Contractors do not become the local steel and aluminum siding expert by simply adding metal siding to a price sheet. Learn how to build real product knowledge, physical demonstrations, installation understanding, local project experience and a repeatable sales system that can separate your company from competitors who only talk about vinyl.

How to Become the Steel and Aluminum Siding Expert in Your Market

Most siding contractors know how to sell vinyl siding.

Far fewer can confidently sit at a homeowner's kitchen table and explain steel and aluminum siding.

That creates an opportunity.

A contractor who develops real knowledge of metal siding can become a valuable resource in the market instead of another company offering essentially the same presentation as everyone else. At Suburban Wholesale & Supply, we believe expertise is built through product knowledge, installation understanding, physical demonstrations, completed projects and the ability to recommend the right material for the right homeowner.

Expertise Is Different From Carrying the Product

Putting steel siding on your website does not make you a steel siding expert.

Adding aluminum siding to your proposal software does not make you an aluminum expert.

Expertise means your salespeople and production team understand the product well enough to answer questions, demonstrate differences, identify appropriate applications and recognize situations where another product may be better.

Expert Rule: Don't become the contractor who sells metal siding. Become the contractor homeowners and other professionals call when they have questions about metal siding.

Step #1: Learn the Current Product Line

Start with the products you actually intend to sell.

If you work with Gentek products, learn the differences among the current steel and aluminum siding families available in your market.

Your team should understand:

Available profiles
Panel exposures
Textures
Colors
Finish systems
Accessories
Warranty terms
Recommended applications
Current local availability

Do not rely on product information you learned ten years ago. Profiles, colors and product availability can change.

Step #2: Learn Steel as a Category

Do not memorize only brand names.

Understand why steel behaves differently from other siding materials.

Learn how to explain:

Steel substrate
Gauge
Protective metallic coatings
Paint and finish systems
Dimensional stability
Impact considerations
Corrosion protection
Cut-edge and scratch considerations
Repair procedures

Once the salesperson understands the construction of the panel, the sales conversation becomes much easier.

Step #3: Learn Aluminum as a Category

Aluminum deserves the same attention.

Aluminum siding has a long history in residential construction, and modern products should be explained based on their current construction and finish—not stereotypes about older installations.

Learn:

How aluminum siding is formed
How modern coatings protect the surface
Available profiles and textures
Moisture and corrosion characteristics
Denting considerations
Repair considerations
How aluminum differs from steel
Where aluminum remains a strong recommendation

Step #4: Learn the Difference Between Steel and Aluminum

An expert should never present all metal siding as though it were the same product.

Question	Steel	Aluminum
Base Metal	Steel substrate	Aluminum substrate
Corrosion Strategy	Relies on engineered metallic coatings and finish systems	Aluminum naturally develops a protective oxide layer and also uses factory-applied finishes
Weight	Heavier than comparable aluminum material	Lightweight
Impact Conversation	Discuss product construction, gauge and applicable warranty	Discuss denting honestly and evaluate the specific application
Best Sales Approach	Explain appearance, durability and engineered construction	Explain appearance, low maintenance, moisture performance and application

The goal is not to declare one metal universally better. The goal is to understand the differences well enough to recommend intelligently.

Step #5: Know Gentek SteelTek Supreme

If SteelTek Supreme is part of your offering, your salesperson should be able to explain why it belongs in a premium siding conversation.

Learn the current manufacturer information regarding:

Steel construction
Available profiles
Finish technology
Color selection
Panel dimensions
Warranty coverage

Do not reduce the presentation to, "It's steel, so it's stronger." Explain the complete system.

Step #6: Know the Rest of the Gentek Steel Family

Expertise means understanding more than one premium product.

Learn the current Gentek steel offerings available through your distributor and understand how their profiles, appearances, finish systems and price positions differ.

That allows you to build a true good-better-best metal presentation instead of giving every homeowner one steel option.

Step #7: Know Gentek Cedarwood Aluminum

Cedarwood Aluminum gives contractors an opportunity to present aluminum as an architectural product rather than an old-fashioned fallback.

Gentek's current product information describes Cedarwood Aluminum with a heavy-duty aluminum core, Kynar 500 finish technology, a Double 5-inch clapboard profile and Color Fusion variegated colors.

Learn the current colors, profile, finish and warranty before presenting it.

Step #8: Know Woodgrain Series 2000

Gentek Woodgrain Series 2000 is another aluminum option contractors should understand.

Current Gentek information identifies it as a Double 4-inch clapboard aluminum siding with a woodgrain texture and LoMar polyester coating.

Know where this product fits compared with Cedarwood Aluminum and Deluxe Aluminum.

Step #9: Know Deluxe Aluminum

Gentek Deluxe Aluminum provides another position in the aluminum category.

Current Gentek information describes Deluxe Aluminum as a smooth-finish aluminum siding offered in Double 4-inch and 8-inch profiles in Bright White.

An expert salesperson should understand how its smooth appearance differs from Woodgrain Series 2000 and Cedarwood Aluminum.

