For those of you who subscribe to hear my opinion on industry related news, please forgive me!  This post is an anomoly.   I just wanted to alert you guys that you can now view and download our Interior Designer Program packet off Slide Share.  If you would like some concise information about what Sewell Shutters offers, feel free to review the information here.

Thanks!

Stephen Wade

Sewell Shutters, Inc.

214-342-0882

Lighting Plays an Important Role in Establishing Mood

Slouching is close to a sin in my family. I remember walking alongside my mother while shopping.  Several times she would stop what she was doing, turn, and command me to “Stand up straight!” I’ve grown to agree with her.  Standing tall communicates a confident presence.  Slouching isn’t the best way to visually gain credibility.

The same thing goes for plantation shutters.  One of the reasons people prefer interior shutters over other window treatments is their ability to offer variable light control.  When you set your louvers at a specific tilt, you determine how much light enters into the room and at what angle.  As lighting plays a large role in setting the mood of a room, it’s imperative that shutter slats stay where you set them to provide that effect.

Thus there is a high level of frustration that comes with slouching shutter slats.  It can be very irritating to set your louvers at a certain pitch, only to have them droop downward.

So how do shutter companies avoid slouching slat syndrome?

• Tension Screws

Tension screws are the first line of defense against slouching slat syndrome on every shutter.  It’s plantation shutters 101.  If your provider doesn’t offer a shutter with a tension screw, send him packing because he probably doesn’t know what a louver is either.

A tension screw is roughly 2 1/2″ long and connects the stile to a louver.  When tightened, the screw pulls the louver closer to stile, and the resulting friction helps prevent the slat from sagging.  The size of the shutter panel will determine how many tension screws are needed.

• Tension Pins

Wheras most louver pins are smoothe and simply permit the slat to spin on them, tension pins “drag” in the stile, making it more difficult for the louver to turn.  The ratio of tension pins to louver pins in a shutter stile is dependant on the size of the louver itself.  The bigger the louver, the more tension pins you should have.

Tension pins come in two forms.

• • Single Piece

These pins look similar to a regular louver pin, but the end that inserts into the shutter stile has a groove cut into it.  Every time the louver turns, the groove catches against the wood and causes drag, thus helping maintain louver tension.

• • Two Piece

These pins come in two parts and are ideal for synthetic shutters.  One part is a bushing with grooves all around it.  This end fits into the poly stile, and the grooves latch onto the soft polymer.  The other part is a pin that fits snugly inside the bushing.  When the louver turns, the pin turns within the bushing.  The tight fitting pin causes friction in the bushing and helps hold the tension.

Since tension pins are more expensive and more difficult to insert, some shutter companies avoid using them.  Beware! The price savings you receive up front will pale in comparison to the frustration of slouching slat syndrome.

• Off-Setting the Louvers

Did you know your plantation shutter louvers may be losing tension while they’re not even being moved?  It’s true!  The tilt rod that spans the louvers is constantly being pulled downward by gravity.  As infinitesimal a thing as that may seem, over time the pressure of gravity will cause the louvers to lose tension.  Because of this, some shutter companies choose to install the louvers ever so slightly toward the rear of the shutter panel.  Doing so off-sets gravity’s pull on the tilt rod and reduces the tension on the slat pins.  Just another way quality plantation shutter companies strive to provide you with long lasting quality!

Nobody likes a slouch – either in person or in product.  When purchasing plantation shutters, be sure and ask your provider what measures he or she is taking to prevent slouching shutter syndrome!

Be thankful for the past.  Be proactive in the present.  Be mindful of the future.

Recognize that what worked then may not work now.  Adapt quickly.

What is Your Egypt? What is Your Promised Land?

I was flipping through my Bible the other day, and I found an intriguing story that seems to parallel where our industry is right now.

There was a famine in North Africa. An Egyptian ruler named Joseph had wisely saved his resources, and so he invited his family to move to Egypt and stay with him.  This family eventually grew into a large people group known as the Israelites.  Egypt became comfortable for them; it became home.  Howver, the Egyptians soon began t0 despise the Israelites and evenutally enslaved them.   There home is no longer a welcoming place for the Israelites.  So God sends Moses to lead them out of Egypt to a new land where they will flourish – the Promised Land.

