Decision makers like ‘pretty windows’

Roy Frost, MD of Deceuninck UK explains why thinking of who you are really selling to changes the dynamics of how you sell windows

According to IPC Media’s GenerationYnot! Report, 93% of UK women aged between 40 and 60 make all, or most, of the purchasing decisions in their family. This includes the big things like cars and financial products and ‘big ticket’ items like home improvements. This group represents 8.5 million UK women, a third of the female population. So, why isn’t more home improvement marketing aimed at women? When it comes to financial marketing, expert Jane Cunningham says three quarters of women don’t think the products or services are designed for them. According to Marketing Week magazine, most sectors are still getting it wrong: “Too many brands concentrate on female stereotypes, treating women as a homogenous group rather than individuals. Worse, they are often ignored by marketers, or patronised with a ‘pink it and shrink it’ approach.”

Women, apparently, think and act differently to men. Men generally like facts and rational argument. Women, on the other hand are less linear and more intuitive when it comes to making purchase decisions. They shop around, warm to people-friendly brands and most definitely don’t like to be stereotyped or patronised. But then, who does? The Americans, it appears, worked this out long ago. DIY giant Lowe’s has been publicly lauded for its intelligent and forward-thinking approach to marketing to women, which it pioneered back in the 80s. Indeed, the US think tank The TrendSight Group cites Lowe’s as an example of best practice. In the US, 80% of all home improvement decisions are made by women. Research suggests that women decide around 75% of all big ticket home improvements in the UK. And, according to research conducted by another leading home improvement brand, Ace Hardware, US women not only decide what to buy, they spend more – up to 50% more – than men.

According to TrendSight: “Lowe’s recognised the power of women consumers long before anyone else caught on — and they keep innovating with new marketing-to-women strategies: from store design to advertising, from friendly sales staff to community outreach programmes.” In a continued drive to talk to their female customers, Lowe’s and others have moved away from the traditional ‘hard’ sell of catalogues and price-focused messaging, to a softer, more female-friendly approach where ‘house’ becomes ’home’ and ‘construction’ becomes ‘creative’. Deceuninck is well known for its ‘pretty windows’. It offers them in a choice of four systems, not the usual two, to suit all properties, and in a wide range of colours. The IPC Media report shows why good-looking innovative products with masses of kerbside appeal so strongly to decision makers. Thinking of who you are really selling to changes the dynamics of how you sell windows – and why Deceuninck’s famous ‘pretty windows’ sell so well.

It also helps to explain why colour is becoming increasingly important. In a recent mini-poll by DIY Week, nearly half the respondents said: “Consumers are using more colour when they decorate their home.” Demand for colour in the UK is moving up from 20% towards 25% of total volume. However, in Ireland and Scotland colour is around 48% and in Europe colour is now around 70% of volume.

Deceuninck leads in colour. Our customers sell 50% more colour on average than the industry. One reason is we make it easy for customers to sell colour. We keep it in stock along with the coloured cills and ancillaries to go with it. And we sell them all in single lengths of profile so it is easy for fabricators and installers to sell colour. Our Colour Express range includes nine foiled colours in stock in our warehouse in Wiltshire, and all the combinations – foiled inside and out, and foil on white – plus a huge range to order. We have it in stock so we can put it on your next order, just as if it was white profile. We also have great-looking products in colours that appeal to British tastes. Our unique Colour360 painted profile represents a new generation of ‘all over colour’ where windows look as good open as they do closed. This new range comes with a contemporary textured matt finish and is available in nine colours from stock, including two bi-colours. It gives our customers another opportunity to sell more.

Tel: 07818 383385

www.AskRoyFrost.com