The team at Selecta Systems is once again putting its gardening skills to the test with the return of its Great Pumpkin Challenge, now in its fourth year.

What started as a light-hearted competition between colleagues has become something of an annual tradition at Selecta, with team members battling it out to see who can grow the heaviest pumpkin.

There is certainly a high standard to beat. Last year’s winner, Mick, grew an impressive 7.06kg pumpkin, while the overall record for the challenge currently stands at a whopping 9.2kg!

The challenge also owes a lot to Selecta colleague Keith Grice, who kindly provides the plants for the competition each year. Keith also puts his creative talents to work making handmade prizes for the contestants, which have become almost as famous within Selecta as the pumpkins themselves! Each prize is completely bespoke, with plenty of time, skill and imagination going into creating something unique for those taking part.

This year, the challenge has an added purpose. For the first time, Selecta is using the competition to help raise money for Acorns Children’s Hospice, a charity the company has proudly supported through fundraising and donations for many years.

As always, the growing season has already provided plenty of talking points. Some of Selecta’s usually successful growers have struggled, while others are proudly reporting two or three pumpkins growing nicely. Our local ‘Brummie’ squirrel population has also proven to be one of this year’s toughest competitors, with a few pumpkins falling victim to some rather enthusiastic taste-testing!

The challenge continues to create plenty of friendly rivalry between colleagues, while this year helping to raise awareness and funds for an incredibly important cause.

With plenty of growing still to come, there’s still everything to play for!

To support Selecta’s Great Pumpkin Challenge and help raise funds for Acorns Children’s Hospice, visit the team’s JustGiving page.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/selecta-systems-ltd-2?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Every December, Selecta Systems organises a series of fundraising activities in support of its chosen local charity, Acorns Children’s Hospice. The most recent initiative, which combined a Christmas raffle with a festive jumper day, was coordinated by the company’s marketing department and raised an impressive £3,550 for the charity.

Selecta Systems has supported Acorns Children’s Hospice for several years and continues to recognise the vital role the organisation plays within the local community. Acorns provides specialist palliative care and support for babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, as well as ongoing assistance for their families.

Commenting on the continued partnership, Selecta Systems Marketing Manager Mark Walker highlighted the importance of community-backed fundraising. He explained that Acorns relies heavily on donations to maintain its services, particularly following challenges in recent years that have placed additional pressure on funding. “We have always been amazed by the level of care and support Acorns provides, not only to children and young people, but to their families as well,” he said.

Acorns Children’s Hospice delivers a wide range of services, including short breaks, emergency and end-of-life care, therapeutic and psychosocial support, sibling services and bereavement care. Its holistic approach ensures families receive tailored support during some of the most difficult times they may face.

The fundraising effort was coordinated by Selecta Marketing Assistant Danielle Southam, who praised the generosity of colleagues and participants. She said the level of engagement across the business made the events a success and expressed appreciation to everyone who contributed. The total raised will go directly towards supporting the ongoing work of Acorns Children’s Hospice and the families who rely on its services.

The fenestration industry has always been built on strong relationships, product performance and reputation. Those fundamentals haven’t changed. What has changed, however, is how and where those relationships are formed, how reputations are reinforced, and how products are discovered in the first place. Mark Walker, Marketing Manager at Selecta Systems, talks about why digital visibility now matters more than ever.

Social media, video and, more recently, artificial intelligence are no longer “nice to have” marketing tools. They are becoming essential channels for visibility, education and engagement across every level of our industry – from fabricators and installers through to homeowners.

Social media: from awareness to reassurance

Social media is often misunderstood as being purely promotional. In reality, its greatest strength lies in the reassurance and credibility of a business and its range of products and services. Platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and also Tik Tok allow fenestration businesses to consistently demonstrate their professionalism, reliability, personality and expertise without overt selling.

For trade-focused brands, LinkedIn is not just an invaluable space for sharing product and service information and spec. It’s also the perfect platform to share industry insight, celebrating staff achievements, highlighting accreditations whilst engaging with partners. For installer-facing or homeowner-led audiences, Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok offer a visual, accessible way to show real installations, customer feedback and behind-the-scenes activity.

The key benefit with these platforms, is consistency. Regular, well-considered social content helps keep a brand front of mind and reinforces trust long before a sales conversation ever takes place.

Video: showing, not telling

Video has transformed how products are communicated. Window and door system offerings can be complex, but video allows those technical and performance aspects to be explained clearly and visually.

Short-form videos are particularly effective for product highlights, installations, new launches or common questions. Longer-form content can be used for education and training, factory tours or in-depth system explanations. Importantly, video humanises brands and brings personality into the fold. Seeing the people behind the products, whether that’s fabrication, installation and technical teams, sales staff or management, these can build familiarity and confidence.

From a marketing standpoint, video content is also highly versatile. A single filmed piece can be repurposed across websites, social media, presentations and email campaigns, maximising return on effort.

AI: a practical marketing assistant

Artificial intelligence is perhaps the most talked-about development in marketing, and understandably so. Whilst AI isn’t a replacement for experience or industry knowledge, it has quickly become a valuable assistant.

When used responsibly, AI can help generate first drafts of content, suggest social media ideas, analyse engagement trends and streamline repetitive tasks. This allows marketing teams and staff responsible for digital marketing, particularly in smaller businesses, to focus more time on strategy, creativity and accuracy.

In an industry where compliance, performance data and technical detail matter, human management remains essential. However, AI can significantly improve efficiency, speed and consistency when used as a support tool rather than a shortcut.

Meeting customers where they are

One of the most important reasons to embrace social media, video content and AI is simply that customers expect it. For instance, homeowners increasingly research products online before contacting an installer. Trade customers want quick access to information, visuals and reassurance. If a brand isn’t visible or active digitally, it risks being overlooked, regardless of your product quality and service capabilities.

This doesn’t mean abandoning traditional marketing or personal relationships. Instead, digital tools should complement them – reinforcing messages, extending reach and supporting conversations and topics already taking place offline.

Selecta – Supporting customers

At Selecta Systems, our marketing team works closely with customers to help them make practical and effective use of social media, video and AI as part of their wider marketing activity. We support fabricators and installers by creating content that is both professional and relevant, from ready-to-use social media posts and product visuals through to video assets.

We can also assist in the formation of campaign ideas, which can be tailored to individual businesses. By combining our understanding of the fenestration market with modern marketing tools, we help customers communicate more clearly, stay consistent and present their products with confidence across digital channels, without adding unnecessary complexity or pressure to their day-to-day operations.

A long-term mindset

Ultimately, effective digital marketing in our industry is not about chasing trends or viral moments. It’s about creating and providing consistency, authenticity and clarity. Businesses that take a measured, personal yet professional approach to social media, video and AI are better positioned to educate their audience, strengthen their brand and adapt to an evolving marketplace.

Ultimately, these tools are not about selling more aggressively, they’re about communicating more effectively. And in an industry that is largely built on trust, that can make all the difference.