I’m always a little dubious when it comes to TV advertising of home improvement products. Some are good, some really are not. When it comes to windows and doors specifically, I can’t really say I’ve seen one that I watched and been genuinely impressed with.
I think the problem lies in how most of them go about advertising the product. A lot focus too much on the product itself. Unlike the new Homebase advert. Seen it? If not, it’s worth spending a minute to watch it:
Lifestyle, not product
Rather than the focus being on the product itself, Homebase tells the story about the effect that product has on the people at home. In comparison, just about every window and door advert I’ve seen on TV focuses more on the product, or more often than not, discounts and sales.
They don’t mention price. No sales. No discounts. Just the effects those products have at home. And surely that is the point? Whenever we buy a product it’s not because we just want to own it. We buy something because it will have an effect on our lives, no matter how big or small that effect is.
Instead, our industry has worn the well tread road of using sales and discounts to pull the punters in. Not many mentions of how the products will change the way the purchaser lives in their home. One or two, but not many.
I think if industry advertising focused more on lifestyle and less on the cheap and tacky stuff, the perception of our sector would be a bit more improved.
I totally agree. The way windows, doors and conservatories are generally sold to the public is just not helpful to either the customer or the industry. I still cringe now when I think of a very painful 6-months spent trying to sell hugely over inflated doors and windows for a company well known for their incredible price drop on the night. . Not only was it a tedious and boring process but I couldn’t believe that the company still thought people actually fell for this nonsense of pretending to ring the manager at 10.00pm (the speaking clock) for a special… Read more »
I agree with this, but for me it is the fact that the larger companies always try and get the consumer to buy what they really don’t need. I repair and refurbish windows and doors for a living, and get customers who always say they require replacements and ask for a quotation. The majority of companies they already get quotes for, price them at a premium for replacement – when one simply isn’t needed. The perception of a lot of people, is that if their windows or doors are broken, then they will need them replaced. If their is a… Read more »
Thank you Paul; i couldn’t agree with you more!
This is the direction the industry needs to move in. Everything else comes second to ethics, because ALL business is based upon trust. Betraying that trust causes great damage to our industry and to our society at large.
Anyone, or any organisation which claims to represent this industry needs to take this on board. No excuses!