Tag: “sales-rep”

Keeping jobs running on schedule, failure-free, and under budget is the goal of any paint professional, so it’s vital to use every available resource. One valuable ally you should never overlook is your Pro Rep, who can help you with anything from troubleshooting coating issues and product selection, to getting discounts and finding prospective customers.     Behr Pro Reps spend years mastering the BEHR® product portfolio, including application methods and proper selection. They also dedicate themselves to understanding end users, many of whom are (or could be) your customers too. Behr Pro Reps understand the needs and challenges of our customers across our audience segments, including pro painters, architects, designers, property managers, and facility managers. Hear from three Behr Pro Reps who share their top tips for pros on the job.   1. Proper Prep is Critical. Erik Miranda has been with Behr for five years, including three years in the field working directly with pro painters. Most of the problems I see stem from improper prep or product selection,” says Miranda.   It’s painting 101, but it always bears repeating (pun intended): Fully and properly prep the surface. If you find that you have a coating failure, reach out to your Behr Pro Rep. Together, you can review each step in the process to see how the problem originated and create  a plan to fix it.   2. Know When You Can/Can’t Use Paint-and-Primer-in-One. Another issue that Miranda noted is improper use of paint-and-primer-in-one products.   Always keep in mind that the paint-and-primer-in-one products are for specific circumstances,” said Miranda. “With a brand-new surface, a primer is still needed to seal that surface before applying a topcoat.”   Paint-and-primer-in-one is a great choice for a surface that is properly prepared, like an interior repaint. The increased solids mean better coverage without the use of a separate primer.     However, if you are dealing with a surface like new drywall, wood, metal, or areas you’ve patched, take the extra step of priming to ensure that the surface is ready for the topcoat.   It takes a little bit longer, but at the end of the day, it’s going to provide the customer with a more foolproof job,” says Miranda.   3. Working With Your Rep Could Mean More Business. Nicole Higgins is an Architectural and Design Rep for Behr in Atlanta, GA. She spends her days meeting with designers and architects to educate them on the perfect BEHR products for their projects.     You might wonder what that has to do with pro painters.   My biggest role with pro painters is to funnel them opportunities,” says Higgins.   This makes her an excellent and valuable resource for painting contractors with whom she works,   Once a project is specified with Behr, I help bridge the gap between the design side and the execution side by identifying professional painters and contractors who are qualified to bid on the work. This gives painters access to high-value commercial opportunities they might not otherwise be aware of.”       Because of this symbiotic relationship, Higgins generates new opportunities for pros while Miranda ensures those same pros are using the right products leading to on-time job completion.   We really work together as a team to present a complete portfolio of what Behr can offer. We don’t just help with paint orders, we generate and create projects,” says Higgins.   4. Take the Behr Pro Challenge. If you haven’t tried BEHR® Paint before, you might qualify to give it a test run.   If you have a painter who only wants to use one of our competitor’s products, we can provide an equivalent BEHR product to test in an adjacent room. This way they can paint one room with the competitor’s product and then one room with the equivalent BEHR product and then form a judgment,” says Higgins. “This challenge is very successful in persuading customers to choose BEHR Paint because they see our product quality firsthand.”       The Behr Pro Challenge not only allows painters to test out a new product, but it also allows you to better understand the true value of the products you select.   The Behr Pro Challenge was introduced to show the value of BEHR Paint, but you have to measure the true cost,” says Mario Garita, National Account Manager for Property Management. Contact your local Behr Pro Rep for more information.   5. A Higher-Grade Paint Can Save Time and Money. Garita has worked for Behr for 26 years, and today he works closely with multi-family property managers—both existing and new construction.   Garita points out the importance of measuring the true job cost and not just cost-per-gallon.   A lot of times we end up proving that a higher quality product is actually cheaper,” says Garita.   For instance, if you paint two rooms and the first is painted with an entry-level product that costs $10 per gallon, and it takes seven gallons to get a good finish, that would be $70. But if you painted the second room with a mid-level paint that costs $15 per gallon, but got full coverage using four gallons, the cost is only $60. In addition, you have a lower labor cost when applying four gallons compared to seven.   That’s where we have to educate our customers. You may pay more for the product, but you’ll use less product, representing an overall savings,” says Garita.       Working hand-in-hand with your Behr Pro Rep grants you access to a valuable resource that can save you time, money, and even help you get more business.   Learn more about what your Rep can do for you and your business here.