GETTING AN EDGE - PaintSquare

EDGE from page 13PWC, and “Growing Greener” onpage 18 of this issue.)Reaching outOnce you are up to speed, attendto customer communication and education,says Yost.“Make sure before you start theproject that you and your customeragree on what green is,” he explains.“There is the opportunity for thecontractor to be proactive on this: ‘Iknow what green building is to me;what is it to you?’ This will differentiateyou from other contractorswho either don’t know or didn’t discussit.”It’s fine to tell people about yourinitiatives and to discuss the differencesbetween green and conventionalcoatings/materials, but treadlightly until you discern the client’slevel of interest, says Howard.“You want to feel the situationout,” he explains. “You can’t get onyour soapbox and be an environmentalist;you’re there to get thejob.” (One exception: For interiorprojects, Howard always mentionslow- or no-VOC paints.)If clients are obviously green-oriented,Sek will focus the conversationon that, providing detailedinformation about the company’sproducts and processes. Otherwise,she’ll steer the discussion toward attributeslike durability.This is smart, says Yost. The moreyou can turn the green value propositioninto something performancebased,the better.One caveat, experts advise: Avoidmaking health claims. People varygreatly in their reactions to differentmaterials.stand out from competitors whosimply talk the green talk. One greatway to gain attention for your effortsis to become a thought leader inyour community, says Paul Nutcher,See EDGE on next pageKeeping it realWalking the walk will help youCircle No. 24 on Reader Service CardWWW.PAINTSTORE.COM PWC 15