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How to Grow Brand Recognition in your Local Market

2022-12-14T02:33:10+00:00

You’ve done it all by this point. Your company’s paperwork is filled out, you have your EIN, you have a logo and a website and everything else your business could possibly need. But now you’re facing the age old question – how to grow brand recognition in your local market.

We at Carolina Solar Security have been asking ourselves this same question since 1985, and we’re sorry to say that there isn’t a simple answer to the riddle that is local brand awareness. But we do have a few tips and tricks to help you get started. Keep reading to learn more. 

Build an Outstanding Website

A good website goes a long way, that’s why you need to build you website the right way. But, what is the right way? A good website is one that has a clean, clear design, is easy to navigate, and easy to find. To do this, you will need to have a clear understanding of what your website will look like and build it with proper search engine optimization.

Now, your new website won’t start bringing in hundreds of leads on day one. It’s going to take some time to build that kind of web traffic. Instead, focus your efforts on building a website that will pay off in the long run. You can do this by frequently updating your website will relevant and keyword rich information. This will help your website rank higher in local search results.

Attend a Community Events 

The easiest way to get your foot in the door of your local community’s market is to simply walk in the room. When your community holds an event that allows businesses to table, your name and brand will be visible to every person who passes your booth. 

Event Attendance Hack: No matter how many community events you attend, you’ll never get the chance to talk to every potential client. Some might not even walk in your general direction! To capture the attention of these attendees, many brands choose to sponsor the event itself. This way they have boots on the ground and their logo placed throughout the venue. 

Join a Networking Group 

At the end of the day, relationships keep your business going. Why not join a mentorship or networking group to expand your business and grow your brand recognition? 

In any given area, there are countless opportunities to network with leaders inside and outside of your industry. If you need help getting started, we recommend peer mentorship programs like Vistage (a favorite of our CEO, Bill Valway), joining the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, or looking into a local CEO Club. 

No matter what type of networking organization you join, you’re bound to make long-term relationships with leaders in your area who can help you grow your brand recognition. 

Get Involved with Charitable Giving

Getting involved in your community through charitable giving and volunteer work is a great way to connect with your local market. Charity projects are staffed by employees and volunteers who are active in their communities, and they will help you make new connections throughout the local market. 

Beyond expanding your network, charitable giving and volunteer work sends an important message to your staff and potential clients about your consideration for the community. It will help your team and clients bond over a shared goal that goes much deeper than business. 

Pro Tip: Do your due diligence before aligning your brand with a nonprofit organization. Since you are already making a bold statement about your companies values by getting involved in your community, ensure you stand by it’s practices. You can use helpful tools like Charity Navigator to do just that.

Social Media

Social Media is a no-brainer when it comes to local brand recognition. Sure, you can show off your favorite projects with social media, but you can also use it to engage your audience on a personal level, in real time. By making your brand easily accessible, you are making it easier to remember. 

One thing to note: People can tell when you’re being disingenuous. And being disingenuous is a social media death sentence. When you post, make sure it is relevant to your brands message and adding something to the conversation. To put it simply-post from the heart. 

Branded Commercial Graphics

Now, we know you don’t have all the time in the world for networking and posting on Instagram. You’re busy running your business! So when you’re too busy to attend that Lunch & Learn for CEOs, choose a professionally-designed commercial graphics instead. 

Carolina Solar Security began offering commercial graphics to clients throughout North Carolina following its acquisition by AP Corp in early 2022. As a branch of AP Corp, we can proudly offer professional design and installation services for everything from window graphics to building wraps. An attention grabbing window graphic or building wrap is an easy way to stand out from the crowd, simply because they demand the attention of those who pass by. 

Ready to make a splash in the local market? 

Whether you have a large building on the busy streets of Fayetteville, North Carolina, or a storefront on the side of a major road, vinyl window graphics or building graphics will help you reach new clients. 

So, when you’re ready to make a splash, contact your local commercial graphics company. For more information on our applied vinyl services, get in touch with us today!

