Ads are not the only marketing messages

Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell argues that some marketing messages are not just about selling products.

I think the trend in recent years for suppliers to talk to the end user – particularly the homeowner – has been successful. It was the Apeer’s new TV ad that got me thinking about it.

The discussions I had with installers 10-15 years ago revealed that there was an etiquette to marketing; that suppliers’ marketing efforts would largely be limited to the immediate customers, and that any reach further down the line would be limited to ‘marketing support’.

There were one or two exceptions, but it was a situation that seemed to work, if only because the cost of widespread advertising (lifestyle magazines, TV, and radio) was prohibitive. These days, however, the internet, and the rise of social media, has allowed many more companies to develop a pull-through approach to their marketing.

To think that Deceuninck is now almost a household name thanks to its prominence in cycling, actually brings a smile to my face.

The end result is that installers are presented with more leads, as suppliers assert dominance over the specification.

Like I said, I think it has been successful, if only because the prevalence of fenestration-related products in the eyeline of buyers can only be good for everyone.
However, there was one downside that I picked up recently, and that is media messages don’t always equate to customer support.

One installer told me that communication from the industry to homeowners and other end users can be incredibly ineffective.

For example, we did a great job among ourselves during the series of lockdowns, and subsequent supply problems, of talking and sharing information. But that was not always reaching the people who need to hear it the most: those who ultimately pay.

I was told that not enough was being done to help installers, and that customers were not educated enough in the issues facing the industry.

It was left to installers to advise customers, but this was not being backed up by relevant industry news – that what people see on TV often does not relate to windows and doors, etc.

The more I think about it, the more I think more should be done to keep these lines of communication open. Just take this recent fuel crisis: on every news bulletin, I’ve seen representatives from the Road Haulage Association give a very robust account of the issues facing their members. Can’t we be just as proactive?

Maybe news spots are just as important as ad space for getting our messages across?