Wood Tux Wet

[RCBill 14]

Russell, how will I purchase your tinting kit?

We have a franchise in town named Wood Re-New. They are marketing a 'special' Wolman's formulation. They are about 15% lower cost than I want to be. How do I sell WTW against Wolman? If you would like to expand into a little sales seminar a few selling points in comparison to Cabots, Flood, and the SW products would be helpful also.

Bill

[Russell Cissell 65]

Bill,

I would say that your best bet would be to order it from Sun Brite Supply. They are closer to you so it will take less time in transit and should save you money on shipping. I know they plan to stock tint kits this year and should have them in stock for early spring.

If you would like to discuss the features and benefits of Wood-Tux WET or any of the ESI product line, I would be happy to schedule a product Q & A chat with Beth right here on TGS. If you give me an idea of what day and time you would like to have it, I can make the arrangements.

Have you ever attended one of the chat event hosted here on TGS?

Russell Cissell

636-288-8512

imrcc1@aol.com

[PressurePros 249]

I know this post is for Russell but I'll just add my two cents because you don't really need technical help for this question it requires more marketing help.

Customers buy a stain based on perceived longevity and color choices. Customers hire a contractor based on perceived honesty and integrity, professionalism, reputation and timeliness. I am going to assume you have the contractor portion covered.

Cabots, Wolmans et al are manufactured for homeowners. There are often compromises made in the product to allow for user error. A problem you will face is Consumer Reports rated Wolman's and Cabot's as top notch products. Explain to your potential customers that while the above mentioned big name products are decent, they are not contractor grade. Thus the reason the magazine is called Consumer Reports. People understand that the stuff (cleaners etc) they buy in stores doesn't compare to professional products. This should cover the longevity portion of your sales pitch.

Color choice is where you will excel. You can offer custom colors that noone else can match. Timeliness, you can complete the average deck in a single day (not recommended if you are stripping cedar). The time factor is very important to most people. When people call my references I have heard many times that the homeonwer wanted to know how accurate I was with my project completion estimates.

Call Russell directly and learn some of the science so you will feel confident in selling the product. 15% is nothing. You are right in the ballpark. I am 100% higher than some of the guys around here and I do not miss a beat.

For what its worth I was out looking at a couple of WTW decks that have gone through a northeast fall and winter and they look like I sealed them yesterday. WT is not a be all end all product. It has limitations such as a satin finish, more labor to apply than a parrifinic etc.

[JFife 14]

RC,

one thing that will help you against WoodRenew is that they don't strip any wood. Only Percarb wash, doubt they even neutralize it. As far as "special" Wolmans, I beat them on bids all the time, and I see nothing "special" about their stains. Looks just like FandP, just a custom color. One thing--I've never noticed their prices to be "low". Maybe you are just trying to sell really high, but for what they do, I'd say their prices are fair.

[Rodney 14]

Bill,

I would say that your best bet would be to order it from Sun Brite Supply. They are closer to you so it will take less time in transit and should save you money on shipping. I know they plan to stock tint kits this year and should have them in stock for early spring.

If you would like to discuss the features and benefits of Wood-Tux WET or any of the ESI product line, I would be happy to schedule a product Q & A chat with Beth right here on TGS. If you give me an idea of what day and time you would like to have it, I can make the arrangements.

Have you ever attended one of the chat event hosted here on TGS?

Russell Cissell

Russell,

I am also in NC and in need for wood tux wet.I am in further discussion with a man who build play sets and wants to offer a service plain from pre existing and new set being sold. He has 200+ at home sites now. A chat about wood tux with sale pitches is a good idea.Especially with tinting and when thining can be done.

636-288-8512

[RCBill 14]

Thanks men.

Russell, Mike, of the tinting thread, states that Sunbrite does not have tinting kits yet. The job I wanted the tint for was my own fence. As I want to learn the product without a homeowner looking over my shoulder I'll wait for the tint. I don't have a lot of questions about your products. I've read and reread posts. I just wanted to hear from the rep why WTW is better than other sealers/stains that can be applied to a damp surface. And that is purely for sales ammunition.

Ken,

I’ve been thinking about the color benefit. Don’t Wolman and Cabot’s offer enough colors to minimize this benefit?

I have been getting my work through referrals for a while now. I guess people trust me.

This is what I come up with on your contractor grade feature. The stripping may not be true. If it is not, please tell me. And the cleaning paragraph is from reading posts. I like to have a presentation somewhat prepared. Here are a couple scripts that I can load into my sales gun. What do you think? Is there something you would add?

WTW is not rated by Consumer Reports because it is distributed through trade channels to contractors. The contractor products last longer, look better, and are actually good for exterior wood. The downside is that the contractor products require application skill that the consumer products do not.

There will come a time when I will need to strip an old sealer. I am sure that I will be able to strip the WTW, but I am not confident about the other materials. This could be a significant problem.

Finally, the sealer is the second step in the process that I bring to a homeowner. The first, very important step, is the cleaning and neutralizing operations. My cleaners remove dirt and dead wood without damaging the wood we want to beautify. My use of bleach is limited to killing algae. And I neutralize the Ph of the wood thereby facilitating penetration of the oils in my sealer.

