Steps to Successful Parking Lot Promotion

Philip KresgeSr. Director, National Resources

National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

Thank you to our Sponsors

General Instructions

• Login problems: Call: 800-263-6317– Webinar ID #124-965-803

• Attendees should mute (*6) their lines until they want to speak

• Please do not place call on hold (music)

• Ask questions on the phone– Don’t type questions in the box

Topics of Discussion

• State of the Market

• The Five Steps– Prospecting– Utilizing ALL Your Tools– The Change Order– Remember ALL Your Options– Making the Call – Tips to Stay Professional

Today we are in

unfamiliar territory

46.6% increase

Concrete is the Preferred Paving Material

• Preferred initial cost

• Preferred life-cycle cost

• Preferred status as environmentally friendly

• LEED friendly

Concrete enjoys a position never before experienced by our industry

We Must Capitalize on Our Position

What will we learn today?

Nothing we don’t already know!

We know what we should be doing!

Maybe we’re not doing it because . . .• Overwhelmed

• Complacent

• Preconceived notions

Steps to SuccessfulParking Lot Promotion

Prospecting

Prospecting

• The Usual Suspects– Dodge Reports– Construction News– Local Networking

Available Through

Partnership of NRMCA and Your

State Association

Project SearchBy Name, Value, State, City, Value, Type, Etc.

Project Listing Alphabetical by City

Project Contact and Decision Makers

Contact Your State Association

for More Information and Access

Only the most foolish of mice would hide in a cat’s ear

Only the wisest of cats would think to look there

Don’t overlook the obvious

• Mid-job / Next-job recommendation– Landscaper, in the midst of installing

a lawn, suggests a rock wall to reduce runoff

– Caterer, serving a summer party, reminds client that Christmas is only five months away

Review Current Projects

Review Upcoming Projects

• Someone will be asking for a price for footer/floor– What about parking lot?– Flowable fill possibilities?

Utilize ALL Your Tools

Utilize ALL Your Tools

Concrete Delivers!

• For Owners– Durability– Economical– Safe– Upscale

Appearance– Environmentally

Friendly

Concrete Delivers!

• For Designers & Specifiers– Preparing the

Subgrade– Material &

Proportions– Thickness– Jointing– Construction

Practices

Concrete Delivers!

• Environmental Benefits of Concrete

• 20-slide PowerPoint show printed for use in one-on-one presentation

• Alternative to using laptop/projector for less formal presentations

• Help for the technologically impaired

• Within everyone’s comfort zone

Low Tech Pitch Book

• Promoter time may be limited at introductory meeting• 10-15 minutes• No time for full-blown

presentation

Low Tech Pitch Book

The specifier sees full

presentation pages for clear communication of images and major points

The promoter views a smaller version of the specifier page, along with other useful notes and

background information

• Concrete Parking Lots– Over 1,000 sold

• Flowable Fill– Initial orders (300)

being distributed now

• Pervious Concrete (TBA)

• Environmental Benefits of Concrete (TBA)

Low Tech Pitch Book

• Design Comparison

• Life Cycle Cost Comparison

Concrete vs. Asphalt• Apples-to-apples

comparison of pavement design should always be considered

• Quantification in $ allows for a better business decision on pavement choice

Reference Library

Reference Library

WWW. NRMCA.ORG

Design Details

• 26 different details

• Three formats– .dwg– .dxf– .jpg

• Step-by-step instruction

• Customizing tips– Setting defaults– Customizing

reports

Parking Lot Design

Assistance Program

Parking Lot Design Assistance Program

• Free service offered to specifiers through local promoters

• To encourage and support specifiers that are willing to try concrete

• Assistance provided by consultant hired by NRMCA

• Suggestions for sub-base, thickness, design details, jointing, specifications, maintenance, etc. using ACI 330, NRMCA CPA software, ACPA or PCA guidelines

Sample Design Suggestions

The Change Order

• By definition, promotion is a long-term investment

• Influencing a thought process

• Sales is a more immediate process

• We usually differentiate between the two

• Change Order more akin to sales than promotion

• An everyday occurrence in our promotion efforts

Promotion vs. Sales

Promotion Dogma

• “Getting in early is key to successful promotion”

• “Once the job is in Dodge reports, it’s too late”

• It’s never too late!

Change Order

• Substituting a specified building material with concrete.

