The Monday Morning Building Product Advisor
Issue #81
Last year, I heard Perry Marshall tell a story that made me think of every rep who’s ever called me.
He was speaking at a seminar. He asked the audience to stand if they owned shoes. Everyone stood (obviously). Then he started eliminating people:
“If you own five pairs or less, sit down.”
Then 10… 20… 40… 80…
By the time he got to 320 pairs, only one woman was left standing.
“How many do you own?” he asked.
She said: “Eight hundred.”
The room went silent.
I thought the same thing you probably are:
Who needs 800 pairs of shoes?
But then I realized…
That woman is me.
Okay, not literally. I’m still a dude.
But in architectural terms? I’m your “800-shoe architect.” Or there’s someone in your territory like me who is. And chances are, you don’t even know it.
I’ve been specifying products for nearly three decades. I’ve worked on everything from a small vestibule addition to a bank to billion-dollar hospitals. I influence specs on multiple projects simultaneously.
When I like something, I specify it again and again and again.
And if you’re like most reps, you treat me like the intern whose job is “note taker” for 3 years. The same newsletters. Same copy-paste follow-ups. Identical generic check-ins.
And some reps wonder why architects seem disengaged?
We’re not all the same. You KNOW this.
You’ve seen it in your own territory.
- Pete the Principal, who’s been specifying you for 15 years.
- Project Architect Paula, who actually reads your technical data.
- Specifier Steve, who defends your specs during VE like it’s a custody battle.
Then there are the others:
- Lucky Larry the Plate Licker, who loves your free lunches…
- Sammy the Sample Collector, who grabs your samples for his home projects…
They sit through your presentations, but neither of them ever spec anything. Ever.
But you treat them all the same, don’t you?
Same follow-up schedule. Same level of attention. Same everything.
Which is like giving a free shoehorn to the 800-shoe woman and saying, “Hope this helps.”
This is why the good relationships don’t feel as good as they used to.
The math you already know
You know the 80/20 rule. Hell, you live it.
80% of your best projects come from 20% of your architects. But it goes deeper than that: 64% of your real wins probably come from about 4% of your contacts. Think about your last big year. I bet if you’re honest, most of those wins came from the same handful of firms, didn’t they?
You’re still spending the same time on architects who haven’t specified you in 3 years.
Want to get better results?
Stop “staying in touch” with 200 architects. Start going deep with the 20 who drive your business.
That rep who gets 12 specs in 3 years from the same architect isn’t lucky. He’s not even charming. He just knows how to treat an 800-shoe architect differently. He shows up when it matters. Knows the deadlines. Sends case studies that match the project. Answers his phone.
That’s not high maintenance. That’s value.
“But, Neil! What if…”
I know what you’re thinking. I’ve heard every objection to focusing your efforts:
“What if I focus on the wrong firms?”
You’re not going all in… You’re allocating more time to proven performers. 60% of your energy goes to your top 15; the rest stays open to growth.
“People move firms all the time.”
Exactly. Good relationships travel. A trusted contact at a new firm is your fastest entry into a new account. The key is building relationships with people, not just firm names on your CRM.
“My territory is too big for this.”
So don’t visit everyone. Visit the ones who influence multiple specs. They’re worth the drive.
“What if I miss the next big emerging firm?”
You might. But you’re definitely missing wins by under-serving proven firms. Set aside 10–15% of your time to scout, but don’t sacrifice your best relationships for hypotheticals.
How to Spot Us
We’re not hard to find, honestly. We’re the ones who:
- Actually respond to your technical questions with real interest.
- Reference your products in early design conversations, not just at the end.
- Defend good specs when contractors try to substitute.
- Introduce you to other team members without you asking.
- Remember details from conversations we had 6 months ago.
We exist in every market, across all firm sizes. But we get buried under your broad-stroke approach to relationship building.
Start today! (…tomorrow at the latest…)
Pull your last 18 months of wins. Circle every architect name that shows up more than once.
That’s your top 10%. Those are your “800-shoe architects.”
Now ask yourself:
- Are you spending 60% of your time with them?
- Do they know that they matter more to you?
- Or are you still spreading yourself thin across everyone like it’s 2015?
Because in 2025… Procurement is tougher. Budgets are tighter. Contractors fight harder. Only the architects who believe in your product will defend your spec.
You can’t afford to treat them like everyone else.
Want help finding your 800-shoe architects?
Need some accountability to help you get there?
Reply with “800 SHOES.” I’ll send you details on how we can work together over the next 3 months. We’ll focus your efforts, tighten your list, and multiply your results.
No fluff. No extra work. Just smarter moves.
(And right now, it’s more affordable than it will ever be again.)
That's it for this week!
Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,
Neil "800-Shoes" Sutton
Architect | The Product Rep Coach
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