How to Grow Brand Recognition in your Local Market2022-12-14T02:33:10+00:00

Bird Safety Window Film in Fayetteville, NC

2022-11-17T02:03:51+00:00

Imagine you’re going about your regular day-to-day at the office. You’re sending emails, answering the phone, chatting by the proverbial water cooler when BAM! Some unlucky rock dove has mistaken your window for the wide-open sky, injuring themselves and damaging your glass window in the process.

Luckily, there’s a way to help our avian friends steer clear of closed windows: Bird Safety Window Film.

 

Why Birds Crash into Windows

What’s the deal with birds and windows? Since birds can’t tell us directly, we’ll have to go based on theory. It’s widely believed that birds simply get confused by reflections on glass windows during the daytime. If your window is reflecting the sky, they think they’re in the clear. If the reflection has vegetation, then they’re thinking about taking a seat or grabbing a snack. At night, nocturnal birds may crash into windows if they see a light inside the building.

It’s nice to know why birds crash into windows, but it doesn’t make it any less distressing when it happens. Thankfully, businesses in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and surrounding areas can count on Carolina Solar Security to find a bird safety window film solution that actually works.

 

How Bird Film Works

Traditionally, companies relied on fritted glass to deter birds from crashing into windows. If you’re not in the know, fritted glass is just regular glass with fine pours throughout. These pours allow liquid and gas to escape through the glass, reduces glare, and cuts cooling costs. But this unique product has one major drawback – the cost. A single pane of fritted glass can cost between $15 and $70!

Instead of breaking the bank to get fritted glass, businesses in Fayetteville, NC rely on bird safety window film solutions.

It might be hard to imagine how something as simple as window film can protect your building and birds in one flow swoop, but it really is possible! Bird safety window film is constructed from durable materials and designed to deter birds from flying into reflective glass by mimicking the look of fritted glass.

Both bird film and fritted glass make it possible for birds to see a reflection in a window and recognize it for what it is. With your

 

The Hidden Branding Benefits of Bird Film

With over one million birds meeting their maker by flying into windows a year, it just makes sense to invest in a window film that will protect you, them, and your building.

But the benefits of bird film don’t end with safety. As always, we have to consider the style factor. Bird safety window film comes in either dotted or striped patterns. While it might not seem like much, the simple, understated look of these window films add just the right amount of style to any space.

There’s also the sheer fact that bird deterring window films still offer the same heat and light reflection you’ve come to expect. That means you can protect the birds in your area, block UV rays, reject heat, and save on energy costs all at once.

 

Your Certified Fayetteville, NC Bird-Friendly Window Film Installer

When looking for a provider of bird safety film in Fayetteville, NC, you need to make sure you are working with the best. Look for an experienced, certified window film dealer.

Carolina Solar Security is a 3M Authorized Prestige Window Film Dealer in Wilmington, NC. That’s just an hour and a half away! We’ve been providing home and business owners with bird deterring window film solutions that work since 1985. And now that we’re powered by AP Corp, we’re able to provide our customers with more solutions than ever before.

Interested in finding a solution to protect birds and your building? Reach out to Carolina Solar Security for a free quote!

Bird Safety Window Film in Fayetteville, NC2022-11-17T02:03:51+00:00

3M Commercial Graphics in North Carolina

2022-12-03T15:59:12+00:00

Carolina Solar Security has gone through some exciting changes in the past few months. We are now proudly powered by AP Corp and we’ve welcomed Luke McLawhorn as Operations Manager and Partner.

Now, we’re excited to share yet another sign of our growth: we provide custom commercial graphics in North Carolina for business owners and operators. Businesses from Wilmington, to Fayetteville, North Carolina, and beyond can now enjoy all the benefits of applied commercial graphics thanks to our company’s rapid expansion.

You might be wondering, “why should I care?” Read on to find out.

What are Commercial Graphics?

Commercial graphics are exactly what they sound like-printed, self-adhesive graphics that are applied to the empty surfaces of your business. They turn what used to be boring, bland, and blank into something that’s impossible to ignore.

