Like many other sectors, the window industry has seen a barrage of new regulations, tighter controls and new standards to maintain in recent years. While some perceive this as political correctness gone mad, many forwardthinking companies are implementing “Best Practice” policies to embrace these standards and improve their business in an increasingly competitive market place.

Until now, Marketing Best Practice has been widely overlooked in the window industry but this is set to change. Insight Data is the first and only data supplier in the industry to be awarded membership of the Direct Marketing Association – the UK’s leading authority for direct marketing. Only 900 of the UK’s 10,000 marketing service companies are members of the DMA. Membership involved a rigorous application process over several months; and we feel it clearly demonstrates our commitment to the highest quality data, regulatory compliance and Best Practice which we believe is vitally important to our customers and the industry as a whole.

After all, you wouldn’t consider using an accountant without any qualifications, so why carry out marketing using data from non-accredited suppliers? Insight can advise customers on every aspect of direct marketing and how to use the Insight database to maximise results, whilst complying with the latest regulations.

For more information visit www.insightdata.co.uk or contact Insight Data on 01934 808293

2010 proved a volatile year for the window and conservatory industry. Difficult economic conditions, low consumer confidence and continued decline in volume all had an impact.

Fabricators

There was significant movement in fabricator activity during 2010. The number of window/door fabricators declined slightly to 4,552 and 34% changed their details during the year. PVC-u fabricators declined slightly to 1,844 companies while the number of aluminium fabricators increased. The number of PVC-u fabricators who dual-source systems rose by 53% while 649 fabricators now manufacture more than one material – PVC-u, aluminium or timber.

Conservatory roof fabricators had a difficult year with a 20% drop in the number of PVC-u/aluminium fabricators to 449 companies.

Installers

The number of window and door installers actually rose slightly to 12,548 although volume per installer dropped. Installers have diversified and now supply a wider range of home improvement products. 55% of installers changed their details during 2010.

The East Midlands region has the highest number of installers at 1,595 followed closely by the North West, while Northern Ireland had the least at 194.

It must be noted that the number of builders and contractors now actively involved in window, door and conservatory installations has increased substantially, however these have not been included in this report. Insight has a separate database of local builders and contractors for those that wish to target this sector.

Find out more about the Insight window and conservatory fabricator and installer database. Visit www.insightdata.co.uk or call 01934 808293

According to latest reports, social media has become a key part of many marketing strategies, yet few companies believe they are fully embracing the medium. In fact, just a fraction of companies in the window industry are using social media as a marketing tool, despite Facebook having over 500 million users and Twitter approaching 100 million Tweets per day.

Traditional ways of doing business is changing, and companies need to adapt. Insight Data are fully embracing social media and are already avid Tweeters and Bloggers, with plans to move into video blogging in the coming months.

Check out our Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/insightdata

There is no point using old data to win new customers. Yet many prospect databases are surprisingly out of date which can cost your company a great deal of time and money.

Salestracker is the world’s first online database for the window industry that is updated live in real time. As Insight Data’s research team interview a contact on the Insight database, the information is instantly updated on Salestracker. This means every time you want to send a mailshot, email campaign, telesales campaign, or your sales team wants to visit potential customers; you simply log-on and access the most accurate, up-to date information.

Salestracker contains detailed information on 60,000 prospects, including over 15,000 fabricators and installers, with in depth analysis on products, volumes and even preferred window/roof systems. You simply subscribe to the Insight database and regions that are most relevant to your business.

But it’s not just about data. Salestracker is also a web-based CRM system which means you can manage leads, attach quotes or call reports, manage tasks and handle your sales and marketing activity. Salestracker is the only prospect database in the window industry to be developed and managed in-house, rather than using a third-party software supplier.

For more information and a free demo, call 01934 808293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

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

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But is it hurting your business?

It was Charles Caleb Colton who first said “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” way back in the 19^th Century.  Yet, it seems to be alive and well in the 21^st Century, whether its in fashion, music, or business.

It is, of course, a tribute to the success of individuals or companies when others copy them. In business, small companies will often copy market leaders, aspiring to have their level of success.  Of course, this rarely happens, as it is the research, development, innovation and investment that creates the market leaders in the first place, and by the time others try to copy and catch-up, market leaders will already have moved on.

Take Insight Data.  Established in late 2006 the company became firmly established as the leading supplier of prospect data to the window industry within three years, overtaking companies established well over 10 years.

We were the first window industry supplier to provide data with monthly updates, and a year later our competitors followed suit.  By then, we had already invested £150,000 in developing Salestracker, the World’s first online prospect database for the window industry, back in 2008.  One small competitor reacted by attacking us, claiming that users should avoid web-based systems and stick to traditional desktop formats such as MS Access. Yet, two years later they have been forced to shamefully back-track and introduce a basic online version of their own databases, managed by a third-partyIT company for them.

Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery but in business it can be a dangerous game. Imagine if your suppliers simply copied products from the market leaders without the vision, innovation or investment to “paddle their own canoe”.  Your business will always trail behind your competitors who put their trust in those visionary companies who do invest, who do innovate, and who do lead the market.

At Insight Data, we have continued to strengthen our position further as market leader.  By developing Salestracker in-house with our own software team we’ve already launched the next generation packed with advanced new features that help our customers win millions of pounds in new business.  We’ve invested in a state-of-the-art telephone research centre to ensure our customers have the most accurate, up-to-date market intelligence, and we’ve invested in a direct mail fulfilment centre and digital marketing studio so that our customers benefit from the very best of off-line and on-line marketing. And we’re investing in the future – in new technology, innovation, new databases and better ways of doing business.

Think carefully about choosing suppliers who simply imitate. While as market leaders, we appreciate the flattery, if you want your business to stay ahead of the game – instead of playing catch-up – perhaps the wisest move is to team up with those suppliers who do lead from the front.

For more information on how we help clients win new customers and stay ahead of their competitors, call 01934 808293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk