Good building materials are the key to a successful renovation or construction, therefore, their choice must be approached responsibly. It is one thing if professionals are engaged in this, as they say, the demand from them. But it's different if you decide to make repairs yourself.
In this case, all responsibility rests with you, so it is important to know some of the nuances and selection criteria that will save you from a number of mistakes.
Choosing building materials correctly
- First of all, say a firm "NO" to cheap building materials. The fact is that such savings will certainly come out sideways, and after a year, the tiles will begin to fall off, the plaster will peel off, the concrete will crumble. Of course, you shouldn't buy the most expensive ones either, it is best to stop at the middle price segment. Remember that quality materials will never be cheap, so by buying them, you doom yourself to re-renovation.
- Expensive products are not always synonymous with quality. Firstly, over-advertised brands spend a lot of money on advertising, but do not always monitor the quality of their products. Secondly, it is the promoted brands that are most often counterfeited, and even sometimes so that it is impossible to distinguish. Do not start from the ads, but from the reviews of those who used them. Alternatively, trust a brand that has been on the market for many years and has a certificate and separate points of sale.
- Always check the integrity of the packaging. For example, concrete mixtures or deteriorate over time, if the integrity of the package has been violated, respectively, without noticing, you will buy deliberately expired or damp material. The same applies to such materials as laminate or parquet board. They can be easily damaged during transportation.
- Visit specialized stores or websites from manufacturers if you have a large-scale purchase of material. You shouldn't go to the market and buy something from under the counter without asking about the storage conditions and expiration date. It is better to find a good store, the more likely you are to get on promotions and discounts, as well as seasonal sales.
- Manufacturer. Everything here is quite controversial, but only one thing remains unchanged - the least trust in goods from the Celestial Empire. Most often they try to buy materials of European production, because they are considered the highest quality. Among the domestic ones, there are also good manufacturers, but how lucky.
Floor coverings
If we talk about flooring, then parquet or laminate immediately comes to mind. In one of our articles, you can and what is generally better, so we will not repeat ourselves. But one thing is worth saying - if your choice nevertheless fell on parquet, then do not skimp on good natural varnishes, which will have to be applied to the floor every 2-3 years. Yes, in general, such a pleasure will not be cheap, but the floor will last a very long time.
If you know in advance that it is not affordable, it is better to choose laminate or linoleum.
Tile
There are no special complaints about the tile itself, and it is not difficult to choose it. But what many want to save on is glue. And here, the biggest mistake. You should not buy an adhesive base containing toluenes and phenols. These substances are radioactive and will harm your health.
Wallpaper must allow air to pass through - this is an important condition, especially for the bedroom and children's room. So besides beauty, there must be benefits. Do not buy cheap, low-quality materials, as carcinogens and benzene were used in their manufacture. Usually, this is the fault of washing wallpaper.
Also, the quality of building materials is determined by their service life, and the higher it is, the better the material.
Some mistakes
But there are certain ones that 70% of the population admits:
- Insulation. Today, expanded polystyrene is one of the most popular materials for insulation, because it has a low cost and stands out favorably among competitors, therefore it is used in most cases. But here lies one important detail - polystyrene foam can be used, but only for certain structures. The fact is that it has a high degree of flammability, so they cannot insulate the facade of the house, at least for fire safety reasons.
- Screed. To save money, some people do not buy mesh reinforcement, which is 100% necessary. As a result, the concrete starts to crack, you have to call the craftsmen and pay twice as much.
- It is not worth saving on foundation waterproofing. It directly depends on him how long the structure will stand.
As you can see, choosing materials for repair or construction is not so difficult, it is enough not to chase prices, choose a trusted brand and check the packaging. As for what building materials are in demand, then, perhaps, the most common is cement, because no construction can do without it.
For information on how to choose a cement, see this video.
Ways to increase sales
Trade in building materials is a business on the verge of a foul. There are no huge markups in it, and the main profit comes from large sales volumes. Construction is shrinking. New materials appear and the assortment grows. In order to be successful in this business, it is necessary to subtly work with the assortment, different groups of buyers and the conditions for keeping customers.
How to increase sales of building materials in these conditions, and other features of increasing the profitability of this business line. This will be discussed in the article.
Who is the client?
All buyers of building materials can be roughly divided into three groups.
1. Retail customers. They bring the maximum profit from each unit of goods, because for retail buyers the price is less important, and they are ready to pay 10-15% more for service, availability, transport accessibility, quality of service. But their maintenance requires high costs for goods in the warehouse, retail outlets, service personnel
2. Wholesale customers - construction organizations. This is the most attractive group of buyers, as they regularly need large quantities of goods. In addition to the price, they are guided by the presented assortment, speed and security of supply.
