Sales Corner - Know the Influencers
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If you are in the profession of selling a product or service, this
tip will be good for you. This is especially important to our Quad-Lock
sales team of dealers, partners and Regional Sales Managers.
Have you ever worked extra hard to close a sale only to lose it to
the competition. The sale that you were sure you would win because of
the extra hours put-in, the special meetings, and more. I provided
everything they asked for; technical data, CAD drawings, training AND I
know I gave them a competitive price. What happened? I know my
competition did not do as much as I did. Why did they win the job and I
didn't?
There are two vital things important to every sale, large or small.
The first one is the relationship and the second is knowing who the
influencers of the project are. The relationship is important in any
sales role. A strong relationship with your customers leads to trust,
which in turn leads to more opportunities, sales, and loyalty. I think
that everyone understands the importance of the relationship in sales,
so let's talk about the influencers.
So you are working on selling Quad-Lock for a commercial project -
here are the influencers, in no particular order:
- Architect
- General Contractor
- Trades
- Concrete Contractor
- Owner/Client
There are actually more influencers, but for the sake of time and
space, we will stick with these five. I want to stress the importance of
trying to establish a relationship with all of the influencers on a
project. The reason for this is that out of these five, only one has to
object to using Quad-Lock to sway the others to a NO answer. Obviously,
some will carry more weight on the NO than others, but the reality is
ALL of the above do not want to have to invest more time, effort, or
cost into a different technology. If that is the case, they will all
choose the path of least resistance or comfort level and maybe that is
CMU block, wood-frame, steel, or even another ICF.
This is where you come in. Make sure you are trying to build a
relationship with the key influencers and providing them with all the
information and help they need so they can't say NO! Call the
owner/client and introduce yourself and ask if he or she has any
questions. Know who the contractor is and who will be doing the ICF work
or pouring the concrete. Do they require any training and how much do
they know about ICF? Do the electricians and plumbers know how to
install their trade with ICF? Does the architect have CAD drawings to
make his job easier? Have all the influencers bought-in to the benefits
of ICF?
At the end of the day or sales process, a comfort level should be
established with all the influencers where they say: GREAT PRODUCT,
GREAT SUPPORT, ALL MY QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED. MY ANSWER IS A YES!
If you have lost a sale or project with Quad-Lock or any other
product for that matter, I challenge you to establish a strong
relationship with ALL the influencers of a project and I trust you will
come away with more sales. Try it, you may be surprised!
Good Selling!
D.J. Ketelhut
Dealer Sales & Product Supply
Now, on to other products that go Beyond Quad-Lock Panels to help you
set yourself apart as a "Total Project Solution" supplier.
Drainage and Radon Mitigation systems are quite common and are often
specified in the soils report. While specific site conditions may
warrant more in depth analysis, known conditions in the general locale
will dictate minimum site drainage and radon removal requirements. If
the project doesn't specify a drainage and/or radon mitigation system,
suggesting one might be beneficial by adding value to the project, as
well as your reputation as the "Total Project Solution" contractor. Take
time to educate yourself on the basics of why and how these systems are
used.
Water usually enters a structure at the foundation or under the main
floor slab and can contribute to future mold problems, even if there is
no apparent "active" water infiltration. CertainTeed makes a system
called Form-A-Drain that, when installed properly, can alleviate both
drainage and radon issues. Some product detractors claim that adequate
drainage cannot be achieved if the units are installed completely level,
and therefore some building code jurisdictions have prohibited its use.
A common "generic" solution is to install flexible perforated perimeter
drain piping in conjunction with a drainage mat or channeling material
that directs water into the piping and away from the structure on the
exterior side of the footer/foundation. On the interior side is commonly
installed PVC perforated leach field pipe that collects the radon gas
and allows the installation of a vertical exhaust pipe with a fan. In
any case, installing drainage and/or radon mitigation systems is much
cheaper and easier BEFORE the structure goes up than doing a retro-fit
afterward.
