Marketing in the Window Film Business

Commercial Marketing in the Window Film Business

In the early days commercial installations were the first prize as the quantity of film installed on a building was usually quite substantial, when compared to car tinting, which uses a small amount of film. As distributors and installers of window film, the name of the game was to move as much bulk film as possible and the commercial market was the one to target.

Numerous ways of getting to the market were available. However, the bottom line was “how to get the maximum amount of film installed for the least amount of money spent on advertising”

The first plan of action was to survey all industrial and commercial areas within our vicinity. We chose an area and we set out in our car with our tape recorder and camera on hand. We drove from street to street within that area, locating all buildings with large expanses of glass which obviously suffered from heat and glare problems encountered in buildings. We recorded the name of the company, the address, the direction the windows were facing, as well as taking a photograph of the outside of the building. We continued this exercise until we had saturated the complete area. On returning to the office we would call these companies, which was an easy exercise as we recorded their phone numbers while driving around.

We enquired who the Managing Director or CEO of the company was and we endeavoured to write a letter to the “kingpin” of the company informing him that during a recent survey we found that his building had large expanses of glass. We continued to explain to him that while this glass enhanced the natural look of his building, the same glass has two very distinct disadvantages. In the summer months windows allow an enormous amount of heat to pass through them, creating uncomfortable hot offices which reduces productivity and creates fatigue. Airconditioning costs become prohibitive and personnel efficiency reduces.

We also went on to explain to him that at any moment, especially in South Africa, windows could shatter whether the cause be natural disaster, industrial explosion or terrorist bomb attack, stoning by dissatisfied union members – the results are always the same – sharp fragments of broken glass injuring personnel and creating damage to property.

We also brought his attention to the Machinery Act which requires certain windows to be shaded in production facilities as the bright sunlight creates problems for workers eyes as well as causes skin cancer from direct sunlight.

Also included in the package was a photograph of their building showing reflective film on their windows to enable them to see the improved aesthetics of their building. This was done by our art department and was very effective in creating attention when opening the package.

These letters were registered and posted directly to the owners. Under normal circumstances when an owner of a company receives a registered letter they take it serious and make and urgent plan to have the letter collected from the local Post Office.

The object of this marketing exercise was to get the facts to the owner who had to make a decision one way or another. If he decided against it, not much wasted time had been utilised trying to get somebody at the bottom of the company with promises to present it to the board.

This exercise cut out all unnecessary wasted time as the campaign got directly to the decision maker. If the decision maker was interested he would pass this on to the correct person in the company and when we got the enquiry it all of a sudden became urgent as the boss needed a quote and had shown an interest in the product.

The above is called “smart” marketing, as no time was wasted in dealing with lower management who were not able to make a decision.

Further innovative marketing ideas vist our YouTube video - Klingshield's jingle song -Our work you gonna celebrate

Additional information may be obtained by contacting us.