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Ever feel like architects see your amazing product as “just another option”?
How can you make your solution stand out in a category full of similar materials and finishes?
What makes it the best choice for design challenges and building performance?
To do it, you don’t need to invent a new product. It’s more about how you present what you already have and how you tell the story of its inherent quality.
Let’s dive into two seemingly unrelated but powerful marketing lessons:
- The “secret” behind McDonald’s secret for making Coke taste better.
- How Schlitz Beer became a market leader by simply sharing their story.
They’ll show you the “secret sauce” to change your “commodity” into a solution that architects want.
Let’s transform how architects perceive your product and your value.
Part 1: The McDonald’s Coke Effect – Elevating Through Execution
Think about McDonald’s Coke.
Everyone swears it tastes better at McDonald’s.
And they’re right.
Not because McDonald’s uses a special syrup or secret ingredient… they don’t.
They just do a few small things better than everyone else:
- The Coke syrup is delivered & stored in stainless steel tanks, not plastic bags. [Keeps it fresher]
- The water is double-filtered.[Removes impurities]
- The syrup-to-water ratio is precisely calibrated.[Accounts for melting ice for flavor balance]
- The straw is slightly wider.[Delivers more taste at once]
Tiny details. But they stack up.
McDonald’s took a commodity and made it feel premium.
Simply by fine-tuning the quality control and delivery system.
How to apply this to architectural sales:
The “Stainless Steel Tank” (better presentations)
Are you still delivering generic brochures and standard pitches?
Your information needs to be as protected and fresh as that syrup. Create custom presentations personalized to each project’s specific design challenge or performance goal. Use visuals that align with their vision.
Don’t just show your product. Display your product in their context.
The “Filtered Water” (clear messages)
Unfiltered, generic information muddies the waters.
You need a pure, crystal-clear message. Filter out the noise. Focus on what meets the architect’s pain points, design goals, and performance needs.
Become a source of clean, relevant knowledge, building immediate trust.
The “Calibrated Ratio” (personalized presentations)
A one-size-fits-all approach is usually going to fail.
McDonald’s calibrates for melting ice. You need to calibrate for project variables.
Anticipate their “melting ice.” Budget constraints, design changes, and specific code requirements. Adjust your ratio for each client. Balance technical detail, aesthetic appeal, and ROI data in your discussions.
Show them your product isn’t “just another option.”
It’s the precise solution for their design challenge.
The “Wider Straw” (maximize your impact)
How can you make sure your value proposition fits the architect’s taste?
Engage their senses. Use high-quality samples, immersive renderings, virtual reality, or powerful case study videos.
Don’t just talk at them.
Create an experience that allows them to feel the benefits and “taste” the impact of your solution.
Don’t just tell them “it’s more flexible.” Let them stretch it. Poke it. And test it.
Part 2: The Schlitz Beer Strategy – Owning the obvious
Now, let’s layer in the brilliance of Claude Hopkins and Schlitz Beer.
Hopkins was the godfather of direct marketing. While touring the Schlitz brewery, he saw the careful steps they took to brew beer. They used filtered air, sterilized bottles, and a specific aging process.
He asked why they didn’t advertise it.
The brewers scoffed, “That’s just how all good beer is made!”
But Hopkins knew something they didn’t.
If you’re the first to point out these “standard” industry practices, you’ll own them in the public’s mind.
Schlitz didn’t invent anything new. They just explained their process in a way that made their beer seem uniquely superior.
How to apply this to architectural sales:
Uncover your “filtered air & sterilized bottles”
What key “standard” processes, material qualities, or steps help your product perform better, last longer, or look great?
Is it a unique curing method? A specific testing protocol? The purity of a raw material?
Don’t assume architects know or don’t care about these “obvious” details.
Claim your narrative
Don’t wait for competitors to articulate industry standards or your product’s inherent strengths; instead, take the initiative.
Be the first to explain why these details matter to their project.
Let’s say your product has a quality control check. This check ensures perfect dimensional stability. Explain how this guarantees that parts fit together well. And this leads to faster installation. No need for adjustments or rework.
This saves time and improves efficiency in the field.
Educate & differentiate
Your competitors might use similar materials or processes.
But are they teaching architects how those specific details lead to better results?
Clearly link these “obvious” quality points to the architect’s desired results. Enhanced building performance… Reduced lifecycle costs… Tight detailing. When you do that, you position your product as distinct and superior.
You’re selling a product. But you’re also selling the proven foresight and meticulous engineering behind it.
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The power of both: Your unique advantage
Now, try mixing McDonald’s perfect Coke service with Schlitz Beer’s bold storytelling. This can transform your product or service from an option into a must-have solution.
Of course, this only works if you have a quality product.
That’s table stakes.
But if you want to position it at that next level… Look for those ways you can expertly deliver it and confidently claim its unique story.
Start looking at your product and your process with fresh eyes.
On the surface, it might look like everyone else’s.
Same certification. Same performance values. Same installation method.
But:
- What part of the experience do you control better than anyone else?
- What “invisible” step in your process could you own in the architect’s mind?
- Where can you turn your delivery into something they feel, not just read on a datasheet?
What to do next:
- Tour your production facility (physically or virtually). Write down every “ordinary” step.
- Ask the product team for unique, behind-the-scenes processes.
- Translate technical steps into benefits: What does it mean for a designer, installer, or building performance?
- Create a “Did You Know?” sheet of 3–5 bullet points.
- Now… start telling that story. Share one in every meeting, quote, or follow-up email.
And start collecting testimonials that support it.
Because the first to explain it clearly is the one who gets remembered.
💡 What’s one “McDonald’s Coke” detail or “Schlitz Beer” story you’ll focus on this week to elevate your product’s perception? I’d love to hear your ideas!
👀 Interesting architectural thing I just learned:
Did you know architecture was once an Olympic sport?
I sure didn’t! But, apparently, from 1912 to 1948, the Olympics awarded medals for architectural designs. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
[Caveat: The designs had to be sports-related. I’m going for the gold in architectural ribbon dancing, I guess?]
That’s it for this week!
Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,
Neil “I’m-a-Pepsi-guy” Sutton
Architect | The Product Rep Coach
P.S. Do you really want inside an architect’s head?
When you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can start working with me:
- Product reps: If you want to improve your connection with architects, hit reply and let’s chat.
- Business owners or Team Leaders: You can book an Architect Connections Training for your team. Hit reply, and I’ll send you the details.
- Speaking: If you’d like me to present at an upcoming group meeting, reach out and let’s talk!
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