Winning the Game of Specifications: A Smarter Marketing Strategy

Getting specified—and staying specified—is one of the biggest challenges for building product manufacturers. Architects hold the keys, and winning their trust requires more than tactics. It takes strategy.

That was the focus of our recent webinar, where Aaron Ayer (The Hunley Group) and Megan Kavinsky (Point To Point) shared a framework for building a marketing roadmap that works in the world of commercially specified projects.

Why Strategy First

Too often, companies jump to “Should we do this campaign?” without asking the bigger question: “What’s the plan?” Megan outlined six key steps to creating a roadmap that aligns with your business goals and sets priorities for the next 18–36 months:

1. 1. Online Presence: Audit your website, content, and social channels. Do you inspire trust?
  2. Competitors: Study how others show up, then decide where you’ll stand out.
  3. Industry Trends: Use AI tools to spot opportunities and threats.
  4. Customer Persona: Interview five similar customers to understand what really drives them.
  5. Customer Journey: Map the path from awareness to advocacy through the architect’s eyes.
  6. Strategy Pillars: Define how you’ll win, whether through product leadership, sales enablement, or channel support.

Content, Tech, and Trust

A few practical takeaways stood out:

1. - Content only works if it’s used. Spend 20% creating and 80% promoting.
  - CRMs are underutilized. The right tech stack, used well, turns awareness into leads.
  - Architects want seamless experiences. From your website to your sample kits, every touchpoint should build confidence.

From “Know” to “Refer”

Perhaps the most powerful tool Megan shared was the architect’s journey:

1. - Know → Like → Trust → Try → Buy → Repeat → Refer

It’s not just about landing a spec. It’s about becoming the product architects choose again and again—and eventually recommend.

Take the Next Step

This was just the kickoff in our new webinar series on mastering specifications. The recording, along with a customizable planning guide, is available to all registrants.

Because winning specs isn’t about one project. It’s about building a strategy that makes you the trusted choice—project after project. Want to go deeper?