Sonnhalter is excited to announce the release of our Milwaukee Insider’s Guide! Whether you’re visiting for business or extending your stay, this new resource is your go-to for exploring one of the Midwest’s most vibrant cities.
Discover Milwaukee’s incredible food and brewery scene, unique neighborhoods, cultural attractions, entertainment and must-see experiences. From the Milwaukee Riverwalk to the Historic Third Ward and Lake Michigan waterfront, our guide highlights plenty of ways to make the most of your trip.
Heading to Oklahoma City for business or planning to stay a little longer? Sonnhalter’s new Oklahoma City Insider’s Guide is designed to help you experience more of the city while you’re there.
From local restaurants and must-try cuisine to cultural attractions, entertainment and outdoor experiences, Oklahoma City offers plenty to explore beyond the conference room. Discover the city’s unique Western heritage, vibrant Bricktown district, local arts scene and more.
Whether you have a few hours or a few extra days, our guide highlights places and experiences worth adding to your itinerary.
From tough jobsites to everyday essentials, manufacturing supports every industry. National Manufacturing Day recognizes the companies, innovators and skilled professionals who design, build and produce the products that power our economy and improve daily life.
Modern manufacturing is constantly evolving. Advanced technologies, automation and smarter processes are transforming how products are made, but the industry’s success still depends on the people behind it. Engineers, machinists, operators, technicians and other specialties bring ideas to life through dedication to their craft.
National Manufacturing Day is also a time to inspire the next generation. As the demand for skilled workers continues to grow, manufacturers have an opportunity to display rewarding careers and demonstrate that today’s manufacturing facilities are innovative, high-tech environments filled with possibilities and creativity.
At Sonnhalter, we’re proud to partner with manufacturers that serve the professional trade and industrial markets. We celebrate the innovation and commitment that continue to move the industry forward.
To everyone working in manufacturing, thank you for helping build the products that keep our world running.
CLEVELAND – September 2026 – Sonnhalter, a communications firm marketing to professional tradespeople in the construction, industrial and MRO markets, partnered with Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity for its 17th Annual Sonnhalter Tool Drive. The initiative ran throughout the month of August and collected more than $25,000 worth of donated tools and building materials. Since launching the Tool Drive in 2010, Sonnhalter has helped collect $628,000 in donations to benefit Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.
Organizations, businesses and residents throughout Northeast Ohio were encouraged to donate new and gently used tools and building materials to support Habitat for Humanity’s mission of providing safe, affordable housing opportunities throughout the Greater Cleveland region.
“Each year, we continue to be inspired by the incredible generosity of the Northeast Ohio community,” said Matt Sonnhalter, vision architect at Sonnhalter. “What began as a small initiative has grown into a meaningful tradition that supports Habitat for Humanity’s mission while bringing the community together for a greater purpose. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this year’s Tool Drive and helped make another successful year possible.”
“The Sonnhalter team continues to demonstrate what true community partnership looks like,” said Laura Potter-Sadowski, director of ReStores at Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity. “Their commitment to bringing together supporters for this cause helps us make a lasting impact throughout our community. We are incredibly grateful for their continued dedication and for everyone who donated to this year’s Tool Drive.”
Community participants in the 17th Annual Sonnhalter Tool Drive included Berea Recreation Center, Canvas at Valor Acres, Cuyahoga County Public Library – Berea Branch, Rising Star Coffee Roasters, Limelight Coworking, St. Mary of the Falls, The Wine Spot and many generous individuals throughout the Greater Cleveland community and afar.
Trade industry participants in the 17th Annual Sonnhalter Tool Drive included Beta Tools, Buyers Products, General Pipe Cleaners, Independence Excavating, Jergens, Inc., Kapro, Lakeside Supply, NIBCO, Shop Supply & Tool Company, Sutton Industrial Hardware, Macomb Group/Woodhill Supply and Wright. Additionally, our publishing partners included Babcox Media, BNP Media, Direct Business Media, Endeavor Business Media, Mechanical-Hub.com and PHCPPros (who also donated to the cause), who all helped to promote our tool drive to their audiences.
All donations collected through the Sonnhalter Tool Drive benefited Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity. The donated items will either be used directly for Habitat projects or sold through one of Greater Cleveland Habitat’s ReStores. Proceeds from ReStore sales help fund homebuilding and rehabilitation programs for families in need throughout Northeast Ohio.