The Israelites braved all forms of danger on their journey and finally reached their destination. A group of spies went into the land to check it out, and they returned will tales of the beauty of their new home.   However, there was a problem.  The inhabitants of the land were really, really big, and were pretty mean too.  Rather than continue their journey, Israel began to tremble and begged Moses to RETURN them to their slavery in Egypt.

Looking back instead of advancing forward became Israel’s downfall. Because they decided that the familiarity of slavery was better than the uncertainty of a free future, the adult population ends up wandering around the desert for 40 years.  Eventually, their children  returned to the Promised Land to defeat the giants and settle down.

In summary:

• Egypt was a great home at one time for the people of Israel.
• Times changed; people changed. Egypt was no longer suitable for the Israelites.
• The people made a bold move and left their home in search for a better place.
• When the Israelites encountered an obstacle, they immediately began experiencing selective memory and wished to could go home to Egypt.

So, what does this mean for us as we operate our window treatment businesses?

• The way we used to operate was good.

The world of the late 90’s and early 21st century had its own unique needs.  For example, if homeowners wanted to buy plantation shutters they almost certainly had to buy from a U.S. source.  American manufacturers were the dominate providers of the product back then!  Furthermore, consumers were more inclined to trust the opinion of an interior designer or home furnishings retailer (instead of trying to find a credible manufacturer who wouldn’t steal their deposit!).

Plantation shutter manufacturers responded by building healthy wholesale relationships with retailers and design firms and thrived from the business they were brought.

• The world has changed.

The introduction of foreign made plantation shutters into the U.S. market began redefining the window treatment landscape.  Cheap labor, low government regulation, and high production volume allowed Chinese factories to sell shutters at a fraction of what U.S. factories sold for.  Window treatment retailers took advantage of lower prices (and potential higher margins) by switching to foreign made products.  There were trade-offs: limited finish color selection, longer delivery time, etc. with Chinese product, so interior designers, etc. still always kept a local manufaturer in their roledex to handle truly custom projects.

• The way we used to operate enslaved us.

Many U.S. manufacturers refused to accept the changing environment.  Owners and managers denounced the  foreign product and fervently argued that the Chinese pricing strategy wasn’t sustainable.  ”They’re bluffing!” was the industry mantra.  ”There is no way an American company can compete with those prices!” was the war cry.  ”If we keep doing what we’ve always been doing, eventually we’ll drive these low-priced companies out!” was the business model.

• We began the search for a new home.

As it became obvious that foreign competition was here to stay, some companies responded by altering their strategy.  Some pursued specific niche markets with luxury woods (like Kirtz Shutters in Stillwater, Oklahoma).  Some developed superior synthetic shutters with features unmatched by foreign competitors (like Danmer Custom Shutters with multiple locations in California).  Others pursued e-commerce solutions.  Some sought to meet Chinese competitors head on by producing a line of shutters with limited options in such high volume that a profitable low price was achievable.

Some manufacturers moved away from selling wholesale and began selling direct to the public, passing along the savings that came from cutting out retailers or designers.

• As challenges arose, many companies returned to what was comfortable.

As companies experimented with new ways of doing business, some of their efforts were successful and some were not.  Change requires tackling challenges in logistics, pricing, marketing – everything.  Because of the difficulty faced, many companies decided “it just can’t be done,” and returned to their old business model – a model that had become an endangered species.  It was only a mtter of time.

As the sun of economic recession rose, it began to burn away all unhealthy companies.  Those with antiquited business models have perished. Some companies are barely surviving.  And some are adapting and joining the ranks of the manufacturing elite.

The Lessons:

Be thankful for the past.  Be proactive in the present.  Be mindful of the future.

Recognize that what worked then may not work now.  Adapt quickly.

The Sun is Rising.

Stephen Wade, Director of Marketing, Sewell Shutters, Inc.

You may have seen last Thursday’s Bloomberg release about the shifting homebuilder focus.  If not, you can read it here.