Where Can I See Examples of Commercial Graphics in North Carolina?

We can say with almost 100% certainty that you’ve seen custom commercial graphics in North Carolina. When you go to the boardwalks in beautiful Outer Banks, North Carolina, you can see concession stands with high-impact signage everywhere. In cities like Charlotte and Raleigh, you can see storefront graphics, window graphics, and wall murals in nearly every shop.

We all interact with custom commercial graphics every day, and it’s clear that they can make or break your business. Now, Carolina Solar Security is offering you the chance to stand out from the crowd in busy cities like Wilmington and Fayetteville, North Carolina, without searching for an out-of-state vendor.

Why Commercial Graphics are Important to North Carolina Businesses

It’s clique to say, but commercial graphics are an opportunity you can’t miss. They will boost your brand, promote your business, and unite the community you’ve created as a business owner. Below, are just a few of the benefits of investing in commercial graphics.

Advertising on Your Terms

The best part of commercial graphics is that you’ve already invested in the ad space. You’re not paying yet another vendor to use their billboard, advertise on their station, or in their magazine. That means that everything about your commercial graphics is within your control.

If you have a blank wall, a perfectly clear window, or a spotless floor, you may not be using your space to its full potential. These surfaces present a major, often missed opportunity to show off the brand you’ve worked so hard on. Why not turn those blank spaces into something amazing? You’ve really got nothing to lose.

Create Brand Awareness

Like we said before, you’ve worked hard on your brand. Are you giving your brand the attention it deserves?

Custom commercial graphics are a unique, attention-grabbing way to make sure everyone in your local area knows your business, understands what you do, and sees the value you offer. You can create brand awareness with easily applied branding materials like vinyl window graphics or building graphics that command attention.

Marketing Campaigns that Change with the Seasons

When your North Carolina-based business works with Carolina Solar Security, you know you’re getting a high-quality product that can be installed with minimal disruption to your operations.

Installing commercial graphics does take skilled hands, but said skilled installers are efficient. Graphics for your business can be installed quickly, and removal of those graphics is even faster. So, when you work with Carolina Solar Security’s team of professional graphic designers and certified installers, you can create commercial graphics to promote anything and change them out as often as you like.

Commercial Graphics – Exactly What Your Business Needs

Commercial Graphics can be a game-changer for businesses in North Carolina, but you need graphics that work for you. You need something aesthetically pleasing, attention-grabbing, and easy to understand.

Are you ready to take the next step in growing your business? Carolina Solar Security is the top-rated installer of commercial graphics in the coastal Carolina region. Get in touch with us today to see how we can incorporate impactful commercial graphics into your North Carolina business.

3M Commercial Graphics in North Carolina2022-12-03T15:59:12+00:00

Dual-Reflective Window Film: What Is It?

2022-03-29T16:26:13+00:00

Finding a happy medium between a beautiful view and privacy is a challenge that just about every business owner faces. We all love a room or lobby with big, expansive windows and the natural light they let in. They make your employees and clients feel the warmth of the sun and appreciate the effort you’ve put into making your space memorable. But, like almost everything else in life, big windows come with a catch-the possibility of unwanted eyes looking inside.

Luckily, you don’t have to choose between privacy and the view any longer. Dual-reflective window films are available to create that happy medium for you. But how does it work, and is it worth it? Keep reading to find out.

How Dial-Reflective Window Film Works

Dual-reflective window film works by filtering light before it enters your space. This film will reject up to 99% of UV rays to prevent damage to your interiors, filter excess infrared light to keep you cool, and allow the appropriate amount of near-infrared rays into your space. NIR rays warm up your space but carry less energy than visible light and are not as likely to cause heating issues.

Privacy & Appearance of Dual-Reflective Window Film

Privacy is a major concern for all business owners. Who wouldn’t want their staff and clients to feel safe in their space? Highly reflective window film will protect the privacy of your business, staff, and clients alike. It is made reflective when visible light touches its surface and is reflected back. For those outside your business, your windows will look like a black mirror. On the inside looking out, they are simply clear windows.

