Spring 2006
The Perfect Finish - Restoration Millwork

Solid PVC trim that looks and feels like top-grade lumber.
 Tired of culling through trimboard? Want wood-look trim with PVC durability? Try CertainTeed's Restoration Millwork™ - solid PVC trim that looks, feels, cuts, and installs just like lumber. Restoration Millwork is made from solid, virtually maintenance-free PVC. You can use it whenever you use wood for exterior trim because it looks good with virtually any siding material. Just as importantly, it cuts, routs, shapes, and mills with ordinary woodworking tools. Also, like wood, Restoration Millwork can be fastened with nails or screws. Unlike wood, it never needs painting. And it won't split, rot, or peel.

Restoration Millwork comes in Natural White and is available in 5/8", 1", and 5/4" trimboards 4', 5', 6', 8', 10', and 12' long. For custom trim requirements, you can order 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", and 1" sheets in 8', 10', 12', 18', and 20' lengths. All sheets are 48" wide. Beadboard, one-piece corners, brickmould, and drip cap are also available. For more information about Restoration Millwork, click here.

Straight Up! - It’s the Easiest Way

Bob Werner is CertainTeed's in-house application specialist. A former owner of his own contracting business, Bob has over 30 years of experience in the industry.

No need to worry about my liquor preferences; I’ve just been traveling to job sites, reminding installers to push in and straight up on the new Cedar Impressions® Double 9" panel.

As we advise in our Installation Instructions, "Push in and straight up to lock the D9 panel into the starter strip and the side tabs of the first panel." As you move up the wall, continue to push each panel in and straight up so that it locks into the side tabs of the panel next to it. It works the same way for our Triple 5” Cedar Impressions panel.

A picture is worth a thousand words... more details.

Ask a question to Bob Werner.


 

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Show Us Your Stuff and Win a 2GB Apple® iPod® Nano
 This issue, instead of asking for your sales or installation tips, we’re asking for photos of your best work. We’re especially looking for projects that demonstrate the use of our siding products in an innovative way (combining two or more products, creative use of decorative accessories, etc.) For every photo selected for publication, you'll win a 2GB iPod Nano. Click here to submit your pictures.
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Don't forget to enroll in the 2006 Building Solutions Remodeler Program. Designed to help you build your business with quality products, continuing education, and marketing tools, Building Solutions provides a competitive advantage you don't want to miss.

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The Winner Is...

Shane Walker of S. Walker Home Improvement has received an Xbox 360 Video Game System for submitting the winning tip.

Shane brings us this tip about covering fascia or capping back into a window. He writes, “I find that bending a 5/8" hem on trim coil when covering fascia or capping back into a window makes the work piece very rigid and wrinkle free.” Here's how he does it:
      • Hem a 10' piece of trim coil 5/8" as far as you can bend it.
      • Take the piece out of the break, lock the break handle down, and lay the piece         of trim coil down in the break jaw (5/8").
      • Slip a 6' piece of J-channel over the flat coil. (This keeps the work piece from          being dented.)
      • Bend the 5/8" hem flat with the break lever handle.

Shane explains: If you are bending coil for a 6" fascia board, bend a 5/8" hem x 6" (fascia board and soffit) x 1-1/2" return (cut edge of soffit) x 5/8" hem.
Thanks, Shane. We'll try it.

 


Board & Batten Takes Off

An enthusiastic reception to the January launch of Board & Batten vertical siding.

Have you heard the buzz about Board & Batten? It's taken off. Distributors and remodelers are reporting that their customers are delighted with CertainTeed's new Board & Batten Siding.

Here are some sales tips you can use to demonstrate the value of this exciting new product:
• Use a photo of real wood board and batten to compare the authenticity of CertainTeed's product.
• Get the product in the customer's hands. Point out the wide, straight face; the straight-edged batten; and the rough cedar grain.
• Explain that the 12' 6" panel is a cost-effective choice because it reduces waste and, when installed on walls with runs less than 12' 6", eliminates seams. But, don’t forget that you have a choice of lengths because Board & Batten is available in 10’ lengths, too.

Finally, collect samples of competitive Board & Batten. We're sure you'll discover as Lance Finland, one of our sales representatives, reports, “I had a chance to compare our Board & Batten to a competitive brand. The visual comparison is remarkable in that their product looks terrible next to ours. I plan to use the samples for apples-to-apples comparisons. I’m confident the consumer will pick our product because the appearance is so much better.”

Don't miss out on this opportunity to be the first to bring homeowners in your area the most authentic-looking Board & Batten vinyl siding in the industry. [More details]

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An Even Longer Panel for Even Fewer Seams

Extra long, extra thick Monogram 46L reduces seams up to 47%.

Monogram™, America’s best selling premium siding, is now available in a 20' panel. New 20' Monogram™ 46L is .046" thick and features a rough cedar finish and deep 3/4" panel projection. 46L is offered in 12 of the most popular Monogram colors. You'll love the longer length panels because they install faster and provide up to 47% fewer seams.

The 20' panel has all the same great Monogram installation and performance advantages, including the patented STUDfinder™ Installation System, self-aligning CertiLock™, and RigidForm™ 180 Technology with a .092" rolled over nail hem. Monogram 46L requires no special installation techniques and can be mixed on the wall with the 16' or traditional 12' product.

