August 2020

Most companies seek acquisition when they are on an upward trend, putting up numbers each month that are higher than the previous month.

The more I’ve been around salespeople in different markets, I’ve concluded that they very often create their own pricing structures in their minds based on where they think pricing needs to be to win the jobs.

Few things are more exhausting than a disappointing hire. It affects your confidence in your ability to interview, to “pick” the right person, and your ability to onboard and manage people to success.

Some LBM sales professionals feel that finish carpenters are the prima donnas of our industry. Unlike framing carpenters, the finisher has exacting expectations and demands.

One upside to the pandemic lockdown was that, as businesspeople, we very quickly had to start trying out some new things and lean on technology that we may otherwise have been reluctant to embrace.

NLBMDA currently has several important grassroots engagements posted on the website and members are always encouraged to weigh in and make their voice heard.

One characteristic I have observed among struggling salespeople is the percentage of time they spend quoting as opposed to selling.

Jase DeBoer is a senior category marketing manager with UFP Industries. He leads the marketing and branding efforts for the Decks, Docks and Porches category including ProWood treated lumber and Deckorators brands.

Some LBM dealers who may have been dragged, kicking and screaming, into this “new normal,” are now finding that remote workers can be happier and more productive. But what happens to the team environment when part of the team is home, and the rest are coming to work?

Each month, hundreds of products hit the market. Here’s our pick of the ones to watch.