Building Materials Channel Marketing: How to Successfully Sell to and Through Residential and Commercial Builders, Architects, Distributors, Big Boxes, Dealers and Contractors - Softcover

Mark Mitchell

Softcover

ISBN 10: 160544023X ISBN 13: 9781605440231

Publisher: RockBench Publishing Corp., 2013

Synopsis

No other industry is as dependent on the channel of distribution for it's success than the building materials industry. Many people new to the industry and ad agencies don't realize this and struggle to develop effective sales and marketing programs. There are no trade magazines or organizations for the building material marketer. They either have to rely on general marketing sources or their channel customer's organizations such as the NAHB or the AIA. I wrote this book to fill the need to both educate anyone new as well as to challenge the more experienced to take a fresh look at how they go to market. There are chapters on: How the Residential and Commercial Channels Work: The Importance of Influencers; Who has the Most Knowledge and Power?; The Biggest Mistakes Building Material Marketers Make; How to Sell Builders, Big Boxes, Lumber Dealers, Showroom Dealers, Contractors, Distributors, Architects, Design Build and Facility Managers; Marketing Budgets; The Problem with Trade Shows and How to do Them Right; The Problem with Agencies; and On Being Green.

About this title

About the Author

I grew up in Findlay, Ohio where my father had a small full service advertising agency. I started working for him one summer while in college and loved it so much that I dropped out. I found that the professor's theoretical vision of sales and marketing didn't compare to the real world. Being a contrarian I always tried to solve my clients B2B marketing problems with solutions that didn't involve advertising. I then worked for several other agencies before going out on my own. During that time, I became totally focused on working with building material manufacturers in channel marketing. I own Whizard Strategy, a strategic consultant and channel marketing agency in the building materials industry. I also speak, host webinars and write articles for industry publications such as ProSales, Builder and the NAHB. I write a newsletter and blog on building material marketing. I live in Boulder, Colorado with my wife. My two sons also live in Boulder. My interests are travel, photography, food and cooking. Here's how a friend describes me. Mark's a Wikipedia, a whizard and a world changer. You owe it to yourself to get to know him, you'll find the following truths will unfold. Mark is wizardly smart. Most people are considered smart because they accumulate truths, facts or experience. This level of smart is enough to run most companies. The distinct value of Mark is that he always attaches a unique vantage point or insight to what others settle to know or accept as reality, but this is wizardly smart. The most crucial way this benefits your business is in having a visionary on your side that helps you realize how much you (and your competitors) are not seeing. Perhaps what's most impressive, is how quickly Mark catches up to speed, begins thinking alongside of you and then shakes the foundation of what you view as possible. Having just one Mark around is a competitive advantage most organizations are starved for. Mark is extremely relevant Mark lives to learn, always traveling, reading and interacting with people to understand different industries, uncover sub-cultures and trends and apply it to his expansive world-view. Mark is bold. It's his gift to challenge the status quo and the way things have always been done. To Mark, it's insanity to continue to go about business as usual when there is so much opportunity each day for businesses to build momentum and capitalize on others who don't break from the norm. Mark is fun to be around. Everywhere he goes, he brings great energy and optimism that is both genuine and contagious. Negativity and pessimism don't surface in Mark's world. Mark is an original. There's only one Mark running around, and you'll quickly realize you've never met anyone quite like him. You'll uncover many idiosyncrasies that can make you laugh out loud or smile with intrigue and appreciation for his distinct personality. He wears crazy socks, has his own language (gifts are looloos), and talks to himself constantly. Many refer to him as that crazy guy Mark. Mark is valued. Those close to him personally and professionally, value his magic touch. There are countless examples of people who go on to new jobs or places in life that reach back out to him for his advice and a dash of sunshine. Mark is revered for creating a workplace where people can have fun, be themselves, and grow personally and professionally. Mark keeps his heart in the right place. Mark often strips away the barriers others put up in relationships in order to relate to you, to do what's right, to reveal himself, to look out for your best interests and create a lifelong bond.

Edition details

• Publisher: RockBench Publishing Corp.
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 160544023X
• ISBN 13: 9781605440231
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144