Step #10: Build a Physical Metal Siding Demo Kit

Stop trying to sell metal siding entirely from brochures.

Build a kit containing:

Steel siding samples
Aluminum siding samples
Vinyl siding for comparison
Color samples
Profile samples
Trim and accessory examples
Warranty literature
Close-up installation photographs

Kitchen-Table Rule: If you want homeowners to consider a product they have never purchased before, give them something they can see, touch and compare.

Step #11: Cut a Sample Apart

A salesperson should understand the panel beyond its finished face.

Keep a demonstration piece that lets the salesperson point out the panel shape, lock, nailing area, butt and other construction details.

The purpose is education—not a destructive stunt.

Step #12: Learn the Finish Systems

The coating is part of the product.

Learn the difference between finish technologies used across the products you sell.

Be able to explain:

What the finish does
How it contributes to appearance
How chalk and color-change warranties work
Why warranty language differs among products

Always use the current written manufacturer warranty when discussing coverage.

Step #13: Learn Installation

Salespeople do not need to become installers.

They do need to understand what professional installation requires.

Learn:

Wall preparation
Water management
Fastening principles
Cutting methods
Window and door detailing
Inside and outside corners
Transitions between materials
Manufacturer-specific installation requirements

Product expertise without installation knowledge is incomplete.

Step #14: Spend Time With the Installation Crew

One day on a metal siding project can teach a salesperson things a brochure never will.

Watch:

How panels are handled
How they are cut
How openings are detailed
How accessories are installed
How transitions are fabricated
How damaged panels can be addressed

Step #15: Learn Custom Aluminum Brake Work

Metal expertise should extend beyond siding panels.

Learn what your production team can fabricate with trim coil and a professional siding brake.

That may include:

Window casing
Door casing
Sill covers
Fascia
Frieze
Custom transitions
Architectural trim details

TAPCO brake and Brake Buddy capabilities can help contractors turn custom aluminum fabrication into another part of their metal expertise.

Step #16: Learn to Answer the Ten Questions Homeowners Will Ask

Your salespeople should have clear, accurate answers ready for questions such as:

Will steel siding dent?
Will aluminum siding dent?
Can steel siding rust?
Will metal siding make rain sound louder?
Does metal siding fade?
Will metal siding make my house hotter or colder?
How difficult is metal siding to repair?
Can scratched steel siding be repaired?
How long should metal siding last?
Why should I pay more for this instead of vinyl?

Avoid canned answers that make every concern sound meaningless. A credible expert acknowledges tradeoffs.

Step #17: Know When NOT to Recommend Metal

This may be the fastest way to establish credibility.

Not every homeowner needs steel.

Not every homeowner needs aluminum.

Sometimes a quality vinyl siding, composite cladding or another exterior system may fit the homeowner's priorities better.

Expert Rule: Expertise is demonstrated just as much by the products you don't recommend as the products you do.

Step #18: Build a Good-Better-Best Metal Presentation

Do not present metal siding as one expensive alternative.

Build logical choices based on the products available in your market.

Presentation Level	Conversation
Good	Introduce an appropriate aluminum or entry metal option based on the homeowner's needs
Better	Move into upgraded profile, finish or steel options
Best	Present the premium metal system that best matches the homeowner's design and performance priorities

The exact product positions should be based on current pricing, availability and the needs of the individual project.

Step #19: Sell Appearance First

Do not begin every steel conversation with metallurgy.

Start with what the homeowner sees.

Discuss:

Profile
Shadow lines
Texture
Color
Architectural fit

Once the homeowner likes the appearance, explain the construction behind it.

Sales Rule: Sell the house they can picture first. Then explain the technology that helps create it.

Step #20: Photograph Every Metal Project

Your first completed steel siding project should help sell your second.

Your tenth should help sell your eleventh.

Photograph:

Before condition
Full finished elevations
Window details
Door details
Corners
Transitions
Fascia and soffit
Close-ups of the siding profile

Step #21: Build Metal Siding Case Studies

Do more than post a finished photograph.

Document why the homeowner selected the product.

Each case study should explain:

City
Home style
Original exterior
Homeowner's priorities
Products considered
Why metal was selected
Profile and color
Special installation details
Finished result

Step #22: Build Local Proof

A homeowner in Davenport may care more about seeing a completed metal siding project in Davenport than seeing a perfect manufacturer photograph from another part of the country.

Build project libraries for Davenport, Bettendorf, Eldridge, Le Claire, Moline, Rock Island and the other communities you serve.

Local proof makes expertise more believable.

Step #23: Build a Metal Siding Section on Your Website

If your website has one short page that says "We also offer steel siding," search engines and homeowners have very little evidence that you specialize in the category.

Build useful educational content.

Topics can include:

Steel vs. aluminum siding
Steel vs. vinyl siding
How steel siding is made
How aluminum siding is made
Metal siding profiles
Metal siding colors
Hail and impact questions
Repair questions
Installation questions
Product comparisons
Local project case studies

Step #24: Answer Specific Questions Instead of Writing Generic Articles

A strong resource library should answer the questions contractors and homeowners actually ask.

