A No-Brainer
By Casey Flores
‘‘What the heck is this doing in here?”
Maybe you didn’t read my January/February column in WINDOW FILM magazine and that was your first question when this publication came in the mail.
Every healthy industry has a healthy magazine and yes, PPF is a very healthy industry that now has its own magazine.
Once upon a time, PPF was seen as an add-on product for tinters; now it is becoming a main profit-driver for shops around the nation. (See More Than Meets The Eye on page 10.)
The product has been ranked the fastest-growing aftermarket accessory year after year, and the profit margins are even higher than tint. “You make more money with PPF,” company representatives constantly tell me. Its ease of installation also makes it a no-brainer. In fact, with zero prior experience and very little guidance, I was able to install the product onto a vehicle at the SEMA show last fall. It was quick and intuitive, which are qualities that will help raise your average invoice and sales volume easily.
How do you get in the game?
1) Talk to your supplier.
Most film suppliers now offer the product. Some tinters like to switch it up and get their PPF from a separate company—that’s fine, too. Just make sure you get a supplier.
2) Offer it with every tint job.
Some installers tell me they’re able to sell four out of five customers on PPF—all they have to do is ask. Maybe they won’t go for a full front-hood installation, but they’ll almost certainly opt for door edge or cusp protection.
3) Get in with dealerships.
Car dealerships love selling PPF as an add-on—especially those that sell luxury vehicles. If people can afford a BMW or a Lexus, they can also afford to (and probably want to) protect it from everyday scratches. Partnerships like this can help keep a steady flow of business, particularly during the wintertime.
There’s no reason not to offer PPF. According to some estimates, only about 5 percent of cars have it—so the market share is there for the taking. That share, however, is only going to go to the driven entrepreneurs. Is that you?
To view the laid-in version of this article in our digital edition, CLICK HERE.
