In Dale Carnegie’s timeless classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” one of the key sections is “Six Ways to Make People Like You.” While we won’t delve into these leadership themes directly, we can draw valuable lessons from them to help win over specifiers and make it easier for them to specify your products.
1: Understand Architect Needs and Trends
According to the 2023 “Architect’s Journey to Specification” report by the AIA, architects/specifiers are increasingly looking for up-to-date detailed product specifications, technical descriptions, and BIM/CAD models to make informed decisions. The vast majority of professionals surveyed seek these resources during product selection. Manufacturers should ensure their digital libraries are comprehensive and up-to-date, offering all necessary technical data and design files.
Carnegie Principle:
Show genuine interest in others. Understand the specific needs of architects and provide them with the detailed and current information they need to make informed decisions.
2: Optimize Your Online Presence
The AIA overwhelmingly found that architects prefer to use manufacturers’ websites to research products. It’s crucial to have a user-friendly, easily navigable website with accessible information. Each product page should include downloadable specifications, high-quality images, data sheets, and CAD/BIM files (if applicable). Additional resources such as warranty information, sustainability documents, installation instructions, and case studies are also highly valued by specifiers.
Carnegie Principle:
Make the other person feel important. Ensure your website is optimized and provides a seamless experience, making architects feel valued and catered to.
3: Leverage Social Media and Continuing Education
Social media is becoming a more popular tool for architects to discover new products. Manufacturers should consider platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Facebook to showcase their products, share project successes, and provide links to detailed product information. Additionally, offering continuing education opportunities through webinars or lunch-and-learns can establish manufacturers as experts in their field, keeping their brand top of mind for architects during the specification process.
Carnegie Principles:
Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. Engage with architects on social media and offer educational content that helps them in their professional development.
Smile. Show the impact of your products with human empathy to connect at a deeper level (e.g. pride of ownership of employees making the products or how your products make an end users’ life easier).
Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. If offering a CE, take the opportunity to personalize your communication to that individual using their name (e.g. registration, follow up).
4: Build Relationships and Provide Exceptional Support
Architects value manufacturers who act as trusted advisors. This involves not only providing comprehensive product information but also offering to write and review specifications. Timely and knowledgeable support can significantly influence an architect’s decision to specify a particular product. Establishing a strong, collaborative relationship can help manufacturers become a go-to resource for architects.
Carnegie Principle:
Be a good listener. Listen to the needs and challenges of architects and provide exceptional support and solutions to help them succeed.
Importance of Being Proactive
Being proactive in the specification process means anticipating the needs of architects and providing solutions before they even ask. This proactive approach can significantly increase the likelihood of your products being specified. We see this approach in other markets as well. According to the National Building Specification (NBS) in the UK “What Specifiers Want” report, manufacturers who engage early and often with architects, providing tailored information and support, are more likely to see their products specified. The report highlights the shift towards digital tools and the importance of maintaining an active and informative online presence to meet architects’ evolving needs.
How Concora Spec Can Help
Concora Spec plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between manufacturers and architects. By offering a specialized platform that enhances the product specification journey, Concora Spec helps manufacturers streamline their processes and improve engagement with design professionals where they prefer to go – the manufacturer’s website. Key features include:
- Lead Capture and Analytics: Track engagement and capture leads effectively.
- Comprehensive Documentation Hosting: Keep all product documentation, BIM, and CAD files in one accessible place.
- Interactive Product Visualization: Showcase products in realistic virtual settings to help architects envision their use in projects.
- Easy Comparison and Project Saving: Allow architects to compare products easily and save their project details for future reference.
By leveraging these tools, manufacturers can ensure their products are top of mind for architects during the specification process, ultimately increasing the likelihood of being specified in projects.
Influencing product specifications requires a combination of understanding architects’ needs, optimizing digital resources, proactive engagement, and leveraging platforms like Concora Spec to streamline the process. By adopting these strategies, manufacturers can bridge the gap and ensure their products are included in more specifications, driving growth and success in the competitive building materials market.