The installer market has changed dramatically over the last few years and is set to change exponentially in the coming years too. There are several trends that are now converging that will ignite this industry-changing growth in a positive way for those dynamic, strategic thinking companies – but will have an adverse effect on those legacy manufacturers and suppliers who are not agile enough in their brand development and communications strategy.
The increase in green products, driven by consumer choice and regulation is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, but so too is increased consumer awareness and greater competitiveness at channel level. All this has converged to create a new duality in marketing that, where previously desired, is now essential.
Richard Stevenson, MD of Quick Brown Fox PR, has been in involved with brands across the installer market for nearly twenty years. “It’s an exciting time for the industry,” he says “The installer market can learn a lot about this rapidity of new idea adoption from other verticals that have been through a similar seismic change.”
With cross vertical experience and journalistic backgrounds, Quick Brown Fox PR has been helping light up their clients’ brands for nearly two decades. “Customers’ expectations have changed,” Richard added. “They no longer compare X and Y products within market. They compare best of class across all markets. For example, they don’t compare Miele versus Bosch on delivery times, or Dewalt or Milwaukee on what’s sitting on the trade counter. They compare product delivery times to Amazon or Uber, and powertools to the hundreds of on-line reviews across multiple brands.
Another way that customer expectations have changed is at point of sale or specification. Whereas before they could have visited a local designer or wholesaler because they were local, and would have a choice of, say, three products, they now have access to a global library of products, reviews and information. They research designers and will travel up to fifty miles, ignoring several more local ones, based on their Google reviews, research has shown. So how does the industry channel use this to its advantage?
“This duality means that, where manufacturers’ main focus was always on the B2B channel, there is a need now to give equal measure to the B2C side to create more holistic value for all parties. Solid PR and reviews in the consumer press like the national dailies, lifestyle magazines and so on build the brand reputation and create the desire. The B2B side needs to focus on bringing that positive consumer engagement to the channel, alongside clearly communicating the differentiators in its offering, support, and margins
“Quick Brown Fox PR has been leveraging this duality across multiple verticals for many years very successfully and we are always happy to have a conversation with manufacturers and suppliers who want to strategically leverage the opportunities of this dynamic market over the next momentum shift.”
If you would like to talk to Richard at Quick Brown Fox PR about grabbing the opportunity of the next seismic momentum change then he can be reached at 07974 926157 or hello@quickbrownfoxpr.com
