Assumptive selling

II/e ARE ALwAys assumptive. We project/infect our V Y customers with our expectations. Sellers who struggle enter into conversations and meetings as if they are going to be treated poorly and alas their assumption is correct-they are treated poorly. These same salespeople will bfame poor treatment on the customer (What a jerk!) when they are bringing this treatment on themselves.

Salespeople are consistent across all industries. They do not want to be put in the category of the pushy or arrogant seller. They don't wanltobe that guy. No one likes a pushy salesperson and no one wants to be one.

Many sellers are so woruied about being thought of as pushy or arrogant, they err on the other side of the equation. They bend over backwards not to be. Many of these sellers are ashamed of being salespeople. This negatively assumptive attitude is not lost on customers. These salespeople walk around with a sign that says, "l don't like me, you probably don't like me, so treat me badly," and many customers oblige them.

Positive Assumption

Let's begin by psyching ourselves up. Brian Tracey says we should sit in the car or at our desk before a big call and say, "I like myself, I like myself, I like myself." I agree and would add, "This customer is going to love me."

Master sellers project/infect their customers with the feeling: "We are going to do business together und you are going to love it." On the phone, relax (blow the air out). Smile-buy a mirror, put it on your desk in front of you, and smile! Use a radio voice-smooth. calm and confident.

In person, relax, shoulders back. Do not flutter or wring your hands. Have a notepad and a pen ready and take notes when the customer talks. Do not shuffle your feet. Do not jiggle change. Do not play with hair or touch any body part. Do not look at your watch or cell phone.

Smile as if you were the client's long-lost college roommate. Be friendly and open with (tll people at the account, not just the buyer. This shows confidence and will also help with nerves. Make good eye contact without staring. Make it a "sit down" meeting. Do not start "selling" until you are sitting. Sit side-by-side with customer if possible. If sideby-side is not possible, try to sit to the customer's right-be their "right-hand-man." If the table has two heads (not round) and it is a call to a group, try to sit at one of the heads across from the prime decision-maker.

Break bread. We eat with friends and family. Do not underestimate the value of having a meal with customers.

Assumptive Prospecting

At the end of a qualified prospect call, we say, "Sarah, I know/feel we are going to be a great fit. I look forward to working with you" Not "I hope we can get together on something" or "I know you already have great suppliers, I just want the opportunity to earn your business." (By the way, when we ask for the opportunity that's often all we get, an opportunity, but no business. We want the business, so say so.)

In the inquiry stage of the sales process, we must act as if the order is already ours. Our attitude is, "Let's find out what we need and put this thing together." Not "Okay, John, I understand what you need. Let me go work out the specs and hopefully I can come back with a number that is cheap enough."

Assumptive Opening

"Good morning, Pete. I've got exactly what we've been looking for."

"Jerry, you are going to love this deal!"

Assumptive Closing

Customer: "When can that ship?"

Us.'"We have many options, when do you (better yet, we) need this to +,: ship?" s

Customer: "Next week." 't al

Us: "What's your order number?"

Assumptive Living

We are in control of the assumptions we make about our customers and how we will be treated. Let's assume we are great. and live like it.

Astoria Builders Supply, Astoria, 0r., and sister company Gearhart Builders Supply, Gearhart, or., permanently closed Sept. 18, following bankruptcy filings and week-long liquidation sales. The remaining assets of the 65year-old company are set to auctioned off this month.

St. Johns Ace Hardware, St. Johns (Portland), or., was opened Aug. 28 by Mike Johnson.

Dolan's Lumber is down to four locations after closing its yard in Benicia, Ca., and selling the property.

Mercer lsland True Value, Mercer lsland, Wa., may be forced to relocate in 2013.

Davis Ace Hardware added a 4,000-sq. tt. Aggie Ace, Davis, Ca.-its first location not downtown.

Hometown Hardware & Garden, Downey, ca., has been launched by c.e.o. Greg Fuller, c.o.o. Rob Morck, and c.f.o. Ray Brown, all ex-Allhmerican Home Genter, which closed in Decembet.

