Taking the all-year-round approach to cover sales…
Creating a successful promotional campaign for swimming pool covers, from debris to slatted, requires a strategic blend of market understanding, targeted messaging, and multi-channel promotion. Before you dive off the sales starting block you need to focus on specific target groups with different approaches for homeowners with pools compared with hotels, schools and leisure centres. A successful communication strategy will be founded on compelling return on investment propositions that highlight the key benefits of pool covers: safety for children and pets, reduced maintenance costs and energy conservation.
Consider testimonials or case studies from already satisfied customers to build trust while offering seasonal promotions or limited-time discounts, you will help to create urgency.
CALENDAR PLAN
To maximise cover sales and revenue throughout the year, Ocea UK help its trade clients to strategically plan sales of pool covers. “Instead of viewing pool covers as a single-season product, a year-round approach can generate consistent sales opportunities and turnover,” advises Ocea UK’s Alan Thorne. “We have come up with a seasonal guide for B2B clients to effectively market and sell Ocea and DEL pool covers all year round.”
Winter (December – February): The Planning and Protection Season
• FOCUS: Winter is the ideal time to focus on pool protection and planning for the upcoming season.
• KEY PRODUCTS: Ocea DEL Debris Covers and DEL Bubble Covers.
• SALES STRATEGY:
» Early Bird Offers: Encourage clients to offer special “Winterization Packages” that include a debris cover to protect the pool from leaves, snow, and ice. This is a practical, low-barrier entry point.
» Planning for Spring: Work with clients to sell the idea of ‘future-proofing’ their pools. This is the perfect time for them to discuss and order Ocea automatic slatted covers for spring installation. Emphasise the benefits of getting a head start on a major project before the busy season begins.
» Target Audience: Pool maintenance companies and homeowners looking to protect their investment during the off-season.
Spring (March – May): The Upgrade and Installation Season
• FOCUS: Spring is the prime time for new installations and upgrades as clients prepare for the summer swimming season.
• KEY PRODUCTS: Ocea Automatic Slatted Covers and DEL Slatted Covers.
• SALES STRATEGY:
» Installation Incentives: Clients should promote installation services for new slatted covers. Highlight the quick turnaround times and the energy-saving benefits of an automatic cover as the pool is heated for use.
» “Pool Ready” Packages: Create attractive packages that bundle a new slatted cover with other pool opening services (e.g., cleaning, equipment check).
» Target Audience: New pool owners, homeowners with older pools, and commercial clients (hotels, leisure centers) preparing for high season.
Summer (June – August): The Energy Efficiency and Convenience Season
• FOCUS: During the peak swimming season, the focus shifts to convenience, safety, and energy savings.
• KEY PRODUCTS: Ocea Automatic Slatted Covers and DEL Winder Bubble Covers.
• SALES STRATEGY:
» Highlight Running Costs: This is the best time to sell the ‘return on investment’ of a slatted cover. With pools being heated, clients can show how the cover dramatically reduces heat loss, saving on energy bills.
» Safety First: Promote the safety aspect of robust slatted covers, especially to families with young children.
» Quick Solutions: Offer quick-to-deploy solutions like bubble covers and winders for pools that are in constant use. These are excellent add-on sales.
» Target Audience: Homeowners with high usage pools, families, and commercial clients with high footfall.
Autumn (September – November): The Maintenance and Replacement Season
• FOCUS: As the swimming season winds down, the focus turns to maintenance, repairs, and planning for winter.
• KEY PRODUCTS: DEL Bubble Covers and DEL Debris Covers, as well as repair and replacement parts for Ocea covers.
• SALES STRATEGY:
» “End-of-Season” Deals: Offer deals on bubble covers for winter storage and debris covers to protect pools from autumn leaves.
» Service and Maintenance
Contracts: Encourage clients to offer service plans for automatic covers. This creates a recurring revenue stream and a reason to engage with customers even when the pool is closed.
» Assess and Replace: This is the perfect time for clients to visit existing customers to assess the condition of their current covers. If a cover is damaged or aging, they can propose a new Ocea or DEL cover for installation before the winter sets in.
» Target Audience: Existing pool owners, especially those with covers nearing the end of their lifespan, and pool service companies.
Alan again: “By adopting this four- season strategy, Ocea UK’s B2B clients can transform pool covers from a seasonal product into a year-round revenue driver. “This approach not only smooths out sales fluctuations but also helps them build stronger, long-term relationships with their customers by providing timely and relevant solutions throughout the entire calendar year.”
FOUR SEASONS
With over 50 years of expertise, Plastica truly has every season – and every pool – covered with a common sense, four season approach to cover sales.
