The webinar was hosted by Dave Yoho Associates, a noted leader in helping companies in a variety of sales strategies. Dave Yoho, president and Brian Smith, senior account executive, were on hand to share their expertise along with Tim Musch, director of business development at Market Sharp.

Attendees were able to submit questions in advance so speakers knew the most important issues to focus on. They received 83 questions on lead generation, and more than 20 questions each on both financing and legal issues.

Regarding leads, Yoho outlined for attendees how to get from no to maybe to yes. Smith suggested companies use a lead map to help them on this journey. The sample map he showed attendees helps companies know when to follow up with leads, etc., categorize by customers sold, unsold, etc.

The speakers also stressed the importance of “sticking to the script” as these give “consistent predictable results.”

Another important selling strategy? “Make sure your sales reps just don’t sell your base model—increase the ticket size,” says Yoho. “One contact brings in one million dollars annually by change orders alone.”

Another topic of conversation was the use of creative financing and how this can help create sales.

“A homeowner always thinks an improvement will be half of what it is,” says Smith. “If that’s what they set aside and they don’t have the extra five thousand, for example, they will say they have to think about it. That’s where financing comes in. It also provides for an upsell opportunity.”

He went so far to say that a sales rep should start writing up the order and give customers the option of plan A or B to increase the likelihood of closing a sale.

Have you found success in any of these areas? Post a comment below and tell us what upsell and lead generation techniques work for you.

Pinterest offers window film companies a variety of networking opportunities in addition to a digital portfolio.

While many companies have become comfortable using social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn to bolster their brands, one newer site on the horizon may promise much more for window film retailers. Pinterest—a website that allows users to save images and information they find attractive to special boards—may be the new Internet-based solution for companies looking to generate leads and bolster clientele. The window film industry can benefit from the site, which is rapidly growing in popularity while offering free marketing and advertising opportunities.

With an estimated 25 million users to date, Pinterest is the fastest-growing social media site. Forbes even called it “the next social media giant.”

Additionally, a recent Nielsen study shows that Pinterest unique usage has ballooned over the past year, up 1,047 percent for PC visitors, 1,698 percent for mobile app users and an astounding 4,225 percent for mobile web visitors. Other popular websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, did not see anywhere near as significant of changes at -4 percent and +13 percent, respectively.

So what does this mean for the window film industry?

According to research published in the Huffington Post, “Pinterest referrals spend 70 percent more money than visitors referred from non-social channels.”

The same article states, “Pinterest pins with prices get 36 percent more likes than those without,” and goes on to add, “69 percent of online consumers who visit Pinterest have found an item they’ve bought or wanted to buy, compared with 40 percent of Facebook users.”

Just how are window film dealers benefitting from the site?

For starters, Carrollton, Texas-based Ameritint has seen repins from big-name door and window companies such as JELD-WEN, further spreading their company name and brand across industries.

“I think it’s a great medium to get your information out and let you have a better following,” says Beth Kopitzke, marketing assistant for Ameritint. “It’s a good site for spreading knowledge of our products and services.”

“Mostly we’re getting people kind of shopping around right now since it’s the slow season. I’m still learning on the business side how we can use Pinterest but I plan to continue using it and link it through our website,” says Kopitzke.

As for tailoring her company’s page to best suit the business, Kopitzke says, “Most of our boards are for films we utilize and installs we do. We pin anything on saving energy, anything to give our clients or anyone looking to save money on energy overall awareness. Some of the other boards are services we offer that our customers may not be aware of, such as detailing.”

Branding has been a major benefit for Seattle-based WrapJax, which specializes in vehicle wraps and window graphics.

“It’s a very good platform for branding our company as well as showing our work,” says Jason Scott, co-founder and director of sales and marketing for WrapJax. “I get a pretty steady stream of repins of images we’re posting on the site. It’s an amazing way to engage customers.”

Source: Fahrenheit Marketing

The ease of use for multiple social media platforms is also attractive, says Scott.

“We use Pinterest in conjunction with Facebook; we try to use as much social media as we can,” he says. “It’s free advertising. I do a fair amount of research and continue to do more as we prepare to launch version 3.0 of the WrapJax website to include more social media sites for our customers and potential customers.”

Seeing how major brands such as Nike have used Pinterest to develop a following has been a source of inspiration for Scott.

