Kryptonite is the Achilles’ Heel of Superman. The radioactive substance can kill America’s favorite superhero. Sometimes a building product can seem like kryptonite to an architect or contractor. They will run away screaming if you try to select the forbidden product for a new building project.

In a previous blog, How To Accurately Describe Your Building Product we discussed various factors that can harm a product’s brand. Defining your customer is crucial. Are you targeting architects, engineers, contractors, interior designers, LEED consultants, or other influential decision makers? Targeting the wrong design professional may waste time and frustrate you both.

Techno-babble, greenwashing, and outright lies can make customers run from your products. New customers may not know as much as you about your products. You are the expert. So, lose the shoptalk, industry slang, and insider chit-chat. In addition, don’t greenwash your product. Let’s review the most egregious claim about the sustainability attributes of a product.

Do You Manufacture A LEED Certified Product?

Has the USGBC certified your product? Is your product LEED certified? If not, drop everything and call AL Gore at 1-800-IMA-FOOL to get your product certified today! The USGBC does not certify or endorse products. A product cannot be LEED certified. A product can only help contribute towards points for a given LEED credit.

A manufacturer who claims that they have a LEED certified product has lost their mind, is ignorant about the LEED rating system, or is being dishonest. It is crucial that building product manufacturers develop LEED Product Documentation to accurately describe how their product relates to LEED. Manufacturers need to offer a credit-by-credit list of product contributions to LEED v4.

Create Great Product Names

Product manufacturers need to stand out in a crowded field. There are thousands of building products in the AEC marketplace. Your building product’s name should be concise, accurate, and meaningful. The product name should convey an idea or emotion.

Sometimes, language differences can present problems internationally. A beverage in Japan called Calpis, when pronounced, sounds like “cow piss”. The product is marketed in the United States under the Calpico brand. General Motors had a very infamous fiasco in trying to sell the Nova automobile in South America. "No va" in the Spanish language means, "It Doesn't Go”. Don’t make a huge mistake when naming your product!

Promoting Your Product

Promoting your building products is crucial to getting specified. AIA continuing education is the most significant tool to open specification opportunities. Without educating the decision makers about your products benefits, your company will be locked out of specifications. Out of sight is out of mind. How does your company reach architects, specifiers, and decision makers?