Through my work at CertainTeed, I have the opportunity to connect with hundreds of remodelers and contractors on an on-going basis and have witnessed some stellar selling techniques. As peak construction season approaches, here are some useful tips and reminders.

Never underestimate first impressions. From the moment you enter the driveway, your appearance and actions are being judged. Arriving in a clean truck and wearing company-branded clothing will help set the stage for a successful meeting.

Make a proper introduction. Begin the discussion by providing background on your company’s history, including your location and years in business. This is also an ideal time to share information on relevant licenses, credentials and insurance documentation.

Let your presentation do the talking. Most manufacturers, including CertainTeed, will equip you with the necessary tools to create an easy-to-understand presentation. A good product sales presentation will speak for itself, eliminating the need for over-the-top sales talk that might turn off a potential customer.

Keep it simple. Too many options might confuse or overwhelm a homeowner. Consider organizing their options in good, better, best categories to simply the decision-making process.

Leverage resources from manufacturers. If you are looking for ways to spruce up your selling technique, get in touch with manufacturer representatives. These product experts can help ensure that you are up to speed on the latest product information, messaging and marketing tools.

Include a step-by-step description of the project. Paint a picture that describes the process from start to finish, and when possible, bring product samples that homeowners can see and touch. Also, by explaining the process from start to finish, you’ll provide homeowners with the added assurance to move forward, while also reinforcing your credibility and expertise.

Keep an eye on the clock. While arriving to an appointment on time is a given, it’s also important to refrain from overstaying your welcome. If possible, confirm the length of the meeting upfront and keep an eye out for restless activity.

Offer references up front. Streamline the selling process and save homeowner time by providing a list of references at your initial meeting. Doing so eliminates extra legwork for the homeowner, while also instilling confidence in your work.

Don’t leave in limbo. Before leaving the appointment, make sure you and the homeowner are in agreement on next steps. Whether you’ll be providing an estimate the next day, placing a follow up phone call next week or beginning the project immediately, establishing a clear set of actions will keep the project running smoothly.

Is there a tried and true selling technique that has worked well for you? If so, we encourage you to share your success stories.

Throughout the first day of the International Builders’ Show, there have been dozens of conversations that shed light on new and emerging trends in the building industry. From the vantage point of the CertainTeed exhibit as well as a quick visit to BuilderLIVE, there was a healthy amount of idea sharing and discussion. The dialogue on Twitter — especially via the #OverheadAtIBS hashtag — offered additional insight into activity at the show. Here are a few interesting tidbits that caught my attention.

The demand for contemporary interior design, which calls for clean, simple lines, is on the rise. Outstanding craftsmanship is a must to achieve this aesthetic. For example, interior trim and moulding, which are less prevalent in contemporary design, typically camouflages imperfections in interior finishes.

Energy efficiency remains a top priority. There are new building codes to tackle and it’s just plain common sense. Fortunately, there are an increasing number of products and solutions — such as hybrid insulation — to optimize the energy efficiency of a home.

Building science is a great way to sell a house. Having this foundational knowledge not only strengthens a builder’s competitive edge, it means healthy, comfortable homes and satisfied customers.

New technology continues to intrigue us. Home lighting and automation systems are evolving to new levels of sophistication. New garage concepts, such as power lifts that stack multiple vehicles in a single space, are slowly emerging in the custom home market.

So, what’s captured your attention thus far?

Lucas Hamilton

Lucas Hamilton is Manager, Building Science Applications for CertainTeed Corporation

The 2012 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Convention and Design Exposition was held in Washington, D.C this year.  The show was jam packed with exhibitors and educational programs for architects and design professionals and, according to early estimates, attracted 30 percent more attendees than last year’s event which was held in New Orleans.  Could it be the location?  Could it be an improved building environment?  It is hard to say but the show appeared to be busy.

The Saint-Gobain booth this year had a listening room component and we had experts from several of our businesses CertainTeed, ADFORS, Grenite, Norton, SAGE, Saint-Gobain Glass, Saint-Gobain Solar, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics and SolarGard who stood ready to help architects solve their unsolvable problems.  This was a new concept which created some interesting conversations in our ‘listening rooms’ – pod-like areas to sit and hold private conversations.

