The Monday Morning Building Product Advisor
​Issue #104

A lot of product reps are tired.

Tired of chasing architects. Tired of “circle back” emails. Tired of pouring energy into relationships that never quite click.

And on the architect side, we’re tired too.

Tired of surprises. Tired of products that looked perfect on the finish board… and 5 years later, don’t look anything like what we thought we were getting.

Those two kinds of tired are connected.

But, before we get to that, let me share a quick story with you…

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The wallet that does what most reps don’t

Bellroy did something most product reps are terrified to do.

I was shopping for a new wallet last week. [Mine’s falling apart after ~8 years, and I forgot to ask for one for Christmas. 😭]

Anyway! I ended up on the Bellroy site… and this image stopped me mid-swipe:

Two wallets, side by side. One labeled “Day 1.” The other, “Day 1000.”

That’s it. No hype. No paragraphs of marketing copy. Just, “Here’s how this thing will actually look after you live with it.”

That’s the part that made me stop.

Because most building product conversations between reps & architects never get that far. We obsess over:

• Samples in the library
• Finish options
• Spec language
• “Can you match this color?”

And meanwhile, the thing that’s going to matter most to the owner in 5 or 10 years (how this product actually ages) barely shows up in the conversation.

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Now, I want you to think about something.

How many architectural product manufacturers would do this?

Who would (willingly) share how their flooring looks after 1,000 days of hospital traffic? Or their door hardware after 3 years of being grabbed 500 times a day? Or their exterior panels after a decade of getting hammered by the weather?

From what I’ve seen, most wouldn’t go near it.

Too risky, right? What if it doesn’t age well? What if the architect notices the scratches, the fading, and the wear patterns, then runs away?

But here’s what architects already know [and what keeps us up at night]:

Everything we specify ages. Every single material, finish, and surface.

The question isn’t whether your product will change over time. It’s whether you’re confident enough in how it changes to actually show me.

Let me tell you about a hospital project I’m working on…

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“No more Ipe”

When I saw that Bellroy image, a recent conversation on a hospital project came straight to mind…

About 15 years ago, the large firm I worked at designed a major addition and renovation for the hospital.

[I wasn’t on that project, so I’m totally blame-free here…]

Anyway, the design team specified Ipe wood as an exterior siding.

It was a beautiful choice (on paper). Ipe starts out this gorgeous warm brown. It’s rich and natural, and exactly the look everyone wanted. The renderings looked perfect.

What nobody told the owner: Ipe doesn’t stay brown.

When you let it age naturally, it turns silver-gray. And most owners do let it age naturally… because maintaining the “brown” is expensive.

Within a year, the warm brown look that got approved was disappearing.

And as it turns out… nobody liked the gray. Not the owner. Not facilities. Not the board.

So what did the hospital do?

For years, they’ve been spending real money to re-stain and refinish the siding… just to get back to the “Day 1” look they thought they bought.

And on the project I’m working on now for them, the directive was crystal clear:

“No more Ipe.”

But the thing is, this isn’t an Ipe problem. Ipe’s a great material. It performs beautifully and lasts a long time.

It was a communication problem.

If the team had seen photos of naturally aged Ipe—Day 1000, Day 3000, Day 5000—everyone could’ve made an informed decision:

• budget for upkeep,
• choose a different material,
• set expectations with the owner.

Instead, they got a surprise.

And surprises in architecture aren’t “oops.”

They can be expensive. They can damage relationships. And they get you cut from the next project.

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That’s why the Bellroy photo matters.

When you hide how your product ages, architects hear:

“We’re not totally sure how this holds up.”

So, proudly & proactively show how it ages, we hear:

“We’ve watched this perform in the real world for years… and we’re proud of what it becomes.”

Then you’re building pure trust, which is the whole game.

Because architects aren’t worried about Day 1. [Nah… Day 1 always looks good.] The rendering is always beautiful, and the mockup is always perfect.

We’re worried about Day 1000.

We’re worried about the phone call from the owner. The value engineering meeting where someone questions durability. The photo from 5 years down the road that makes me look like I didn’t know what I was specifying.

I’m worried about creating another Ipe situation.

Show us Day 1000, and you eliminate that worry.

Not with promises or warranties. But with evidence.

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So here’s what this means for you:

If you want to win more trust (and keep more specs)…

Start treating aging as something you’ve studied… Not something you hope nobody asks about.

Next time you visit a project that’s been installed for a year… 5 years… 10 years…

Take the photos.

Different angles. Different lighting. Different wear conditions.

Build a library of what your products actually become over time.

Yes, I know it feels risky. But here’s what’s riskier:

Having your ideal architects assume the worst because you won’t show the truth.

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I've got more ideas on how to do this. If you're interested, hit reply and let me know. I'll send you a few more ideas on how you can shift from “getting specified” to “showing the future.”

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That's it for this week!

Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,

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Neil "What’s-that-on-your-wallet" Sutton
​Architect | The Product Rep Coach

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P.S. You know what's ironic? To me, that Day 1000 wallet actually looks better than Day 1. It has more character, more story, and feels more honest. Your products might be the same way. But you'll never know, and architects will never believe you, unless you're willing to show it.

P.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 be better at connecting 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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