How can building product manufacturers connect with local and regional specifiers? How can companies increase their specification opportunities in a limited geographical area?
Building product manufacturers can reach regional specifiers through a variety of methods including local SEO optimization, networking events like tradeshows and CSI meetings, direct mail campaigns, local ads, and social media. However, there are three powerful strategies to engage with regional specifiers that we will examine today. The robust strategies include AIA lunch and learns, regional webinars, and architectural specification presentations.
Before we review the solutions, let’s briefly examine the challenges that product manufacturers face when attempting to reach the decision makers. The challenges may include:
Fragmented Market: The market can be highly fragmented, with numerous architects, designers, contractors, and engineers operating in each locality. Identifying and reaching the right specifiers can be challenging due to this fragmentation. How can manufacturers target the correct decision makers in a region?
Competition: Manufacturers face stiff competition from other manufacturers offering similar products. Specifiers are often inundated with product options, making it difficult for manufacturers to stand out and differentiate their offerings. How can you differentiate yourself from your rivals?
Budget Constraints: Specifiers often have budget constraints and cost considerations when selecting products for a project. Manufacturers need to demonstrate the value proposition of their products and justify any premium pricing through tangible benefits. Manufacturers have budget limitations for outreach efforts. How can companies maximize their ROI when connecting with regional specifiers?
Building Trust: Establishing and maintaining relationships with specifiers takes time and effort. Manufacturers need to invest in building rapport, trust, and credibility with specifiers to increase the likelihood of their products being selected. What initiatives can manufacturers leverage to build trust with the decision makers?
By addressing these challenges proactively and strategically, manufacturers can improve their chances of reaching local specifiers and getting their products selected for projects. Here are three powerful strategies that can help manufacturers engage with regional specifiers.
AIA Lunch and Learns: Manufacturers can educate specifiers about their products and help influence product specification. Face-to-face presentations allow manufacturers to showcase their products, answer questions, and address concerns directly, fostering a deeper understanding and connection with architects. Lunch and learns often include networking opportunities before or after the presentation, allowing architects to connect with representatives from the manufacturing company as well as other professionals in the industry.
Successful product manufacturers often partner with live event coordinators to host lunch and learn events in a region. Manufacturers interested in reaching specifiers in the state of Texas might be interested in collaborating with CE Academy. The live event coordinator offers all day events in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. These AIA education events are attended by the top specifiers in these regions and connect manufacturers directly with the specifiers.
Regional Webinars: One of the challenges for a regional manufacturer is hosting a webinar that only focuses on a specific region of the country. For example, if a window manufacturer in the northeast doesn’t have distribution capabilities in California and the west coast, it makes no financial sense to host a national webinar that includes that demographic.
The solution is regional webinars. These AIA webinars can pinpoint a geographic region so that manufacturers can generate leads for only a few cities or states. Manufacturers can focus their efforts on specifiers local to a city or region instead of being distracted by leads for the entire country. Live event companies like CE Academy have the vast databases and specifier connections to provide manufacturers with a successful regional program. In addition, manufacturers receive participation reports with market intel, contact info, and specification opportunities.
Architectural Specifications Program: One of the most effective ways to engage with local specifiers is through architectural specifications presentations. These live one-on-one presentations allow manufacturers to present their products to the decision makers. These are not AIA presentations where proprietary information can’t be discussed. These are open-dialogue conversations with real world insights, projects data, and go beyond the confines of formal education.
Successful manufacturers that want to implement a powerful lead generation and brand awareness program can collaborate with companies like Ron Blank to reach the top specifiers across the country. Their program includes custom designed Apple programs delivered by design professionals to specifiers in multiple regions. Manufacturers receive weekly leads, market intel, and access to hundreds of specifiers.
In conclusion, building product manufacturers have several ways to reach regional specifiers and get their products specified.