Have you noticed the flow of manufacturing back to the UK? Especially in our industry? Solidor doors produced in Stoke. Storm windows by Evolution hand made in Biggleswade. John Fredericks frames fabricated in Huddersfield. Steel windows made in England for well over 100 years. Why is this important? You could say that items produced in this country are better made, and there is a very strong case for that. Just look at all that important stuff from China. But the fact that products made in Britain isn’t the biggest factor. It runs much deeper than that.
It’s All About Sentiment
It’s often said that people buy with their emotions. Once a person feels they have made a connection with a product, their decisions to buy that product is all but made. And it is that sentiment with “made in Britain” that strikes so strongly with people in this country.
For the last two centuries the UK has built up an extremely strong reputation for quality manufacturing, strong exports, and with it, a sense of national pride in the stuff we make and sell around the world. It is only over the last few decades where it could be argued that we’ve let our standards slip a bit and relied too much on cheaper imports of a lesser quality. However, that tide is quickly turning and our industry is spotting the importance.
Say both of these: “made in China” and “made in Britain”. In yourself you know the second one sounds better, and that’s the drum we need to be banging more in front of customers. I know not every nut and bolt in every window and door isn’t made in the UK (yet) but plenty of other items are. Panels, frames, traditional ironmongery, thresholds etc. All major component of what we sell, made right here on these shores. It is that which we need to be making a great big deal about.
Confidence In The Phrase
The phrase “made in Britain” instills an air of confidence like very few phrases can, at least in this country. Do you have products in your portfolio made here? Are you using that as a USP? If you are, fantastic. If you’re not, then why not? It’s a tag that commands such a high level of respect and pride no other tag can. Use it to your advantage. Use it over your competitors who might be using all that cheap imported stuff that’s built to last about as long the British summer!
Made in Britain is a brand that’s very much here to stay and grow in strength over the coming years as the economy hardens and recovers. You now have companies specialising in the promotion of products made in this country, such as www.madeingb.org.
MIB is a great sales angle and it will only grow more popular and useful as we fall back in love with things made in this country, and that includes windows and doors!