You may also want to consider applying two layers of dual-reflective window film. The biggest difference between single- and dual-reflective window films is that with single reflective, you can see outside but not inside. With dual-reflective, you can see both ways; but in low light conditions, such as during nighttime, direct sunlight isn’t present to create reflection on the inside surface of your windows.

Energy Savings

Dual-reflective window film is widely known for its energy savings benefits. The unique composition of these films allow near-infrared rays into your space to warm it, while rejecting as much infrared light as possible. Infrared rays carry a great amount of energy and can quickly overheat your business. Instead of allowing infrared light to take over a space, dual-reflective window film’s unique composition filters it out. But the film will allow for the transmission of near-infrared light, infrared light’s less energetic cousin. Because NIR rays carry less energy, you don’t have to blast your AC system to stay comfortable.

Where To Get It

There are a few things to look for when choosing the right dealer. First, and most importantly, you need to make sure that the installer has experience working with dual-reflective films. Dual-reflective window films are specialized products, and we will always recommend finding a certified, experienced installer.

Carolina Solar Security, Your Dial-Reflective Film Go-To

At Carolina Solar Security, a division of AP Corp, we provide warrantied and certified installation for homes and businesses throughout coastal North Carolina. For everything from decorative film to dual-reflective film, you can count on us.

Carolina Solar Security is a 3M™ Authorized Prestige Window Film Dealer in Wilmington, NC. We have been providing North Carolina homeowners and business owners with window tinting solutions since 1985 and never stop working to bring our customers the best products paired with the most skilled window film technicians. Reach out to us for your free quote today!

Dual-Reflective Window Film: What Is It?2022-03-29T16:26:13+00:00

Office Window Tinting Ideas for Your Business

2021-10-29T14:22:10+00:00

As more companies shift to remote work, keeping employees happy in a traditional office setting is becoming increasingly difficult. Working from home typically means more flexibility and privacy, which is what makes remote jobs so appealing to prospective employees. That being said, companies that need in-office help have to work harder to attract job seekers and maintain employee satisfaction. While renovations are an effective way to boost office morale, they’re often time-consuming and costly. Luckily, there’s an easier way to create a more inviting and pleasant atmosphere for your employees: office window tinting.

Creative Uses for Office Window Tinting

While window film is traditionally used to save energy, there are many other creative ways to use window tinting around the office:

  • Create Collaborative Spaces
  • Add Privacy or Hide Unsightly Areas
  • Strengthen Company Values
  • Improve Occupant Comfort
  • Enhance Branding or Advertising

Create Collaborative Spaces

Through office window tinting, you can create more spaces for your employees to come together and collaborate. One way to foster more communication between colleagues is to add whiteboard window film to meeting rooms, offices, or other joint spaces. By allowing the sharing of ideas and providing a space to write them down, you can facilitate an environment of openness, collaboration, and teamwork.

Add Privacy or Hide Unsightly Areas

An important part of employee happiness is ensuring a clean and clutter-free workspace. Unsightly storage areas or a lack of office privacy can cause disruptions and hinder performance. By adding decorative or frosted films to cubicle partitions, conference rooms, or storage spaces, you can create a more welcoming atmosphere. In addition to elevating the style of a space, window tinting can lessen disruptions to boost employee productivity.

Strengthen Company Values

Are you looking for ways to boost company morale and establish your company values throughout your organization? Custom window tinting applied to conference rooms, glass walls, windows, and other areas can strengthen awareness of your company values. By reminding employees what is at the heart of your company’s mission, you can build loyalty and workplace satisfaction.

Improve Occupant Comfort

If there’s any cause for disagreement in the office, it’s often the temperature. While some people will always complain it’s too chilly, others will always think the opposite. Fluctuating temperatures are common in both the summer and winter as HVAC systems in large commercial buildings struggle to keep up. However, the energy efficiency of window film makes it easier to block out heat in the summer and retain warmth during the cooler months. Not only does this lead to cost savings, but it also improves occupant comfort.

