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Sell the sizzle, not the steel

MCSI - July - Randy Chaffee
August 1, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.

MCS Influencer Randy Chaffee says it’s time to stop listing features and start speaking your customer’s language and selling the benefits of metal. 

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with MCS Influencer Randy Chaffee. You can read the interview below, listen to the podcast or watch the recording.

Alex Tolle: I'm here with Randy Chaffee for another Influencer response. The question for July is what roles do metal building solutions play in improving energy efficiency? And how can contractors highlight this benefit to their clients? 

Randy Chaffee: Well, that's a great question and I think I got a great answer or else I shouldn't be here. Right? 

There's a lot of things. You've got all the things, the insulated panels, you've got the thermal break, you've got the easy solar install, the recyclability, a tight building. You've got all these things, these features and it's interesting to me, great timing because I just got done writing an article for a trade magazine that's coming out shortly talking about features versus benefits, right? And I think that's the key I wanted to hone in on because everybody on here knows all the benefits of metal and all the things they do. Like I said, the reflectivity, the cool roofs, all those things. But I think a mistake that we make in the sales world, if we don't think about it, is we will sell features instead of selling benefits. And we lump those sometimes into features and benefits as it's one thing and it's really not. 

Features are the gauge of my metal, whether it's cool roof or not cool roof. What type of paint system am I using? What's the substrate? Is it galvalume, galvanized? All those things are features and they're important in developing the end contract and the comfort level that the customer has in doing business with you. But I think more importantly, the customer doesn't necessarily know or care or they've already done their research and they've realized what they want. As long as you have what they need, that's important. Pricing's important. 

But the real important thing I think is are we selling the benefit to the homeowner, the longevity, the durability. The fact that you're going to have a nice comfortable house with less... We just talking about temperatures. I just got back to Michigan from Southern Florida where I actually live most of the year. Hot, hot, hot, right? In Florida, that reflectivity and that ventilation and those things are ultimately way more important than maybe in some parts of the country because of heat you get in the north country. And it's just the opposite because of the cold temperatures in the winter months. 

So I think as long as you've got the features there that we've talked about and that other people can talk about it even more in-depth than I would, but I think the real key is when we present these as salespeople and whatever aspect we're in, whether you're a supplier or whether you're an installer, are we talking to them in a language that makes sense that they're going to spend $45,000 with you at the kitchen table this evening over a couple coffees? 

What's the benefits, right, to me? Because I don't get to appreciate this galvalume roof with a cool paint system means nothing to me particularly other that it was important in the decision-making process. What matters to me is that my house is going to be comfortable to live in at a lower cost. And I think in all aspects of sales, I was just talking to a group about this the other day and it come from the post [inaudible 00:03:44] building industry. It's the same concept. It doesn't matter. I think in sales what we're selling, there's an old Zig Ziglarism that talked about selling the sizzle instead of the steak, right? When they'd walk through a restaurant with a high-end steakhouse, they'd take a loop and they'd make sure that the steak is sizzling, steaming and the smell. You weren't buying a slab of meat at a particular rare, medium rare, medium well, whatever you got, you're buying the sizzle, right? 

Alex Tolle: Right. 

Randy Chaffee: And that's what sold you on why you wanted to be there and why'd you eat. So I think if we can, not turning the sizzle into something that is not, because we should always be truthful and honest, but are we selling the sizzle when it comes to metal as opposed to the steak? And in that case, the steak is, again, it's recyclable, it's a tight building, it's cool roof, it's got all that great stuff. But what is it going to do for me and the missus and the grandkids when I get done spending this 45 grand with you, right? That's the important part, in my opinion. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah, I totally agree. Kind of almost like changing your vocabulary a little bit and changing your language to meet where your customer's at, because your customer isn't going to be a metal building or metal roofing expert, so you got to kind of meet them in the middle a little bit to explain it to them where they can understand it. 

Randy Chaffee: Exactly. And I think a key there too is and you just hit on it a great point, Alex, is that different customers are different. There are customers that want to know it all. So never not know your features. You better know that stuff. Just don't focus on that. If you're with a customer that doesn't care about that doesn't even know what that really means, you're just going to bury them with a lot of BS that all they really want to know is, is my house going to be more comfortable? Is I going to have long-term... Is this going to be a roof that's a one and done, right? That's what they want to hear about. 

But also there are those customers that have done the research and you better know what the reflectivity is, you better know the heat loss, you better know all these things and be able to explain it to them when and if you have that customer that wants it. But like you said and I think so well, that's where that interviewing the customer comes up upfront. Find out what kind of customer you have and what they're looking for and talk to their level. And I don't mean level as in intelligence, but level of intelligence at times on the subject, but also their level of interest. And if you do that, you're going to win way more than you lose because I used to be that guy, so I'm talking of experience, I learned all this list of 75 different features and it's like three features in the customer by his look is telling me, Randy, I don't care, but I was young and dumb and I got 12 more to tell you because I learned this stuff and I'm going to tell you how smart I am. So you're going to shut up and not buy, give me that ink pen back because I got to give you the next seven because I got to prove how smart I am. 

But as I got older and smarter and figured out when you lose some deals sometimes because you realize you should have just went with the direction the customer wants. And I think that's the key. So I don't know if that answered the question, but I think that's very important that a lot of people forget. 

Alex Tolle: Yeah, no, I think you nailed it. It's a great answer. 

Randy Chaffee: Awesome. I just made it up. I don't even know if it made sense. 

Alex Tolle: Well, thank you as always, Randy. I appreciate you taking the time to answer our influencer question. 

Randy Chaffee: Of course. It's great to be here. See you next time. 

Randy Chaffee is the Owner and CEO of Source One Marketing, LLC. See his full bio here.



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