Why Diversify Your Film Business

Why Diversify Your Film Business?

by Dave McFadyen

As dealers in the window tinting business, we all wrestle daily with certain problems and decisions. If it isn't one thing it's another. Do we spend money to advertise this month? Do we buy that new film handier? Did we remember to pay our taxes? Are all of our customers being taken care of? Do we have enough money to cover payroll? As we all know I could go on and on. However, there might be one very important question that I haven't asked. That question is: Are all of our eggs in one basket?

Ten years ago Sprint offered long distance service, period. Suddenly, the Internet arrives, wireless communications arrive and the entire world of telecommunications turns upside down. Now the phone lines are not only used to talk but also to check the weather, check stocks and purchase everything from groceries to cars. And now you can even do it all from your wireless phone. In order to stay competitive, Sprint now offers long distance, Internet service, web hosting and digital wireless phones. If they didn't diversify into these other services their customers would likely leave and go to someone who does offer these products. Sprint successfully placed their eggs into more than one basket.

Travel agents, however, largely have failed to diversify and are suffering devastating consequences. Since the advent of the Internet it has become very simple for anyone to purchase airline tickets at the lowest price. As more airline customers do this the airlines continue to cut the commissions they pay the travel agents. The end result will at least be a drastic altering if not a total collapse of the travel agent industry. So, what does this have to do with window tinting? Let me explain.

As we all know, a lot of dealers only want to tint cars and some of them only want to deal with certain types of customers such as car dealerships. Other dealers only tint flat glass and only if it is for commercial customers. And still others only cater to customers that want illegal tinting. Well, what happens if that single service you provide suddenly finds no demand in the market place? When happens when law enforcement really decides to crack down on illegal tinting? I’ll tell you what happens, you’ll probably go out of business. However, there is a way to guard against a sudden, negative occurrence in the market place. Diversification!

If you only like to tint cars for car dealers find out what else you could be doing for them. Give thm more than one reason to call you. The more services you can offer them the more valuable you will become o them. If tinting is slow maybe alarms will be busy or urethane bras will pick up. Maybe gold-plating dash kits will be hot. Maybe pin striping or detailing gets them to call you. If all you want to do is tint commercial flat glass, fine, but make sure you’re not just hanging silver. What about security film, anti-graffiti film, designer film or vinyl graphics? What about the residential market? There are thousands and thousands of homeowners whose belongings are fading, who can’t see the television and who are just too hot. Can you shades or other solutions if film is not the answer?

As you can see, diversification can go a long way toward protecting you from the harsh realities of an ever-changing market place. So can a strong trade association. The International Window Film Association (IWFA) has already taken large steps to help our industry adapt to this dynamic market place. Did you know that the IWFA already offers an excellent flat glass education and accreditation program and currently is working hard on an automotive and security film program as well? Did you know that an IWFA legislative alert generated enough calls to a state politician that she killed a bill that would have introduced a law detrimental to our industry? Did you know that the IWFA has a web site that directs customers directly to its members? Find out what else your trade organization can offer. Ask your film distributor or call the office, we would love to hear from you.

Dave McFadyen is president of the IWFA. He is also president of American Window Tinting Services Inc. of Littleton, Colo.

Article Taken From:
Window Film Magazine; Volume 4 - Issue 2 - March-April 2000 pg 27

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