–Asphalt–Wood–Steel

• Job specific

• Time sensitive

What does your

customer want?

The only way to

know is to listen!

What are the Hot Buttons?

• Aesthetics

• Energy Efficiency

• Initial Cost

• Life-cycle Cost

• Unique Design

• Sustainable Development

Listen to customers’ wants and decipher their needs

Teach customers to want what they need

Teach customers to want what they need

• Energy Efficiency • ICF Construction

• Low Maintenance

• Concrete Parking Lot

• Aesthetics • Decorative Concrete

Make Suggestions

• Use your professional expertise to provide insight• Provide alternatives to existing designs• Present new technology

– Self consolidating– Pervious– ICF

• Demonstrate benefit to owner– Quality– Economy– Safety

Change Order can be most successful if you . . .

• Solve a problem for your customer

• At the time they are thinking about it

• Do it easily and quickly

• Selling Solutions!

Ask for the Order

• Mid-Job / Next Job Recommendation • You are already bidding the job• You are already supplying the job• Decision maker may consider

alternatives if beneficial – Mobilization costs reduced– Construction schedule

• “Would you like fries with that?”

Smith TransportRoaring Spring, PA

• Originally steel building with asphalt pavement

• Footings, floors, etc. 3,500 yd3

• Converted to Tilt-up + 5,000 yd3

• Asphalt to Concrete + 4,000 yd3

• Total Concrete 12,500 yd3

• 250% increase after project was put out to bid• “Would you like to Biggie Size your order?”

Remember ALL Your Options

Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement

Pervious Concrete

What can be done with an existing

asphalt parking lot?

Consider Whitetopping

Making the Call

Making the Call

• On introductory meeting with prospect– “If I can just have 10-15 minutes of your time . . .”– Utilize Pitch Book– Touch on the highlighted benefits of concrete

parking lot– The Close – “I’m sure now that you can see why

you should consider a concrete parking lot for your project(s)”

If the Customer has Concerns . . .

• Use your professional expertise to provide insight

• Be a Resource Director– Offer to provide support / data as needed– Offer referrals as appropriate

Offer CPA ComparisonGather Information• Project size• Intended use

– Light or heavy duty– Projected Average Daily Truck Traffic

• Is there an existing asphalt specification/design?

• Have Construction Mgrs., GC’s, etc. been selected?

• Time frame?

Making the Call

• Make follow-up appointment• Leave behind appropriate Concrete

Delivers! Brochure and Local Project Profile (if applicable)

• Take info back to your office to work out particulars– Get answers to client’s questions – Design/Life Cycle Cost comparison with

Concrete Pavement Analyst

Making the Call

• Running Concrete Pavement Analyst– Gather relevant info

• Local concrete and asphalt costs• Contractor input on in-place costs

– Run CPA comparison– Print results and prepare for presentation to

client

Making the Call

• Give it a more Professional Look!

Making the Call

• Follow-up visit with complete promo package– Answers to client’s questions w/ supporting

data– Concrete Pavement Analyst results

Making the Call

• Listen to Customer’s Reaction – Offer Assistance

• Presentation to others involved in project • Centralized Design Assistance Program• Referrals

– AFTO

Not an easy task

• Much of the world has its defenses up to keep out new ideas

• Customer’s preconceived notions– Concrete is too expensive– Concrete is too difficult to place– Concrete cracks

Are we too focused?

• Sales call to get P/O for concrete footings, floors

• Pays no attention to customer’s comments about– Material price instability– Manpower issues – Construction delays

Are we too focused?

• Sales call to get P/O for concrete footings, floors

• Misses at least three opportunities– Tilt-up concrete– ICF construction– Flowable fill

• What about the parking lot?

A Word of Caution

• Stay Professional

• Keep Your Promotion Message Positive

• Focus on Benefits of Concrete

• Sell the Right Solutions

• Handle Asphalt’s Weaknesses with Care

• Mediocrity Always Attacks Perfection!

www.ConcreteParking.org

• Benefits• Applications• Resources• Links• Publications• Pervious Concrete• Concrete vs.

Asphalt

www.ConcretePromotion.org

• Parking Lot Strategic Plan• BUD Program• Link to Parking Lot

Design Assistance Program

• Photos• Project Directory• Promoter Directory

Questions?

Thank You!

Phil Kresge

Sr. Director, National Resources

pkresge@nrmca.org