Tag: LBM Sales
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How A Hollywood Producer and a Sci-Fi Genius Inspired a Sales Framework That Actually Generates Callbacks From Busy Prospects
Brian Grazer, the Oscar-winning producer, built his career on curiosity (and a crazy hairdo). He made a habit of scheduling “curiosity conversations” with people outside of Hollywood—scientists, politicians, and even astronauts. In 1986, fresh off the success of Splash, Grazer landed a meeting with the most prolific science fiction writer alive: Isaac Asimov. By then, Asimov…
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How a Simple Probability Method Can Turn Sales Uncertainty Into Predictable Wins
Three weeks ago on a Friday afternoon, Cheryl Jackson—our own Cheryl at Hartmann & Co., the one who helps sales reps keep their pipelines in order—was on a Zoom call with astruggling sales rep, Tim (not his real name). Two important facts: Twelve minutes into their thirty-minute session, Cheryl finished updating deals from Tim’s current customers. Then she moved to prospects and began her…
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20% for New Business
Imagine for a moment that at nineteen, you know exactly what your calling in life is. Unfortunately, it’s to be a writer. Unfortunate, because making a living from writing is nearly impossible. There’s a reason legends like Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jack Kerouac, and Hunter S. Thompson all struggled with alcoholism. In your 20s and 30s, you…
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The One Number That Can Turn Around Any Sales Team: FAST Meetings
This particular acronym was born on a Zoom call Tuesday afternoon, July 1, with a 29-year-old outside sales rep in theCarolinas. He was four years into his career—two strong COVID years followed by two tough ones. In 2025, tasked with opening a new market, he was floundering. “I haven’t hit my monthly goal in nine months. Year-to-date,…
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The Fastest and Cheapest Way to Immediate Differentiation
2025 is the 10th anniversary of my book, Behind Your Back: What purchasing managers say once you leave the room and how to get them to say yes. Here’s an updated chapter from Part I: Rule 1.7: Unsuck Your Business Card. Most business cards are boring, lame, reek of corporate compromise, and are ultimately forgettable. After collecting hundreds of business cards from all over the country, I remember…
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What Hudson’s Dad Got Wrong About AI (and Writing)
It was one of those perfect Thursday evenings in late May when Texans congratulate themselves for choosing to live in the greatest country in the U.S. A purple sky hung over the baseball diamonds at Oak Grove, a slight breeze drifting off the lake as the kids fielded grounders. I glanced at my watch. Thirty…
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How to Goose Sales in 30 Days—No Excuses, No Cold Calling
Q: I’ve got a young sales rep who’s struggling. Corporate leadership hinted he may not be flying with the flock much longer, but I believe in him. He’s proven he can sell but he doesn’t have much time. Any tactical ways to goose sales in the next 30 days and get him off the radar? A: Geese are obnoxious and arrogant creatures on the…
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The Only Three Words That Matter in Sales
Three days ago, episode #464 of The Construction Leadership Podcast went live: “The Only Three Words That Matter in Sales.” It tells the story of a painful early sales loss—one that nearly brought down our company. The upside is that it also taught me a lesson I think about every day. Enjoy your weekend.I’ll be back next Thursday. Subscribe here to get the next edition of The Craft of LBM…
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Stopping the Sales SKID: A 4-Step Playbook to Regain Deal Momentum
It was late April, and construction season was clanging away in the Southwest. On a Zoom call, the frustration of the 48-year-old sales manager named Dan was unmistakable. With just six selling days left, missing this month’s goal wouldn’t just be four in a row—it would trigger a renewed discussion about layoffs. Dan had been in the LBM industry for 25 years and…
The Craft of LBM Sales 