To summarize, homebuilders are responding to an ever-growing frugal customer base by scaling back their product lines.  To quote IHS Global Insight economist Brian Bethune: “The high end isn’t moving, so builders have got to dumb-down their designs and put in Formica kitchens and the bare-bones carpeting.  New-home buyers are being conservative — they’re not willing to pay for extras because they’re worried about the economy.”

Homebuilders have typically been a source of consistent work flow for companies selling plantation shutters, especially in Dallas.  Because they carry the aura of being a more luxurious window treatment than blinds (along with the functional benefits few other window treatments offer), plantation shutters have been used in spec homes by homebuilders such as Paul Taylor Homes and Highland Homes.  However, in light of demands from consumers for less expensive homes, lower expensive blinds are poised to take greater market share away from interior shutters.

What should the response by plantation shutter dealers be?

• Sell the builder the upgrade, not the spec.

In the past, companies would sell builder purchasing agents and sales managers on the advantages of installing their higher priced products in spec homes as a way to lure prospective buyers.  The promise of free granite countertops and stainless steel appliances would encourage buyers to close during a specific quarter, saving the builder on carrying costs and helping them reduce inventory and meet sales goals.  Now the same homeowners are wondering why a homebuilder, who obviously covers the cost of the “free” upgrades in the purchase price, doesn’t just remove the extras and offer a discounted price.

Since using your upgraded window treatments is going to be a much more difficult sell to homebuilders, the best option is to sell the builder on offering your product as an upgrade in their design center.  Many homebuilders are open to this idea, as it costs them very little to host your product.  Your proposal to builders should also include a plan to help them sell the product.  Builders want to maximize their design center space.  If they can’t sell your product, they will ditch it for something they can.

Convincing a builder on including your line of products in their design studio is a much easier sell (and costs less marketing wise) then convincing them to include it in their specs.  It’s also more safe for your bottom line.  If you write a deal with a builder to install X amount of plantation shutters in Y amount of homes, you will likely be asked by the builder to give a volume discount.  This isn’t a problem if you sell an essential product (like carpet), because it’s unlikely to be cut out of the house.  But if the subdivision you wrote the deal for isn’t moving homes, the builder will begin slashing upgrades to increase their margins – and guess what will go: you’re upgraded window treatments.  Without finishing out the contract, you won’t obtain the critical mass of installations necessary to profit – or even break even.  Several of my friends who had mass contracts for flooring and countertops with national homebuilders went under once the volume of homes produced decreased and they couldn’t produce enough volume to sustain themselves.

However, if you sell in a design center you don’t need a volume contract - because it’s a case by case situation.  The builder’s purchasing agent will be less inclined to demain a large discount from you.

• Pre-sell the homebuyer for the builder.

The marketing budget needs to be diverted away from a focus on selling homebuilders to selling homeowners.  Remember!  Homebuilders are listening to their customers. If the public wants a more frugal solution to their new home, the builder will give it to them.  However, if the public is demanding a certain upgrade – or more preferrably, YOUR brand of upgrade, the builder will respond to that as well.

The key is to convince the homebuying public to ask their builder for your product, while making yourself available to the builder to handle the requests once they begin coming in.

There are a variety of strategies for accomplishing this form of pull-through marketing.  At Sewell Shutters, we use an eclectic group of online sources to brand our name and encourage consumers to ask for our line of plantation shutters from their homebuilder or interior designer.  Using search engine optimization and social media, we are able to engage the general public in conversations and hopefully demonstrate to them why purchasing from us is a great investment for their future.  We offer free advice for current shutter owners who need DIY help for repainting or repairing their product.  We host product knowledge deminars.  We make appearances at a limited number of tradeshows.  We want people to know the Sewell Shutter brand, see value in it, and ask for it from their homebuilders.

And it’s working.  Just the other day, Regent Homes called us and said they had a buyer demanding they install a Sewell shutter in their house.  No other plantation shutter would do.

Stay the course.  The Sun is Rising.

I ran across an incredible blog written by Jim Deitch, COO of Southern Crafted Homes.  As I read his take on the three elements of a home purchase, I realized how closely related these are to the highly competitive industry of window treatments, particularly blinds and plantation shutters.

I’ve decided to repost his blog here.  Well done Jim!

