; (770) 751-63'73.

Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association - July 8-11.

annual convention & trade shorv. Grand Casino Hotel. Biloxi, Ms.: (601) 982-l'731.

Oklahoma Lumbermen's Assn. - July 9-11, Summer Fling, Quartz Mountain Resort, Lone Wolf', Ok.; (405) 840-177 l.

National Retail Hardware Association - July 12-14, convention & annual meeting, Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine, Wa.; (3 l7) 2900338.

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association - July 14-17, annual meeting, Whistler, B.C.; (604) 684-0266.

American Furniture Manufacturers Association - July 15-16, board rneeting, Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach. S.C.; (336) 884-5000.

House-Hasson Hardware Co. - July 16-18, market. Knoxville Convention Center. Knoxville, Tn.; (865) 525-0411.

Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc. - July l8-20, summer family conf'ercnce. The Grove Park Inn. Asheville, N.C.: (336) 885-83 l-5.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - July 18-21. wood marketing seminar, Mosco'uv, Id.l (U00) 527-8258.

American Lumber Standard Committee - July 22, board of revierv meeting. St. Regis Hotel, Washington, D.C.; (3Ol) 9721700.

Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association - July 2931, annual conf'erence, Westin St. Francis, San Francisco, Ca.; (404) 36t-t445.

Aucusr

Watters & Martin - Aug. 1-2. market, Norfolk Scope Exhibition Hall. Norfblk. Ya.: (757) 857-065 l.

Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association - Aug.47, summer meeting, Long Beach. Ca.; (530) 661-959 |

Builder Marts of America - Aug. 4-8, market, Baltimore Convention Center. Baltimore. Md.: (864) 297-6101.

Southern Building Material Assn. - Aug. 5-8. summer conference, Ramada Plaza, Virginia Beach, Va.; (800) 849-1503.