Enhance Branding or Advertising

Although displaying your company’s mission is one way to use office window tinting, you can also use it to simply enhance branding or for promotional purposes. Whether you have information you want to make available to all employees or you want to distinguish different departments within your organization, custom window film can serve a multitude of purposes.

Office Window Tinting Solutions for Your Business

Are you ready to invest in window film for your business? Whether you are seeking to improve aesthetics, add privacy, or strengthen branding, our window film experts can find the perfect solution for your office.

Carolina Solar Security is a 3M™ Authorized Prestige Window Film Dealer in Wilmington, NC. We have been providing North Carolina homeowners and business owners with window tinting solutions since 1985 and never stop working to bring our customers the best products paired with the most skilled window film technicians. Reach out to us for your free quote today!

Office Window Tinting Ideas for Your Business2021-10-29T14:22:10+00:00

Benefits of UV Protection Film

2022-11-16T23:02:44+00:00

Solve this riddle: What’s something you can’t see, you can’t feel until a few hours later, and can cause lifelong harm? Ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

UV radiation is a form of energy emitted from the sun and other manmade sources like tanning beds. UV radiation is different than the heat you feel on a hot summer day in Wilmington, but you can certainly feel its effects later when you get a sunburn. While minimal exposure to UV rays can be beneficial, prolonged exposure can result in premature aging and even skin cancer. Luckily, products like sunscreen, sunglasses, and UV protection film can keep us safe from UV rays, indoors and outside.

UV Rays See No Boundaries

It’s common practice to apply sunscreen before a long beach day or an afternoon spent at the pool. However, we often don’t realize that UV rays can even impact us while we’re indoors; they can enter through windows disguised as beautiful natural light. Exposure to UV rays can cause hardwood floors, rugs, furniture, and more to fade over time.

If this damage can be done to furnishings, imagine what UV rays can do to your skin! While North Carolina dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen daily, you shouldn’t have to wear sunscreen on a day spent lounging inside your home. Luckily, UV protection film can keep both you and your furnishings out of harm’s way!

UV Protection Film…

Prevents Fading

You invest a lot in decorating your home, from beautiful furniture to intricate art pieces. Don’t let UV rays enter and wreak havoc on your decor! With UV protection film, you can block UV rays without eliminating natural light. In fact, UV window film rejects up to 99.9% of UV rays and 97% of infrared heat, both of which contribute to fading. Add years to the life of furnishings when you invest in UV protection film.

Protects Your Skin

Not only does this window film protect your belongings, but it also protects your skin. Its excellent UV rejecting abilities mean you’ll be safe and sound inside from damaging UV rays. In fact, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends window film as an efficient UV protectant. Protect yourself and your family from the long-term effects of UV exposure by investing in window film.

Improves Comfort

In addition to its impeccable UV rejection, this film also rejects heat! The sun can heat up interiors on a hot day, leading to both discomfort and overworked HVAC systems. With window film, you can achieve comfortable interiors and lower energy bills without eliminating natural light from your space.

UV protection window film extends the life of furnishings, rejects heat, and shields your skin from harmful UV rays. So when you choose window film, you’re choosing both enhanced comfort and increased protection for a happier, healthier home.

Carolina Solar Security is a 3M™ Authorized Prestige Window Film Dealer in Wilmington, NC. We have been providing North Carolina homeowners and business owners with window tinting solutions since 1985 and never stop working to bring our customers the best products paired with the most skilled window film technicians. Reach out to us for your free quote today! 

Benefits of UV Protection Film2022-11-16T23:02:44+00:00

Carolina Solar Security is the area’s largest and most experienced 3M™ authorized dealer and applicator of high-performance window film. We also offer commercial graphics that drive leads and boost business..

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1640 Lewis Landing Ave
Wilmington, NC 28405

(910)805-8056

info@carolinasolarsecurity.com

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