The Monday Morning Building Product Advisor
​Issue #82

A curtain wall rep called me last month, frustrated about losing a project spec he’d been working on for 8 months.

The product was good, and the price was competitive. He thought he had a solid relationship with the architect. Then, during value engineering, the contractor mentioned they could “probably find something comparable for less.” The owner nodded, and that was it.

Goodbye spec. Goodbye, project.

I call this the Straight-Line Death Trap.

Most reps walk straight into it. They put all their chips on one relationship...

→ The Architect ←

...and hope it’ll hold when the knives come out in value engineering.

It almost never does.

This story hits me harder than it might hit you, because I’ve been on both sides of that conversation.

I’ve sat in those VE meetings where good products get cut for reasons that have nothing to do with performance. I’ve watched architects struggle to defend specs when they don’t have the right information at the right moment. [Hell… I’ve been that architect!] And I’ve seen how the reps who survive these situations think differently about their role in the process.

The reps who consistently keep their specs aren’t necessarily the ones with the best products or the lowest prices. They’re the ones who understand something most reps miss…

Architects don’t make decisions in a vacuum, and building one relationship isn’t enough to navigate the complex pressures we face on every project.

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What Actually Happens in Our World

Let me tell you what that VE meeting probably looked like from the architect’s perspective.

They’re sitting there with the owner breathing down their neck about costs, the contractor pushing for alternates they’ve never heard of, and a schedule that’s already too tight. They want to keep the rep’s product (they specified it for good reasons), but they need ammunition to fight back with.

You can’t hang your hat on relationship equity: “We’ve worked together before, this is a good product, please trust me.” That’s not enough when the owner is looking at a 15% budget overrun.

You’ve got to give them tools: lifecycle cost data, installation risk comparisons, performance case studies from similar projects, and warranty terms that matter to the owner.

You’ve got to anticipate this moment and prepare for it.

The difference isn’t the product. It’s understanding how architects actually navigate project pressures and positioning yourself as part of the solution.

And to survive, you need a different offense.

I call it The Rep’s Triangle. And once you start using it, you’ll stop being an easy target and start being the one nobody dares to cut.

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Step out of the death trap

The Straight-Line Death Trap looks like this:

Rep → Architect → Hope

It’s fragile, it’s slow, and it’s why so many good reps get ghosted. You’re betting everything on one person’s attention, memory, and goodwill… against a firing squad of budget cuts, substitutions, and “my cousin’s friend can do it cheaper.”

Your fix is to stop running in a straight line.

Run a triangle.

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The 3 points that bulletproof your spec

Think of every project as a court with three power positions you must cover at all times:

1. Your Expertise
2. The Architect’s World
3. The Project’s Politics

When you cover all three, you’re no longer a “vendor” on the chopping block.

You’re a strategic asset everyone wants to keep.

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Point 1: Your Expertise

The first point of the Triangle is you. But you don’t have to be “the genius who knows everything.”

Your goal is simpler and far more powerful: be the go-to source for information in your product category.

Business strategist Jay Abraham calls this “preeminence.” It’s positioning yourself as the definitive authority that others turn to first. You’re not selling products anymore. You’re offering vital expertise that helps architects succeed.

Real expertise means:

• Installation intelligence. Know the top 3 ways contractors can screw up the installation of your product type and how to prevent it.
• Competitive reality. Have a clear, factual comparison ready to go. Have hard data that shows where cheaper competitors fail in the real world.
• Local case studies. Be the one who knows about that medical center across town that used a similar system. Find out what system they used, the challenges they faced, and how they solved them.

Example: An architect is about to spec your envelope system. You send a note:

“Saw you’re using our system on the new office complex. Nice! FYI… based on other projects, the GC will probably ask about vapor barrier details at the foundation transition. Here’s a detail drawing that addresses that concern AND protects your design intent.”

No pitch. Just solving a problem before it happens.

Your spec just got harder to kill.

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Point 2: The Architect’s World

Now, you want to focus on the architect, but not just as a name on a drawing.

You need to understand the intense pressures they face. And then build what Abraham calls “relational capital.” Becoming valuable to their success beyond your product category.

