Exactly 4 weeks ago today, CBCON20 was in full swing. Organised and presented by Caribbean Blinds, CBCON20 was the UK’s first sales & marketing conference for the external shading trade. Over 100 forward thinking dealers, from blinds companies, to landscapers, hot tub re-sellers to outdoor kitchen designers, gathered in Elstree to hear from industry leading keynote speakers across data, digital, print, media, pr & technology, to gain a greater understanding of the marketplace and how to effectively generate more enquiries and ultimately sales.
After an opening welcome from our MD, Stuart Dantzic, Insight Data (Kirsty Winter) and Pro Landscaper (Jim Wilkinson) gave insightful presentations into the growing home and garden improvement sector, showcasing the popularity of extensions and garden renovations along with the key products homeowners are investing in and consider a priority in their projects, all demonstrating the opportunity for exponential growth in our sector. The morning session was wrapped up with a powerful presentation on the power of a brand and the importance of consistent and persistent marketing by Purplex Marketing CEO, Andrew Scott.
Following a short break, Scott Barton and Max Planck from Unity Online gave detailed, practical presentations on the fundamentals of search engine optimisation and pay per click advertising and what the key considerations are to make sure you are visible online, which included real case studies of a selected group of dealers in the room. Continuing the theme of online marketing, Climb Online (Danielle Scott) was up next talking about the the power of social media and how to effectively engage with clients on these platforms, with the inclusion of videos playing a key element for success.
A welcome lunch break followed, where delegates had the opportunity to network with each other along with all keynote speakers and sponsors, discussing the specifics of their business and gaining further knowledge and advice.
The final part of the day saw Archant (Patrick Dunne) initially take to the stage explaining how print still forms a part of a successful marketing strategy, a theme echoed in the earlier presentations, generating awareness and brand credibility and re-inforcing all online advertising. Then it was onto the year ahead and a UK first, as Andrew Birch from Somfy launched the next generation of motors and controls, io-homecontrol – using two way, multi-frequency encrypted technology designed for the smart home of today and allowing operation when paired with TaHoma from any smarthome device such as Amazon Alexa and from any smartphone, anywhere in the world.
Stuart wrapped the day up with what Caribbean Blinds were doing to further support their dealers for the 2020 season, setting new standards in the industry including greater product options and the industries shortest ever lead times, just 10 working days! Whilst the main presentations were over, before setting off, delegates were given the opportunity to join a short workshop hosted by our in house creative & digital manager, Jahed, on how to make professional looking videos at the end of an installation on a smartphone in just 20 minutes for just £20.
The conference was a resounding success and cemented Caribbean Blinds position as the UK’s leading trade supplier of external shading, committed to driving the industry forward and shaping it for the future. Plans are already underway for the 2021 event, which is set to be even bigger. Full details will be released over the coming months however if you wish to register your interest in attending or becoming a trade dealer, please email: elaine@cbsolarshading.co.uk
We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended, all the keynote speakers and sponsors and the CB team, in particular Elaine, who worked tirelessly over the months prior to ensure the event run seamlessly.
