Your caulk and sealant section may not be the largest component of your operation, but for many retailers, it represents a core category that brings you closer to DIYers than many other products.

Ray Eberhart, owner of Buhrmester’s Paint & Wallpaper in Edwardsville, Illinois, has more than three decades of experience in the industry. The business itself has been in operation for more than 85 years and is one of the city’s oldest independent operations. It helps the Edwardsville community renovate with style and confidence to achieve the latest trends.

Eberhart says he’s currently contending with the highs and lows of retail operations during the pandemic, especially product shortages. But those disruptions have enabled him and his staff to focus more intently on core categories like caulks and sealants and allowed them to take the time to educate customers on proper techniques and add-on items.

Learn more about how Eberhart educates his customers and his team on caulks and sealants best practices and how the category has been a reliable part of the business’s inventory for decades.

The Value of Communication

Eberhart says that even though caulks and sealants constitute only a small fraction of his showfloor, he would never do away with the category, which has been a reliable addition to
his inventory for decades.

Edwardsville is a small community, and Eberhart says his business caters mostly to residential DIYers, though it does have a few commercial contracts. Since the pandemic began, he’s seen an uptick in DIYers renovating their homes, making upgrades to bathrooms and kitchens in particular.

Those upgrades link directly to caulk and sealant sales, he says. The main advice Eberhart offers retailers is to let communication be the guiding force for sales in this category.

“One thing we do is talk and work with customers,” he says. “If someone comes in just looking for a gallon of paint, we try to get them to communicate with us. They’ve got their gallon of paint, but how about a brush and a roller? Exploring their project helps you recommend the right products.”

It’s an approach that fits squarely with the company’s motto of quality service and the best products.

“It’s our goal to be sure every customer has all the right material and the right information to do the job right,” Eberhart says.

Above all, Eberhart stresses the importance of communication when helping customers choose caulk and sealant products.

“Maintain eye contact with your customer and converse directly with them—not in a dictatorial manner—but professionally. The customer trusts you, they rely on you, so you are their guide,” he says.

The Evolution of Caulks and Sealants

Eberhart says the paint and decorating industry changes rapidly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You have to do your best to keep up, whether that’s with new products, new services—it’s all a continual education process for your staff and your customers,” he says.

A decade ago, the business only carried one line of caulks and sealants. Recently, Eberhart and his team added another brand to diversify the category.

The store currently only carries white and clear caulk, but in years past, offered a veritable rainbow of tinted options. However, recent technological advances in the category have saved Eberhart floorspace and enabled him to boost sales.

“One of the caulk lines we carry also has a self-tinting kit so customers can create their own tints at home,” he says. “It’s a very effective system, and the colors turn out really well.”

He says the self-tinting kit is easy for customers to use and also enables his team to boost transaction sizes by recommending the perfect paint to pair with the caulk to achieve the right shade. The self-tinting kit also saves floorspace in the business.

Eberhart estimates of the caulk he sells, roughly 7 out of 10 tubes are white caulk, with clear caulk a distant second. But many people don’t know clear options exist.

“A lot of times, people will be reluctant because they know white caulk will stand out too much against certain paints,” he says. “That’s when you can guide them to the clear option, and they’re usually very happy to have it.”

Best Practices, Best Results

Eberhart says one of the final ways to complete a caulk and sealant sale—and ingratiate your business to customers—is to offer them a quick tutorial on how to use their new purchase.

“Walking customers through how to use caulks and sealants is very important,” he says.

Once they’ve found the right caulk for their project, suggest caulk guns, backer rods and putty knives to complete the project purchase.

“Show them how to clip the end of a caulk tube so they don’t cut it too thick,” he says. “Show them how to puncture the seal inside, and how to put the tube inside a caulking gun and use it slowly but surely.”

It’s a small step to take to ensure a customer feels confident both with their new products and the independent business they chose.