EXTREME QUALITY

July 21, 2009 at 2:04 pm | In Green Bulding, Home Buying Tips
Tags: extreme quality, green homes, green homes tampa, homebuilders tampa, new homes, new homes tampa,quality, tampa homebuilders, tampa new homes

Not long ago in a customer focus group a participant used the words “Extreme Quality” during a word association exercise where the facilitator threw out a builders name and the respondent had to reply with their first thought. Being personally vested in our organization I took great pride in that. But it also occurred to me that therein was our distinct USP. Our unique selling proposition. Extreme quality in our product, our service and as important the customer experience itself.

In today’s world you don’t hear much about quality. Everyone is focused on price. But it can’t be about price. Things have become out of balance. The cost of land remains mostly unchanged, the cost of building materials has remained constant and in some cases continue to escalate. Lumber for example just saw increases in the double digits. Labor costs have decreased in terms of salaries but overhead and employer burden continues to rise as the cost of health insurance continues to escalate. Every homebuilder has shaved as much cost as they can at this point out of the cost of building a home. But as foreclosures and short sales continue to dominate the market, the inequity in home pricing continues to be in the forefront of consumers minds and rightfully it is confusing.

I heard someone say once that you can have a great price but that doesn’t spell a great value. That person was absolutely right. Those who compete on price alone will ultimately lose; seller and buyer equally. There are three elements to a home purchase. Quality, service and price. Pick two because you can’t have all three. Someone will always be there to sell it cheaper so we choose to offer quality and service. For the consumer that this still matters to we are the homebuilder of choice poised to deliver the highest quality with the most exceptional service that can be found. Extreme Quality includes the customer experience and this is what makes Southern Crafted Homes unique in the market. Our uncompromising commitment to quality comes from our absolute adherence to our core values of honesty, integrity, respect, and our belief in excellence in everything we do. We believe that still counts for something. Let us show you the value in that.

Jim Deitch
Chief Operating Officer
Southern Crafted Homes

Ask for the real deal.  Ask for a Sewell Shutter

Plantation Shutters from Sewell

The other day a dealer called our office, upset that she may lose a project to another company because Sewell’s plantation shutters were higher than the competitor’s bid.  She asked me to contact the homeowner direct to explain what sets a Sewell shutter apart.  The homeowner was very receptive, and the result was a sale benefiting our company, our dealer, and (ultimately) our customer.

It’s important to anticipate sticker shock when selling custom plantation shutters.  When consumers are under the impression that “a shutter is a shutter is a shutter,” they can easily shift their entire focus onto the price tag.  This will lead to them compromising quality and not receiving the full benefit an investment like plantation shutters has to offer.

Here is a copy of the email I sent:

[BEGIN EMAIL]


Good morning,

[Sewell Shutters Dealer] said there was some concern over pricing for the shutter quote we’d sent you last week.

We are definitely a high-end shutter company that produces for high end clientele.  But I think our upgraded service and product is priced within reach of most homeowners.

Some things to look at when comparing shutter companies include:

1. Is the warranty lifetime transferable?
2. Is the construction built to last using mortise and tenon connection?  Watch out for wood dowel construction!  What about the staples that connect the tilt rod to the louvers?  The shorter they are, the more likely they are to pull out of the louvers!  Make sure they are at least 5/8” long! And what prevents the louvers from losing tension over time?  Does the company expect you to tighten them with a  tension screw or do they take preventative measures such as using more expensive tension pins along with standard smooth ones?
3. Is the material solid wood or MDF (e.g. glued sawdust filled with harmful chemicals).
4. Can the shutters be produced in three to four weeks or will you wait for six?

Shutters are an investment in your home, and raise the value of the property!  Make the wisest decision you can that stays within your budget!

Thanks,

Stephen Wade

Director for Marketing

Sewell Shutters, Inc.


[END EMAIL]

Are your customers experiencing sticker shock?  Are they under the mistaken impression that a “shutter is a shutter is a shutter”?

KNOW THE FACTS! Contact Sewell Shutters today for a free e-booklet.

Ask for the real deal.  Ask for a Sewell Shutter.

