The G10 Awards Presentation & Gala Dinner took place in December at Wembley stadium, an event that recognizes excellence in what has become an important fixture in the annual calendar for the glass and glazing sector.

The management team from Insight Data attended to support the G10 event and was delighted to discover that 50% of the winners use Insight’s Salestracker database of window, door, and conservatory fabricators and installers.

The Marketing Campaign of the Year (trade) was scooped by long-standing Insight Data customer Edgetech for their Journey to C event that helped educate the glazing industry on Window Energy Ratings, while Fabricator of the Year went to Lister Trade Frames for a second year.

Lister’s Managing Director, Mark Warren comments: “As a company we’ve grown 15% in the last year, which is no mean feat given the current economy. An integral part of our growth was the decision to significantly step-up our marketing and invest in a quality prospect database system. We’ve been using Salestracker now since 2009 and it has transformed the way Lister’s approach sales and marketing activity.”

Solaglas picked up the Component Supplier of the Year. Matthew Kirby, Marketing Manager said; “Insight Data’s passion for quality and innovation is clear to see. We use Salestracker almost every day and their ‘can do’ attitude to customer support is outstanding.”

Innovation was a theme throughout the awards and another winner on the night, Matthew Glover of the Conservatory Outlet said; “Innovation and technology are essential elements of our business strategy, so working with Insight Data is a natural synergy for Conservatory Outlet”.

High profile fabricator Everglade Windows is another Insight Data customer who picked up an award, while WHS Halo, the only systems company to win, is an avid user of several Insight databases including window and door fabricators, installers, and the architects database.

“The Awards are an opportunity for the window industry to come together and recognize those companies at the very forefront of our industry” commented Insight Data’s Managing Director Andrew Scott; “Both the winners and finalists clearly demonstrated a professionalism and passion that sets the benchmark and helps create a better industry, and we are honoured to be working with so many industry leaders.”

The event was sponsored by a number of well known organisations in the glazing industry including the GGF (Glass and Glazing Federation), Spectus Window Systems, Stuga Machinery, Fensa, Synseal, Pilkington Glass, Bohle, and Edgetech, amongst others.

For more information on any of the Insight databases visit www.insightdata.co.uk or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/insightdata

Insight Data has announced a major new development for Salestracker, the worlds first web-based prospect software for the home improvement industry with over 60,000 records.

The Document Vault is an App that allows users to attach documents, such as visit reports, meeting notes, quotations or price lists to a prospect on customer on Salestracker.  

 “The Document Vault is a major development for Salestracker and our customers. Rather than simply updating a basic notes field, users can attach in-depth information securely, keeping all documents relating to a prospect or customer together in one place” explains Insight’s Software Development Manager Matthew Stone.

 The Document Vault isn’t just limited to attaching files to a single record though. Users can attach a document to an entire campaign, so that they can look back and view the sales letter, mailer or other document that was sent with the campaign.

 Users can also simply upload documents and files for general use, such as brochures or price lists, and download them as required.

 Matthew Stone continues; “Some prospect data providers have outsourced their software development to third party companies. Not only could this be putting clients at risk from breaching the Data Protection Act, it also means a lack of innovation and development.  With Insight Data we have our own in-house software developers and are continuously investing in Salestracker.  This gives our customers a competitive edge.”

 Salestracker contains detailed information on specialist companies in the building and home improvement industry and is updated live in real-time by Insight Data’s own research team. 

• 14,176 UK window and conservatory fabricators and installers, with over 10,200 email addresses 
• 897 fabricators and installers in the Republic of Ireland 
• 27,971 local builders and contractors, with specialist sectors 
• 5,265 roofline installers  
• 15,052 architects & specifiers 
• 1,158 IGU (sealed unit) manufacturers in the UK and Ireland

 For more information on Salestracker or any Insight database, call 01934 808293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

 Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/insightdata

Insight Data, the leading supplier of prospect data in the home improvement industry, has launched an iPad version of it’s Salestracker CRM software. The development means sales people can use Salestracker on-the-move with the iPad’s 3G option.

