We would like to share an important update: the UofCTS live course at Coverings 2026 has been rescheduled and will now be held on March 30, 2026. We look forward to seeing you there! One of the key topics you can expect to learn at this upcoming session is how to protect your tile and stone specifications from substitutions. You can find full course details and register here: Coverings 2026 LIVE Workshop Training – on the UofCTS “How to be a Professional Architectural Sales Rep to Develop Bullet Proof Specifications and Get the Order!”

If you’re a sales rep working on specifications with designers and architects, then no doubt you have run into your product getting substituted with something else. It may be coming from the tile sub-contractor or even the general contractor. The course will review several different ways to combat substitutions. Your competition will be working to substitute your product with theirs, so you need to be aware and defend your specifications.

Here are just a few ways to ensure you keep the specification and get the sale:

• Make sure the architect understands the differences between your product and the substitution.
• Substantiate the performance of your product with test data.
• Know your competition.  Be aware of what else is available as a substitution and know their features and benefits as it will allow you to anticipate and combat the situation.

The best defense is a good offense. To gain deeper insight into these strategies and more, join us live at Coverings 2026 on March 30. Click the updated course link to register and reserve your spot. We look forward to seeing you there! #Coverings2026 #UofCTS