The Index is a new online portal that combines an industry-specific search engine with a product finder and supplier directory. Helen Costeloe-Hughes, Commercial Director at Insight Data explains; “The problem with general search engines is the sheer volume, relevance and accuracy of information.  For example, there are 204 million listings for ‘hardware suppliers’ on Google.  People want key information quickly and accurately when searching for products, technical data or suppliers which is why an industry-specific business-to-business portal works so well.”

Visitors can use the Insight Index to find all the products, components, services and suppliers they need. From window manufacturers to suppliers of architectural ironmongery or silicone sealants.  The Index is aimed squarely at the window, door, conservatory, building plastics and glass and glazing industry including installers, fabricators, glazing contractors and industry-specific buyers.

Suppliers can showcase their products on the Index and provide valuable information and PDF downloads, ranging from sales literature to technical data sheets and case studies.

A nationwide marketing campaign has been launched to promote the Insight Index including extensive press advertising, online marketing and a major direct mail campaign that targets every fabricator, installer and glazing contractor in the UK.

Insight Data also has the largest email database in the industry, with 40,000 contacts updated daily by the firm’s own research team and this will form part of a monthly email broadcast promoting the Index.

“We also want to help raise awareness of fenestration and glazing products across the wider construction industry so one of our key marketing drivers is to promote the Insight Index to architects, specifiers, builders, developers, main contractors and house-builders” adds Helen.

Insight Data has put substantial resources behind the Insight Index and believes the Industry needs a central information hub, however the company is under no illusions it will happen overnight as Helen explains:

“We had the inspiration for a product finder when we exhibited at Glassex in late 2010. After considerable research this evolved into a full search engine and window industry supplier directory.  Like any new technology or innovation The Index will take time to establish and it will develop and evolve to meet the needs of the market. We want to encourage those forward-thinking suppliers and business leaders in the window, door, conservatory and glass industry to get involved and showcase their companies and products.”

For further information about the Insight Index visit the website at: http://www.insightindex.co.uk or call Insight Data on 01934 808293. You can also follow the Insight Index on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/insightindex

So what happens when a business that everyone knows and trusts, and most people trade with, and that holds a world-class brand, enters the home improvement market?  What happens to established window installers, many of which are struggling to generate enough business as it is?

I am talking about Tesco of course.  The global brand that generates £1 billion sales per week and makes circa £3.5 billion pre-tax profit per year – greater than the entire size of the window industry.

Tesco Home Services has now launched and promises to provide homeowners with quality home improvements through a network of approved partners. Oh, and Tesco Clubcard points too.  If and when Tesco roll this out nationally, it could change the home improvement industry. 

The implications are far reaching.  Installers who sign up as partners could have all the sales leads they could ever cope with, and sales conversion rates they can only dream about.  Homeowners trust Tesco. So will this benefit or mark the end of organisations such as the Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme? (DGCOS), Insurance Backed Warranty providers (IBG’s) and online lead generation sites? What about the product manufacturers? Will Tesco control the supply chain? 

Many won’t take this move seriously. But this would be a mistake.  With over 280,000 UK staff, along with their family and friends, they already have a captive market before launching the service. 

So why has Tesco moved into home improvements? Well why not. They have recently launched their own record label, movie company, and a chain of hairdressing/beauty salons. They acquired a 24-strong chain of major garden centres. And Tesco Bank provides mortgages, loans, credit cards and insurance. Lots of insurances. So why not home improvements? 

It won’t happen overnight. But it will happen. I would welcome your views on this, please comment below, and you can visit the Tesco Home Services website here:  www.tescohomeservices.com

Andrew Scott, Managing Director, Insight Data Ltd.

Market research, trends, and analysis for the window and conservatory industry. www.insightdata.co.uk

“Not all of these companies have gone bust” points out Insight’s sales manager Sonia Punter; “many business owners and sole traders have simply retired or shut-up shop, but the trend is still upwards.”

The number of companies changing their details, moving premises or changing their key staff is also increasing.  “There are now some 1,200 changes to the Insight UK fenestration database every month, which is 20% higher than two years ago” adds Sonia.

