Question

Topic: Strategy

Selling To Architects: Marketing Kit Design Help

Posted by Anonymous on 8/23/2010 at 5:00 PM ET 250 Points
I am working on a marketing kit for one my client's vertical markets- architects. These are architects that work with schools on classroom design and we're basically trying to get them to recommend our product to school districts when designing classrooms. The kit is going to include a bunch of sales collateral plus some floating/loose samples- a "mini", hand-held version of our product with several different parts that can be added on and removed to demonstrate the different configurations available for the product, as well as a couple of accessories that show the ease of use of the product. All in all there will be 5 small samples and accessories in the kit, plus the collateral.

Sales folks will be taking these kits to sales calls but the kits will also be shipped to about 1,000 firms as part of a DM campaign. I have to work with the team to brainstorm design ideas for the case of the kit. 2 priorities are- a design that showcases the mini product sample (to encourage them to open/look at the kit) and a non-custom design (b/c they want to keep shipping costs down).

I have very little experience with design but I want to provide my client with some good ideas so that their designer knows what direction to move in....any suggestions for an efficient, yet appealing kit design that can house both samples and collateral are MUCH appreciated!
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/23/2010 at 5:20 PM Member
    Whoa whoa whoa. Put the breaks on this till you understand the architectural sale. I've been an A/D rep a long time -- so listen to me

    Who are you going to mail this to-- the head honcho on the arch firm? he may not be your target, more involved in architecture or engineering vs design. Send it to the wrong person-- its in the trash.

    2nd, have you ever visited an architect's library? It's full of sampling which are done in architectural folders. This will have the CSI section on the spine and full spec in CSI format.

    Research your competition. Why would they pick you vs the x number "same" things in thier libraries-- with product reps to add validity. Why would an architect, who puts his reputation and more-- who can be sued for specifying the wrong product (and often is) for 5 samples that come in the mail????

    Scrap the direct mail. For the same money as mail you can get architectural reps, either contract or straight performance based. But you still need the right marketing collatoral.

    Don't do direct mail. No matter the piece, that piece as a stand alone will have no credibility.

  • Posted by michael on 8/23/2010 at 5:46 PM Member
    See? This is why it's good to be here....because you have people like Carol who have experience.

    Ok, so my experience in this area is on the School Board side. I evaluated my needs and THEN I did an RFP. However there were many design firms at the state convention that were pitching their design directly.

    For me, it came down to money. You know, money paid by the tax payer?

    Michael
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/23/2010 at 5:55 PM Member
    But you know what-- the biggest supplier of carpet in the flooring biz for education is no way the lowest price. I am totally on your side. It's a clear disconnect. I have lost jobs being a better price against the "leader". (Not that I've lost them all- not do I sell on price) I had a parent and a flooring retailer come in and bring my brand-- I don't sell direct. Hardly a newby. A Billion $ private owned company in biz since the 50s. The architect killed the sale. They didnt have a history with the product. The parent made the case you are stating. I want to pay teachers, not carpet. The retailer had a ton of history with my product. Nope. go figuure. hmmmmm Oh I hear they rebate to school sports teams.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/23/2010 at 6:13 PM Member
    Ok, Starborn.

    The principal may have zero to do with the specification of product.

    I'd like to understand the role and focus of sales reps and distribution. If they aren't focussing on the architects they won't help you. Some reps only focus on dealers. That won't help. They need to call on them directly. With specific projects in mind.

    You can send 5 pieces of whatever. Send it 20x. If it's not in the right hands, you will be tossed. Send 50 to the principal. No go. If you are the head of the firm you are not handling the interiors (or whatever) you are the brand. You get the overall project. You have to dig deeper.

    Call an arch firm. Tell them what you sell and they typically hand you off to the intern temp designer who is designated to run the library. Not the right person. Not where you want a generic piece to go (even if it's directed to the principal)-- its generic.

    Before your meeting-- go into an arch firm and at least see a library. Call them and toodle in. Just toodle in . Ask a dealer in your field to explain it to you. He has a library. He's more open. Just cause your client knows you havent' been to one isn't an excuse. Step forward. Momma Mia. You know you shine without generic advice like "I don't know this market..."

    An arch rep knows the leads and makes a targeted call to the person specifying your product.
  • Posted by telemoxie on 8/23/2010 at 6:55 PM Accepted
    asking the question here on this forum is a good start, but I wholeheartedly agree with Carol. Being honest about your lack of experience is a good start. But you can't stop there. You need to go out and aggressively seek the information you need.

    If this were my project, I would probably pick up the phone and call Carol. And, I would probably try to identify other vendors and manufacturers reps selling to this market to find out what kind of things work, and what kind of things do not work.

    One thing which makes this project challenging is the length of your sales cycle. If people were responding and buying within a day or two, you could afford to experiment with this approach and that approach and the other approach, and see what works. But since your sales cycle can be months and years long, you can't afford to be shooting in the dark. You need to implement a proven type of program with a high chance of success. In addition, it may be helpful to determine some metrics which are appropriate for this sort of long sales cycle so that you can know that you are on track and keep management on board for the long haul.

    Good luck.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/23/2010 at 6:59 PM Member
    And understand in the arch spec- appearance is the last of the buying cycle- so is price. Man I can nail it for you. Thanks guys
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/24/2010 at 4:07 AM Accepted
    From your profile I think you're a printer? Design them an architectural folder to adhere the samples in. Then we don't have loose samples and it's a format they understand-- and it might get in the library.
  • Posted by Markitek on 8/24/2010 at 8:51 AM Accepted
    "I have very little experience with design but I want to provide my client with some good ideas so that their designer knows what direction to move in"

    The meeting you're preparing for is a dangerous one. Out of it is likely to come "ideas" that you present to your designer:

    "We were thinking maybe a box with a fold-in tab with our logo on the front and . . . ."

    Not such a good idea. Instead, spec out your need, like you've done here, and present that to the designer: that's the direction he needs. A great approach for that meeting tomorrow is creating that spec. From it, create a formal document telling your designer who the market is, what the kit is to accomplish, what budget constraints exist . . . and let them do the design ideas part of it.

    As far as whether it's a good idea or not . . . who knows (maybe even who cares)? You've been given a mandate and a budget to find out if that idea will work, so have some fun with it. There isn't a company out there who doesn't launch trial balloons that pop. Nor any where a successful campaign didn't begin with all the reasons why it couldn't work.

    And even if it fails, you might very well learn something important about that market that makes the next campaign a winner.


  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/24/2010 at 9:10 AM Accepted
    I had another idea on making this idea work. Research on sites like bidclerk.com the projects the target firms are working on. there is a free trial. Search by your arch firms. The search will bring up every project and the architect in charge of it. Mailing to him will hit his desk right at the minute he has a related project to specify your project.
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