 Helen Costeloe-Hughes, commercial director of Insight Data commented; “Now sales people can easily identify other new prospects in a given postcode as they arrive for a meeting, without the need to boot-up their laptop computers, set up their 3G dongles or worry about the battery running out.”

 The iPad has a typical 10 hour battery life and remains in sleep mode, so users simply need one touch to re-activate it and access Salestracker on-the-go. “The iPad is ideal for taking notes or minutes of a meeting, and the information can instantly be dropped into the notes field on Salestracker, while other CRM functions can easily be updated there-and-then” adds Helen.

 The iPad can also be used for presentations, to view websites or to access email and is a perfect tool for busy sales people. “Salestracker is the worlds first online prospect database for the home improvement industry and an innovation breakthrough for sales and marketing professionals. Teaming up with the iPad is an ideal marriage.”

The launch of the iPad version comes at a time when the market for Tablet computers is set to explode to 80 million units by 2015. Anthony Cox, senior analyst at Juniper Research commented “competition to Apple is likely to arrive in earnest in 2011, though by then Apple is likely to be ready to launch a new version of the iPad, reinforcing its market position” ( Full story http://bit.ly/aJHa7p)

 For more information visit www.insightdata.co.uk or call 01934 808293.  Follow us on www.twitter.com/insightdata

Leading architectural aluminium systems company, Sapa Building Systems Ltd, has announced a major marketing initiative as part of a strategy to dramatically expand its UK network of fabricators. The company has adopted Salestracker, the online window industry database from Insight Data, to help identify potential fabrication partners across the UK.

“We looked carefully at our marketing strategy and spent several months reviewing options before finally selecting Insight Data as our database partner” explains Paul Strong, Director of Field Sales. “The Insight database provides valuable market intelligence as well as accurate prospect data and the CRM facility within Salestracker dovetails perfectly with our existing system. This will enable our sales team to track prospects every step of the way.”

Salestracker contains full contact details for over 14,000 window, door and conservatory manufacturers and installers in the UK and subscribers access the system online in real-time. Detailed material (aluminium, PVC-U and timber), product (eg windows, bi-folds, vertical sliders) and volume information is provided and users can target the companies relevant to their business and delegate these contacts to members of their sales team to follow up.

Insight’s Commercial Director, Helen Costeloe-Hughes, comments; “I am delighted Sapa has recognised the benefits Salestracker offers. There is a growing trend for PVC-U fabricators to manufacturer aluminium products and, combined with the inevitable slowdown in the public sector, the trade market is gaining new interest from forward-thinking aluminium systems companies.”

Insight Data launched Salestracker, the worlds first online prospect database for the window industry, back in 2008. Now, just two years later, it has unveiled the next generation system which has been completely redesigned as a fully integrated sales and marketing platform.  The system can instantly create direct mail, email and telesales lists at the touch of a button.

For more information contact Sapa on 01684 853500 or Insight Data on 01934 808293 or www.insightdata.co.uk

Salestracker, the worlds first online prospect database for the window industry, has already created millions of pounds in new business. But now a new version, launched this month is set to take the industry by storm. Users simply log-on from any laptop or PC with internet, and instantly access the latest information on over 14,000 fabricators and installers, updated live in real-time by Insight’s telephone research team.

“Companies can no longer sit back and wait for the phone to ring” explains Insight’s sales manager Justin Ball; “over 200 users now subscribe to Salestracker to proactively find and win new customers. Users can target specific prospects and instantly create mailshots, telesales lists, email campaigns, or a contact list for their sales team, while the built-in Contact Manager enables companies to track leads and manage sales & marketing activity.”

