How Long Left For The Industry Mags?

Anyone else noticed that the majority of industry magazines are getting thinner by the month?


Some of them are barely braking 30 pages, half of which are filled with massive adverts and repeats of stories I read months ago! I don't want to read about a company's 20th anniversary for four months running thank you very much! Nor do I want to read about the development of new screws or the delivery of a slightly different yet completely new cutting machine to a tiny little manufacturer I've never even heard of!


When I first joined the industry the magazines were filled with issues people could engage in. It would carry stories of rumour, articles that would piss people off a little and get debate going. Where has all this gone?


Luckily I write for a magazine who is trying to get back to those ways. They're trying to keep their articles fresh, no major repeats and no boring adver-articles. Obviously I'm going to be slightly biased and in Clearview's favour. But if I thought they were a backwards magazine on the way down like many of the others, I wouldn't write for them.


They've managed to scale their magazine way up over the last few issues, almost making the 100 page mark, which is about as big as an industry magazine needs to be. But they've now also launched their new website, which includes a fresh forum. The layout is clean, modern, easy to understand. Again, I know it might sound slightly biased, but I honestly am speaking truthfully.


Now to get to the point of this post. With many magazines slowly dying, and the advent of tablets and e-readers, how long will the printed word have in our industry? Clearview already have PDF versions of all their issues, as do a couple of others. Everything is becoming mobile as we all become busier during the day, so will the 25+ generation ever sit down to read the magazines, or would they prefer to read what's going on in our little word on a screen?


My personal opinion for now is that we still need print. There are still many older, techno-phobic people in our industry who will always prefer a magazine to a touch screen. But there will come a day where these people make way for people my age, who are far more used to screens than paper. It's at that point we may see the slow demise of the magazine. You never know, I might be wrong!

Businesses Can't Afford To Miss Out On Social Media In The Future

The video below shows you why businesses cannot afford to not be involved in social media in some way, shape or form. I don't need to say anything else, you just need to watch it:

The Benefits Of Social Media

The two biggest forms of social media on the planet right now are Twitter and Facebook. Both these platforms have allowed people from all over the world to get in touch with each other, share information and pictures, and just generally chat. But how have these platforms been beneficial to the world of windows?


Taking a look at Twitter first, I've always thought that it's been more of a tool for those in the profession to contact other like-minded people, rather than it be a form of advertising to potential customers. Not everyone in this country is on Twitter like they are Facebook. Being limited to only 140 characters puts a big restraint on how much information you can put across. Also, customers looking for a full house of windows and doors aren't going to buy on the basis on what is said in 140 characters. However I do believe it's been a great tool for those in the industry who wish to communicate with each other. Without Twitter, or Facebook, the only way to electronically communicate would have been through email, which is all well and good but it can be slow if the recipient isn't in front of their screen. Twitter is quicker, more concise and more accessible thanks to smart phone's carrying Twitter applications.


Facebook however, I believe has the better chance of connecting with potential customers. It doesn't have a limit to how much you can write on your company pages. You can add as many images as you wish. All the extra information you can display on your pages means you have a better chance of attracting new leads from browsing customers. It's also a more interactive platform, with things such as the 'like' button, people can join a group associated with your company, customers can post testimonials etc. But from a company to company point of view, I still believe Twitter is the better of the two platforms.


There will be some of you that agree with me and some that don't, but I'm just speaking from a personal view point. I have far more conversations with fellow professionals on Twitter than I do on Facebook. And I do give Facebook a chance as I use Tweetdeck which allows you to post to Facebook and Twitter at the same time.


What I'd really like to know is if any of you think these two social media platforms will ever have a bigger impact on company advertising and their ability to generate new leads. Or do you think they will stay in the shadow of the traditional company website?

iPad Or Playbook?

As many will know, Apple has just released the iPad 2. It looks very impressive. Two cameras, one front and back, dual-core processor, HD screen, new A5 chip. But I've also been keeping an eye on Blackberry's Playbook. It too has some impressive specs.

iPad vs Playbook Specs:

iPad:

• 7.31" wide x 9.5" tall x 0.34" deep
• Foward facing a rear cameras
• Wi-Fi with 3G and Bluetooth capability
• 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options
• Weight: 601g
• 9.7 inch (diagonal) display, LED back lit
• 1024 x 768 pix
• HDMI outlet
• A5 1Ghz dual-core processor
• 10 hour battery life
• No Adobe flash capability

Blackberry Playbook:

• 5.1" wide x 7.6" tall x 0.4" deep
• Forward and rear facing cameras
• Wi-Fi and 4G on three of the four models
• 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options
• Weight: 400g
• 7 inch LCD screen
• 1024 x 600 pix
• HDMI outlet
• A9 1Ghz dual-core processor
• 1GB memory
• Flash compatible

Those are the main stats. Here's a video comparing some of the features of the Playbook with the iPad, note that this comparison is made with the original iPad, and not the second generation, there is no such video made yet!

