May, 2007

The Next Big Thing?

By Rick Schumacher

If the International Builders Show can be overwhelming to a grizzled old industry veteran like me, imagine how it would appear to the late Charles Duell.

Once the shock of seeing thousands of new products in one place subsided, Mr. Duell would have no choice but to start eating his words. After all, it was Duell, commissioner of the U.S. Patent Office in 1899, who said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”

When it comes to the science and technology that drives the materials and tools in the residential construction industry, Duell’s words are even more absurd. Case in point: our cover story in this issue—50 Hot Products from the International Builders Show. These products are only a sample of the innovations displayed by the 1,900-plus exhibitors at this year’s event. While some companies introduced completely new products, the majority focused on incremental improvements to existing products.

Most of the materials and tools that companies tout at trade shows are engineered to help your builder customers cut costs, boost efficiencies, and build better homes. It’s the LBM dealer’s job to sort through the volume of products to discover the ones that fit their builders. But simply stocking the product is not enough. Builders must also be educated on what the new item is, and why it’s better.

During a recent conversation with a group of dealers and manufacturers, the topic of new products came up. The specific debate: Who’s responsible for selling builders on a fresh concept? One dealer said he didn’t want his sales staff to have to take time away from servicing builders to learn about a new product—which ultimately may or may not be successful. Instead, he thought the vendor should be responsible for building demand among builders—leaving his sales staff free to focus on filling orders. In sharp contrast, another dealer enjoyed seeking out new products and proactively informing his builders about them.

What’s your philosophy? Do you wait to stock something new until a customer requests a product—thus reducing your risk of carrying unwanted inventory? Or do you work to discover the next big thing, and then train your sales staff to spread the word?

For dealers, launching a new product is more art than science. And those who do it effectively reap the rewards of being first with the current hot product. If you’d like to share your story, we’d love to hear it. Drop me a note at Rick@LBMJournal.com.

A great start as you evaluate potential products to carry is Steve Easley’s “Ask The Expert” column in each issue of LBM Journal. Steve is a renowned building science expert and sought-after speaker. Every month, Steve answers a technical question from a builder in a different region. Over the years, he has educated thousands of builders—and likely prevented just as many callbacks.

Building correctly is a combination of the right products and the right construction methods. Since many product innovations are backed by solid building science, Steve’s knowledge may be your bridge between building correctly and the next big thing.