 Waterproofing or Dampproofing Materials
are required by building codes (IBC and IRC) everywhere within the
United States. Applied by roller, spray gun, peel and stick membrane, or
other specialty products, dampproofing diverts water to the previously
mentioned drain system on your project. Roller applied products are
available from many sources but as a Quad-Lock dealer, you have direct
access to a couple of good ones: The Colphene LM 300 product can be
applied with a roller or sprayer. Its orange-red color helps the
installer ensure that all voids and cracks are completely filled, an
essential criteria for proper performance. There are numerous other
similar products which may be available to you locally and which may
perform quite well. It is critical that you determine the chemicals in
the damp proofing materials you choose will not damage or disintegrate
the Quad-Lock EPS panels. If you are uncertain, call Quad-Lock's
Technical Services Department for verification before you purchase and,
certainly before you apply it!
Various Peel and Stick dampproofing membranes are available and all
are dependent upon a primer material for full adherence to the foam
surface. The Peel and Stick type products usually require a toweled in
cant fillet at the intersection between the wall and the footer using a
multipart urethane product. Then, a 12" [305mm] wide protective membrane
is placed over that critical area. Finally, the main membrane is placed
starting at the top of the wall and applied downward over the filler, as
water would flow. The object is to install without wrinkles, roller it
into place to prevent bubbles, split and patch around pipes and
windows/doors and then caulk all edges with a compatible material. Due
to the complexity of the installation process, Peel and Stick membranes
tend to have a lower success rate unless installed by a professional
waterproofing firm.
Recently, Quad-Lock's branded peel & stick (made by Soprema Canada)
was approved as both a waterproofing membrane AND a termite barrier.
Read more about the details of the testing and specifications.
No matter what the dampproofing product, it is essential to have
total and complete coverage of the foam to ensure a dry interior.
However, it doesn't hurt to mention the unique and innovative integral
water stop design of the Quad-Lock ties! Thanks to the
ingenious shape of the plastic Quad-Lock tie, water has a very low
chance to migrate directly through the wall. No other ICF
manufacturer can make that claim!
 Drainage
Mats and Protection Barriers are used to direct excess water
away from the foundation walls and into the foundation drain system.
They are not classified as "waterproofing" materials because they do not
seal the surface but they can be useful nonetheless. Products such as
Delta MS Clear, provides a filter material as well as a drain mat. These
products offer drainage solutions as well as protection for the ICF
walls during backfilling to prevent compression or gouging by rocks or
debris. These types of products are attached through the foam into the
ties using stainless steel screws, adhesive and termination bars.
Parge Coating is a cement based
material applied over the water or dampproofing material and beneath the
exterior wall finish materials. This parge coating will take abuse from
the inevitable weed whacker, or vehicles bumping the foundation, and
will make those nasty termites surface if they're looking for a way into
your building so your owner can eradicate them. Common products are Wall
Ease from El Rey Stucco or Western's One Coat Stucco.
 Finally,
don't forget Spray Foam! Liquid
spray foam can be used extensively all around an ICF project to seal
openings in the walls such as the "common point" (See the
Quad-Lock Installation Guide for explanation), pipe penetrations,
corners, door and window openings, and even accidentally damaged foam
panels. Common products are Foam-to-Foam, Dow Enerbond Spray Foam and
Great Stuff. All of these use either a spray "gun" or a plastic straw
attached to the nozzle of the can. All of these products and accessories
are available through Quad-Lock.
As you can see, there are lots of ways to Go Beyond the Quad-Lock
Panel with your Quad-Lock sales and installation. Take some time to
learn about products you think could benefit your customers and do a
little marketing as a "Total Project Solution"
professional. You'll be pleased to see the benefits added to your
reputation AND your bottom line!
John Hatfield - Regional Sales Manager, Rocky Mountain Region
Proven Energy Efficiencies
 As
part of our on-going development of materials to assist in the sale of
Quad-Lock, we want to create a library of statistics about structures
built with Quad-Lock Insulating Concrete Forms. You can help us by
submitting your energy bills, along with the bills from a comparable
house in your neighborhood for us to add to our library. When you do
this Quad-Lock will pay your highest month's
energy bill for your troubles.
Contact us for more information.
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A basic understanding of ICF