The Category That Loses First
Todd Tomalak from Zonda told me something that window and door manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and marketers need to hear about window and door marketing.
Understanding window and door marketing strategies can make a significant difference in sales.
Effective window and door marketing is essential in today’s competitive landscape.
We were sitting in Boston at the Window and Door Manufacturing Association conference, talking about market trends and buyer behavior.
He pulled out research his team had done on what happens when affordability gets squeezed.
When mortgage rates spike. When costs increase. When homeowners have to make choices.
Here’s what the data showed:
Investing in window and door marketing can yield long-term benefits for manufacturers.
Innovative window and door marketing tactics are crucial for reaching homeowners effectively.
Windows and doors are the first category buyers downgrade or skip.
Windows and doors are the first category buyers downgrade or skip.
Utilizing digital platforms for window and door marketing can improve visibility.
Homeowners increasingly rely on effective strategies.
Understanding buyer behavior can enhance efforts.
Effective messaging in window and door marketing can resonate with homeowners.
Investing in quality images can enhance campaigns.
Windows and doors are the first category buyers downgrade or skip.
Not because they don’t matter.
Because they’re not bundled with the emotional weight of a kitchen remodel or a bathroom upgrade.
Why This Happens
Think about how buyers actually make decisions.
Differentiate your brand through unique window and door marketing strategies.
Explore social media avenues for effective window and door marketing.
Analyzing competitors can sharpen your approach.
Utilize customer feedback to improve initiatives.
Staying updated with trends can enhance your window and door marketing strategy.
Leverage partnerships for effective outreach.
Content marketing plays a pivotal role in success.
Emphasize the benefits in your marketing messages.
Analyze data to improve your marketing strategies.
Target specific demographics with your window and door marketing efforts.
Utilize testimonials to enhance your credibility.
Engage your audience effectively with marketing strategies.
If a homeowner is planning a remodel and costs start climbing, they don’t cut everything evenly.
They cut what feels less urgent. Less visible. Less emotional.
A kitchen remodel is a bundle. Cabinets, countertops, appliances, faucets, tile. Once they commit to the kitchen, they’re committed to the whole thing.
Same with a bathroom. Vanity, tile, fixtures, lighting. It’s a package.
Windows and doors?
They’re often sold separately. In isolation. Not tied to the bigger emotional decision.
So when buyers have to choose, they choose the bundle.
They delay the windows.
They downgrade the doors.
They decide to “deal with it later.”
And later never comes.
Who Actually Controls The Decision
But here’s what most manufacturers overlook. Even when the homeowner loves your premium windows on paper, the decision doesn’t stop there.
The contractor sitting at their kitchen table controls what actually gets installed.
Same with the dealer they walk into. Same with the builder they hire.
The pro and the dealer are the ones who either defend your product or suggest the downgrade.
And right now, when budgets tighten, too many pros and dealers are making it easy for buyers to cut or downgrade windows and doors.
Because they don’t have the tools, the confidence, or the proof they need to sell the value when the pressure is on.
When a homeowner asks, “Can we go cheaper?” and the pro or dealer doesn’t have a clear, confident answer, they fold.
They suggest the downgrade.
They swap the spec.
They say, “We can save you some money here.”
Not because they don’t believe in your product.
Because they don’t have the proof, the language, or the tools to defend it under pressure.
And that’s where you lose the deal.
What The Pro and Dealer Need From You
If you want to stop losing deals to budget cuts and downgrades, you need to make it easier for the pro and dealer to sell your value.
Here’s what that looks like:
1. Give them proof they can show, not just claims they repeat.
When a homeowner asks, “Is this really worth the extra cost?”, the pro or dealer needs something they can show.
Not a brochure.
Not a spec sheet.
Something real:
Side-by-side energy savings data they can explain at the table.
Real project examples that show what happens when someone chooses premium vs. when they downgrade.
Durability stories that prove why cheaper costs more later.
Testimonials from other homeowners who don’t regret spending more.
When the pro or dealer has proof in their hand, they can defend the decision.
Without proof, they shrug and say, “It’s up to you.”
2. Give them language they can use to explain value.
Most pros and dealers are not natural salespeople.
They’re good at what they do. But when a homeowner pushes back on price, they don’t always have the words to explain why it matters.
You need to give them the language:
“Here’s why this window will cost you less over 10 years.”
“Here’s what happens when people choose the cheaper option in this climate.”
“Here’s why this door makes the install easier and reduces callbacks.”
Simple. Clear. Confident.
When they have the language, they use it. When they don’t, they fold.
3. Make their job easier, not harder.
Pros and dealers will defend products that make their lives easier.
They’ll downgrade products that create problems.
If your product is harder to install, harder to source, harder to get answers about, or harder to support after the sale, you’re making it easy for them to suggest the alternative.
Highlight your unique selling points in window and door marketing.
Make it easy:
Fast answers when they have questions.
Clear installation support that reduces callbacks.
Reliable delivery and availability.
Simple ordering and quoting.
When you make their job easier, they protect your spot in the deal.
When you make their job harder, they swap you out.
4. Reward them for defending your value.
If a pro or dealer consistently fights for your premium product and helps you close deals, recognize it.
Not just with rebates.
With support. With access. With partnership.
Make them feel like defending your product is worth their time and effort.
Because when budgets tighten, and every deal gets harder, they’ll remember who backed them up.
What Happens When You Get This Right
When you equip the pro and dealer to sell your value confidently, specs stop getting swapped, price pressure drops, and deals close faster. You stop being the line item that gets cut. You become the brand they defend.
Give pros and dealers the tools to defend your value, and they’ll protect your spot in the deal. Leave them on their own, and you’re just another line item that gets cut.
Want the Full Conversation?
Todd and I went deep on market trends, buyer behavior, and what’s coming in 2026. Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on the Grit Blueprint Podcast.
Listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2335084/episodes/18389576
Join Built to Win
If you’re in the window and door industry and tired of losing deals to budget cuts and downgrades, Built to Win will show you how to become the choice pros and dealers defend.
I write for manufacturers, distributors, and dealers who refuse to compete on price alone.
P.S. The pro and dealer will defend what they can confidently explain. Give them the tools to show your value, and they’ll protect your spot in the deal.
P.S.S. When the homeowner asks, “Can we go cheaper?”, the answer the pro or dealer gives decides your revenue. Make sure they have the right answer.
Stefanie Couch, Founder, Grit Blueprint