Instead of another article called "Benefits of Steel Siding," answer:

Can steel siding rust where it is cut?
Can one damaged steel siding panel be replaced?
How do you repair a scratch?
Does rain sound louder against steel siding?
What profile looks best on a ranch home?
Can steel board and batten be used as an accent?
Can new aluminum siding match an older aluminum home?

Specific questions demonstrate deeper expertise.

Step #25: Create Videos

Metal siding is perfect for short educational video.

Film your salesperson or installer demonstrating:

A steel panel
An aluminum panel
Different profiles
Finish differences
How a panel locks together
How metal is cut
How custom trim is fabricated

One question per video is enough.

Step #26: Use the Showroom

Samples sitting in a warehouse do not build expertise.

Put metal siding where customers can see it.

Create displays that allow people to compare:

Steel
Aluminum
Vinyl
Profiles
Textures
Colors
Trim options

Step #27: Host Contractor Training

If you are a distributor or contractor trying to own the metal category locally, teach it.

Training topics can include:

Steel product knowledge
Aluminum product knowledge
Installation
Cutting and fastening
Kitchen-table sales
Estimating
Custom brake work
Repair and matching

Authority Principle: The company that consistently teaches the category has a strong opportunity to become associated with the category.

Step #28: Get the Manufacturer Representative Involved

Use manufacturer expertise.

Invite representatives to help with:

Product training
Sales training
Installation questions
Warranty education
New product introductions

Good experts know when to bring another expert into the conversation.

Step #29: Keep Current Samples and Literature

Old literature can destroy credibility.

Review your metal siding sales kits regularly.

Replace:

Discontinued colors
Old brochures
Outdated warranty information
Damaged samples
Obsolete pricing sheets

Step #30: Never Guess

Experts do not need to know every answer from memory.

They need to know where to find the correct answer.

If you are uncertain about a warranty, specification, installation detail or product availability, verify it before answering.

Credibility Rule: "Let me verify that for you" is a much stronger answer than confidently giving the homeowner incorrect information.

Build a 90-Day Metal Siding Expertise Plan

Time	Goal
Days 1–30	Learn products, profiles, finishes, warranties, samples and installation fundamentals
Days 31–60	Build demo kits, sales presentations, comparison sheets and objection responses
Days 61–90	Publish educational content, photograph projects, create videos and actively present metal options

Then Repeat for a Year

Becoming the market expert is not a 90-day marketing campaign.

The first 90 days build the system.

The next year builds the reputation.

Every month:

Publish another useful article
Answer another homeowner question
Record another video
Train another salesperson or installer
Photograph another project
Add another case study

Become the Local Answer

The ultimate goal is simple.

When a homeowner asks about steel siding, your company's name should come up.

When a contractor has an old aluminum siding sample they cannot identify, they should know where to take it.

When someone wants to compare metal siding options, your showroom, website, salespeople and project portfolio should provide useful answers.

Market leadership is not created by saying, "We sell steel and aluminum siding."

It is created when the market starts saying, "Those are the people who know steel and aluminum siding."

Build Your Metal Siding Expertise With Suburban Wholesale & Supply

Suburban Wholesale & Supply works with professional siding contractors throughout Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island and the surrounding Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.

Contractors can use our team as a resource for Gentek steel and aluminum siding, product samples, literature, custom aluminum products, TAPCO brake equipment, sales demonstrations and contractor training.

If you want to become the steel and aluminum siding expert in your market, start by learning one product better, building one better demonstration, completing one more metal project and answering one more customer question than your competitors. Then keep doing it.

Sources & Additional Resources

Gentek Building Products — Steel Siding Product Resources: Manufacturer information regarding current Gentek steel siding products, profiles, finishes, colors, specifications and warranty resources.
Gentek Building Products — Cedarwood Aluminum: Manufacturer information regarding Cedarwood Aluminum construction, Double 5-inch clapboard profile, Kynar 500 finish technology and Color Fusion colors.
Gentek Building Products — Woodgrain Series 2000: Manufacturer information regarding Double 4-inch clapboard aluminum siding, woodgrain texture, LoMar polyester coating and current product features.
Gentek Building Products — Deluxe Aluminum: Manufacturer information regarding smooth aluminum siding, Double 4-inch and 8-inch profiles, finish and current product characteristics.
Gentek Building Products — Product Directory: Manufacturer reference for current siding profiles, dimensions, colors, carton quantities, finish systems and product availability information.
Gentek Building Products — Warranty Resources: Current manufacturer warranty documents and coverage information for steel and aluminum siding products.
The Aluminum Association — Building & Construction: Industry information regarding aluminum's durability, corrosion resistance, strength-to-weight characteristics, recyclability and use in building applications.
Metal Construction Association: Industry educational resources regarding metal building products, coatings, fabrication and architectural metal applications.
TAPCO Tools — PRO Series Port-O-Bender and Brake Buddy: Manufacturer information regarding professional field fabrication of custom aluminum exterior trim and specialty profiles.

How to Become the Steel and Aluminum Siding Expert in Your Market | Suburban Wholesale & Supply