1: Architects and designers are visual people.
Social media content, website imagery, your NBS Source listing... wherever you communicate, having high-quality images is always a good investment. Put your best foot forward by making sure your project and product images are high-resolution, professionally produced, and original content. In addition to a hero shot, providing a wide range of images allows specifiers to see your product from every angle. In-situ photos showcase how your product has been applied in real projects, which helps specifiers envision how they can use it. Also, consider how the product name, description, and images can work together to communicate why your products will add value to the specifier's projects. For example, if your product comes in a range of colours, showcase as many as possible and include the colour names in descriptions and image captions.
Tip 2. Showcase your best projects
The role of architects and specifiers is largely project-based. They can spend countless hours, weeks, months and even years on a single project. Through industry news and networking with colleagues, they also stay informed about other projects in their fields. So, if you want architects to remember your products, market them in the context of featured projects. Showcase the unique and notable projects you’ve been specified in as case studies and examples of your products in action.
Tip 3. Meet the industry demand for high-quality product data
Specs are a valuable and reassuring resource for architects. So, make it easy for them to compare, select and specify your products. Include all relevant information, from sizing dimensions to finishes to warranty, in a well organised and easy to find document, such as a downloadable PDF or pages on your website that can be searched by product name.
Tip 4. Architects need downloadable Digital models
The adoption of BIM is growing rapidly among Australian architects and construction professionals. It’s common for practitioners to choose one product over another due to the availability or quality of BIM files. High-quality BIM files are important in the specification process and are another worthy investment. Become an NBS Partner and we will assess and host your digital objects (BIM components) ready for them to be dropped straight into a design model.
Tip 5. Make the most of your downloadable resources
Brochures, technical data sheets, colour charts, warranty information, specification guides. The amount of technical information and marketing collateral can become overwhelming, especially if you have a broad product range. Organise and categorise your downloadable resources and display them with images and headings, so the specifier knows what they’re looking for and what they’re downloading. NBS Source listings contain sections for Literature and Case Studies where you can host brochures, catalogues and manuals as PDFs, and link to your own website.
Tip 6. Compliance declarations
New regulations are increasing workloads for architects in Australia. In NSW, the DBPA legislates that architects must certify that their design is in accordance with the Building Code of Australia and all relevant standards. To do this, they require certifications for all products specified. Make your Third Party Certifications and compliance declarations readily available to specifiers to give your product the best chances of being specified on large projects. NBS Source Partners can upload Third Party Certifications to support their product listings.
Tip 7. Write product descriptions from the specifiers’ point of view
Great product descriptions speak directly to the desires or pain points of a specifier and most importantly, answer their questions. Provide value statements in your product descriptions so specifiers can find a match with what they’re looking for. If your cladding has superior fire rating, or you have a low VOC version of a product, make sure these unique features are included early in the description. Focus on the unique selling proposition of each product to ensure the essential information is provided. Formatting is key to a concise and user-friendly product description. Use short sentences, bullet points and plenty of white space to keep the layout clean. When searching NBS Source, users see your product's image, name, company/brand name and short description.
Tip 8. It’s all in the name.
Make your product names as descriptive as possible. Specifiers usually search for products in general terms, especially if they don’t know your brand, so include the product name and any defining characteristics or variations. Let's say you sell aluminium windows. Your product name should include the brand and type of window. For example, 'NBS Aluminium Sashless Window'. Each word in a product name represents a potential search keyword on Google or NBS Source. Don’t fall into the trap of using an internal company identifier such as 'ABC123' for your product.
Want to elevate your marketing strategy to reach more specifiers?
NBS Source places your products directly in front of the people that matter, at the exact time product decisions are made. Book a demo today to see how it works, or take a look around NBS Source and see what our manufacturer partners are doing on the platform to increase leads and win deals.
