Getting on an architect’s specification list is a credibility and ease-of-specification problem, not a sales problem. Designers specify products they trust and can drop into documents without friction. Always provide specification-ready technical data in the formats designers work in, demonstrate your track record on comparable projects, and be present before the spec is written (during the design stage).
Relationships do matter when trying to get your products onto a specification list, but they’re not the mechanism. The rule for reps that are consistently designed-in is quite simple: They’re the easiest to specify.
The reality is that a consultant writing a spec at 10pm on a Thursday isn’t thinking about rapport. They’re thinking about whether your product data is complete, the format drops cleanly into their template, and if they’ve seen your product perform on something comparable.
You want all three answers to be yes.
Understanding spec-writing from the designer’s side
A consultant or architect specifying a building product is doing two things simultaneously: making a technical decision and creating a document:
- The technical decision is whether your product is appropriate for the application
- The document is getting that decision written up in a way that can be handed to a builder, a certifier, and a client without generating questions
Your goal is to make both of those tasks easy. If you make the technical decision easy but the documentation hard because your product data only exists as a sales brochure, you’ve lost half the battle. The thing you want to avoid is forcing the designer to come back to you for more information; try to reduce friction wherever possible with your process.
Always deliver the product and the specification-ready evidence together.
How do I make my product easy to specify?
Ease of specification means giving designers what they need in the format they work in. We recommend considering these three main components:
- Offer technical data that’s complete and correct
Dimensions, load ratings, fire ratings, acoustic performance, thermal values, compliance references and whatever else is relevant to the product category, stated clearly and without qualification. Avoid vague language, as this creates uncertainty and the unwanted need for follow-up questions. Designers know when a product data sheet is written for a sales team rather than a specification team.
- Use formats that work in their workflow
Most consultants work in either NatSpec or their own master specification templates. If your product data can be handed to them in a format that slots into those templates or is easily adaptable to them, you are handling a meaningful chunk of work for them. Have a well-formatted product specification clause, properly referenced to Australian standards, encouraging a designer to save and reuse it, so your product is continually specified.
- Make sure all documentation is current
Nothing could be worse than a designer discovering mid-project that the data sheet they used was for a discontinued product or that the compliance certificate has expired. Always maintain your technical documentation.
The main outcome of the above practices is creating a product that creates no friction. You want to be the lowest-effort, highest-confidence option in the category.
How do I build credibility with designers and builders?
Credibility with designers/builders/consultants comes from your product’s track record and how you can make their lives easier under pressure. Proof that systems have performed well on comparable projects creates professional accountability and sets a precedent designers can point to.
Make that precedent visible with documented project references. Show completed projects with information like building types, locations, product applications, and a contact. A consultant who can see that your product is already in three comparable buildings has evidence, and you’ll want to offer these references proactively and in an easy-to-assess format.
Products that are new to a market do face a credibility gap, so be selective about which projects you pursue first. Get the product on a project with an appropriate risk profile where it will perform well to build the reference base.
How can E1 help you get specified?
E1 tracks construction projects across Australia from early planning through to tender, which means you can see which projects are at the design stage, where spec decisions are still being made. Once you’ve done the work of building credibility and making your product easy to specify, E1 gives you the visibility to deploy that effort toward projects actively moving toward tender.
E1’s Speci-Finder scans live project documentation for your nominated product names, brand variants, or category terms to show every project where they appear. This means you’re not waiting for a tender alert or a tip from a subbie. Where your product isn’t named, Speci-Finder shows you what is, giving you a specific, credible reason to contact the consultant.
One example of how this can help you get specified: If you find a firm that specifies you on commercial fitout but defaults to a competitor on residential, you’ll know about a new and specific gap to address.
Doris
Wu
General Manager - Supplier