For more information on the Insight database or SalesTracker visit www.insightdata.co.uk/Salestracker.htm, call 01934 808 293 or email info@insightdata.co.uk

Imagine prospecting for gold in the late 19th century. Technology was limited, resources sparse and often sheer luck determined who struck gold and who came up with nothing. These days, there is no reason to leave prospecting for sales leads, the modern gold dust, to chance. Insight Data, the leading provider of prospect data, have launched the latest version of SalesTracker, the industry’s first on-line prospect database which will transform how subscribers target, convert and win new business.

According to Helen Costeloe-Hughes, Insight’s Commercial Director, there are three key elements a business needs to bring together in order to prospect successfully. “First and foremost you need high quality, accurate data. Secondly, you need a system in place to manage the data. Having the information is one thing, but you may also need to assign prospects to the right members of your sales team so they can keep track of leads. Thirdly, you need a contact strategy to ensure your message is getting across to the right prospects. There’s no point having the information if you don’t communicate effectively with your target audience. Your contact strategy can include a mix of direct mail, e-marketing, telesales and cold calling. If this is done well, you will be making appointments with hot prospects and you will start to see results very quickly.”

Sounds very promising, but how can your business bring these three elements together?

“SalesTracker effectively kills-off old fashioned desktop databases” continues Helen, “The user-friendly front end not only allows users to search the data and identify relevant targets quickly and efficiently, it is also a fully fledged contact management system. One of the key features is ‘List Builder’, a powerful campaign management tool that allows clients to create and save search results and instantly produce lists for direct mail or e-mail and follow-up schedules for sales people. Meanwhile a new scrolling function makes it faster and easier for telesales people to use. Any number of lists can be saved and comments added simultaneously to all records on the list. Users can then refer back to individual campaigns for follow-up.”

So, what can the new Salestracker offer you?

High quality data

The backbone of the new Salestracker is data. Insight has contact details of over 14,000 window, door and conservatory manufacturers and installers in the UK and subscribers can select the data that is relevant to their business. For example, if you’re looking to target installers in the South East or aluminium fabricators in the North West, Insight provides contact details for just that region, enabling you to quickly scroll through and select your prospects. The database is updated live in real-time a full-time team of directly employed researchers. If a new record is added at 9:00am, clients can be contacting them at 9:05am, which is a huge advantage to subscribers.

Apps
One of the most exciting features on the new Salestracker is Applications (Apps). Users can select the Apps that will be most beneficial to their business and can even have their own Apps built for them. An iPhone, Blackberry and smart-phone App is already in development. It utilises GPS tracking technology and, as Helen explains “If a sales person is early for a meeting, they can simply click on the App on their handset to receive a list of every window company around their current location. This will help them use their time effectively and target more prospects.”

Insight will soon be launching a Credit-Referencing App that allows users to check the credit score, credit limit and financial status of their potential customers. “This has never been done before in the window industry and will give companies an unprecedented insight into their prospects’ financial information – a very powerful tool especially with the uncertain economic conditions” Helen comments.

Direct Marketing
Now you have the name and details of your prospects and have a tracking system in place, you need to implement your contact strategy. If clients don’t have time or resources to do this themselves, Insight has the facilities in-house to put together powerful direct marketing campaigns that are proven to get results. Helen explains “We have our own fulfillment facility capable of personalised laser-printing, collating, folding, inserting and franking several thousand items in hours, while our creative team designs eye catching fliers and writes powerful sales letters that will grab your prospects’ attention. Mailminx is our latest in-house service, enabling you to send out hard-hitting e-shots that will reach your targets without getting caught in spam filters.”

Helen concludes “prospecting is something every business needs to get right. We already had over 200 users subscribed to the previous Salestracker and expect this to grow rapidly with the launch of the brand new version. We urge any companies in the window industry to get in contact with us so we can help you smash your sales targets for 2010.”

For more information on Salestracker visit www.insightdata.co.uk/Salestracker.htm or contact Insight Data on 01934 808293 or by email on info@insightdata.co.uk

Posted by Insight Data’s Marketing Department