It was spring of 2007 when Rick Davis of Chicago-based Building Leaders Inc. was invited to speak at the Best of Success Conference in Phoenix. “My instant inclination was to offer a presentation that would describe methods for selling in a down market,” Davis said. “I had no idea that the market would become significantly worse during the summer.”

It was spring of 2007 when Rick Davis of Chicago-based Building Leaders Inc. was invited to speak at the Best of Success Conference in Phoenix. “My instant inclination was to offer a presentation that would describe methods for selling in a down market,” Davis said. “I had no idea that the market would become significantly worse during the summer.”

Davis was the first guest speaker at the conference, and he brought with him the experience he has gained from working with professionals in the roofing industry over the last 20 years. “An abundance of opportunity is available to those that are prepared to make some changes to their sales approach,” Davis said. “One certainty that everyone agrees on in the market today is that somebody is going to lose during this market correction. The pie is shrinking, and therefore sales will go down for many, if not most, contractors and dealers in the coming months, and possibly the next two years.”

Davis told the conference that business leaders must assume that changing the macroeconomic picture is impossible. “The only solution is to adapt to the reality of the market today,” said Davis, noting roofing materials dealers and contractors have traditionally focused their efforts on selling either to the new construction builder or the remodeling segment. “The first and simplest way for you to increase your sales is to modify your sales approach and consider sales methods that will enable you to target audiences you have neglected in the past.”

Davis said sales energy must be focused on long-term solutions to market challenges. “The biggest fallacy I have been exposed is the idea that there is a magic bullet out there that will wipe all your troubles away,” he said. “The way to deal with the market challenges is to get tougher and think long term.”

During his BOS presentation, Davis talked about finding new prospects - “diamonds in the rough” - the old-fashioned way: “Get out and call everyone.”

“The secret of successful selling is to create relationships that begin before the prospect becomes a customer,” Davis said. “In other words, prospects switch suppliers when things go wrong. Thus, a skilled sales leader fosters relationships with many prospects to ensure that they are in position to create new sales relationships when the timing is right. Your sales management efforts must include constant prospecting and the development of relationships with non-customers as well as customers.”

Davis said the flagship thesis of Building Leaders Inc. stresses a unique approach to selling. “In order for your salespeople to truly establish themselves as valuable resources to clients, they must become consultative in their selling style,” he said.

Davis divided typical salespeople into three categories - the hard closer, the friend, and the beggar - before detailing the attributes of non-archetypal sales leader. “Sales success is about the discipline of persistent and consistent effort,” Davis said. “There are no magic bullets, and the tension that companies and salespeople feel today are no doubt a result of the economic challenges of the day.”

Davis told contractors to “eliminate fear.” “How many have had a rough day in the last month,” said Davis, who watched virtually every hand go up in the conference room. “It’s what we do. Separate the emotion from the job. You have employees to lead. If you’re nervous, how do you lead them? I think, as leaders, we have to quell the fear and optimize what we have. We need to get our people to start thinking intellectually.”