BMC, Boise, ld., will begin selling Fiberofl products from its stores.

Berkeley Ace Hardware, Berkeley, Ca., has decided against relocating, despite imminent conshuction of a 205-unit residential development that could disrupt business.

Higgins Liquidates, But Will Return

After 129 years, J.E. Higgins Lumber, Livermore, Ca., has closed its remaining branches and liquidated the company.

Former sales manager John Parr purchased certain assets and intellectual property, including the Higgins name, and intends to reopen the company at its Livermore office this fall.

The company began closing its Higgins Lumber and Golden State Flooring branches in late spring, although Golden State offices in San Diego and San Jose, Ca., have since reopened under new ownership (see Aug p 23 ).

Tests Confirm DF Design Values

Recent testing of Douglas fir-larch lumber suggests no changes are needed to the species' published design values.

The test plan was formulated by Western Wood Products Association in cooperation with other western lumber agencies and approved last year by the American Lumber Standard Committee board of review. The plan required destructive testing of 360 pieces in bending and 360 pieces in tension of Doug fir-larch No. 2 2x4 lumber.

Preliminary analysis of the 2012 test data indicates higher (+5.5Vo) bending strength, (+5.}Vo) tensile strength, and (+8.l%o) stiffness properties than those established in the 1980s North American In-Grade lumber testing program, indicating the continued viability of current design values.

The published lumber design values are based on the InGrade lumber testing program. Professor Robert Fountain of Portland State University provided statistical support for the testing program. A total of 36 representative mills were selected for lumber sample collection from the Douglas fir and western larch production region. The test lumber samples were representative of the lumber volume destined for the marketplace.

A report of the results will be submitted to the ALSC board of review for confirmation at their meetins this month.

The testing of westem species lumber is conducted periodically to monitor for changes, to allow for timely actions to be taken if needed to support western lumber products.

Reprieve for Malheur Lumber

Malheur Lumber's sawmill in John Day, Or., will not close Nov. 1-as previously announced-because the U.S. Forest Service has a plan to make more timber available from the nearby national forest.

Under the new plan, the U.S. Forest Service will use $5 million in federal funds to speed up timber sales and increase forest restoration projects in the 1.7 million-acre Malheur National Forest. The goal is to make about 60 million bd. ft. of timber available for the fiscal years 2013 and2014.

"I can sell all the pine we can possibly produce, assuming it's the right size," said Bruce Daucsavage, president of the mill's corporate parent, the Ochoco Lumber Co. He said that the mill needs 33 million bd. ft. of pine greater than 8 inches in diameter per year to keep operating.

Experts said that some of the new timber will be too small-and much would be Douglas fir and grand fir rather than pine-but the remainder will probably keep the John Day sawmill operating. It might even provide enough timber to reopen a Prairie Wood Products stud mill in nearby Prairie City, Or., that closed four years ago.

BMD relocated its Walnut Creek, Ca., operation to a new office in Concord, Ca.

Neiman Enterprises, Hutett, Wy., acquired the former Intermountain Resourcos sawmitt in Montrose, Co., and restarted the plant as Montrose Forest Resources.

Gerro Pacific Lumber, Redwood Valtey, Ca., suffered an early morning fire Sept. 20.

Epicor Software Corp., Dubtin, Ca., has agreed to acquire Solarsoft Busidess Systems from Martin Equity Partners.

Pinkwood will start production March 4, 2013, at a recently acquired l-joist plant in Calgary, Alb.

With an annual capacity of 60 million linear ft., the facility will produce l-joists protected with Pinkshield mold-, moistureand fire+esistant coating and diskibuted ny Taiga Building Products.

WeyerhaeuSer, Federal Way, Wa., has introduced a free Parallam+Deck Beam sizer app for iPhones and iPads. The latest version of its Javelin design software includes new features that enable users to create structural frame olans easier and ouicker.

Thunderbolt Wood Treating, Riverbank, Ca., relaunched its website at www.thunderboltwoodheatino.com.

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