The Beat: Solar Gard’s Brand New Look
We have re-energized Solar Gard’s look so you can share the excitement of the industry’s best window film with your customers. We took into consideration all of the tools you need to run your business and updated them to reflect the sophistication, technology and benefits that Solar Gard brings to your customers.
Our new branding guidelines outline the revitalized look of Solar Gard and you can expect to see this new image roll out across all elements of our architectural marketing materials in the coming months. It also provides details of how to use the new look in your own marketing programs and initiatives.
There are many new marketing ideas and tools to choose from. Check the Dealer’s Corner regularly to keep abreast of the latest marketing tools and tips. Some of the new pieces include:
New Tradeshow booths
Draw a crowd at your next tradeshow with the new and improved Solar Gard booths – designed to help you appeal to both residential and commercial audiences the new graphics include:
• Solar Gard Armorcoat®: Customized to showcase the safety and security benefits
• Solar Gard window film: Specialized to highlight the solar protection advantages of commercial and residential applications
• Energy Saving: Specialized to highlight the energy saving benefits of window film
The 10’x10’ booths are easy to set-up and tear-down, are fully equipped with lighting, and are shipped in a single, heavy-duty transportable case. The booths and selection of graphics can be reserved through your local service center or purchased directly through our supplier Nimlock. Details of how to purchase are available on the Dealer’s Corner under Marketing Support. Call your service center to reserve your booth today!
New Residential and Commercial Brochures
We want everyone to know about the many benefits of Solar Gard window film. That’s why we have created benefit-focused residential and commercial brochures for you and your customers.
Get the word out about Solar Gard’s brand new, completely revised residential and commercial brochures for the flat glass/architectural market. Show customers the many solutions Solar Gard has to offer with customized residential and commercial brochures that highlight our full product line-up: Solar Gard window films, Solar Gard Armorcoat Safety and Security films and Solar Gard Graffitigard.
[Insert images of brochures]
These new brochures clearly and concisely highlight the important benefits of Solar Gard window film:
• Energy Efficiency – By reducing the need for air conditioning, Solar Gard window film helps reduce energy expense and carbon emissions
• Solar Protection – Heat rejection, comfort, while allowing natural light in
• Safety and Security – Solar Gard Armorcoat protects homes and businesses from break-ins, damage due to severe weather and or bomb blasts and protects people from flying shards
• UV protection – Protect assets (store merchandise, art, furnishings) and skin from UV damage.
To order your new residential or commercial brochures, call the Service Center today!
Catalog numbers for these brochures:
• SK0141 RES – residential brochures
• SK0141 COM – commercial brochures
On Solid Plane: Co-op Program Updates
We want to make sure you are getting the most out of your advertising, so we are sharing with you our newly updated Co-op policy. Read on and check the Dealer’s Corner for more information.
Please carefully review the following information regarding logo usage. This may save time when you prepare to run or renew your next ad:
• Solar Gard / Armorcoat Dealers: Please use the current version of the Solar Gard logo. The Armorcoat logo is not necessary in order to receive co-op on Armorcoat film purchases and if used should only be used a sub-brand as defined in the branding guidelines.
• No co-op can be paid on an ad that includes the Armorgard logo: You will receive 3% co-op on any Armorcoat film purchases if your ad properly features the current Solar Gard logo, with or without the current Armorcoat logo.
• No co-op can be paid on advertising that includes competitors’ logos or names, a web site that includes competitors’ links and logos, or an online yellow pages ad that includes competitors’ logos or names.
Check out the Dealer’s Corner for all the updated information, co-op forms and supporting artwork!
Driving Home: New ComputerCut 6.5 Increases Ease and Efficiency of Window Film Installations
In order to give you the best tools to build your business, we’ve launched ComputerCut 6.5. This latest version enables users to enjoy these new upgrades and features which make a more efficient work process:
• Flat glass capabilities: Plotting technologies that optimize performance for residential and commercial film cutting and preparation
• New accessories: The ComputerCut plotter now contains support tools which increase installation efficiencies
• Enhanced zoom feature: Enables users to get the closest possible look at complex designs, creating less waste
• Custom pattern mechanism: For automotive use, users can now create their own versions of patterns, delivering a more creative design oriented tool
Rob Garlo, Automotive Program Sales Manager for ComputerCut said, “In designing ComputerCut 6.5, we incorporated ideas provided by our users over the past year and fine tuned existing features to make ComputerCut 6.5 the best in its class. ComputerCut 6.5 demonstrates an increasing focus on the flat glass side of the software, a rapidly growing segment of the window film market. This version includes a new flat glass window optimizer and planner, which enables an entire job to be laid out and cut at once – using the software to dramatically minimize waste and increase efficiency for flat glass installations.”
