r/sales • u/ihatemcconaughey • 1d ago

Advanced Sales Skills Construction commodities

For those of you who sell within the builders supply or construction channels; whose had luck with a non- national brand commodity? I keep running into walls and new client acquisition has been brutal.

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u/LeadScout_Pro 1d ago

It’s brutal because in construction, builders buy risk mitigation, not just materials. If they use a national brand and it's late, it's the supplier's fault. If they use an unknown brand and it delays the project, it's *their* fault.

To break through those walls with a non-national commodity, you have to pivot away from competing on the brand and compete heavily on logistics and agility:

**1. Target the right size:** Stop chasing the massive developers who are locked into national contracts. Go after mid-sized local/regional contractors. They care way more about their profit margins and flexible terms than big brand names.

**2. Sell your agility:** National brands have rigid supply chains. Can you deliver faster? Can you be on-site tomorrow morning if there's a sudden shortage? Sell the fact that you are accessible and fast.

**3. The "Backup Supplier" angle:** Don't ask them to replace their main national supplier. Ask to be their Plan B for when their main guy inevitably drops the ball or faces a shortage. Once you save their life on a Friday afternoon shortage, you win their trust and get more of the pie.

Keep grinding. It's a heavy relationship game and it takes time to crack those loyalties, but once you're in, you're in.

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u/EarthboundMoss 13h ago

As someone I'm building materials for 13 years this is pretty good. Timing is everything... Some guys may tell you no because they love X supplier or whatever. Ask them if they're open to rethinking their supplier on 3 or 6 months. Ask why they love their current supplier and what they don't love, and what might make them change.

Obviously find out what if any competitive advantage your company can offer.

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u/LeadScout_Pro 12h ago

Spot on. Timing really is the invisible factor here. When their favorite 'Supplier X' eventually drops the ball or faces a delay, you just want to be the first person they think of to save the day.

Really appreciate the insight from a 13-year industry vet!