The Mirror , Thursday 10th May, 2001

The Super Rads.

Dear Sir Alan
I have set up a new business called Radiant and I sell designer radiators.
I need a bit of advise in ways to market my company's image. I currently advertise in national homes magazines and have just setup a website.
Scott Cobden, Leicester

Sir Alan says
I have taken a look at your website and am quite surprised at the various shapes and sizes of radiators you sell.
I am sure you must have thought of this before, but I will mention a first observation. I am a little concerned that some of your radiators could burn people.
They are interesting in shape but not so obviously radiators, so people might touch them. If they were very hot that would be a nasty surprise.
I am sure this is a minor issue, the most important thing is how to promote your unusual products.

I suggest you widen your advertising by placing smaller adverts in a far greater range of media.
You could invite people to look at your website rather than spending money on full feature adverts in these magazines showing examples of your work. Try to think up a small advert that induces people to click on to your site.
It is very important for you to get known among interior designers. I suggest you spend a lot of your advertising money targeting interior design magazines. Most of these designers have computer systems and will look at your website.

I feel your product is something that needs to be recommended by the designer to the end customer. It is not the type of thing an end customer would think about, although would love it once installed.
One other idea is to find yourself five or six partners strategically placed throughout the country. These partners would have bathroom or kitchen showrooms where they could devote space to displaying your products.
You could share the business on a commission basis. Your products are very unusual and I also believe should be targeted at the younger generation. As such, when choosing the media in which to advertise, try to tailor it to young readers.

In the mean time, if anybody wants a really cool radiator try the Radiant web site.