ComputerCut saves costs, time and material for automotive installations and now it even has more sophisticated capabilities for flat glass use. This internet-based tool will support your business growth – enabling you to become more competitive than ever by increasing installation accuracy and productivity in the full range of window film applications.
You can be confident ComputerCut 6.5 will help deliver the most competitive quotes possible and protect your profit margins by ensuring precision cutting and minimizing waste.
Talk to your Sales Rep today or visit the Dealer’s Corner for more information on how to take advantage of this newly-enhanced business building tool!
Over the Edge: 2008 Solar Gard Trade Shows
We always want the spotlight shining our dealers, so we’re happy to offer you free, prime-time advertising on the Solar Gard website! All you have to do is let us know where you will be exhibiting in 2008 and we will add it to a new “Events” section. Just send the information to Janice Kall including your name, business, a brief description of the event and where to find you at the show.
Here’s the list of trade shows and events where you can find Solar Gard during the coming months:
Association of Energy Engineers Energy Management Congress
May 14-15
Seattle, WA
BOMA Office Building Show
June 22-24
Denver, CO
Be sure to check the Solar Gard website regularly for trade show and event updates.
New & Improved Solar Gard Automotive Films
With five outstanding Solar Gard automotive film series, there’s surely one to fit your customers’ needs. Below is an overview of all Solar Gard automotive films – make sure you check out the Dealer’s Corner for more information and great materials to use in your shops.
Performance Series: Ultra Performance
• Unmatched combination of high heat rejection and high VLT
• Maintains factory glass appearance
• Unprecedented clarity
• Industry-leading color stability
• Satellite, GPS,TPM & cellular friendly
Performance Series: Quantum
• High color stability
• Excellent glare reduction
• Rejects 99 % of all ultraviolet rays
Performance Series: HP & NR Supreme
• Outstanding solar performance
• Industry-leading color stability
• Unprecedented film clarity
• Low reflection
• Superior glare reduction
• Exceptionally fast dry-out times
• Complements factory tinted glass
• Optimum heat-shrinking
Charcoal Series: HP & NR Lines
• Classic charcoal tint with stylish warm grey tones
• Seven shades to suit local tint laws in HP
• Five shades to choose from in NR
Smoke Plus Series: HP & NR Lines
• Classic smoke grey tint
• Four shades to choose from in both the HP and NR lines
• Blocks up to 98% of ultraviolet rays
Limited Warranty Coverage – Automotive
We stand behind the films you sell with some of the best warranty terms in the business. Most Solar Gard auto films enjoy a limited lifetime warranty and all Solar Gard Performance series films are guaranteed against color change. For full details on the scope of warranty coverage, call your sales representative or read more here.
In addition to the great quality of our products and the industry leading warranty support, a whole range of promotional point of purchase posters, brochures and other great marketing tools are now available.
Check out the Dealer’s Corner to see the latest catalog of marketing materials and order them through your service center today.
Creating Buzz: Marketing your Business on the Web
According to Jupiter Research, half of all small businesses with fewer than 10 employees don’t have a website, even though 80% of us now spend as much time online as we do watching television! If you aren’t currently marketing your business online, you’re losing out on customers.
We want to help you get your business in front of those 238 million North American internet-users! To make sure we are meeting all your needs, we want to hear from you what types of services you might utilize and what you would expect these services to cost. If you haven’t already, please take a minute to fill out this survey and let us know how we can best serve your business in helping to design or improve your website.
Sputtering Trends: International Window Film Conference and Expo
The International Window Film Conference and Expo featured Christophe Fremont, president of Bekaert Specialty Films, as the keynote speaker on Friday, May 2 during their annual conference held at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas. Christophe spoke to a standing-room only crowd of window film dealers from around the world and discussed the tremendous growth potential and opportunity-filled future of the industry. Check out what Window Film magazine had to say about the event and the impact Christophe had on the crowd!
The conference was created to provide an educational venue for film technicians, company owners and suppliers to come and learn from one another as well as industry experts. This year the conference will be co-located with the Independent Glass Association (IGA) and Americas Glass Association’s (AGA) conferences and trade show.
In addition to Christophe’s keynote, Solar Gard hosted a booth and ran a workshop on the window film industry and the green movement.
We are very excited to have been part of this important educational event in the window film industry!
Want to contribute?
Have a story idea you’d like to share in the next issue of the Solar Gard newsletter? How about a success story or ideas for press releases and articles? Email your contact information and a brief description to bsf@matternow.com.