I was speaking with an architect in our booth about a variety of products and systems when he spied my name tag and exclaimed, “you’re the guy who does the webinars. It’s great to actually meet you.”  Since our webinars only provide a photo of me on the title page and frankly I’ve got a face made for radio, I was surprised that he would recognize me. He provided some valuable feedback about why he thought our CertainTeed webinar series, which is part of our Continuing Education program, provided him not only with valuable credits for his continuing education credentialing, but also information that he can put into practice as an architect.  I really appreciated the feedback and it’s rewarding to know that what we are sharing with people is helping them every day.

I would say that we are beginning to see an improvement in the design community especially from markets such as education, healthcare and multi-family housing.  At least Washington, D.C looked like building projects were in abundance.

If you have thoughts about the industry or comments about our CertainTeed webinar series, I would love to hear from you.

• There were 5,528 tweets from May 10-21 — just prior and one day after the show.
• 36 percent of mentions were re-tweets.
• Nearly half of all tweets occurred on the first day of the show, May 18.
• New York-based architect Vanesa Alicea posted the most frequently, with 141 tweets.
• Of all of the Twitter accounts active during the show, Architectural Record magazine has the largest following, with a whopping 323,335 followers.

All in all, we enjoyed following and participating in the Twitter stream to keep a pulse on the show, however, we were most fortunate to have in-person conversations that spanned well beyond 140 characters!

• CertainTeed introduced AirRenew® Extreme Impact Gypsum Board — the industry’s first and only wallboard with VOC-scavenging technology and robust impact resistance.

• Sherwin Williams announced the expansion of their environmentally conscious paint products — Emerald ^TM zero-VOC interior paint.

• BluWorld of Water shared a new white paper that dispels some of the microbial concerns around water features in health care settings.

• Construction Specialties launched two new louver products that offered very distinct design aesthetics.

At the Saint-Gobain booth (#3339) there’s a wide array of technical experts on hand to talk about solar, building science, glass technology, and more. If you are unable to join us at the show, feel free to post your unsolvable problem on our trade show page.

Stay tuned for more updates from the show…

You might ask yourself—who is Saint-Gobain and what do they have to do with CertainTeed?  Well, Saint-Gobain is CertainTeed’s parent company and also the largest building materials company in the world.

You already know Saint-Gobain, it may not be that obvious though—our roots start in France where 350 years ago, we made the glass that adorns the Hall of Mirrors in Versalles.  Today, we make beer bottles for Budweiser, manufactured the new roof on the Dallas Cowboys stadium and through CertainTeed, manufactured the ceiling tiles in the Denver airport and made the roof that adorns Henry Ford’s home.  This is a mere, and I mean mere glimpse into this massive company, but, also a glimpse into the possibilities.

That’s why Saint-Gobain is bringing all of its businesses to the AIA show this week, and not just to show off products.  Saint-Gobain features the largest and smartest collection of building scientists and technical experts in North America from its trusted North American companies:  CertainTeed, ADFORS, Grenite, Norton, SAGE, Saint-Gobain Glass, Saint-Gobain Solar, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics and SolarGard to help architects “solve the unsolvable problem.” We urge design professionals to bring your unsolvable problems to our booth and try to stump out experts!

This year, we’re talking moisture, indoor environmental quality, aesthetics, thermal efficiency and solar and our experts are ready to talk.  If you can’t make the show, check us out virtually Trade Show page that will share show updates through Twitter so that non-attendees can feel part of the action.  Through this page you can also ask questions or present unsolvable problems that our experts can tackle. If you submit an unsolvable problem you will be entered into a prize drawing.

During AIA 2012, we will be blogging here about show events and observations from guest bloggers.  Should be fun and entertaining!

Please join the conversation at AIA from your desk by bookmarking the Trade Show page. We want to help you feel part of the AIA Convention and to help solve your design challenges.