“Looking after a pool doesn’t stop when summer ends – and that’s where a year-round calendar of pool covers makes all the difference,” says Fraser McCallough. “From protecting against frost in winter to cutting energy costs in summer, the right cover keeps your pool clean, safe, and efficient every season,” Fraser continues. “By following a simple seasonal routine, you’ll extend the life of your cover, reduce running costs, and enjoy sparkling water whenever you’re ready for a swim. “With rising energy concerns, more pool owners are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.” Plastica’s innovative range includes covers made with Geobubble™ technology – a solar material proven to be stronger, more durable, and longer lasting than traditional options. These covers cut evaporation by 98%, save over 60% on water treatment, and are fully recyclable at the end of their life. Popular domestic choices include the Sol+Guard 500™, EnergyGuard™ Selective Transmission, and Apollo 400, all backed by warranties of up to six years. In colder months, the Plastica Winter Debris Cover offers reliable frost
protection while keeping out leaves and dirt. Made from abrasion-resistant materials, it features a permeable mesh, rot-proof stitching, anti-chafing straps, and comes with a 10-year pro-rata warranty.
For added peace of mind, the Poolsaver™ Safety Cover is designed to prevent children or pets from entering the pool when not in use. Built to support up to 100kg, it’s available in five colours and secured with strong stainless ratchet straps for easy tensioning.
SMART THINKING
Paramount’s Lewis Martin joins the cover sales discussion. “Owning a pool is a luxury, but it also comes with responsibility,” he says. “An Aquamatic safety cover is not just a smart accessory—it’s a year-round necessity. From safeguarding loved ones to cutting down energy costs and minimising maintenance, the benefits of a high-quality, automated safety cover are undeniable. So, whether it’s the heat of summer or the chill of winter, make covering your pool a part of every season. Your time, and most importantly, your peace of mind will thank you.” Lewis points out that in the world of pool ownership, few investments are as crucial, versatile, and overlooked as a high-quality pool safety cover. Among the many options available, a safety cover stands out as a superior choice—not just for its ease of use and durability, but for the year-round protection it offers. Lewis again: “While many homeowners see pool covers as a seasonal accessory, typically reserved for winterising a pool, the truth is very different: a safety cover is essential in every season of the year.”
Weather is unpredictable. Summer storms can blow in debris, while autumn brings falling leaves and spring often carries pollen and dust. A safety cover acts as a shield against the elements, protecting your investment. Pools are expensive to maintain, especially when left uncovered. Evaporation is the number one cause of heat loss in pools. An uncovered pool can lose up to 70% of its heat through evaporation alone. Lewis points out: “Using an Aquamatic cover consistently—whether it’s spring, summer, fall, or winter—drastically reduces evaporation, which means less money spent heating the pool and topping it off with water.”
Lighthouse has been expanding its portfolio of pool covers to support the UK trade, now offering a carefully selected range of automatic covers to suit a variety of needs and end user budgets. Daniel Phillips explains: “Following industry feedback we decided that by expanding our cover offer and not only designing but making the covers in house at our factory in Plymouth, we knew that we could provide an excellent product with excellent lead times,” The HeatForm Tidal and Wave pool covers are high end, slatted cover systems engineered to the most exacting standard and designed with the highest quality components. “We’ve been delighted with the response to the launch of the HeatForm cover systems. Going forward, we are looking to expand the range to cater for a wider audience, playing around with different designs and functions’ John Whiteside, Business Development Manager
The new HeatForm ‘Wave’ retro-fit, above-ground slatted cover system, HeatForm Tidal, the in-ground slatted cover system range and the discreet and versatile Coverseal material safety cover
are outlined below : Lighthouse are the UK’s trade importer and distributor for the unique pool safety cover system from Coverseal, which is designed and manufactured in Belgium. It is fast becoming the safety cover of choice in the UK. “It’s an unashamedly high end piece of kit which not only looks super slick but which performs faultlessly” comments Daniel. This cover system is the ultimate offering in pool safety. The specially formulated material pulls tight across the surface of the water and locks into tracks either side of the pool. The look is undeniably modern, crisp and unfussy. There are no unslightly creases or folded material, no cover pump or hose required, no puddles of dirty water, just a smooth , flat, clean surface ensuring the pool is locked away, safe and free of debris until it’s time to be used.
Importantly, the patented Coverseal system is the only safety cover to work using solar and batteries, rather than hydraulics and electrics, making it an ideal hassle-free solution for pools perhaps at the end of a long garden by avoiding having to run down long power cables and hoses. The solar panels are positioned on the top of the housing, ensuring the battery is kept topped up and ready for use. Fully customisable and suitable for all shaped pools, both the membrane and casings are available in a wide range of colours enabling the end user to choose a look which best suits their garden environment. Furthermore, the cover is available in three options, manual, semi automatic and automatic to cater for varying budgets. All cover systems can be viewed at the Lighthouse Technical Training Centre in Witney where Lighthouse’s Technical Sales Co-ordinator, Phil Bean, can offer in-house installation training on the Coverseal system.
