Marketing: going back to basics

Michelle Wright, group marketing manager for the Glazerite UK Group, shares how the fabricator is helping installers win business.

The swift arrival and slow departure of the pandemic changed everything for UK industry, and the fenestration sector was no exception.

Unlike many other sectors however, we faced pent up demand post-lockdown, which altered how we approached business. As the industry struggled to accommodate the influx of new custom, marketing was put on the back burner for many to focus instead on installs. Two years on, it’s time to get back to basics, earn our leads, and use marketing to acquire and convert new business again.

Play to your strengths

Word of mouth is critical for home improvement companies, and a satisfied customer recommendation is worth its weight in gold, particularly now we’re firmly in the digital age. 97% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses, with the addition of the phrase ‘near me’ rocketing by more than 500% in recent years.

Having a dynamic, user-friendly website underpinned by a local SEO strategy is a necessity. It’s an area we already support our installers with by monitoring their performance and recommending changes to maximise opportunities – helping them rank in local Google searches.

When a prospect visits your site, they want an easy-to-navigate experience, which outlines your product offering, provides digital brochures, shares customer reviews, hosts images and videos of previous installations, and has a clear call to action enabling them to contact you.

Glazerite already supports around a third of our customer base with digital marketing, including a branded website, which is developed with their local market and audiences in mind. As many of our installers already have a web presence, our marketing team is also on hand with advice to help further shape and improve existing content.

An active social presence also reaps rewards, with many homeowners turning to Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration when it comes to renovations. Our social media toolkit equips installers with assets and materials to engage with local audiences on the relevant channels and help keep them front of mind.

Print is still important

There’s nothing quite like the feel of paper! Printed materials still have their place and can work hand in hand with digital; something as simple as a dropcard or leaflet can help if you’d like to target a certain geographic area. Even if the homeowner isn’t looking to make changes immediately, they are likely to keep hold of it for future reference. In addition to your contact details, use the call to action to drive them to your website or social media channels to view your work.

Our retail marketing packs offer all the materials needed for a successful campaign, including product brochures that can be branded with the installers’ own details. We also provide promotional materials for direct mail and point of sale to help our installers reinforce their offering and give a great first impression.

Converting the customer

Once you have the appointment set, you have your final opportunity to share what really sets you apart from other installers. Look for opportunities to showcase the range of styles and colours, hardware and security options available that will suit their property. Help the homeowner to think about the practicalities and functionality of their purchase and examples of your recent installs to affirm their decision.

From what you’ve gathered about their lifestyle and needs, is there anything beyond the core product that will resonate with them? Perhaps they’re interested in the enhanced security the Ultion cylinder can offer, the benefits of smart technology from the likes of Kubu, or the reassurance of the extended warranties on offer through our supply partners.

None of this comes easily, which is why Glazerite strives to take the pressure off our customers so they can focus on their installations. Our microsite, www.glazinginstallerhub.co.uk, showcases some of the marketing support tools and assets we have available.

Underpinned by the expertise offered by our team, we’ve calculated it’s a package worth more than £5,000 per year for our customers. It’s added value that we, as a leading trade fabricator, employ daily to really help set our installers apart.