New building products are released in the marketplace every year. Trade shows, magazines, websites, and other strategies are used to promote these new building products. Language can have a major effect on how a building product is received in the marketplace. We offer a few suggestions for building product manufacturers releasing a new product or rebranding a product.

Define Your Customer

Who is your ideal customer? What are the demographics of your targeted customer? You need to know as much as possible about your ideal customer if you are going to persuade them to buy or specify your building product. How will your product make your customer’s life better? What tone of voice do you need to reach your customer?

Lose The Jargon

Building product manufacturers sometimes make assumptions about their customers. Lose the shoptalk. New customers may not know the buzzwords or jargon you’re spouting in regards to your products. Your product reps should be able to accurately describe your product and its benefits without slang, industry lingo, or insider vernacular.

Describe Your Product Quickly And Succinctly

Nobody wants to read a manual the size of a telephone book to learn about the benefits of your product. Your product should solve your customer’s problems and meet their needs. Potential customers need to quickly understand the products benefits. If you can’t describe your product’s basic benefits in one paragraph, you’re in trouble.

Create A Compelling Product Name

Stand out in a crowded field. There are thousands upon thousands of building products in the marketplace. Your product’s name should be memorable, accurate, and meaningful. The longer a name, the more difficult it will be for potential customers to grasp. The name should evoke a feeling or idea.

Language and cultural differences can present problems on a global scale. A drink in Japan called Calpis, when pronounced, sounds like cow piss. The product is marketed in North America under the Calpico brand. General Motors had a very famous fiasco in trying to market the Nova car in South America. "No va" in Spanish means, "It Doesn't Go”. Don’t make a mistake when naming your product!

Education

More than likely your building product will be promoted at industry trade shows and training events. Your product might be advertised in magazines, websites, and brochures. Educating design professionals accurately about your new product is crucial. The verbiage and tone you use for your product will determine its success in the marketplace. When developing an AIA or USGBC continuing education course about your product technology, make sure that you comply with AIA CES rules. Education courses must be generic and not use proprietary names in the presentation.