2011 was such a negative year for the industry. It was hard for many to see the start of 2012 being any better. But, at the end of January, I’m glad to say that from my personal experience and from what I can gauge on Twitter, the start of this year has been surprisingly better than we thought it would be.

When money is tight for the general public right now, lead levels have been high. Certainly higher than January of 2011, and I think we can put that down to having a far kinder winter than the terrible one we had last year. Snow and ice hasn’t stopped companies from fitting and it hasn’t stopped people venturing out of their homes and into the showrooms of the country’s double glazing firms.

Customers also seem to have found their spending attitudes again. Rather than the odd door or couple of windows, the leads so far this year have been for full house replacements or total house renovations/re-builds. Despite money worries, part of the buying public still seem determined to press ahead with the bigger project – which I’m sure is good news for everyone!

There is definitely a more positive vibe on the social networks, with companies reporting busy phone lines, full diaries and fitting weeks in advance. Whilst there are many companies still struggling to cope with the last few years worth of tough trading conditions, there are some which are plowing ahead with aggressive business plans which so far seem to be paying off for some.

From a personal view point. January has been good to me. Whilst my day job has kept the tax man at bay, I have also been able to move things forward with my site. I am glad to have a new home for my blog, with a whole new feel, layout and a higher degree of professionalism. I am also hoping to gain a few sponsors on the way, to help a young lad in a tough industry make his way in life!

Share the positivity! Let me know if you’ve found that January has been better than you thought it would be!