We’re all at it: trying to find the right buttons to press to release our products into the market place. But some in the industry seem be to struggling in finding new markets while others are quick to spot and catch the crest of each new wave. What does it take to make your market development a success?
The marketing philosophy at the British Woodworking Federation is to drive the customer base towards the products. Its Timber Window Accreditation Scheme manager Adam Frankling has recently been re-evaluating promotional targeting and performance. “Through our research we’ve found that the messages we wanted to get across about BWF Accredited Windows only matched in part with what our audiences wanted to hear,” he said. “We weren’t segmenting our message sufficiently and we’ve now changed tactics.
“By breaking our message into sections directly relevant to particular audiences we’re able to be much more effective. For example, a housebuilder wants to know that BWF Accredited Timber Windows are inexpensive, look good, and will help him to sell houses: that’s where his interest may stop. A local authority will be more interested in whole life costing – including repair and maintenance – and sustainability.
“We also make sure our members can deliver before turning our promotional efforts in any particular direction. For example, we found we’d created high-end consumer market interest yet there were few companies that could fulfil this demand by offering a ‘one stop shop’ supply and installation package. So now we’ve launched an accredited installer scheme to keep pace with demand.”
At the opposite end to the market from most timber traders are the companies that turn our materials into consumer products. Here the alignment with the market has to be advanced. Forest Garden plc’s marketing manager Vicky Barker has to keep well ahead of consumer trends. “Consumers’ attitudes have changed. Garden maintenance has changed to garden living. Outdoor space is treated with the same degree of design and planning as any room in the house. Our product development team meets frequently to discuss fashion trends, sometimes looking 18 months ahead. We take our inspiration from the latest interior design trends.”
Off-site construction
It’s not just consumer products that benefit from analysing future potential. Perhaps the biggest opportunity for timber suppliers to hit the market for many years is being provided by the boom in off-site construction. Jim Peryer, managing director at Snows Timber, saw this coming some time ago and positioned the company to take advantage. “The building industry is going through a revolution,” he said. “Skills shortages in joinery may have initiated the flow towards off-site construction techniques but it’s been augmented by the drive for greater efficiency in building and by the government’s need to increase the housing stock quickly and efficiently.
“We are already trying to define where the next major business opportunities may lie. Perhaps the UK will go down the American route and exterior timber cladding will become popular. For that to happen we’d need a change of mindset amongst the British public who prefer brick facing – even if the interior is created using timber frame construction.”
Wood. for good’s Tony Traynor maintains a regular dialogue with the markets and the members of the campaign in an attempt to direct marketing support to the most needed areas. “An increase in timber frame construction has helped towards people becoming more confident about handling and using timber, both in construction with engineered products and in consumer products,” he said. “Cladding both for exterior and interior use is on the rise.
“Wood. for good is constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to promote timber from sustainable sources. At the same time we must be responsive to the trade. We welcome opportunities to find out what they would like to see us promoting. Wood. for good now has the regular attention of a wide spread of media. Working together with the industry we will identify new funnels to the market for timber and wood products.”