Golden Coast fly their significant cover sales flag to the Aquadeck. With an Aquadeck® pool cover, you can count on additional advantages alongside aesthetics. “When you choose Aquadeck®, you choose top quality,” says Golden Coast’s Adam Clark. “ We’re so confident of our quality that we offer longer warranty terms with a five year guarantee on equipment and on the white and grey PC and PVC slats. Leading the Aquadeck® product range is The Edge, a revolutionary top-mount cover system that blends innovation with architectural beauty. Available in sleek black, silver, or umbra gray, The Edge, adds a striking visual element with its integrated LED effect lighting. Controlled remotely, both the cover and lighting bring convenience and atmosphere to your poolside experience. Engineered for pools up to 17m long, The Edge is versatile, easy to install, and customisable with 10 premium Aquadeck® slats. Bespoke solutions ensure your pool always fits the Aquadeck® standard: perfection.
ANTI-ALGAE
Aquadeck has come up with an innovative solution to deter algae build-up with an anti-algae slat specially designed to prevent algae growth rather than hide it. “Thanks to our smart slot technique, every time the cover is opened or closed, a disinfecting stream of water is directed through the slat,” explains Adam. “This flow dislodges dirt and initial algae formation from the coupling chamber and flushes it away. This keeps the slats clean and prevents algae from getting a foothold.
The result? A self-cleaning system that truly makes a difference. Aquadeck® incorporates a variety of safety provisions in the slat system. The three-chamber compartment increases the buoyancy of the slats. Additional safety can be provided by a handle directly below the waterline. Adam again: “An Aquadeck® cover is an elegant complement to a swimming pool. “Our production department uses an innovative automated sealing method. This minimises the humidity in the slat chambers, reducing condensation when the cover is in use. In addition, our slats are ultrasonically welded and coated with silicone to make them 100% watertight.
GOLD STANDARD
Distributed exclusively in the UK by market leaders Certikin, Coverstar is a seamlessly integrated cover system that is super-easy to operate and provides maximum safety without comprising the pool’s appearance. The Coverstar system features unparalleled strength and is ideal for both new builds and retrofitting to an existing pool. Supporting the weight of children, pets and even adults, it uses the exclusive Ultra Guard III vinyl composite, rather than the industry-standard vinyl, popular with other manufacturers.
The high level of UV resistance offered by Ultra Guard III considerably reduces the level of colour fading compared to standard vinyl, plus it has high resistance to chlorine, acid, ozone, and other pool chemicals. Instead of using sewn webbing (which often proves to be the weak area of the cover), Coverstar uses an exclusive patented process to heat seal the webbing, prolonging the cover’s life and improving the overall operation. Independent tests show this process is more than twice as strong as competitors’ webbing sewn to the cover. 
The heat-sealed webbing is also colour matched to the fabric to create a beautiful finish.
Furthermore, there are a variety of pit toppings to choose from, including composite decking and heavy-duty pit trays in which stones can be laid. Plus, the Coverstar is supplied with a low profile-leading edge bar, UK sourced power pack and UK sourced touch button key switch too.
PEACE OF MIND
For total peace of mind, factory-trained engineers are available for the installation of Coverstar covers. With both quality and quantity available, those added value sales are just a sales campaign away by showing the practicality and value of pool covers. Train your sales team to focus on consultative selling. Equip them with brochures, comparison charts, and warranty information to close deals confidently. Finally, remember to measure and monitor by tracking campaign performance using key performance indicators like conversion rates, website traffic, and ROI.
A successful sales campaign is not just about pushing a product—it’s about solving problems, building relationships, and delivering long-term value.
COMPANY CONTACTS
Certikin
Tel. 01993 777200
E. info@certikin.co.uk
www.certikin.co.uk
Golden Coast
Tel. 01271 378100
www.goldenc.com
Lighthouse Pools
Tel. 01752 253525
E. sales@lighthousepools.co.uk
www.lighthousepools.co.uk
Oase Automatic Covers
Tel. +32 (0)57 33 33 66
E. info@oase.be
www.oase.be
Ocea UK
Tel: 01993 707 910
Email: sales@oceacovers.com
www.oceauk.com
Paramount
Tel. 01256 748380
E. sales@paramountpools.co.uk
www.paramountpools.co.uk
Plastica
Tel. 01424 857500
E. quotes@commercialpools.co.uk
www.plasticapools.net