3. Wholesale customers - trading enterprises (intermediaries) who resell the goods purchased from you. This is the group with the lowest marginality - intermediaries increase your turnover, but give the minimum earnings, because in order to make a profit, they must purchase goods at the lowest possible price. The essence of their business is to buy cheaper to sell more expensive, they can only overpay for an exclusive.
To increase sales of building materials, you need to clearly understand which customers you are targeting - wholesale, retail, or both.
To approach the choice not out of personal preference, but taking into account the situation and statistics for the region and other objective factors.
The number of potential customers in the category, the current business situation, the needs of the regional market, the amount of funds that you are ready to invest in development, and others.
Example
If you trade in a region that is developing well and in which there are many developers, it makes sense to focus on them. If you already have an extensive network of retail stores located in high traffic locations, it is wise to continue developing your retail business.
10 effective ways to increase sales
You can increase sales in both traditional and non-traditional ways. We will tell you how to increase sales of building materials for the population and the B2B sector. Below are 10 of the most effective ways that allows us to increase sales in such companies by at least 20%.
1. Wholesale for retail. If before that you were exclusively engaged in retail, you can open an additional wholesale direction, even if it does not bring profit. What for? In order to have a constant high volume of sales, due to which it is possible to receive discounts from manufacturing plants and a low entry price.
Having received a reduced purchase price, you can:
- put a higher markup on retail and earn even more on each unit of goods sold;
- reduce the retail margin by making prices as low as possible, and increase profits by increasing turnover.
2. Expansion of the range. Expanding the range requires additional investments, and therefore must be clearly justified. It is not worth going to this step "just in case" or "to make it cooler than others". It makes sense to expand the product line if it will increase profit or customer flow.
Expanding the assortment allows you to increase profits by attracting new customers and selling goods by the "steam locomotive".
Attraction of new clients. The expansion of the assortment contributes to the emergence of new customers in two cases.
At first, when you know those to whom you can suggest new items. It is naive to hope for ghostly buyers who will appear with the renewed assortment. Expansion is justified when there is confidence that the new product will be bought.
Secondly, when you know of potential customers who want to buy everything in one place. For example, if you have a new roofing material, they will buy bolts and screws and roofing material from you. On this material, you can go to zero, but you can make money on the sale of screws, fasteners, gutters.
Selling goods by a "locomotive", that is, when a client comes to you for a new product, and leaves, having bought a new product and something from the main assortment. In this case, as in the previous version, the new product may not bring profit - the profit will come from the “steam locomotive product”. Thus, you will not earn anything on a new product, but you will earn on everything that he buys additionally.
Please note that in this case, the work of the sales manager plays an important role. It is he who must offer the client not only a new product, but also a “steam locomotive product”. He must actively sell and know all about cross-selling. In reality, it often happens that the owner creates such a system, but the manager does not fulfill the requirements and the company works to zero.
3. Website sales. Online sales are an effective method for increasing sales during a crisis or during periods of seasonal downturns, such as winter. Sell building materials online. If you don't have your own website, now is the time to create one. If there is a website, it is important to correctly promote it, achieving relevant (targeted) visitors. The site allows not only to expand the circle of buyers, but also to save on expenses (on renting an office and salaries of managers, because an employee working from home can take orders from the site).
- Visualization. To increase sales, you should not just advertise a product in words, but visually show customers how it can be applied. For example, if you sell roofing tiles, add a photo of the roof covered with the tiles to your magazine advertisement. Or put up display stands with well-laid tile samples at the point of sale.
- Search for news feed. Not sure how to hook your customers? Come up with an informational reason. For example, call regular customers with a message about discounts, about the delivery of goods to the warehouse, which they took last time, or about the imminent appearance of a new product.
5. Performing the functions of a picker. Large customers are ready to pay extra for the opportunity to purchase goods in one place. You can not only sell your product, but also find / bring other products for customers. Everyone will remain in the black: you will sell your goods and, possibly, earn money on mediation; the client will receive the necessary building materials in one machine.
6. Schedule of work. You can achieve an increase in sales in a building materials store by adjusting the work schedule.
- The main client flow. Ideally, it is worth keeping track of the days and times in which the main flow of customers goes and be sure to take orders during this period. For example, if the lion's share of orders goes on Saturday and Sunday, then it is better to do the day off on Monday, and leave Saturday and Sunday as workers.
- Counterbalance to competitors. If your competitors work until 18:00, work until 20:00. If they rest on Saturdays and Sundays, try working on those days. This will increase the chances that customers will come to you.
7. Possibility of payment by installments. How to increase wholesales of building materials? If your financial situation allows, sell the goods in installments. The main thing is to keep track of the size and condition of accounts receivable.
8. Cold calling. You can increase the number of sales by using cold calls. They will not give quick results, but if you build the dialogue correctly, in 2-3 months the number of clients will begin to grow.
