Latest Articles in Sales & Marketing
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March 15, 2008You can hear the following from dealers and manufacturers all the time: “With all the electronic access to information today, why is the customer taking longer to buy?” or “We know they’re going to buy, we just don’t know when.” Today’s extended buying cycle is frustrating for sales and marketing people who don’t know how to adjust to it and deal... more »
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February 15, 2008With marketing dollars scarce in a slowing economy, it’s a very good time to take a fresh look at grass roots marketing referral techniques that won’t break the bank. Word-of- mouth or viral marketing has been growing and is even becoming more formalized with the formation three years ago of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. Grounded on the proposition that people like to be... more »
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February 15, 2008Most window and door companies tout the fact that their products are energy efficient. Many want to go further and say their products are green. But what does that mean? Is it a product’s U-value or solar heat gain coefficient? Is it some recycled content, certified wood or lead-free PVC? If you’ve covered all those elements, can you say your products are green if your company... more »
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January 15, 2008Direct marketing expenditures continue to grow. The Direct Marketing Association estimates direct marketing spending increased 4.4 percent in 2007 to $173 billion, despite negative developments in the housing and automobile markets and rising energy costs. As direct marketing spending grows, it is also evolving. Traditional print efforts are seen giving way to multiple forms of interactive... more »
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January 6, 2008I have recently been perusing dozens of resumes for a client that is hiring a salesperson. The consistent trait I see for nearly every salesperson is a lack of personal investment in his or her career. There is an old saying between two campers in the woods, “You don’t have to worry about being faster than the bear if you can be faster than the other camper.” Given the lack of... more »
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October 15, 2007In case you came to work today with nothing better to do, let’s chat about ripping off your customers. Not that I’m implying any of my dear readers would do such a thing, but let’s say your evil twin decided to put his toe to the edge of the slippery slope and flirt with some unethical, immoral and perhaps even illegal business practices. The question is this: Even if you put... more »
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March 1, 2007Focus group suggests quality, reliability and simplicity are highest prioritiesQuality, reliability, “nothing that will lead to callbacks.” That’s what replacement dealers want from a window supplier, according to a recent focus group sponsored by Window & Door and Mikron Industries. While energy efficiency is important, “it’s sort of a given,” noted one participant. “If it doesn’t have an Energy Star label, nobody’s... more »
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March 1, 2007Settling into a relaxing evening at home with my family recently, I heard the unmistakable sound of breaking glass from another room. I rushed to the den to find the oldest of my three children (also known as my husband), standing next to a window, with a sheepish grin on his face. He had tossed a ball, it hit my favorite cast-iron candlesticks sitting on the sill, and you can finish the rest... more »
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March 1, 2007Another International Builders’ Show has come and gone. It’s by no means some new trend, but what struck me particularly this year was that the lists of new features and options rattled off to me as I talked to window and door manufacturers in Orlando all seemed very long. Of course, my take on the show is different from the average attendee’s. When I walk into a display, I... more »
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September 15, 2001Simonton Windows has worked to establish an infrastructure and now is poised to reach beyond the trades to become a recognized name with consumers across the countrySimonton Windows grew throughout the '90s to become one of the first vinyl window manufacturers with a national presence. One key to that achievement was its efforts to set an industry benchmark of seven days for delivery times nearly a decade ago. John Brunett, Simonton's president, still sees that benchmark as an important element in its growth, although he emphasizes that it is the Parkersburg... more »