Workshops

WC Manufacturer Services offers in-depth workshops for sales and product representatives.

The underlying premise of the workshops is that the product representative is the most effective way for the Architect of evaluating product and manufacturer performance when selecting products for a building application. Local representation of a product by a trusted person is a must when follow-up with bidders, suppliers, and installers is critical to achieving the expected performance of a product during bidding, contracting, award, and installation.

The relationship between a specifier and a product representative is essentially one of trust. The respect is demonstrated by both representative and specifier by adhering to a few simple working rules. These rules, like a good first impression, are important to that first step of establishing trust and that important first success at getting specified, contracted, and installed.

TOPICS:

• Selling to Architects

1. The most important factors influencing a specifier’s decision about whom to trust should be the reputation of the product, the reputation of the manufacturer, and the reputation of the manufacturer’s representative, in that order. Performance of the product is after all the bottom line to the specifier’s task.
2. A construction specifier must be able to rely on data published by construction product manufacturers and the associations those manufacturers establish. The specifier must also be able to rely on the interpretations of the data made by individuals who represent those manufacturers. The specifier must decide who to believe and who not to believe, and on that judgement rests the quality of the final product, the building the specifications are written for.
3. Through discussions, role playing and experience sharing the workshop focus is on techniques needed for architectural sales.

• Allocating Sales Resources—Using the 80/20 Rule

1. 80% of your revenue comes from 20 % of your customers. Knowing who the 20 % are and investing in them is critical.
2. A, B, Cs of service levels: Match your level of investment with an architectural firm’s potential Return On Investment (ROI).
3. Learn ways of being more strategic with your resources of time and materials.
4. The workshop helps attendees chart service levels matched to architectural firms. Learn how to spend your time and money wisely. When to offer box lunches, binders and company resources.

• Understanding Customer Differences that Determine Success

1. "I sell the job over and over?"
2. "Who do I sell to now?"
3. "How many times do I have to sell this job?"
4. Identifying the decision makers in the varied delivery methods is the first step to a successful sales strategy. Understanding the decision making and design process is the second step to implementing the sales strategy. Creating effective working relationships with the decision makers is third step in increasing the successful outcome of the sales strategy.
5. The workshop helps attendees explore their marketplace to create strategies for successful sales, keying on how customer differences shape sales strategies.