At the beginning of this year Wind-lock’s sales team started a new sales training program. The internet-based program is an easy, low-cost alternative to flying in a high-paid sales consultant to cram in 2 full days of training while you miss out on sales.  Topics include: “The Commodity Copout”,” Upselling Without Fear” and “The Five Why’s”.

This is the way our team does the training – every two weeks we start a new training module. The new module is introduced to the team via a conference call and WebEx meeting. We view the 8-10 minute presentation as a team and take the quiz.  After this introduction, each sales person is responsible for watching that presentation at least four times over the next two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, the team gets together again via conference call and WebEx to share success stories using the skills learned in the training and then start the next module.

These short presentations allow each sales rep to refresh their skills at a time it is convenient for them. They don’t have to fly into the office and lose 2 days of productivity, and they get to revisit the presentations any time they want.

What are you doing for sales training? If this training sounds interesting and you would like more information on it, give us a call at 800-872-5625, and ask for Tara or Jason.

-Ashley

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The truly remarkable thing about this accomplishment is the fact that the video is all about EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finishing Systems), an industry that many predicted to be dead by now.  Although many of our other videos on our YouTube channel have climbed over the 1,000 view mark, our EIFS videos are doing exceedingly well, leading us to believe that there is still an interest in these products.

What has social media taught you about the state of the industries you are affiliated with?

-Ryan

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Continuing on my gym saga, I’ll tell you that I told an employee how unhappy I was with the packed gym. Knowing that he is probably just the guy at the counter, I didn’t expect to get any type of answer that would make me happy. So, I went to the web site for the gym and emailed the gym manager – two weeks ago. I have not received any response at all, not even an acknowledgement of my email.

Now that customers have so many ways to contact you – phone, email, fax, Facebook, Twitter, Blog posts, etc. – it’s important to make sure you respond to your customers. It’s hard to keep up with so many communications channels, but the message you are sending by not responding is that the sender of the communication is not important.

Do you have a communications policy that requires response in a certain amount of time? Do you have a specific person monitoring emails to your company’s general mail box or from the web site? Don’t let your customers communications slip by unnoticed – you never know what they have to say.

-Ashley

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Click here for Mystery Pic #1.

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I joined a different gym about a year ago and changed my schedule to working out in the mornings. I go the same time every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I am greeted by the same personable employee and I see the same people working out. I have my routine – I start on cardio, move to free weights and then to some of the Nautilus machines.  At the end of April, my gym made a business decision and closed another location about 5 miles up the road. This resulted in a gym packed with more people than equipment; they also had to transfer to another location the friendly employee that had always greeted me.

Streamlining your business continues to be crucial in today’s economy, we all understand that, but make sure you know what is important to your customers and you don’t change that. Are they simply coming to you for their tools and accessories? No, they are coming to you for the service you provide, the ease of doing business with you and maybe even the layout of your location. They can go somewhere else for the same tools and accessories if they had to, but they like something about the service you provide. I don’t go to this gym for the equipment; most all gyms have the same equipment. I liked going there for the ease of not having to wait for equipment, and I enjoyed the friendly people. With those elements gone, there’s nothing keeping me coming back to this gym.

Make sure you know what sets you apart and why your customers bring their business to you. Do you know what keeps your customers coming back?

-Ashley

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The world is moving at a faster pace than it was twenty minutes ago, and your customers no longer have the spare time to spend thirty seconds reading your thoughts and ideas on your blog.  It is no longer economical for your executives to take valuable moments out of their day to write a blog that a handful of people will read.  What do you do?  Do you throw out your blog all together?  Do you focus all your energy on micro-blogging sites until you’re limited to three characters per post?  Or do you continue your blogging efforts, in the hopes that someone, somewhere is benefiting from it in some miniscule way?

We at Wind-lock have been re-evaluating our blog for the past few weeks.  Although we cannot quantify the number of new customers The Tool Box brings to us (directly or indirectly), we feel that our blog has the potential to assist current and future customers in learning about our products and our culture, more than any of our social networking sites could.

So please, let us know how we can help you and what you think about our blog.  What kinds of topics can we write about that will help build your business ?  Hurry up and write your thoughts and ideas in the comments so we can keep The Tool Box focused on you, the customer.

-Ryan

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In the Leesport, PA, office, Pam, Rachel and Shelee are very involved with their team – the Dragonflies. They have different events throughout the year to raise money for their team. Their goal this year is $5,000, and so to help with that goal they had a dance this weekend.

There were about 110 people attending, and they raised a little over $2100 for Relay for Life of Exeter.  They had 13 baskets on the Chinese Auction and a 50-50 raffle.  Wind-lock helped to underwrite some of the costs so that money raised could go to the Relay for Life.

“I think everyone had a good time, and we will definitely be doing it again next year,” said Pam.