“I’ve been doing a lot of research on companies that are really successful with their Pinterest marketing; really large brands are utilizing Pinterest and have a formula they’re using and engaging with their customer base who is turning around and maximizing their visibility on Pinterest. I think it’s a worthy social media environment for any business to utilize,” he says.

Attending the IWFC provided me the chance to meet some of you as well as learn about the trade. Watching you all in action was such a unique experience.

As I gear up for my first SEMA Show, I’m excited to see not only who, but what will be there. One of my favorite experiences from IWFC was installing a clear PPF bra on a BMW hood at one of the vendor booths. I hope there are more experiences like this at SEMA.

When considering the differences between IWFC to SEMA, I wondered if all of you have a type of show that you prefer more: automotive or architectural? One question I keep coming back to is: what do you guys want to see at these shows? When I report on the event, what kind of coverage are you hoping to see? Be sure to answer today’s poll about what you most look forward to seeing at trade shows.

While I continue to learn about the window film industry, I invite you to share your answers with me. If you ever have any questions or comments about something that has been covered in either the newsletter or the magazine please feel free to email me at cneeley@glass.com. I enjoy reading your comments and learning about your perspectives.

Check out today’s poll and let Window Film magazine know what you most look forward to seeing at trade shows.

McDonald opened her session by sharing, “I’m really passionate about customer service because … although you can’t control the economy, you can’t control the stock market … the one thing that is in your control is the customer service experience.” That experience can be improved by everyone, she said, because we all have a customer, whether that person is your boss, the team you work for or the consumers walking into your shop.

McDonald also pointed to the common thought that “customer service is dead” and pointed out that really it’s just “suffering,” as technology makes it easier to live in isolation. “We’re losing our ability to be polite and courteous with one another,” she commented.

In truth, though, the customer service landscape has simply changed. Customers no long just want to speak to a customer service representative (CSR) who is simply polite and responsive-they are seeking speed, efficiency, accuracy and personal attention as well. “The customer service bar continues to be raised higher and higher,” McDonald said.

McDonald went on to highlight six key reasons why customer service matters: it makes a business more stable, it helps to grows business, it makes businesses more profitable, healthier and happier, and it helps to better brand a business.

Among the tips she offered for improving your customer service, McDonald advised that managers frequently check in with their CSRs and technicians, the people who are on the frontline interfacing with customers, to ask about the positive and negative comments they overhear about what the customer really wants. She also advised hiring those employees who show signs of outstanding service, since on-the-job training can provide skills specific to the job. You need to be selective and hire the people who match and believe in your company’s vision, she advised, adding, “I find the people who are the right kind of people and figure that I can teach them the job.”

In the end, excellent customer service is necessary, McDonald said, because “study after study shows that people will pay for better customer service.” She added, “Other people do what you do, probably pretty well, too, so the one thing that can really differentiate you … is customer service.”

Following McDonald’s presentation, Monika Baraket, an online marketing strategist with Forge3, looked at growing and maintaining a customer base through a session on “Using Digital Avenues to Market Your Business.”

She began by explaining, “The bad news is that technology is confusing, and you guys don’t really have a lot of time, you’re busy running your business. … The good news is that business hasn’t really changed, the tools that you’re using have changed.”

Baraket noted that today’s consumer is “already empowered with a lot of information before they even walk through your door or pick up the phone.” Using digital avenues such as social media can help those tech-savvy consumers to connect with your business as a resource. She advised that auto glass shops considering jumping into social media first pick one platform, such as Facebook or Twitter, and observe what works and what doesn’t. However, she cautioned, “Having a presence to just to have it can hurt you more than not being on these social media platforms.”

Baraket also added that a social media strategy should be just one piece of a marketing plan, and should tie into the strategy you have already in place. In deciding what platform to use, she suggested contacting customers with a brief survey to first see where they are and what their needs might be. The biggest suggestion, however, was to focus on outlining strong content.

Baraket suggested thinking outside the box, providing information not just about repairing windshield chips or replacement information, but also information about glass cleaning or fun photos of things seen on the job or even a joke of the day that might draw readers into continuously checking your site and staying connected to your community.

Baraket finished by explaining that social media has slow but powerful growth, and encouraged her audience to be patient as they connected to their audience through these new tools.