You would assume that the iPad 2 would match the Playbooks speed. The other factor drawing me to the Playbook is that it can pair directly to my Blackberry Torch phone. Something which the iPad 2 can't do.

My concern is that the Playbook does look quite small next to the iPad. I want to use it for demo's for when I go on leads. I think the iPad's bigger screen would do a better job.

The iPad not having Flash support is a big drawback for me. I watch a lot of videos on all sorts of different sites. I won't be able to do that with the iPad, and I don't want to keep using my laptop just to watch videos on. The Playbook doesn't have this problem.

The price of the Blackberry device is looking like it's going to be roughly the same as the new iPad.

I'm torn really. Can anyone help!?

Tablets Will Change The Way We Sell

Those with even the slightest interest in technology will know that the recent wave of tablet devices such as the iPad from Apple are revolutionising the way businesses work.


Why? Well devices like the iPad are able to do what the smaller smart-phones can't. They can do everything a laptop or PC can, quickly, efficiently and it does it mobile. Tablet devices to sales people means a lot less paperwork, a more dynamic presentation of what they have to show and they can carry out their work quicker due to 3G wireless Internet connections.


I know some sales reps are already doing demonstrations of their windows and doors to customers using tablet devices. They can easily show the customer their products, possible handing over the device to the customer so they can browse images and information for themselves, rather than the sales person controlling the browsing. Showing your window and doors images on such a clear, bright and sharp display can only help persuade your products are the ones for them. 


I'm torn currently between 2 devices. Apple are due to announce the release date and specifications of the iPad 2 soon. But I've also been looking at BlackBerry's Playbook tablet device. Their Playbook boasts a dual-core processor, the smoothest touch screen of any of the devices currently available, has a HD display, multi-touch interface and is 2 inches smaller than the iPad. This is due to be released in May according to rumours. The easiest thing to do is take a look at both closely before deciding. But seeing as I already have a BlackBerry torch, and both devices can be paired with each other, I'm leaning towards the Playbook.


The tablet device will change how we sell and how we work, because it's mobile and can do everything the old devices like laptops and PC's can do. Those keeping up with technological advancements will benefit. Those currently behind the curve need to catch up with it. Has technology ever moved forward this quickly?

500th Post: How Technology Is Changing The Double Glazing Industry

Technology over the past few years has advanced at an incredible rate. And what's more, we have embraced it so much so that if the technologies we have integrated into our lives so completely disappeared, we would find working a much more difficult task.


Probably the biggest focus of our energies at the moment is the internet. As little as ten years ago most companies would have thought the necessity of a company website to be little more than hype. But now in a world of instant information, if you aren't on the internet in the smallest way your going to be left behind very quickly. The old ways of customers looking through their Yellow Pages, Thomson or BT Phonebook for window companies has all but now gone. 


But the internet hasn't just changed the way customers look for installation companies. The relationships between installers and their suppliers has begun to change too. Take for example companies being able to order their products online, just like you can with Door-Stop's composite doors. 10 years ago, being able to specify the finest details of a door and turn it into an order online would have been inconceivable. But with the ever expanding software capabilities and speed improvements, this is now possible, and threatens to change the whole world of ordering windows and doors. I know other companies are close to setting up similar online ordering systems.


Along with the development with the internet, the way in which we can access the internet, namely the devices now available. As the internet grew and developed, phones turned into smart phones and had the capability of displaying full web pages on touch screens. Again this has made it much easier for customers to search for what they want while they are on the move. And it's not just phones. There are iPods, the very successful iPad, and all laptops with wireless internet capability. I can now order a door online, travelling on a train across Siberia...if I felt the need to do so! Again, this demonstrates how far the industry has come with the help of technology and the internet.


But it's not just the internet that has made working with windows easier. We now have laser guided measuring tools, CAD conservatory drawing software, doors that now open and lock without keys, and all the every improving manufacturing equipment. The industry must be applauded for the way it has embraced new technological advances and used them to their fullest advantage. I suspect that over the next ten years there are going to be many more changes, bringing many more new gadgets and online improvements which will shape the way the double glazing industry operates.

Could The iPad Be Used For Demos?

I've been looking into Apple's new device, the iPad, and I want one terribly! However, for about £500, I'm going to need to use it a lot to get my money's worth. So I was wondering how I could use it for work purposes.

Firstly, we are going to start using a new IT package which will allow us to price on laptops, or in this case an iPad. But there will be also online updates, again which the iPad can take advantage of. And because the iPad is an impressively quick device, pricing should take no time at all.

Then there is the demo itself. I could show DVD's, but also pictures. I've looked into the iPad's picture abilities and they are fantastic. Swapping pictures is immediate and can be done with just a swich on the screen. And the resolution is very high quality, so the pictures we show will be crystal clear.

We use our own folders for demonstrations, going through with them page by page. I'm wondering how easy it would be to let them hold the device and flick through the same pages but on the crystal clear screen. Obviously I couldn't leave it with them, but would it be a more modern way of doing a demo, or just over complicating the issue with the need of wanting a new device for the sake of it?