I wonder what the other guy is not doing. Mrs. Homeowner my price isn’t too much, his is too little.

[PressurePros 249]

Sounds good to me, the last line maybe could use a fine tuning but your presentation outline is a good one.

Incorporate feature/benefit statements like:

Feature: I use high quality, contractor grade cleaning and sealing products not available at home centers or paint stores

Benefit: Your deck will look like new. You save money because my finish lasts longer than a consumer grade product you may see in a magazine or store shelf.

Feature: I customize the color of my sealant for you based upon the tone you are looking for.

Benefit: You don't have to spend time agonizing over paper color charts.

Feature: Because of the specialized formulation of sealer I use I am able to complete your entire service in one day.

Benefit: You can be out enjoying your deck sooner instead of waiting for a contractor to return when the weather is perfect.

Maybe add: "Before I started using Wood Tux, there were times when I would have to wait weeks to finish a deck after I cleaned it"

Close with: "Mrs Smith, wood restoration is an art. It's a true labor of love for me. I cannot claim to give you the lowest price, but what I can guarantee is a project that will be completed on time, on budget and exactly as I've promised." After you make that statement look into her eyes and just smile saying nothing. Nine times out of ten the homeowner will give you a smile of resignation that says "you got me". Break out your book and get that job scheduled.

[Russell Cissell 65]

I just wanted to hear from the rep why WTW is better than other sealers/stains that can be applied to a damp surface. And that is purely for sales ammunition.

Bill

As a rep, I consider it a privilege to be able to speak about our products on TGS as well as other contractor forums. I try to tread lightly and balance sales rhetoric with useful information. In this case, as you've asked directly, I might recommend the following:

Wood-Tux WET was designed to out perform leading exterior wood finishes. Wood-Tux WET boasts at least twice the pigment content of some leading brands and has more anti-fungal protection than most 20 year paints. That equals quality. Damaging UV rays and hundreds of algae and fungal species work hard to break down your wood. Wood-Tux performs as a protective barrier, blocking out the elements and keeping your wood looking it's best month after month.

Created to provide long term care, Wood-Tux was formulated with maintenance in mind. This professional finish was designed to wear well and stand up to a periodic washing followed by a light maintenance application. Wood-Tux WET will condition the wood on the inside while protecting it at the surface. Other finishes will require semiannual or even annual stripping that can be damaging to the wood.

Wood preservation is about making the choices that will provide for the maximum service life of your exterior wood structure. Wood-Tux WET makes for an easy choice.

I hope that you find that useful. Feel free to give me a call if you would like. I am happy to discuss the features and benefits of the product to help you gain a better understanding of it's value both to you and to your customers.

Best of Luck

Russell Cissell

imrcc1@aol.com

636-288-8512

[PressurePros 249]

Wood-Tux WET was designed to out perform leading exterior wood finishes. Wood-Tux WET boasts at least twice the pigment content of some leading brands and has more anti-fungal protection than most 20 year paints. That equals quality. Damaging UV rays and hundreds of algae and fungal species work hard to break down your wood. Wood-Tux performs as a protective barrier, blocking out the elements and keeping your wood looking it's best month after month.

Created to provide long term care, Wood-Tux was formulated with maintenance in mind. This professional finish was designed to wear well and stand up to a periodic washing followed by a light maintenance application. Wood-Tux WET will condition the wood one the inside while protecting it at the surface. Other finishes will require semiannual or even annual stripping that can be damaging to the wood.

Wood preservation is about making the choices that will provide for the maximum service life of your exterior wood structure. Wood-Tux WET makes for an easy choice.

Perfect! It doesn't get any better than that.

[mikew 14]

Excellent info in this thread. Thanks for sharing.

Mike

[RCBill 14]

Thanks Russell,

Just what I needed.

I know that I am not much of a customer to you now. But if I grow to be anywhere near my ambitions, I will be. The reason that I say this is because a lot of PITA questions and no PO can get old. I hope that you'll bear with me.

Features like pigment and anti-fungal additives is something that I can technical mind around and sell. I will copy and paste your post to a sales notebook I use. In the near future I will look for this kind of post on -38 and -80.

I will have a WTW features/benefit sheet in my credability book. I may put a handout together to attach to my proposals. If you've already put something together for contractor use, please forward it to me. I can't sell on good looks, don't have any. Just the facts.

I look forward to making a lot of money with you.

Bill

[Russell Cissell 65]

Bill

It's not a bother at all. The only difference between you and our largest customers is time. Everyone starts with questions. I have a lot of respect for individuals who seek out the answers in advance. Besides that, it's my job to help.

I've got some things that might help you put together a customer packet. If you shoot me an e-mail with Information Request in the title I will send over what I've got available.

Best of Luck!

Russell Cissell

imrcc1@aol.com

636-288-8512

[Steve Kiser 14]

After you make that statement look into her eyes and just smile saying nothing. Nine times out of ten the homeowner will give you a smile of resignation that says "you got me". Break out your book and get that job scheduled.

so true so true