Ask most contractors why a homeowner should consider steel siding and you will probably hear words like:

Those are legitimate parts of the steel story.

But they should not always be the opening story.

Gentek describes SteelTek Supreme® Steel Siding as offering four distinctive profile designs, natural-looking wood textures, premium colors and a refined residential appearance.

Gentek specifically promotes SteelTek Supreme around both durability and versatile design possibilities.

At Suburban Wholesale & Supply, contractors should be prepared to sell both sides of the product: first the exterior the homeowner wants to see, then the construction underneath it.

Start With the Question: “What Do You Want the House to Look Like?”

Before discussing gauge, Galvalume, Kynar or hail protection, ask about appearance.

"When this project is finished, what do you want to be different about the way your house looks?"

Then listen.

Homeowners may say:

• "I want it to look more modern."
• "The house looks dated."
• "I want more character."
• "I want the siding to look more substantial."
• "We like Board & Batten."
• "We want something different from every other house."

Those answers give you permission to sell SteelTek Supreme as a design system instead of immediately turning the presentation into a strength comparison.

Show the Four Profiles Before Talking About Performance

SteelTek Supreme currently gives contractors four distinctly different profile choices.

Current profile information is available on the Gentek SteelTek Supreme product page.

Instead of saying:

"Steel is stronger than vinyl."

start with:

"Which of these four profiles gives your house the look you prefer?"

Now you are designing instead of defending.

Teach Homeowners What Exposure Does to a House

The difference between D4, D5 and 8" Single is not merely a specification on a product sheet.

Exposure changes the visual scale of the wall.

A homeowner can understand scale and architecture much faster than they can understand metal terminology.

Use the 1/2" Butt to Sell Shadow Lines

Gentek lists a 1/2" butt projection on the D4, D5 and 8" Single SteelTek Supreme profiles.

Do not simply state:

"This has a half-inch butt."

Turn the sample sideways.

Show the profile.

"Look at the depth here. When this profile repeats across the entire house, that projection helps create stronger shadow lines and more dimension."

A half-inch specification has now become an appearance benefit.

Sell Texture as Part of the Design

Steel siding does not need to look like a smooth industrial metal panel.

Gentek currently gives its horizontal SteelTek Supreme profiles a roughsawn texture, while the 12" Board & Batten profile uses a medium woodgrain texture.

Hand the homeowner the sample and ask them to look at the surface from different angles.

"When people hear steel, they sometimes imagine commercial sheet metal. Look at the actual texture. Gentek designed this specifically as a residential exterior."

That is much stronger than verbally trying to convince someone steel does not look industrial.

Tilt the Kynar Finish Into the Light

SteelTek Supreme uses Kynar® PVDF coating technology.

Gentek describes the finish as low-gloss and connects it with weatherability, color performance and scratch resistance.

But appearance matters here too.

Hold the sample near natural light.

Tilt it.

Let the homeowner see how the surface responds.

"I want you to look at the finish itself. The low-gloss appearance is part of what gives the steel a more refined residential look."

The Kynar conversation can begin with appearance before moving into coating performance.

Color Should Be a Major Part of the Steel Presentation

Gentek currently lists twelve classic SteelTek Supreme colors:

These colored boxes are organizational only and are not intended to reproduce the actual Gentek colors.

Gentek recommends making final color decisions using actual physical product samples because screen settings can alter the appearance of colors.

Review the current palette on the SteelTek Supreme product page, but take real samples to the house before final selection.

Sell Color Against the Permanent Parts of the House

Do not ask:

"Which siding color do you like?"

Ask:

"Which siding color works best with the parts of the home we're not changing?"

Compare samples against:

Now the steel siding is part of the architecture instead of an isolated color swatch.

Use Color Clear Through to Sell the Complete Exterior

Gentek's Color Clear Through® system coordinates colors across siding, soffit, fascia, trim and rainware within Gentek's product families.

Use that to expand the design conversation.

"Instead of choosing a siding color by itself, let's build the entire exterior palette."

That is a much more premium conversation.

Sell Board & Batten as Architecture

The 12" SteelTek Supreme Board & Batten profile gives contractors a major design tool.