Architects face challenges from several angles. We’re balancing the owner’s budget, the contractor’s schedule, and the engineer’s calculations. At the same time, we want to maintain the design integrity.

Your job is to be our strategic ally in navigating these competing demands.

That might mean:

• Discovery beyond products. Shift from “What are you looking for?” to “What’s the biggest challenge on this project that isn’t related to my product category?” Listen for clues about their client relationships, internal firm pressures, or contractor issues.
• Market intelligence sharing. Share industry trends, regulatory changes, or competitor activities that affect their business. Not just about your products.
• Problem-solving partnership. You might hear them talk about issues with other trades or products. That’s when you can connect them with trusted resources in your network.

How does this help you now? Let’s say you find out their biggest stress is the owner’s need for an accelerated schedule.

You can frame your product’s benefits accordingly. “I know the timeline is aggressive. Our prefabricated panel system cuts field installation time by 35%. This can help you save time during the envelope phase.”

Now you’re part of their strategy for winning the project. This gets your emails answered and your calls returned.

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Point 3: The Project’s Politics

The third and most overlooked point involves what Abraham calls “systems thinking.”

This means knowing how all the players in a project ecosystem influence each other. And using that knowledge to create multiple points of leverage. Every project has a web of influence:

• The owner controls the purse strings.
• The contractor controls the installation.
• Consultants and reps whisper in the architect’s ear.

If you only speak “architect,” you’re ignoring the languages of money, risk, and long-term performance.

To master the politics:

• Map stakeholders. Identify the key influencers beyond the architect. Who is the owner’s representative? Which contractor is likely to win the bid? What are their track records and typical concerns?
• Multi-language value proposition. Prepare different versions of your value story. The owner cares about ROI and risk mitigation. The contractor worries about installation complexity and liability. The architect focuses on performance and aesthetics.
• Pre-emptive problem-solving. Expect challenges ahead of time. And then offer solutions that meet the needs of many stakeholders at once.

Imagine you’re facing value engineering from a contractor known for aggressive cost-cutting.

Instead of waiting for the attack, you arm your architect with ammunition. You provide a “Total Cost of Ownership” analysis. It compares your product’s lifecycle costs with cheaper alternatives. It’s formatted for the owner’s review. You also create installation risk assessments. These point out possible liability issues with substitute products.

When the VE meeting happens, your architect can now defend the spec. They can use the owner’s language (money) and the contractor’s language (risk).

You’ve turned the project’s political reality into your competitive advantage.

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Your next moves this week

This model only works if you use it. Here are three focused actions you can take now:

1. Claim your expertise niche. Pick one advantage your competitor can’t match (thermal performance, install complexity, lifecycle cost) and make it your calling card. Write down 3 proof points you can drop in conversation.
2. Ask the uncomfortable question. Next time you talk with the architect, ask: “What’s your biggest challenge on [Project Name] apart from the technical requirements?” Then listen. That’s your leverage.
3. Map the power web. Choose your most important active opportunity. List 3 decision-makers besides the architect. Next to each, write what they care about most (budget, schedule, risk, performance, aesthetics). Then write down one way your product addresses each concern.

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From Vendor to Strategic Asset

Most reps keep playing the same tired game: chase, pitch, hope, get ghosted.

The Triangle changes that. Cover all three points, and you stop being the easiest target to cut. You become the one they defend.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Which point of the Triangle have you been ignoring the most? What’s one step you can take this week to improve it?

I’d love to hear what you discover when you map your current opportunities through the Triangle framework. Drop me a line and let me know which point gives you the biggest breakthrough.

I read every reply.

And if you’ve got a tricky situation you’d like to work through together, just hit “REPLY.” Let me know where you need help, and I'll send you info about how we can work on strengthening your Triangle.

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​That's it for this week!

Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,

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Neil "I🖤Triangles" Sutton
Architect | Speaker | The Product Rep Coach

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P.S. Do you really want inside an architect's head?

When you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can start working with me:

• Product reps: If you want to be better at connecting with architects, hit reply, and let's chat.
• Business owners or Team Leaders: You can book an Architect Connections Training for your team. Hit reply, and I'll send you the details.
• Speaking: If you’d like me to present at an upcoming group meeting, reach out, and let’s talk!

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