Stop Treating All Architects Alike: Why Your Specs Strategy Needs an Ideal Specifier Profile

If you sell into commercial construction, you already know architects matter. What many teams underestimate is just how much influence they hold. As Nik Werk, founder of Werk Insight, shared during our recent session, architects often have more control over product selection than anyone else in the process—even when value engineering comes into play.

Yet most building product manufacturers make the same mistake: they talk to architects as if they all think and work the same way.

Why an Ideal Specifier Profile Matters

Nik has spent years leading AIA’s Architects’ Journey to Specification research. His conclusion is clear: the manufacturers who consistently win specifications understand which architects are the best match for their products.

They define an Ideal Specifier Profile (ISP) and build their marketing and sales strategies around it. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, they focus on the architects most likely to specify—and defend—their brand.

Architects Aren’t One Segment

There are roughly 120,000 architects in the United States. Some work in traditional architecture firms, others inside integrated design-build groups, general contractors, or owner organizations. Many move across project types throughout their careers.

Despite this diversity, many manufacturers still take a broad approach—hoping their CEUs, website content, and firm lists resonate with “commercial architects” as a whole.

Top performers do it differently. They ask a sharper question: Who is disproportionately likely to specify our product category and keep our brand in place when decisions get tough?

What Belongs in Your Ideal Specifier Profile

Nik outlined several characteristics that separate strong-fit specifiers from weak ones. Together, these traits help manufacturers identify the architects most likely to deliver long-term value.

Specification customs: Do they prefer brand-specific language or performance-only specs? Do they rely on a basis of design? Are they comfortable selecting exact products rather than deferring decisions downstream?

Centralized vs. local decisions: Some firms make material decisions within a centralized technical group, while others empower regional offices or individual project teams. Knowing this determines where your efforts should be focused.

Project value and frequency: If your product appears on every job, frequency is easy. If it’s limited to certain project types, you need to understand which offices or teams work in that space most often.

Client base and budget mindset: Firms serving federal, private commercial, or institutional clients behave very differently. Your messaging should reflect those differences.

When these elements are combined, patterns emerge. Certain firms, roles, and project teams consistently align more closely with the value your product delivers.

Three Levels of Spec Maturity

Nik sees manufacturers fall into one of three categories:

Universal: All architects receive the same marketing and outreach. Large firms tend to get the most attention by default.

ISP-focused: The team understands which specifiers are the best fit. Sales and marketing efforts are tailored to that profile.

Advanced segmentation: The company recognizes multiple distinct architect groups and adapts messaging accordingly—while intentionally avoiding segments that rarely specify their products.

Often, the fastest payoff comes from deciding where not to spend time and resources.

What to Do Next

Start by tagging firms in your CRM using a few simple attributes: specification style, decision structure, project types, and client mix.

Have sales and marketing compare notes on which firms hold the spec most often. When creating CEUs, guides, or nurture campaigns, write for a specific type of architect—not a generic audience.

Architects drive specifications. Your odds improve dramatically when you focus on the ones who value what you bring.

Want to build a spec strategy that fits the way your best architects work? Reach out to Hunley and Werk Insight, a B2B market research agency.