Periodically I’m asked about what separates a sensational shutter from a sloppy one.  While there are many unseen features in high-quality plantation shutters, the one that most people find beneficial is mortise & tenon construction (also known as a tongue & groove connections).  Since plantation shutters are an expensive investment, homeowners want to be assured that their shutter won’t sag or come apart after a couple years.  The way in which a shutter manufacturer assembles the components is key.

In this post, we’ll explore the two most common ways of assembling shutters – and why paying a little extra to have yours built with mortise & tenon connections is the best option!

Wimpy, Wimpy, Wimpy -- Most manufacturers rely on small wood dowels to hold their shutters together.

Most manufacturers assemble their shutters using wood dowels. A dowel is a small, cylindrical piece of wood that forms a bridge between two pieces of wood. If you’ve ever assembled an inexpensive bookcase or filing cabinet, you’ve probably experienced wood dowels.

For a manufacturer, wood dowels are an inexpensive way to quickly construct a mass-produced product like a shutter.  Shop managers are able to pump out more product with less personell, especially if they employ machinery to help automate the process.  Less personnel and faster production lowers overhead costs for the company, and in return, allows them to sell their shutters for less. To further cut costs, manufacturers are moving more and more toward not adding screws for additional strength.  Without the extra screws, the entire weight of the shutter rests on wood dowels.

For wood dowels to effectively hold a plantation shutter together, they must be glued.  To ensure the best connection, it’s best to apply the glue to dowel itself, and then insert it into the hole.  Excess glue is forced out as the dowel is pushed deeper.  Unfortunately, that is a very slow process to do.  Many companies have resorted to shooting glue into each hole, then doweling and clamping the components together.  The result is that excess glue is not forced out; it is merely compressed. Unless the components are clamped together for at least five minutes (which would dramatically slow production down and thus is often not done), the glue will not fully set. Without the extra screws to hold the shutter together, hydraulic pressure from the glue will eventually begin to push the dowel back out. Depending on how much excess glue exists, the shutter will begin to sag and then separate anywhere from six to eighteen months later.

Since most people leave their shutter panels closed, they may not see this in the look of the shutter itself.  But they will notice more and more light breaking through the top of the panel as the shutter begins to sag.  Since light control is a huge reason why people choose plantation shutters, a poorly constructed sagging unit that permits excess light to enter robs homeowners of the value they thought they paid for!

Enter MORTISE & TENON: the white knight of high quality shutter construction.

Heft, Hefty, Hefty -- Sewell's mortise & tenon construction techniques ensure long lasting durability.

A mortise is a hole or groove cut into a segment of wood.  A tenon is an outcropping from adjoining piece of wood that is inserted into the mortise.  Whereas a dowel is a separate tiny connector bridging two pieces of wood together, mortise and tenon actually connects the two segments in a very sturdy fashion.

With Mortise & Tenon construction comes the following benefits:

• Increased surface area for glue application.  More wood surface glued, the stronger the connection.  Because glue is applied to the tenon and then inserted into the mortise, excess glue is pressed out and a tight bond is secured.  No excess glue, no hydraulic pressure, no separation of the shutter!
• A seemingly solid piece of wood is produced from two segments fitting snugly together.
• Two similar wood segments glued together will expand and contract at a similar rate (from temperature changes or humidity), so the connection will not break loose.  Can the same be said for adding a cheap dowel of a different wood species?  What happens if the wood in the shutter expands at a different rate than the wood in the dowel?  The connection becomes even weaker, that’s what!
• Although not absolutely necessary, a quality shutter manufacturer will still screw the the mortised/tenoned segments together for added durability.
• The ultimate benefit – plantation shutters will remain straight and sturdy, never sagging, for twenty, thirty years, and beyond!

At the end of the day, Americans buy homes to invest in their future.  Invest in your window treatments!  The next time you shop for shutters, remember to ask your contractor to build using mortise and tenon!

Gluing Mortise & Tenon

Screwing Mortise & Tenon for Added Strength

For lunch the other day, K-Mac and I joined a church planting round table hosted by Fellowship Bible Church Dallas to listen to Senior Pastor Gary Brandenburg speak on leadership and vision.  I found his insights encouraging, challenging, and applicable, not only in a church planting context, but also in business.

