Running an AIA Lunch & Learn is a win-win proposition for you and for architects. AIA Lunch & Learns give architects one continuing HSW education credit and gives you a great chance to interact with them, learn what is important to them, and give them vital information on smoke containment systems and life safety codes.
Today, most Lunch & Learns are provided virtually. Remote sessions do allow the opportunity to provide lunch if most of the architects are attending from the same firm and location.
Don’t be shy about scheduling a Lunch & Learn for a date as far out as six months. In our experience, architectural firm gatekeepers are reporting that many firms are booked up far in advance. But even a distant date gets you on the books and starts the conversation.
Be prepared to provide a summary of the program up front. You can find the summaries for each class in your Sales Rep portal on the Total Door website. You’ll also find signup sheets for the class in that same area of the site.
Be prepared to confirm your presentation as the date approaches, and possibly to offer some additional dates that may work for a rescheduled session.
If you would like some backup during the presentation, Candace Kitchen, our Customer Service Representative, can schedule Jack Robbins, our Code Compliance Specialist, or herself to “sit in the back” of your session. Jack and Candace also provide the option of running your Lunch & Learn, to allow you to get acclimated to the typical flow of the sessions.
A typical program runs about 50 minutes. That leaves an additional 10 minutes to answer questions, or to discuss products and benefits. AIA prohibits company-specific sales conversation during the 50-minute program. However, you will likely have the opportunity at the end to ask if the architects are working on projects that could benefit from Total Door Systems.
Follow up is important. Sign-up sheets must be submitted to Candace for the architects to receive their continuing education credit. The sheets also provide contact information for architects at the firm. Sending a personal note of thanks is a meaningful gesture to start your relationship off on the right foot.
If you have any questions, call Candace or Jack any time. We have your back!
