The Monday Morning Building Product Advisor
Issue #115
Most product reps leave architect meetings feeling pretty dang good about their presentation…
And they’re often right. But the key to getting specified and winning the project lies elsewhere. So, let me share what I’ve learned from both sides of the table.
As an architect for 28+ years, I’ve seen over 1,000 product presentations. But sometimes, even great products don’t get recognition. Why? Because of how they’re presented. More specifically, reps focus on facts rather than the reasons behind them.
These reasons resonate and make a difference. But a lot of reps overlook this distinction.
This gap is what I want to explore in this series. The difference between sharing facts and giving real reasons. Today, I’ll show you exactly what this looks like in real-world scenarios.
So, let’s walk through it together.
The meeting that felt like a win (probably) wasn’t.
You’ve likely experienced this situation…
You meet an architect in person, loaded up with your product details. You present specs, data, and test results. The architect is engaged and asks questions… and you have all the answers. They take your leave-behind and say, “This is interesting… I’ll keep it in mind.” You leave feeling hopeful.
Well, here’s an old story that might put a slightly different spin on it.
There’s a well-worn college trope about the student living away from home for the first time. Mom & Dad are still paying the car insurance, maybe helping with rent. The deal is simple: You go to church on Sundays… No exceptions!
So the student goes… sort of.
They get there just in time to grab the bulletin from the usher. They might catch a hymn or two, then slip out before the sermon starts.
They got the receipt, so the transaction’s complete.
They missed the whole point of being there, but they got their proof of attendance.
When an architect takes your leave-behind and says, “I’ll keep it in mind,” that’s kinda’ what just happened. The meeting took place, and the “bulletin” changed hands.
Both of you fulfilled your end of a polite, professional transaction.
But the conversation that actually leads to a spec decision never happened. The one about what your product means for their project, their client, their schedule.
The leave-behind isn’t the problem. Unless you’re making the leave-behind your finish line… then maybe it is.
Facts tell me what your product does.
Reasons tell me why it matters.
This is the main point of today's newsletter, so let’s take a minute to focus here.
A fact sounds like, “Our curtain wall system has a thermally broken aluminum frame with a U-value of 0.29.”
A reason sounds more like, “Our curtain wall system has a thermally broken frame with a U-value of 0.29. And that’s why it meets the new energy code on its own, without requiring the mechanical engineer to upsize the HVAC system to compensate.”
It’s the same product and fact, but with a completely different conversation.
- The fact gives an architect a data point to file away.
- The reason helps me right now. It connects your product’s performance to a real problem I face every day.
When I have the reason, choosing your product isn’t just about two competing options anymore. It starts feeling like the obvious way to avoid a headache I already know is coming.
Here’s another example:
A typical rep selling commercial flooring might say: “Our LVT has a 28-mil wear layer and is 4.5mm thick.”
That’s good & accurate… but forgettable. :(
But when a rep who knows what’s what comes along and says:
“Our LVT has a 28-mil wear layer and is 4.5mm thick. This means it’s the only product in this category that doesn’t need a floor-leveling compound over lightweight concrete. Most projects save 2 to 3 days of install time.”
Now, the architect isn’t thinking about wear layers.
I’m thinking about my construction schedule and my relationship with the contractor. Or the phone calls I’ll get if something goes wrong when we’re closing in on completion. Reasons connect to those concerns. Facts leave me to make that connection myself… and most of the time, the architect won’t do it for you.
Reasons do the work that facts leave undone.
The reps that architects call back
aren’t always the ones with the best products.
Here's a little "inside baseball" scoop:
The reps architects contact during Design Development aren’t always the ones with the best product. Sometimes they are. But that’s not why we call them.
I call them because it’s useful to talk to them. They understand my challenges and what I need from them. These reps enter the conversation already knowing the project type. They’re thinking about where their product fits and where it doesn’t. Saving me time and helping me think through problems I hadn’t fully worked out yet.
That’s a different rep than the one who shows up with a binder and a rehearsed walkthrough of the spec sheet.
Architects make 100s [sometimes 1,000s] of spec decisions on every project. And most of them aren’t precious choices. They’re just practical ones. So, if you can help me make a fast, confident, defensible decision, you’re likely the one who gets specified. And that only happens when you build the conversation on reasons, not just facts.
Ask yourself after your next meeting:
Did I give this architect a product to consider, or a problem to solve?
[One gets filed away with the bulletin, and the other one gets specified.]
Next week, I’ll share the exact 3-part framework behind this approach.
The “Facts vs. Reasons” gap I shared today isn’t just a fun little tidbit about how we communicate. It’s actually the foundation of a selling framework that the best copywriters & salespeople have used for over 100 years.
It’s called “Reason Why” advertising. It has 3 distinct parts. Each step closely mirrors how architects make spec decisions. It starts with “this looks interesting” and ends with “this is going on the approved list.”
Next week, I’ll break all 3 parts down and show you how to put them to work… Starting before you ever make a product claim.
But before then, I’ve got one question for you…
Think about the last architect meeting you had that actually went somewhere. Where the architect was actually engaged, and not just being polite. What did you do differently in that conversation?
Hit reply and tell me. I read every one of these, and your answers will help shape what I cover in the next few issues.
That's it for this week!
Here's to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,
Neil "Very-Reasonable" Sutton
Architect | The Product Rep Coach
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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, reply, and let's chat.
- Business owners or Team Leaders: You can book an Architect Connections Training for your team. Reply, and I'll send you the details.
- Speaking: If you need me to present at an upcoming group meeting, get in touch, and let’s talk!
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