Redesigning Specification Binders. 3 suggestions before you begin.

Before and After images are great aren’t they? It’s so easy to understand their transcendent appeal. In third grade I remember our first cursive handwriting attempts that lined the classroom wall in September and by mid-May, our handwriting transformed, side-by-side comparisons on that very wall. Progress is easy to spot isn’t it?

In 1997 our first specification binder redesign was for a stone veneer manufacturer. Our research revealed an inexplicable amount of vinyl silkscreened binders with a confusing array of disparate components inside. Why? Doesn’t this important sales tool warrant the attention given the rest of the brand’s touchpoints? Even today, when online offerings provide easily updatable resources, the spec binder still plays a prominent role for any manufacturer.

Here’s three suggestions — with before and after photos — that showcase how we transform spec binders for building product manufacturers.

1 Don’t assume you have to use the standard materials the binder manufacturer offers.
Many vendors (in all industries) showcase standard offerings because they represent cost effective solutions and most readily available materials. There’s nothing wrong with this, however, when we redesign a spec binder we first start by determining what alternately can be fulfilled without necessarily producing a cost prohibitive binder. That can be accomplished through the selection of paper for the cover, the powdercoating of a particular color for the ring hardware, even the type of laminate used to protect the binder.

2 Present a consistent brand “voice” throughout the binder.
The new binder looks great on the outside but how does it look once it’s opened? The impression your client gets from every component of the binder cannot be understated. If you offer a mix of disparate looking brochures, photocopied test reports and dissimilar trade association collateral you won’t appear organized, unified and consistent. Make sure and audit all components so a singular graphic “voice” is heard. (For instance, inexpensive one-color reports can be upgraded by printing on the same type of paper as other binder components.)

3 The information printed in the binder should be exactly what’s presented on your website.
Nothing can be more frustrating for a specifier than inconsistent offerings, product naming or confusing identification. When you ask a potential client to figure things out themselves you risk losing their interest. True, keeping current with printed components is a challenge today (especially considering the ease of online updates) but consider the all-important face-time your sales team capitalizes on while updating printed components in your client’s office. On-site updating of your materials is a benefit for any specifier of your product.