Elevating Your Product Presence: Becoming Part of a Design Professional’s Master Specification

The process of getting a product specified on a project involves a strategic approach. Design Professionals, the architects and engineers shaping the built environment, utilize a powerful tool in their trade known as the "master" specification. This template serves as the foundation for project specifications, streamlining the process and ensuring consistency. As a Building Product Representative the goal is not just to have your product specified on a project but to seamlessly integrate it into the Design Professional's master specification. This not only saves time and effort but also establishes your product as a go-to solution across various projects.

The Power of the Master Specification

Design Professionals, much like other professionals such as lawyers using templates for legal documents, rely on master specifications as a starting point for their projects. These templates are comprehensive documents containing a standardized set of information required for project specifications. The master specifications include editing notes and hypertext links, facilitating Design Professionals in tailoring the specifications for a particular project. This streamlined approach improves efficiency and consistency in their work.

Comparing the process to obtaining legal documents, imagine going to your attorney for a new will. They pull out a template, customize it with your name and specific details, and finalize the document. Similarly, Design Professionals leverage master specifications to expedite the specification process, ensuring accuracy and compliance with industry standards.

The Ultimate Goal: Automatic Product Specification

While the initial goal for a Building Product Representative is to get their product specified on a project, there's a more powerful and efficient aspiration – to have the product automatically specified on every project the Design Professional undertakes. This is where integration into the master specification becomes invaluable. Rather than pursuing Design Professionals individually for each project, the product becomes a standard inclusion, saving time and resources for both parties.

The Process of Inclusion

How can a Building Product Representative achieve this coveted status of automatic inclusion in the master specification? The answer lies in a straightforward, powerful strategy – asking the Design Professional to add the product to their master specification. However, this request should not occur at the onset of a working relationship. It comes after a period of authentic collaboration, building trust, and offering effective solutions.

1. Build Relationships: Developing strong relationships with Design Professionals is the foundation. Engage in open communication, understand their project needs, and position yourself as a valuable resource .
2. Offer Solutions: Design Professionals are seeking experts who can enhance their projects. By consistently offering innovative and effective solutions , you position your product as a valuable addition to their toolkit. ?
3. Gain Trust: Trust is a critical factor. As Design Professionals come to trust your expertise and reliability, they become more open to considering your product for inclusion in their master specification.
4. Simply Ask: Once a solid relationship is established, don't hesitate to ask the Design Professional to add your product to their master specification. The request is more likely to be well-received when it comes from a trusted source.

Benefits of Master Specification Inclusion

• Automatic Specification: Inclusion in the master specification means your product is automatically specified in every applicable project undertaken by the Design Professional, eliminating the need for constant follow-ups.
• Consistency Across Projects: Your product enjoys consistent representation, ensuring that its features, benefits, and usage are accurately communicated in every project.
• Time and Effort Savings: For both the Building Product Representative and the Design Professional, the time and effort required for individual product specifications are significantly reduced.
• Problem Avoidance: Design Professionals understand that a well-specified product in the master specification helps avoid problems during construction. It streamlines the construction process and minimizes potential complications.

Wrap Up

For Building Product Representatives, the goal transcends individual project specifications – it involves seamlessly integrating products into the Design Professional's master specification. This strategic approach not only enhances efficiency but also solidifies the product's status as a trusted solution across diverse projects. By building relationships , offering solutions, gaining trust, and simply asking, Building Product Representatives can elevate their products to the level of automatic inclusion in the master specification, unlocking a multitude of benefits for both parties involved.

Ron Blank & Associates, Inc. (RBA) offers solutions with a comprehensive list of specification services and programs to build the bridge between building product manufacturers and the design community. For more information on building product manufacturers representation and how it leads to market exposure, tangible leads, and opportunities to get products specified please feel free to schedule a call .