Ask your distributor about the new 20' Monogram 46L panel. [More details]


Replacing a Cedar Impressions Panel

Cedar Impressions Repair Kit makes short work of panel replacement.

Did you know that there is a repair kit specially designed to help you replace a damaged Cedar Impressions panel? The kit contains cam clips, washers, and pop rivets. With these items and a hammer, utility knife, chisel, pop rivet gun, and "wonder" or "roof snake" bar, removing and replacing the damaged panel is a snap. Complete instructions are available on pages 107 to 110 of the CertainTeed Vinyl Siding Installation Guide (CTS205).



Or, click here to see a short video about how to use the kit. And while you are at it, you might want to browse through other video segments on CertainTeed product installation.




Tornado No Match for Monogram Siding

The roof lifted off, and the walls fell down, but the Monogram stayed put. No cycling witches spotted.

John Stauffer, our sales rep in the Kansas City area, sent us this photo of a home and garage sided with Monogram siding after a tornado went through and destroyed the garage. The homeowners reported that “the roof lifted off and all four walls fell down, but not a piece of Monogram came off the garage. The house, which is right next to the garage, is still standing; it also didn’t have a piece of Monogram missing from it.”

We're not surprised - Monogram, with CertainTeed's RigidForm 180 Technology, is designed to withstand wind load pressures up to 180 mph when installed with nails and 235 mph when installed with staples (per VSI wind speed calculation guidelines).




Sales Tools Rule!
A regular feature designed to spotlight the purpose and use of Marketing and Sales tools.

Color Pocket Guide

This compact, pocket-size reference tool packs a whopping amount of information to help you sell the endless possibilities of CertainTeed’s vinyl siding product line. You will be amazed at the vast color and color-combination selections this handy tool presents. For instance, you can view every available Monogram color, match it up with one of the soffit product colors, and then select a matching or contrasting trim color. CertainTeed’s industry-leading array of colors, including unique darker shades and semi-transparent stained blends for virtually unlimited design possibilities, can all be seen at one time.

This booklet (CTS003) also contains detailed product descriptions, specifications, illustrations of profile configurations, and product features in one easy-to-read format. For more information on this and other CertainTeed literature and sample items, see your CertainTeed distributor or consult our Sales Support Program catalog.



Selling Styles

By Doug Nyberg, Director of Sales Productivity, CertainTeed

How do you like to be “sold”? Do you prefer that the sales representative get right down to business…just state the cold hard facts related to the product or service and get the transaction done? Or do you prefer to spend more time reviewing all aspects of the buying decision, referencing all pertinent data, analyzing all available options, prioritizing the features of the product or service as they relate to your list of needs, and then (and only then), make your purchase?

The fact of the matter is that people like to buy things in different ways. They have preferences in how they decide if a product or service meets their needs. Because of this, when you are in the role of a sales person, you need to adapt your selling style to meet the preferences of your prospective client. Not every potential customer makes a buying decision in the same way that you might prefer.

This does not mean in any way that you should change the way you are as a person… your core beliefs and values are what define you. What it does mean is that if you can adapt your presentation style to the preferences of your customers, you are providing them with a more comfortable buying situation in which to make a decision.

When preparing for your next sales call, try to determine the style of the prospective client. This might be accomplished by the conversation on the phone when the appointment was made, any data that was collected via a pre-call survey, etc. But, more than likely, the best determination will be made when you actually meet the clients.

Are they very direct at the introduction? Antsy? To the point? If so, once you have determined their true needs it might be best to get right down to business, tell them very succinctly what is new and how you can fulfill their needs, and then close the sale.

Do they greet you with a joke? Lots of laughter? Are there pictures everywhere on the wall? Do they want to discuss the latest ballgame, etc.? If so, you may want to ask their opinion, talk about the project in more grandiose terms, review the implementation plan, provide testimonials, and then close, offering immediate incentives for their willingness to complete the sale at that time.

Do they meet you at the door very calmly? Greet you kindly? Invite you in and ask if you would like something to drink, maybe a snack? Make sure you’re comfortable? Ask how long you have been in business… really want to know the process you will use to complete their project? In that case, you may want to walk them step by step through a “pitch book” style presentation, outlining all of the relevant steps you will take to properly complete their project, highlighting past jobs you have done along with testimonials, and then close the sale.

Or, do they greet you in a more serious and reserved fashion? Want to know very specific data regarding your company and the products you use? Have they reviewed and analyzed data from your website, manufacturers’ websites, and can they recite product specifications down to the most minute detail? Here it may be best to take time with the presentation, leave no detail to chance. Bring in all pertinent data to back up any claim you may make… product specification sheets, warranties, testimonials backed by data, etc. To close, draw up an action plan detailing the project schedule using the most conservative estimates for completion.

The key is that we are all different. The better you become at identifying the method in which your clients prefer to make a buying decision and the better you become at tailoring your presentation to complement your clients' preferences, the better your chances are that they will decide to buy from you!!

What do you think?

Good luck and good selling!

Click here to send a question to Doug Nyberg


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