47 :: How Builders Actually Choose Suppliers (It’s Not the Lowest Price)

Are you unknowingly missing pre-construction opportunities that could win you more of your builder’s business?

In this episode, Kent Strawderman, Project Manager at Harborview Custom Builders, shares what builders actually want from LBM sales professionals — and where most reps fall short. After years on the supply side and now managing high-end custom projects, Kent has seen both sides. His message is clear: if you're just turning around bids and hoping to win on price, you're leaving margin and wallet share on the table.

Builders don’t need faster quotes. They need proactive partners in pre-construction.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

1. Shift from commodity quoting to becoming a true pre-construction partner
2. Use lead times, product knowledge, and scheduling awareness to protect builder timelines and margins
3. Ask better questions that turn experienced builders into mentors — and advocates for your growth
4. Build long-term trust through emotional intelligence, empathy, and proactive communication
5. Position yourself to earn more wallet share instead of being “fine with half the business”

Hit play now if you want a builder to tell you exactly how to close more profitable deals and become indispensable before the job even breaks ground.

If you’re ready to stop competing on price and start having the right sales conversations that win business, send us a note at [e-mail] or visit our website and click on Increase Sales.

In The Craft of LBM Sales, we tackle real-world sales challenges in the lumber and building materials industry, including handling sales objections, improving phone sales, and what to do when you can’t close deals. Learn how to land new business, strengthen your negotiation skills, and build a reliable sales pipeline—even if you currently have no sales process in place. We also explore proven sales techniques, value selling strategies, overcoming sales rejection, hitting your sales goals, and navigating tough conversations around discounting.

New podcasts are dropped every Monday and Wednesday.