The Winter of Our Discount

Is there a doctor in the house, because it’s the “slow” season for the window film industry and every business owner will become laser focused on keeping their phones ringing and their employees as gainfully employed as possible. No one ever said this would be easy.

Planning Ahead

You can absorb all of the suggestions you may have heard or read online. I’ve heard them, read them and have said them all, but the harsh reality is when you face making payroll every week, particularly when it’s cold outside.

There are actions you can and can’t control and it’s up to you to determine which ones fall into the right category, or you’ll spend a lot of time spinning your wheels.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to steal ideas from successful window film companies for decades. I’ve found there are no magic cures for seasonal slowdowns and it doesn’t appear that some incredibly smart person has figured all of this out yet.

In a perfect world you would operate in a large city with a warm climate and little to no competition. You would’ve covered all of the bases in having a perfect website, incredible social networking and a winning combination of online and direct marketing that excites the masses.

You and your sales staff would be well versed in all aspects of the business and your supplier would be a terrific manufacturer of durable films that meet all of your client’s expectations. And, of course, as the owner of your business you have everything figured out and your company is an absolute pleasure to deal with.

Of course this isn’t a “perfect world” and the challenge is to get your company into a position where your winning opportunities are well positioned when compared to the competition in your town.

Critical Steps

There are important steps you should consider when your business slows down during the cold season when folks aren’t exactly knocking down your door for window film.

The typical play for many dealers is to slow down their marketing efforts until spring. I’d suggest a strategy that counters slow season acceptance syndrome.

Consider low-E solutions that focus on keeping the heat inside of the home while countering ultra violet and glare problems. Designer films and branding solutions that employ architectural graphic films are not influenced by the seasons and should be incorporated into your solutions portfolio.

Consider running winter sales and off-season discounts that appeal to consumers who recognize the value of a great deal, since they understand that off-season discounting is common for many industries. Consider contacting your customer base for additional work. This may be challenging if you didn’t keep their contact information current but there is frequently “gold in them thar hills.”

If you’ve been dilly dallying with your online presence this may be a great time to tweak your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and GOOGLE.

Don’t kid yourself, this is the number one way consumers will find your company in 2019-2020.

Cold calls. Yes, everyone hates making them, but commercial businesses are easily targeted and while it might be painful to accomplish you might be surprised at the potential sales that can be generated. More importantly, your direct competition is as unlikely as you are to be doing this on a steady basis.

Consider contracting with programs that highlight commercial and government bids in your marketing area. These projects tend to be less seasonal and you may find significant opportunities right under your nose.

Just remember if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. This can be the winter that you change your future!

Mike Feldman is the president of Advanced Film Solutions in New Port Richey, Fla.

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