What I Learned In A Restaurant

Last week I stopped in at the only restaurant in town for a cup of tea. It wasn't busy just then and I started talking with the owner. I asked her what nights she offered my favorite dish, Shepherd's pie. She told me it is made on Mondays or Tuesdays, usually selling out by Wednesday. I asked her why not on the weekends. She explained that this is a basic dish, ground hamburg, some veggies and mashed potatoes. She sells this dinner for $7.95 , but she creates weekend specials with lobster and steak, which are considerably more profitable.

What products or services are like this in our glass industry? Can we up sell products to help ourselves? Sure We Can!

Every glass shop should change their show room around every other month. Coming now into spring, put up signs about screen repairs. Hang some old screens, and show what a new one looks like...people will ask! Try to increase the sale by using charcoal screen, or wire to replace plastic! Do you sell screen rooms? If you don't--you should, and this is time to do it. (Google 'screen rooms' for manufacturers who sell to the trade) For spring cleaning, you will sell more IG replacement units where you should promote the benefits low-e. Speaking of spring cleaning, sell professional grade glass cleaner and your lint-free towels. You'll clean up with this one.

Do you do window tinting? Spring is the busiest season for reflective tinting to reduce heat gain. Go to 'windowfilmmag.com', start reading and find out why this is a great tool for profits at a glass shop.

With swimming pool season coming up, look at the outdoor railing systems offered by CRL. A glass company that offers this will make more money than a glass shop that sits around waiting for business to come in the door. Call on every swimming pool dealer in your area; ask them if they want to install glass wind screens, and if you only get one order, it sure is better than sitting around.

What was that you said "there is a recession out there, housing starts are down!" So go where the money is! Emphasize repair and remodel rather than new installs. Call on the remodeling contractors and you'll find the business you are missing from the new house builders.

Place an order for tempered, and for IG for the popular patio door sizes in your market, so you can replace ASAP for spring openings.

Baseball season is here. Major League tickets require a home equity loan, but if you lie near a minor league park, hook up some kind of promotion. Maybe, 2 seats with every low-e IG unit...or anything that you think goes along with spring.

Don't sit there playing solitaire waiting for business to walk in the door...go out, with your best foot forward, and you will gain business.