About Sonnhalter
Established in 1976, Sonnhalter is the leading B2T marketing communications firm to companies that target professional tradespeople in construction, industrial and MRO markets. Sonnhalter’s brand identity highlights its expertise in marketing to the professional tradesperson. Its tagline, “Not Afraid To Get Our Hands Dirty,” promotes the employees’ willingness to roll up their sleeves and dig deep into clients’ businesses, also, it refers to the market it targets: the tradespeople who work with – and dirty – their hands every day. Sonnhalter developed the acronym “B2T,” which stands for “business-to-trades” to capture the essence of its specialty. For more information, visit the company website at Sonnhalter.com.
About Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity engages people of all faiths to eliminate substandard housing. Cleveland Habitat was founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1987. Since then, Cleveland Habitat has brought together community members, volunteers, and sponsor groups to help more than 300 Habitat homeowners, including more than 1,000 children, have a safe and decent place to live. For more information on Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, visit: https://www.clevelandhabitat.org/.
Take a moment to look around and notice your surroundings, whether it’s the lights overhead, water flowing from your sink, or the heating and cooling systems that keep you comfortable in all kinds of weather, all of these things have something in common: they exist because of skilled tradespeople.
On National Tradesmen Day, we recognize the hardworking professionals whose craftsmanship, expertise and dedication keep our homes, businesses and communities running every day. From plumbers and electricians to HVAC technicians, welders, carpenters and countless others, tradespeople solve problems, build essential infrastructure and perform work that allows us to have easier and better lives.
As the demand for skilled labor continues to grow, today is also an opportunity to celebrate the next generation of tradespeople. These careers offer success, long-term opportunities and the satisfaction of building, repairing and maintaining the systems people rely on every day.
At Sonnhalter, we’re proud to work alongside manufacturers and organizations that support the professional trades. We see the innovation and skill that drives this industry, and we’re grateful to the individuals who make it possible.
Today, we want to say thank you to every tradesperson for their hard work, commitment and craftsmanship. Your work matters, and today we celebrate you.
Following is a guest post from our friends over at Long & Short of It, masters of ideation, customer insights and market research. They like to say they “dig and find lots of data and then turn it into actionable insights.” Following is their guest post.
A client reaches out wanting a marketing audit or just help figuring out what to do next. When we ask what’s not working, the answer usually isn’t very specific. It’s more of a feeling; we’ve been doing the same things for a while, we know we should probably change something, but we’re not sure where to start.
The reasons vary. Sales aren’t where they should be. Leads have slowed. Marketing feels stale. Or the rapid pace of AI and digital marketing has people wondering if they’re falling behind. There’s rarely one obvious problem. It’s usually a collection of small issues that have built up over time, leaving people unsure where to begin.
When that call comes in, we don’t start with a full teardown of every message, channel or a rebrand. We start with understanding what they are doing today, what their business strategy is (if they even have one), and then dive into three important questions.
Who is my target audience?
Start here, even if you think you already know the answer. If your audience has changed, or you suspect there are people you’re missing, this is where research earns its keep. You probably don’t need a six-month study or an expensive quantitative survey. Look at what you already know, write down what you don’t, and only then decide how to fill the gaps, whether that means digging through your own data or bringing in outside help. Skip this step and everything downstream is a guess.
What is my message?
Good audience research does double duty; it also tells you why people buy, join, or donate, and just as important, why they don’t. That second half is the one people often skip. Once you know the why, look hard at everything you’re currently saying, your website, your ads, your emails, your social posts, and ask whether it still holds up.
How do I reach them?
This is where those same insights point you toward the right channels, and it’s also where habit does the most damage. Doing something because you’ve always done it, or because a competitor does it, isn’t a strategy. Audiences shift. Competitors shift. The landscape shifts. Maybe your channel mix is still right and just needs adjusting. Maybe it’s time to try something you haven’t: direct mail, an event, a short video series.
If all three at once feels like too much, it is. Take one question per quarter. Even just sitting down with your team and talking through these three, out loud, tends to turn “we should do something” into an actual plan.
You don’t have to have all the answers today. But if your marketing feels like it’s lost its way, these three questions are a good place to start. They’re where we start with our clients, too.