9. Active work with clients on the incoming stream. It is easier to keep the client than to call him "cold" later. It is important that managers establish contact with all clients who came on their own in order to be able to subsequently make “warm” calls.
- If you are only engaged in wholesale trade, and the client looked / called to clarify the availability of a certain material, features or cost of the product, you should involve him in a dialogue, if possible, clarify the needs, and certainly take contact information.
- If you are engaged in both wholesale and retail, it is important to competently communicate with customers who come to retail outlets. Keep in mind that these may include wholesalers and those responsible for large purchases.
10. Standards of customer service. The increase in sales is positively affected by the introduction of uniform service standards throughout the retail network. It is important to monitor the work of managers and train them in competent communication with clients.
Situations when the manager was not in the mood and sent a client or was too lazy to fully answer his question should be reduced to zero.
For this, all telephone conversations must be recorded, and surveillance cameras must be installed in sales areas. Ideally, develop a ready-made algorithm for a conversation with a client for each manager and compose answers to any objections.
Summarizing all of the above, to increase sales of building materials in your company, you need to follow these steps:
- Analysis of customer needs
- Maximum customer satisfaction
- Improving the work of your own sales department
- Attraction of new clients
- Motivation to keep existing
When it comes to renovation, everyone starts buying building materials. And it is on the choice of building materials that further comfort and coziness in the house will depend. And if these materials are needed for construction, then it is worth considering the choice even more carefully. After all, as you know, the durability of the building, and its reliability and safety can depend on the quality of the material.
How do I choose good building materials?
The modern construction market offers a wide range of materials designed for various budgetary frameworks. However, even if you have a small budget, you shouldn't buy the lowest quality material. You can choose from all the options the most optimal, meeting both the quality requirements and the acceptable pricing policy.
So how to choose building materials and what should you pay attention to? The main tips in this area can be considered:
- Price quality. Keep in mind that the cheapest materials will not create reliability. And vice versa, not always the material with the highest price can be the owner of a high worthy quality.
- Check the storage conditions for building materials. That is, if you see that the packaging has not retained its originality, then you need to be careful about the material itself inside.
- The availability of guarantees from the seller allows us to speak of the material as reliable and safe.
- Consider all the compliance with your requirements for the material before you buy it (frost resistance, safety, moisture resistance, etc.).
Taking into account all your preferences and wishes, you yourself can choose for yourself the best option for building materials that will not only serve you as long as possible, but also save some money.
Where can you find the best building materials quickly?
If you do not have time to search for building materials in the market or in stores, the services of the GlavOrgStroy company will help you make this difficult choice. Here are collected the best and most popular offers in the field of building materials that can meet absolutely all search criteria and customer requirements.
On the GlavOrgStroy portal, you can:
- Place your ad with the requirements of what you are looking for, receive offers from sellers, make your choice.
- Negotiate with potential sellers and customers.
- Offer your products or services completely free of charge.
- Receive fresh and relevant news in the construction industry.
In order to take full advantage of the services of GlavOrgStroy, you need:
1.? Register on the website.
2.? Fill out a profile application, indicating the points of what you are looking for or suggesting.
3.? Place an ad requesting the ability to complete the assigned tasks.
4.? Make your choice from all the options offered by concluding a deal with a reliable and responsible partner.
As you can see, in a fairly short period of time you will be able to make a choice of high-quality building materials, cooperating with reliable and trusted partners.
1. Find out what materials you need
To buy exactly what you need and not overpay, you need to decide what kind of work you will carry out. For this it is compiled.
A design project also saves you the agony of choice. An architect or designer explains in detail what materials of what colors and textures are needed - all that remains is to buy them.
When choosing finishing materials, you need to pay attention to which particular room they will be used to repair. For example: for the kitchen it is better to take moisture-resistant ones, and for the bedroom - environmentally friendly paper or non-woven ones.
2. Decide where and from whom you will buy materials
If you want to save money, it is best to go to construction hypermarkets: they sell most of the goods at the best prices. But various little things, such as brushes or fasteners, can also be bought on the market - large chains sometimes inflate prices for such products.
As for manufacturers, it is always better to give preference to well-known and proven brands. So the risk of running into low-quality products is lower.
3. Study the packaging carefully
It is often clear from the packaging,. The packaging of a quality product must contain information about the manufacturer and the numbers of quality certificates. If something arouses suspicion, for example, a blurry drawing, mistakes or misprints in words, it is better not to take such a product.
The packaging will also help determine the condition of the material. Look at the expiration date, pay attention to how the packaging itself looks, whether it is frayed: some materials may deteriorate due to improper storage.
4. Save smartly
4. Order materials in advance
It is better to buy materials from abroad or custom-made items in advance - their delivery can take a month or more.