Smarter Building Materials Marketing

Manufacturers today have a lot of competition. They have to market themselves strategically so that architects and designers will specify them on a project. But with the right tactics, you can stand out from other building materials brands and keep your products in the spec. In this episode, Zach and Beth talk with Brooke Collins, the Regional Manager for the Florida division of Builders Design, a...

The construction labor shortage is one of the biggest problems we’re facing in the building materials industry today. But there’s one manufacturer who has tackled that issue head-on, and their sales have grown exponentially because of the solutions they’ve come up with. This week, Zach and Beth talk with Jay Small, President of Precision Building Systems (PBS), a manufacturer/installer hybrid with...

Are you wondering what all the recent shifts in the building materials industry mean for the next era of construction? Whether it’s broader adoption of technology or more vertical integration in businesses, we explore what’s going to happen to the lumber dealer and ConTech companies like Katerra. In this episode, Zach talks with Greg Brooks, the moderator of the Executive Council on Construction S...

How often do those of us in the building industry really consider how humans behave in their built environments? For architects like Dan Swift, it’s always top of mind. He gave us some awesome insights on how building materials brands will need to navigate the very near future of home construction. Zach also talked with Dan about how people use the spaces they’re in, and how home design needs to c...

How effective is your multifamily builder/developer marketing and sales strategy? One size doesn’t fit all. This week, we explore what's happening in the multifamily space, as well as what building materials manufacturers can be doing to better serve and support the needs of developers. Zach talks with Michael Padavic, the chief design officer at StoryBuilt, a firm that builds and develops in seve...

The housing market has shifted dramatically, becoming increasingly more expensive. If you’re wondering how to effectively sell to builders and take advantage of the recent changes in new construction, including the need for entry-level housing, we’ve got a few great ideas for you. This week, Zach connected with someone who knows the ins and outs of the home-building market. Carla Sevilla, owner of...

More brands have realized that their traditional ways of selling building materials to customers just isn’t working. Let’s take a look at three manufacturers whose selling strategies are working, along with some tips to help you sell better. This week, Zach and Beth talk with Brett Thorne, operations officer at Thorne Lumber and host of the new podcast Building the Future. Brett has seen the build...

Let’s untangle any confusion there might be around Apple’s iOS 14 update. There’s a war between Apple and Facebook right now, and it’s affecting how brands connect with their customers. We’ll uncover how you need to shift your strategy to continue to reach your audience effectively, in light of these changes. In this week’s episode, Zach and Beth discuss how the iOS 14 update will change how busin...

Understanding economics in the building materials industry can be like chasing a moving target. But our most recent guest takes the complexity out of that analysis with a non-nonsense, street-level approach. Simon Caron, the Uneducated Economist, joined us to talk about the economy plus key issues the building materials industry faces today.

Selling to architects isn’t the easiest job, but attracting architects is achievable if you have the right strategy. David Weber, CEO of Architizer, shares key insights on the recent changes to architects’ specifying and buying behaviors to help you become their trusted partner

Standing out from the competition is getting harder for brands. So our first guest of 2021 was someone who finds creative, impactful ways for building materials manufacturers to promote their products. Linda Weinstein, creator of the popular One Room Challenge, talked with us about how you can tap into influencer marketing to establish your brand, grow your audience and build authority.

Our first episode of 2021 is a little different. Zach has hand-picked three of the most significant statistics from the mountains of 2020 data that he believes will help you — building materials manufacturers — think strategically about your online presence in 2021.

Over the last several months, we’ve conducted research about the dramatic shifts currently occurring in the building materials market. After surveying over 2,000 DIYers and professionals, we’ve gained essential insights on how your products are being found and why they’re being purchased — and how to fix it if they aren’t. In this episode, we talked with Grant Farnsworth of The Farnsworth Group ab...

People are spending more time than ever online, and key players in the building materials industry are no expectation. Let’s look at some common mistakes and quick fixes that you can make to your website today to continue to drive awareness, leads and sales. In this episode, Zach and Beth talk to Mitch Harris, Venveo’s Design Team Architect, about the most important changes building material manuf...

Residential construction is hotter than ever thanks to COVID-19 and people’s desire to gain more space to be quarantine in. How can manufacturers reach builders to gain share in this wave of current demand, as well as future market conditions? In this episode, Zach and Beth talk to Jennifer Castenson, VP at Zonda, about residential builders, what they want and need, and how to reach them right now...

In this episode, Zach and Beth talk with Ben Glunz, the CEO of Anguleris Technologies, and directly answer questions about how not only the industry has been impacted by the pandemic, but specifically how architects have been affected.   

In this episode, Zach and Beth discuss with Casey Grey, founder of Conscious Builder, about how sustainable and green products are in higher demand with COVID, and Casey gives insight on how he deals with meeting customer needs and finding the demanded products. 

This week, Zach and Beth talk with Bradley Hartmann from Behind Your Back Sales to discuss strategies on communicating with channel partners during the pandemic and how to build those relationships. 

Zach and Beth are back! This week, they talk with lumber dealers, Ed Metzger and Ryan Scaife, to discuss how the industry has had to adjust with the ongoing pandemic.

The podcast has been hijacked — again —  by Steve and Deanna! This week, Steve and Deanna talk with podcast hosts Zach and Beth on how the company got started and their best advice for manufacturers. 

It’s finally here … Our 100th episode! We started this podcast in April of 2018, and two years later, we are still going strong.  We’ve learned a lot about podcasting, our industry and marketing in those two years, and we’re so proud to have shared those learnings with all of you.  On this week’s episode, SBMM has been taken over. Steve and Deanna, two Venveo team members, are hosting this week to...

In building products, the best promise wins, not the best product. Most manufacturers are incredibly focused on having the best product in the industry. And while your product should perform, at the end of the day, if your promise to your customer does not resonate, it doesn't matter. In this episode, Zach talks to Andrew Legge, Founder and Managing Partner at Havelock Wool, about the unique promi...

In this episode, Zach talks to Gus Houghtaling, Director of Sales at Renin, whose e-commerce strategy is largely tied to learning what new products perform well that they can then bring to actual brick and mortar stores E-commerce is typically seen as a way to grow sales and get closer to the customer. But there's actually a key benefit to selling online that most people don't think about and it a...

In this episode, Zach talks to Nicole Panko, Director of Marketing & Design at Vetter Stone Company, who has undergone a massive digital revamp to help improve their presence so they can be front and center with interior designers to help them grow their sales. Interior designers are constantly changing in their design techniques and methods. As a building material manufacturer, you've got to stay...

In this episode, Zach and Beth talk to guest TJ Shaheen, Executive Vice President at Builders’ General Supply, who shares some hard truths about the frustrations and pain points he and his customers are feeling as we all struggle to deal with COVID, and how manufacturers can make business run more easily. We’ve talked a lot about how manufacturers and dealers have successfully pivoted their busine...