With so many changes occurring every month, suppliers can find their marketing results deteriorate very quickly – targeting companies who have moved or ceased trading simply wastes time and money. “At Insight Data our telephone research team continuously verify the details held on our databases, meaning our clients only access the very latest market intelligence and spend their marketing budget more effectively as a result.”

Don’t waste time targeting 320 dead companies, call Insight Data today on 01934 808 293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk and access the most accurate data on the market today.

Insight Data

‘Credit Manager’ is the innovative new facility that enables users to see a financial snapshot of potential customers in real-time using an easy to read and understand format – ideal for non financial people. This move officially makes Insight Data the only data provider in the window industry to offer such a credit feature and according to Insight’s Sales Manager, Sonia Punter it will help companies avoid wasting time and money chasing new business from high risk customers.

Sonia elaborates: “Everyone will have come across bad payers at one time or another.  You spend money creating leads, your sales team follow them up and after meetings, negotiations, product samples and a great deal of time and effort your accounts department credit checks the new customer and they’ve got a bad credit score.”

“This laborious process can be avoided with Credit Manager. Powered by one of Europe’s leading Credit Reference Agencies, Credit Manager links to Salestracker, Insight’s online prospect database, and is available as an optional extra for subscribers to our UK window, door, conservatory and IGU databases.

Credit Manager provides key information including credit score, credit rating, date established and details of any County Court Judgements meaning your sales team work smarter not harder” concludes Sonia. 

For more information on Credit Manager call Insight Data on 01934 808293 or  email info@insightdata.co.uk

Follow us on twitter (www.twitter.com/insightdata) or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

 Our research team and data analyst work on behalf of clients on a wide range of projects including;

• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Reputation analysis – market review of your business and products
• Specific research into products or markets
• New product pre-launch research
• Trend and data analysis

And as the first and only data and direct marketing company in the fenestration and building industry to be awarded membership of the Direct Marketing Association you can be assured that every project is carried out to the highest professional standards.

To arrange a bespoke research project for your company call Sonia on 01934 808293 or email info@insightdata.co.uk

Traditionally, the most common form of direct marketing has been direct mail. However, according to the findings of a recent Marketing GAP Report, 51% of consumers now state that email is their favoured means of being contacted by companies, pushing direct mail into second place. That being said, direct mail has grown 137% in the last 10 years. Which begs the question, when it comes to direct marketing which is best?

Let us give you some Insight…

One of direct mail’s biggest advantages is its ability to make personal one-to-one contact with your prospect. Other direct mail advantages include:

- Highly targeted - using carefully developed lists, you can target your mailings more selectively than you can with most other media
- More personal - not only can letters be personalized but you can use more informal language in writing your letter and direct it to the specific interest of the reader
- List of loyal customers - direct mail allows you to build and maintain a list of prime prospects for your future direct mail campaigns
- Quick to produce - you can prepare and mail a small promotion within days or weeks.

Then again, e-marketing can help you deliver the right content to the right prospect at the right time and continuously achieve high response rates. Perhaps that would explain why Microsoft sends out over 20 million email marketing pieces every month.  Other advantages of email marketing include:

- Lower cost – costs incurred in designing, executing, testing, sending and receiving an email campaign can be up to 78% less than a paper-based direct mail version
- Measurable results – special tools are available that accurately measure open rate and click-through rate, enabling you to assess the success of different email campaigns
- Opt-in or unsubscribe options – emails contain opt-in and unsubscribe options which help you to shortlist your prospects and reach only the ones genuinely interested in your offerings
- Faster response – time to receive responses through email is one to three days, while a direct mail campaign would take minimum 7 to 12 days to generate any responses

So what’s the verdict? Here at Insight, we have found that our clients get much better results when they combine direct mail and e-marketing. The best tactic is to send out direct mail and follow up with an email campaign a few days later. This way, you don’t put all your eggs in one basket and give yourself a much better chance of gaining a response.

To discuss your marketing strategy call us now 01934 808293, email info@insightdata.co.uk or visit http://www.insightdata.co.uk/insight-data-marketing-services.htm

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