I was at the John Fredericks seminar a couple of weeks ago, and one of the speakers mentioned something which was very simple, but probably one of the most attractive ways to market our wares: ‘we’re selling a lifestyle’.

That person (forgot her name!) is absolutely bang on. Double glazing is a term which carries 0% coolness! But ‘lifestyle’ brings with it a certain degree of class and respectability, something which double glazing will always find useful. The term is correct though. A new orangery, new windows to the house or even just a front door, these are additions to a home which will be used in everyday life, not just on the odd occasion, so we should be marketing our products as lifestyle improvement products and not just simply ‘windows and doors’.

Of course, getting the consumer to consider these things as ‘lifestyle’ products won’t happen straight away. Our industry has garnered itself a very tacky and undesirable image over the last couple of decades that is going to take more than a new range of lifestyle brochures to remove. Still, time to lay the seeds now and start portraying our industry as one which is very important and desirable for the home and not just one of those things that people put off until they really have to get their windows and doors replaced.

If you have noticed, the more recent Everest and Anglian TV ads have been based around a lifestyle theme as opposed to the more clinical energy saving and tacky ‘discount’ orientated ads. As far a adverts about windows go, the most recent Everest one is really quite good. All based around home scenes, the advantages to the home new windows give. It’s well produced, professional and what an advert for our industry should be. But importantly it is putting the focus of the ad on the home, which is going to emphasize the ‘lifestyle’ angle. All new marketing material, not just TV ads, but leaflets, brochures, websites and everything else, also needs to be changed to become more home orientated to help push the new image our industry deserves.