Follow this step-by-step guide to increase the chance of your product being specified upfront without wasting valuable time and resources.
1. Ask questions to find out where your product will be specified.
Be creative with your approach and make sure your brand and product stand out. Get to the point when promoting your product and use bold and impactful words to tell the designer how your product will meet their needs and expectations and address their issues.
2. Use your branded worksection as a tool, with product samples and models.
Provide the designer with product samples and/or models or images of your product in completed projects. Your branded worksection cross references the 0171 General requirements worksection. 0171 General requirements sets out stringent submission requirements that must be met by any contractor wishing to propose a substitution. This further reduces the risk of substitution. Discover how to reduce product substitution further click here
3. Present your product’s Unique Selling Points (USP).
It is important for the designer to understand your product, and this can be done by using your branded worksection as an educational tool to share your product information. As you are presenting, get permission to write the brief so that you can complete the branded worksection for them. Show the designer how your product works in the real world. It is also crucial to point out to the designer how your product is different from similar products on the market. Otherwise they may assume that your product has no unique qualities. You should also discuss the realistic supply and installation costs for the product, lead times and product availability for the project.
Informing how your product is used to comply with the NCC and conformity with the relevant Australian standards, will reassure the designer that your product is appropriate to use on their project. Consider referring your client to the NCPR website which will save them time and effort in researching, verifying and authenticating evidence of conformity to relevant standards.
4. Provide case studies and testimonials.
To further familiarise designers with your product, consider sharing your case study from the Product Partners Case Study Magazine. The designer should be made aware of other similar projects where your product has been successfully used. This gives your client insight on your product with feedback from architects, builders, building designers, engineers, specifiers, etc.
A few testimonials are helpful. The architect can be encouraged into specifying your product through testimonials highlighting the benefits received. If an architect sees that other building professionals have trust in your product, they will also be more likely to specify your product.
5. Show you understand the designer’s needs.
The final step is to summarise the key points from notes on the project brief and offer to complete the proprietary sections of the branded worksection for the design professional. Make it clear to the designer that the designer must do the final check.
If you follow the above five steps, you will be well and truly on your way to present your product to its greatest advantage for the designer and being specified upfront.