What would you like Product Reps to Know

Archive of Older Topics Archive - Specifications Discussions
1

At this year’s CSI Convention I selected to speak. My topic “How To Get Your Product Specified” should bring people who are interested in learning how to represent their product to you more effectively. I expect both sales reps and marketing people to attend.

I am very interested in what you think is most important ideas to be passed along.

2

Let’s start with simple stuff. Whenever you leave a brochure, a binder or a sample, write the date and your contact information on it!

3

Be prepared to give honest answers to these questions: What manufacturers and products do you consider to be your best competition? And, what are the disadvantages of your product, ie when or under what conditions would you recommend that your product not be used?

4

I specify those products whose reps…

  • go out of their way to help me solve problems
  • help me write a fair spec
  • help me understand their products
  • help the architect with detailing
  • bring in samples
  • explain the differences between their products and their competitors’ products
  • update the literature on a frequent basis
  • work with the contractor/sub to solve field questions/problems
  • supply me info on approved suppliers
5

Organize websites in a consistent and accessible format (See Colin). Put contact information on the front page. If you have email links ensure that they still work.

6

Some basics: believe it or not, personal presentability.

  1. Don’t wear after-shave or cologne–many people will think it stinks, or will make them sneeze.
  2. If you smoke, be sure your last cigarette was at least an hour before you see someone. Nothing worse than that stench of nicotine on someone’s clothes.
  3. Be on time, or call.
  4. Don’t drop in uninvited.
  5. Pay attention and stop calling me when I’ve expressed disinterest.
7

If their product can not be used, what manufacturers or products would they recommended.

8

Don’t offer to review our office master spec section unless you can follow through in a reasonable time frame.

Doing a review does not mean sending me the canned spec from your website. It means reading through and pointing out out dated standards, manufacturers who are no longer in business, or options that should be considered for different project conditions.

9

Aftershave & Cologne: Same goes for PERFUME. Some of us have allergies and your pleasant scent could give me a nasty headache.

Section Review: This means redmarking the section either electronically or in hard copy. It does NOT mean rewriting the section and emailing it back.

10

If you are a CSI member (and you should be!) and have either a CDT or a certification (and you should have!), wear your pin proudly and include the information on your business card. It tells me that you understand why I need “CSI 3 Part Specs” and will not give me a poorly written bunch of gibberish and call it a “spec”.

11

Don’t spend money and time on flash media entrances to websites, use it instead on beefing up the content available on your website. Place contact information in a highly visible place on your website, if I have to search and search and search for it…I’ll search for a competitor’s website and product.

12

I know it’s PC to not wear perfume, deodorant, or cologne, or to smoke or drink, etc., etc., but I’d much rather enjoy a faint hint of “odor enhancement” than BO. Of course, that does not mean take a bath in it.

13

Advertising/continuing education article in 12/2003 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD [p. 139] appears to address many issues raised here, including, “Product catalogues are preferred by three-quarters of design professionals surveyed during the early project planning phases”. AND it even mentions-- “specifications writers”!!!

14
  1. Make an appointment.
  2. Be on time for the appointment or call (as noted above). Being late may mean that I’m no longer available to see you.
  3. Provide a written, 3 part section formatted guide specification for the product. I don’t use manufacturer provided sections “as is”. They are used as guidelines for producing our own section. I don’t want CDs, although Project Architects may want them for the details.
  4. Don’t give me the hard sell. I don’t like it.
  5. Be truthful, trustworthy, and reliable.
  6. Be willing to do the catalog updates (I usually don’t have time and my firm doesn’t have a librarian).
  7. Understand the type of information that spec writers want and need in order to get their job done versus project architects or designers. One size or type does not fit all.
  8. I agree about the smoking (most people who DON’T smoke can smell it on the people who do).
  9. Be understanding when I tell you that I can’t meet because of upcoming deadlines.
15

here are a couple more things:
if you’re calling on a big office (and there are a few of those in every city)

  1. have an idea of what types of work the firm does, or ask the question and listen to the answer. Most reps who call on us know that ZGF does not do single family housing, and they don’t push the products for that building type.
    2) do NOT tell me that “John Smith of the XYZ firm” uses your stuff all the time – I may think I’m a better spec writer than John Smith, and I KNOW we do projects just as sophisticated as he does.
    3) If you’re trying to sell me based on what you think our market is, have an idea of what that market IS. Dodge reports, while not current, do provide some idea.
    4) Keep in mind that as a full time spec writer (and this information is available from CSI) I usually don’t need the “basic” stuff – I need the quirky information.
    5) and finally, show up once a year. I just want to know that someone is out there, available if needed. You don’t need to hover around my office to get my business.