Why Architects Ignore Your Product—and What to Do Instead

00:00 Architects: The Ultimate Influencers

05:20 Innovate or Be Disrupted

09:09 Lead vs. Demand Generation Distinction

12:08 Architects Demand Timely Deliverables

13:13 Delayed Shipping Frustration

16:35 Digital Presence & Customer Perception

Benjamin Glunz is the CEO of Anguleris, the construction industry's go-to partner for all things BIM (Building Information Modeling). With nearly 15 years at the helm, Ben has helped shape Anguleris into a digital powerhouse that bridges the gap between manufacturers, architects, and specifiers through tools like BIMsmith and Swatchbox.

A trained architect turned entrepreneur, Ben’s journey started in the trenches—drafting construction drawings, managing BIM projects, and wrangling complex specifications for architectural firms. It was there he realized manufacturers were struggling to connect with architects in meaningful, tech-driven ways. This insight inspired him to launch Anguleris in 2010.

Today, Ben leads a team that helps manufacturers innovate their digital presence and support architects' workflows seamlessly. He’s a big believer in removing friction from the specification process—like getting samples to architects faster than Amazon Prime—and making it easy for designers to say “yes” to new products.

Outside of Anguleris, Ben’s passion for architecture extends to the next generation. He founded the Future Architect Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking down barriers to architectural education.

Ben is living proof that the right blend of technical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and an unwavering focus on helping others can transform an entire industry.

The episode opens with a candid look at the often misunderstood persona of architects. Benjamin Glunz, speaking from direct architectural experience, stresses that architects are the “ultimate influencers” in the product selection process—but with a twist. Unlike typical influencers, architects are legally accountable for their specifications, even though they rarely wield the final purchasing power. This unique position—being the decision-maker on paper but not always the one who controls the checkbook—means architects are caught between innovation and liability. 

For manufacturers, this dual role offers both a challenge and an opportunity: help architects close the risk gap and they’ll become your champions. Providing not just product information but also guidance, documentation, and support materials helps architects justify and defend their choices. When you frame your outreach around mitigating risk—through documentation, code compliance data, and case studies—you shift from being a vendor to a trusted partner. Regular education initiatives, like tailored lunch-and-learns or on-demand webinars, keep architects updated and reinforce your brand’s reliability. Don’t just sell—protect and empower.

A recurring theme throughout the episode is the habit of rinse-and-repeat specifications. Manufacturers often lament that they’re not getting specified because architects default to the same familiar products. But Ben highlights why this happens: architects face tight deadlines, complex project requirements, and are often overworked. The safe choice is to use the products they know, minimizing risk and saving time. However, manufacturers shouldn’t get complacent if they’re the preferred product—nor should they give up if they’re trying to break in. 

Even when you’re comfortably specified, you’re obligated to keep educating and updating your architectural partners. Keep introducing incremental improvements or innovations to stay top-of-mind and relevant. Consistently showing up with new solutions and value adds ensures that when deadlines hit, you’re the go-to brand that helps architects deliver quality work faster and with less stress. Help them justify their product choices to clients and simplify their process, and you’ll transcend the rinse-and-repeat trap.

Ben challenges manufacturers to rethink the obsession with leads, especially the idea that every website download is a qualified opportunity. Just because someone downloaded a BIM file or product data sheet doesn’t mean they’re ready for a sales call. Instead, Ben argues, the real test of a manufacturer’s effectiveness is how well they serve architects at the precise moment they need help—like when they’re racing against a deadline. Rather than bombarding architects with cold calls after every download, focus on being a reliable partner when they reach out with a technical question or a sample request. 

That means setting up robust resources like easy-to-navigate documentation, quality BIM content, and a streamlined sample ordering process. Service matters more than speed to lead when it comes to building trust and long-term relationships. By measuring success not just with lead conversion stats but also with metrics like successful technical interactions or timely sample deliveries, manufacturers can foster genuine loyalty and repeat specifications.

In the modern building materials market, your website and online assets are often the architect’s first—and sometimes only—impression of your brand. From sample requests to technical downloads, every interaction either builds trust or erodes it. A clunky, slow, or opaque digital experience signals deeper issues about support and product quality. 

Ben shares a real-world example: a manufacturer who required a five-page form just to request a sample, then delayed the shipment despite the architect paying for overnight delivery. That kind of experience not only jeopardizes the current project but can damage trust for future ones. Manufacturers need to prioritize user experience (UX) and practical utility. Make sure spec sheets, BIM files, and rep contacts are easy to find. If your strategy relies on sales reps, make their contact information prominent—and ensure they actually pick up the phone when architects call. Every digital touchpoint should be a confidence-builder, not a barrier. Regularly review your UX through architect feedback and analytics; don’t let a beautiful design mask a nonfunctional process. Ultimately, it’s not just how your brand looks—it’s how reliably it performs when project deadlines are on the line.

The final segment of the episode hammers home the importance of brand presence and education. Being specified isn’t just about having the best product—it’s about being the brand that architects think of first. Ben and the hosts emphasize that authentic relationships are built long before urgent needs arise. 

Participating in tradeshows, offering lunch-and-learns, and creating educational resources all help establish your brand as a reliable partner. The goal is to make your product synonymous with the solution to a problem—like “Kleenex” is to tissues—so that when a project deadline looms, your brand is top-of-mind. 

Manufacturers should invest in sustained brand-building efforts and educational outreach, focusing not on immediate sales but on planting seeds for long-term preference. When you combine inspiration with instruction and make yourself indispensable in the architect’s workflow, you become more than a product—you become part of their process.

The best way to reach Ben is by connecting with him on LinkedIn and sending him a direct message.

The Smarter Building Materials Marketing podcast helps sales and marketing professionals find better ways to grow leads, sales and outperform the competition. It gives insights, examples and shares stories about how to create a results-driven digital marketing strategy for building products and construction companies of any size. SBMM is co-hosted by Venveo’s Founder, Zach Williams and Venveo’s CEO, Beth PopNikolov.

Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode and want to catch future insights, be sure to like and subscribe to the Smarter Building Materials Marketing podcast wherever you listen. Got questions or suggestions about today’s episode? Drop us a line at [email protected]—we’d love to hear from you!