Let’s briefly unpack his main points.

• Exegete the Culture

  • “A culture can be defined as the sum total of shared experience.” Gary makes a valid point.  As window treatment professionals, do we know our customer profile? Who are we trying to sell to?  Furthermore, does the culture we currently are engaged in needwant what we have to offer?  Most of us aren’t in the business of selling people what they don’t want, so if we are positioned in a culture that doesn’t want our products we either need to move social spheres, change our product lineup, and/or influence the culture in a positive direction.  Whatever the case, KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER PROFILE!
  • “Pay attention to the power of shared experiences.” Consumers talk. Are YOU listening? Are you responding to their needs?  Are you promoting your product / service in a way that speaks to their experiences?  How is your vision for your company reflected in this? Great vehicles for exploring what people are talking about include becoming engaged in online conversations via Blogs, Twitter, and other new media.

• Establish Your Priorities (& Communicate Them Wisely)

  • My mother raised me on a very basic maxim: “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” My father further built on this foundation by reminding me to “establish what is central.  If priorities are like a dart board, determine what is central and then spread out from there.”
  • “Remember that early statements have a disproportionate impact on how you are perceived.” Gary’s reminder is potent.  At Sewell Shutters, it’s almost comical the way a number of our brainstorming sessions take form.  Doug Sewell, our Production Manager Jimmie Byers, and I will regularly find ourselves discussing future investments, staffing issues, pricing considerations, etc. and inevitably someone will at one point in the conversation call a timeout and declare emphatically “Now, we’re JUST TALKING here!” Point of fact, I’d feel like something is missing if that line didn’t come out during a meeting!  The reason for this is that we’ve all learned in the past that what one person proposes for consideration can easily be taken by someone else as a statement of fact.  I remember one time Doug and I discussed moving one department under my supervision.  I took it as a done deal, and the next day (while Doug was out of the office) proceeded to inform the department of a policy change.  They, however, weren’t appreciative of the move, and I was soundly correctly upon Doug’s return with the now famous “I was just talking!”  Vision casting take-away: Remember that what you consider inconsequential  may be received as earth shattering to your constituency (employees, customers, vendors, and even competitors).  CHOOSE YOUR WORDS WISELY!
  • “Don’t promise too much too soon.” We’ve all heard the warnings about over promising and under delivering.  There is definitely truth to painting a wildly wonderful vision and giving it too short a timetable.  For example, declaring that we will relegate our top two competitors to the dust heap of history by next month might be a little ambitious.  Furthermore, when it doesn’t come to pass, low level disappointment can set in and trust is damaged.  The flip side of this is to under promise and over deliver.  While this definitely helps to protect us from the downside, it also can adversely affect potential growth, especially as we develop a reputation for being overly cautious.  The solution is striking a balance.  Envision Confidently and Deliver on that Vision! In other words, lay out the plans for a spectacular tower, calculate the costs, be reasonably confident you can afford it, and then begin construction.

• Plan Your Preaching (or Promotion)
  

  • “No pastor ever plans to fail but many fail to plan to succeed.” Strategically written and promoted content is king! If you hope to lead your constituency toward reaching the vision you’re laying out, it is imperative that you plot out a timeline of targeted messages that build on each facet of the vision while continually reminding people of the the overall goal.  For example, Gary loosely plans out his sermons six to twelve months out.  At Sewell Shutters, we are constantly looking into the future and planning content that will further build on our vision.  Be on the look-out for an e-book we plan on releasing closer to the fall!
  • “Preaching provides three weekly opportunities.” Gary refers to Aristotle in listing these opportunities as establishing credibility, communicating competency, & casting a clear and compelling vision. Aristotle teaches that successful rhetoric has three aspects: Ethos, Logos, Pathos – or appeal based on character, logic, and emotion.  Your marketing content should establish your credibility, persuade consumers with objective logic, and move them to action through emotional appeal.

BOTTOM LINE: Establish your vision considering the culture, carefully establish and communicate your priorities, and strategically develop marketing content that spreads your vision to your sphere of influence.