Down South, employee Paul Bartell is only 2 weeks away from his relay event. Paul had been involved with Relay for Life for 20 years, and he is heading up Team Palm Cove in the Tampa area. Their goal is $2500, and they have been doing yard sales and other fundraisers to make their goal. On the day of the event, they will have a jail and bail fundraiser.

In May, we have everyone’s favorite Wind-lock fund raiser – the management team car wash! Check back for the story and photos!

Share with us what your company does to support the community or a non-profit organization.

-Ashley

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On our way over...

After a few fun days spent in Denver, we are back at Wind-lock’s corporate headquarters in Leesport, Pennsylvania.  We enjoyed speaking with those of you who attended the AWCI / Intex Expo about our social networks, and how they can keep you connected with us.

The Wind-lock Crew

We sincerely feel that Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are the future of doing business in our industries, and we continue to appreciate the enthusiasm that our customers have shown for our initiatives.  How are you using social media to reach your customers?  Let us know in the comments.

-Ryan

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The Beautiful Scenery

Usually we would agree with you, but not about the upcoming AWCI / Intex Expo in Denver, Colorado.  We are excited to speak with current and prospective customers not about our products, but about our services.  Our main theme this year will be our social networks — something that we are proud of, and something that separates us from our competition.  We simply cannot wait to help you all sign-up for our Facebook and Twitter right there at the show, and we’re even going to be giving away a gift to all of those that join us on these websites.

The true value for you, our customer, is what you will receive when you get home after the convention.  Not only will you get all the latest product information and videos, but you will start seeing exclusive deals only available to fans and followers of Wind-lock on Facebook and Twitter.  If that wasn’t enough, we’ll be sending those same fans and followers an e-mail with another special offer for a discount off their next order.

If you’re still not convinced to come check us out at Booth #718 at the AWCI / Intex Expo in Denver, we’ll be sure to look for you soon when social media involvement makes sense for your company.

-Ryan

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I can remember back in the 1970’s riding with my dad on “his day” to get gasoline in our three-row-seating  Oldsmobile station wagon, with a 454 V8 – nothing even close to a Hybrid!  I cut our grass, not with a push reel or electric lawnmower, but with an old Briggs & Stratton walk-behind that smoked like a can of tear gas. In summer, we cranked the AC; in winter, we turned up the oil heat, maybe even had a kerosene heater in the family room. Brick exterior, lath and plaster on the interior walls; our house had no insulation in the wall cavity. Drafty windows and gaps all over, including the utility penetrations, these homes would have delivered a pile of cash for caulkers.

So what did I mean when I said the green (sorry) building movement missed it the first time around? Well, it seems we are faced with many of the same situations as the times of the 70’s (not exactly sure what happened in the 80’s?). However, like solar power in those days, it gained a lot of momentum, and people were teetering on the buy-in. I remember my parents discussing solar panels for their house, which would have looked really attractive on the 1920’s twin we lived in Reading, PA (we did our part, though: we had a trash compactor!). The Tipping Point never happened with the masses. What happened?

I am not so sure that more support from the government back in those days would have helped alternative energy, like solar. We were, however, making great strides in nuclear energy, but once again that was regulated by big utility companies and government interests. And maybe we as a country weren’t ready as a whole to embrace sustainable building practices, as well as our part in the stewardship of Mother Earth. What I do know now, is that whether you agree with the left, the right, or somewhere in between, there is a genuine want by the people today for better building materials. Materials that reduce emissions, insulate better, provide better indoor air quality, weatherize and prevent mold, can eliminate a need for fossil fuels, capitalize on the free source of power and energy all around us, and generally let us live the life we want to live. At 42 years of age and four children under the age of 10, I have a long way to go in this lifetime (I hope). And I want to leave this place better than when I arrived. Not only in whatever legacy we all hope we leave behind in our children, but for my “brothers and sisters”, you people.

Specifically, in the construction industry there has been an awakening. We as building material manufacturers, suppliers, architects, builders and contractors will be challenged by the educated masses who know what they want, and how they want to live. It is up to us to deliver. As we develop improved technologies and products, economies of scale will decrease the cost of producing and open it up for everyone to benefit. One major difference, there is more support today than in the 1970’s; increased technology, better educated consumers, even a government which emphasizes weatherization programs realizing the long-term benefits. I honestly feel that the landscape of building and construction is changing. The materials and methods of years ago are being replaced, streamlined and improved. If you browse the web, you’ll see all of the options laid out for consumers: solar, geo-thermal, ICFs, SIPs, spray foam, denim insulation, low VOC paints and finishes, FSC certified products, indoor air quality meters, and the list goes on …  Manufacturers will not miss this opportunity. And whether you believe Al Gore or not, the public demand is real, and if you don’t supply these products, someone else will.

-Matt

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