Climbing the Steel Ladder: It’s Never Been a Better Time for Women to Enter the Trades
Today we have a guest post from Kathy Jackson on behalf of the Tulsa Welding School. It’s never been a better time to crash that glass ceiling. Increasing numbers of women are climbing the steel ladder to a successful career in the skilled trades. While many of these...
8 Tips on How to Connect with Contractors
Building relationships with contractors is no different. It can’t be a one-way street when everything you talk about is trying to sell them something. You’d get a lot farther if you were looking out for their best interest and helping them solve problems or do things better so they can make more money.
7 Key Findings from Plant Engineering’s 2016 Maintenance Study
By Matt Sonnhalter, Vision Architect, Sonnhalter Every year Plant Engineering conducts their Maintenance Study. The objective of this research is to better understand maintenance practices and strategies currently in place in North American manufacturing facilities...
Emails are in for 2016
A recent study by email on acid reported that email marketing is going to remain a top priority for companies in 2016. Though we could have predicted this was the case, nearly three out of four companies (71.8 percent) say they are planning to spend more time on email production and more than four out of five (86.7 percent) report that they will increase email marketing budgets this year.
Custom E-blasts…Direct Messages…touch the people you want to reach
Many of our clients use the custom e-blast, or direct message tactic, to deliver their message to their prospective customers. The definition of an e-blast (email blast) is a single sending of an electronic message to many people. The best type is the custom, targeted or direct e-blast sent to an opt-in list that you specify.
Are you Considered a “Trusted Authority” in Contractors’ Minds?
We all want to be recognized as leaders in our respective fields, and in today’s world, the current mantra is to be that “Trusted Authority.” To be a recognized leader in your field is not an overnight sensation. It takes time and you need to deliver more than bells and whistles.
How to Use Content to Reach Contractors
We need to help them with solutions to their problems, a better technique or tool for the job. A different process that will save time and money. Online training for their workers.
E-Commerce: Why is the Independent Distributor Missing a Great Opportunity?
I see that Industrial Distribution magazine is doing a webinar on this very subject on May 18th; you may want to sign up for it or suggest some of your independent distributors who are still lagging behind get in the game. Jon Eames from NH Bragg and Jack Templin from Affiliated Distributors will be contributors.
Contractors: Do You Know How to Connect With Them and Stay Connected?
Manufacturers who focus on contractors and professional tradesmen need to understand who they are and what makes them tick. They need to spend less time selling and more time solving the contractors problems .Contractors buy stories before they buy stuff. If you’re trying to establish a long-term relationship, the contractor needs to know, like and trust you first. It’s like any friendship; it develops over time and the relationship is mutually beneficial to both sides.
What Are You Doing to Keep Contractors Coming Back?
The biggest challenge manufacturers face today is the ability to keep contractors interested and engaged in their brands. It’s much easier to keep an existing contractor than going out and trying to convert a new one.