Understanding customer needs is one of the first things you’ll hear about in any sales training course. But putting this philosophy into practice isn’t as simple as walking into a dealer’s office and going, “What do you need?”
Today we’re talking with Justin Struth, Market Manager at Metrie, about how he makes sure to understand his dealers’ needs. We’ll also hear from Brad Martineau, Purchasing Manager at Jackson Lumber in Nashua, New Hampshire, about how Justin and the rest of the Metrie team help make sure he’s on top of an evolving homebuilding market and customer needs.
Start With a Solid Foundation
Sales is a business of relationships, and the most successful ones are those that build over time. Justin is well positioned to do that with all of his customers, including Jackson Lumber, since he’s been with Metrie for over 15 years. It’s given him an opportunity to really get to know his dealers and integrate himself into their business.
“I think my favorite part of working with customers is strategizing with our channel partners to improve their business,” he says.
Being part of those conversations comes from years of getting to know Brad and understanding how his business works. “I first got introduced to Justin when he was our direct account manager.”
That was nearly ten years ago. Since then, Justin’s responsibilities have grown to include a territory through parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, New York and New England, all the way up to the Canadian border.
Know the Territory
One of the significant challenges in managing such a large geographic territory is understanding how needs and trends vary. While it can be easy to say everyone wants a clean, modern look, based on what design magazines and channel publications have to say, Justin knows those trends aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution.
Education is a big part of what Justin and all of Metrie’s ambassadors do. Change can be hard, especially when it comes to new designs and looks.
“This is a very colonial market, in terms of design and houses, and the trends are going towards more modern, contemporary. So if you're going to offer a bigger, beefier casing or baseboard, you need to put the light switches in different places, and doors and windows need to be in different places to account for bigger, beefier trim.”
Justin works with Brad and Brad’s remodeler customers to more easily envision what a project will look like when it’s finished and how millwork like molding and trim fit into that.
Visualize Success
Helping remodelers visualize what a project will look like when it’s done is more than showing them some product samples. Metrie’s library of catalogs and print marketing collateral is part of how New England dealers like Jackson Lumber can introduce Metrie products to builders.
Print marketing is only part of how products are sold, though. When local and family-owned dealers don’t have the floor and wall space for elaborate displays and expansive showrooms that big-box retailers and distributors do, Justin’s been able to offer some creative digital solutions too.
“One of the ways we use limited space is to utilize the blank areas high on the walls. There, we've used some of our digital images to create big images to showcase pictures and inspiration for when remodelers walk into a lumberyard. Those large images can help get their attention.”
Keep Communication Open
A good business relationship is one that’s continually evolving. Justin is constantly working with Brad and the Jackson Lumber team to understand which products are moving and where there’s an opportunity to add new products to the market.
According to Brad, “The contemporary flat look profiles are continuing to move for us at a very high rate. And we're continually adding profiles to our portfolio to be able to keep up with the trends in the market.”
At the same time, though, Justin is there to help troubleshoot and problem solve when Jackson Lumber has issues. Today’s building products supply chain is full of challenges, and Justin and his team are committed to making sure Brad has the products he needs.
“With today's supply challenges, we need to have the product on the ground to sell it,” Brad says. Demand is high, and the market is competitive. Ensuring the product is available and arrives when it’s supposed to is critical both to Metrie and Jackson Lumber’s success.
Is it working? Brad’s answer is pretty clear: “Justin continues to help us grow our business year over year. We consider Metrie a top-tier vendor for us.”
A great business relationship takes time to develop, but it’s also where success can be measured in both directions. By helping his dealers tackle challenging economic times and bring great new products to the market, Justin is helping drive Metrie’s success, too.
