“Architects are showing up with projects. But what are your reps wanting to talk about? Their products and their product features.” – Steve Coffey

Summary

In this episode of The Intersection, Megan Kacvinsky and Steve Coffey share their live reactions from the AIA Conference on Architecture in San Diego. Reflecting on the first day of the show, they discuss the strong attendance, high-quality architectural audience, and encouraging signs that stalled projects are moving forward despite ongoing economic uncertainty. At the same time, they identify significant missed opportunities for manufacturers, particularly around booth engagement, value-based selling, and the use of technology. The conversation highlights a growing disconnect between what architects are seeking—solutions to real project challenges—and what many manufacturers are presenting on the trade show floor.

Key Insights

AIA delivered strong show-floor traffic, with many exhibitors reporting meaningful conversations and qualified project opportunities.
Architects arrived with active projects and specific product questions, signaling renewed momentum across the construction industry.
Institutional and owner-occupied projects appeared particularly active, suggesting confidence is returning despite concerns around interest rates and tariffs.
Many manufacturers focused conversations on product features rather than understanding project needs and delivering value-driven solutions.
Booth messaging frequently failed to communicate clearly what companies do or how they help architects solve challenges.
Technology was a major theme among architects, but many manufacturers did not effectively showcase how their products or services support evolving digital workflows.
Building performance, integration, and data-driven decision-making are becoming increasingly important considerations for architects.

Practical Takeaways for Manufacturers

Train booth staff to lead with discovery questions rather than product pitches.
Focus conversations on project outcomes, value engineering, and business impact—not just product features.
Clearly communicate who you are, what you make, and why it matters within the first few seconds of engagement.
Showcase design-assist capabilities and consultative expertise alongside product information.
Demonstrate how your products integrate into broader building performance, sustainability, and technology initiatives.
Invest in booth experiences that create engagement and conversation rather than relying solely on static displays.
Align messaging with the real-world challenges architects are actively trying to solve.

About the Hosts

Megan Kacvinsky is CEO of Point To Point, a sales and marketing agency helping mid-market building materials manufacturers build stronger marketing engines and sales cultures.

Steve Coffey is Senior Managing Partner at Coffey & Co., a growth and strategy firm focused on helping building materials companies accelerate performance through strategic planning, commercial excellence, and organizational alignment.

Quotable Moments

“Architects are showing up with projects. But what are your reps wanting to talk about? Their products and their product features.” – Steve Coffey

“Manufacturers need to help architects be better value engineers.” – Megan Kacvinsky

“Buildings are becoming data sets.” – Architectural attendee quoted during the discussion

“The conversations weren’t as sophisticated as I was expecting them to be for where the industry is as a whole.” – Megan Kacvinsky

Next Steps for Manufacturers

The first day of AIA revealed strong market demand and a highly engaged architectural audience, but also exposed opportunities to improve how manufacturers show up at industry events. As project activity accelerates, manufacturers that shift from product-centric conversations to consultative, value-driven engagement will be better positioned to build relationships, influence specifications, and capture future growth. The challenge moving forward is not simply attracting architects to your booth—it’s demonstrating that you understand the broader business, performance, and technology challenges they are trying to solve.