It does not have to be positioned only as:

"Here's another steel profile."

Show the homeowner what vertical siding can do architecturally.

It can be considered for:

• Gables
• Front elevations
• Garage projections
• Entry areas
• Architectural accents
• Whole-house vertical designs where appropriate

"We do not have to make the entire house one pattern. We can use horizontal steel on the main walls and Board & Batten where we want to create architectural emphasis."

Now you are selling composition.

Mix Horizontal and Vertical Profiles Carefully

More profiles do not automatically make a better exterior.

Contractors should avoid creating a house that looks like a siding sample board.

Premium design often comes from restraint.

Show the Homeowner Three Steel Designs

Do not make a homeowner design the project from scratch.

Give them three concepts.

Ask:

"Which of these looks most like what you want your house to become?"

That question is far more useful than asking whether the homeowner "likes steel."

Use the Gentek Visualizer Before Talking Price

Gentek's current SteelTek Supreme resources include access to the Gentek Visualizer.

The tool allows homeowners and contractors to compare:

• Siding products
• Profiles
• Colors
• Trim
• Roof colors
• Front-door colors
• Exterior window colors

Homeowners can also upload a photo of their own house.

Access current visualization resources through the SteelTek Supreme product page.

Build the design first.

Then ask:

"If the price were identical, is this the exterior you would choose?"

Once you know which exterior they prefer, the premium-price discussion becomes much easier.

Take Physical Samples Outside

Screen images should help narrow choices.

Physical samples should help finalize them.

Gentek recommends checking actual samples outdoors in natural light because color, texture and grain can look different based on lighting, angle and exposure.

A strong sales process is:

Sell the View From the Street

Homeowners will not spend the next 30 years standing six inches away from their siding.

Step away from the samples.

Show photographs from normal viewing distances.

Look at:

• Profile scale
• Shadow lines
• Vertical versus horizontal movement
• Color balance
• Trim contrast
• How the exterior relates to roof, windows, brick and stone

"The siding sample tells you what the material looks like up close. This photograph tells you what the house looks like from the street."

Sell both views.

Do Not Wait Until the End to Discuss Appearance

Weak premium presentations often follow this order:

1. Steel strength
2. Gauge
3. Galvalume
4. Kynar
5. Warranty
6. Hail protection
7. Price
8. "Oh, and here are the colors."

Reverse the emphasis.

Durability Should Confirm the Design Decision

Once the homeowner says:

"I really like the steel exterior."

now you can deepen the value.

Explain that the appearance they selected also comes with:

"You already picked this because you like the way the house looks. Now let me show you what is underneath that appearance and why SteelTek Supreme sits in our premium category."

That is a much stronger premium close.

Use This 30-Second Appearance-First SteelTek Presentation

What Should a Salesperson Stop Saying?

The Best Steel Prospect May Be a Design Customer

Contractors sometimes look only for customers who talk about durability.

Do not overlook homeowners who say:

• "I want the house to look upscale."
• "I want something different."
• "I love Board & Batten."
• "I want wider siding."
• "I want darker colors."
• "I want the front of the house to have more character."

Those may be excellent SteelTek Supreme conversations.

They are telling you that appearance has value to them.

Build a Better SteelTek Supreme Design Presentation With Suburban Wholesale & Supply

Contractors need more than specifications to sell premium exterior products effectively.

They need samples, profiles, colors and the ability to show homeowners what different products can do to the architecture of the house.

Suburban Wholesale & Supply supports professional contractors throughout Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island, the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois with steel siding, vinyl siding, aluminum siding, product samples, color tools, literature, accessories, material assistance and jobsite delivery.

Explore siding and exterior products available through Suburban Wholesale & Supply, or visit our Davenport showroom to compare SteelTek Supreme profiles, colors and exterior design options in person.

The next time you present SteelTek Supreme, resist the urge to begin with hail, gauge or warranty. Ask the homeowner what they want the house to become. Build the exterior first. Once they fall in love with the appearance, show them the premium steel system supporting that design.

Sources & Contractor Resources