by tradesmeninsights | May 21, 2021 | Marketing Tips, Public Relations, Public Relations, Tips, Tradesmen Insights
by Kylie Stanley, Public Relations Technician
Are you looking for new customers or want to increase business?
Well-developed public relations can be an effective tool to boost your business and help reach your desired audience. You will be able to establish an emotional connection to your audience through your brand’s marketing.
There are many ways that public relations can benefit you, but today we will be focusing on four methods. Michelle Garrett analyzed these four methods in a post she wrote for Thomas, “Why Public Relations Matters to Manufacturers.”
Educates – Public relations helps to teach your audience about who you are and why your company should matter to them. It also provides the information to your market about your products and services.
Image and Reputation – Public relations can aid in building trust and to establish your brand in the industry. By creating a strong reputation, it can lead to credibility and provide you with lifelong customers. If your customers know what your brand stands for, they will be more likely to engage with your business.
Awareness and Visibility – Potential customers will know that your brand exists, and campaigns can spread awareness of the work that your company is doing. With awareness efforts, you can change public opinions and promote your brand’s value.
Interest – From awareness we can create interest for your brand and products. Interest helps to pull customers in and make them want to learn more about your brand or be involved.
No matter how big or small a story is, it can help to elevate your brand and increase business. Let’s take some notes by looking at some examples of past public relations stories that have created visibility.
Associated General Contractors
Associated General Contractors of California partnered up with BuildOUT California, the world’s first industry association for sustainable growth of LGBTQ+ owned and certified business. This partnership is impactful for their audience and shows that the company cares about diversity and inclusion.
Partnerships can be rewarding and can help your business stand out against your competitors.
Mergers & Acquisitions
HEPACO is a leader in environmental and emergency response services that acquired Summit Field Services from Summit Environmental Services, LLC. This expansion helps to boost business development and to add value to your brand.
In the News
RMH Systems, a turn-key automation packaging and material handling integrator, announced Ryan Howard as their new president. With newsworthy information, your customers will want to hear about any changes happening within the company.
When using all these public relations efforts, we can create powerful results and assist in your brand’s marketing.
Need help with utilizing public relations? Contact us and check out our website for more tips.
by tradesmeninsights | Apr 28, 2021 | Tradesmen Insights, Uncategorized
by Matt Sonnhalter, Vision Architect
1 in 3 U.S. Bridges Needs Repair or Replacement
This infographic from Statista shows the Top 7 U.S. states by the number of structurally deficient bridges in 2020.
Who knew Iowa had so many bridges? I always thought of rows and rows of corn fields for them. 🙂
The full 2021 Bridge Conditions Report from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is alarming. Here are some key highlights and figures:
- 220,000 of U.S. bridges—36 percent—need repair work
- 79,500 of U. S. bridges need replacement
- At the current pace, it would take nearly 40 years to repair the current backlog of “structurally deficient” (SD) bridges
- Motorists drive across structurally deficient bridges 171.5 million times daily
- A structurally deficient bridge, on average, is nearly 68 years old, compared to 32 years for a bridge in good condition and 54 years for a bridge in fair condition.
Bridge inspections generally occur once every 24 months. Bridge ratings are updated as inspections are completed—each year some bridges are classified as poor or structurally deficient and others are removed from that category as they undergo repair, rehabilitation or replacement.
How are the bridges and infrastructure in your hometown?
by tradesmeninsights | Apr 21, 2021 | Tradesmen Insights, Uncategorized
Each month, Alan Sipe, a contributing editor for Professional Distributor magazine, writes a sales skill article targeted to the independent business people who own and operate the various branded tool trucks you see parked at automotive repair shops everywhere. Although this article is written for the automotive repair industry, the sales skills are applicable to everyone.
Is it an objection or a question?
Your response will make a world of difference to your wallet.
You’re right in the middle of a product presentation on a new Jenny electric 7.5hp stationary air compressor when the prospect interrupts and growls, “How much is this compressor?”
Is it a question? Is it an objection? Is the product too expensive? The prospect used a negative tone, so they must be unhappy with my presentation, right? I’m not done with the presentation and he’s getting antsy, so he’s trying to rush me, isn’t he?
First things first. Let’s understand what’s meant by the question, “How much is this compressor?”
If you think about it, the prospect probably had a compressor that was working just fine. Now the thing just died or is on its last legs and they must get a new one. The prospect isn’t happy with needing a new compressor, so they most likely won’t be thrilled with any price other than free.
In this case, even though the prospect interrupted you with a question, it’s simply that, a question. How you respond can move your potential customer in the direction of saying “yes” to the compressor purchase, or it can blow up in your face.
A simple, straightforward response is always the best. Try being relaxed, and say something like, “It will be between $X and $Y depending on which accessories you choose. Let’s take a look at the accessories and see what you decide.” (more…)
by tradesmeninsights | Apr 9, 2021 | Social Marketing, Tradesmen Insights
By Matt Sonnhalter, Vision Architect
Brand posts on Instagram had an average engagement rate in 2020 that was more than four times higher than on Facebook or Twitter. This is according to recent findings from Socialinsider, which also analyzed social media engagement benchmarks across 35 different industries.
The study looked into over 22 million posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and created a comparison between the social media performance of 2019 and 2020.
Here are the key stats for “industrial,” which is the most relevant industry for Sonnhalter’s B2T market. Brands within the Industrial category have high average engagement rates per post across the board. 
Average Engagement Rate Per Post
Instagram – 1.36%
Facebook – 0.52%
Twitter – 0.08%
This confirms what Sonnhalter has seen for our clients. Instagram is by far the best performing social media platform.
Are you seeing similar success and engagement with your Instagram channel?
The study also delved into understanding frequency of postings, and what mix of photos and videos were used across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Want to read the full study?
2021 Social Media Industry Benchmarks – Know Exactly Where You Stand in Your Market
by tradesmeninsights | Apr 2, 2021 | Marketing Tools, Tradesmen Insights
by Matt Sonnhalter, Vision Architect
Businesses can no longer manage their expanding content libraries with siloed repositories or simple tools like spreadsheets. So, if you’re exploring a DAM technology for your company, this report from Forrester is a must read. Forrester covers the 14 DAM providers that matter most and how they stack up against each other.
Vendors are evaluated against 28 criteria, which are grouped into three high-level categories:
Current Offering
- Library services
- Work-in-progress assets
- Video and emerging content support
- Marketing support
- Usability and user interface
- Enterprise platform integrations
Strategy
- Product vision
- Past performance
- Market approach
- Supporting product and services
- Delivery model
Market Presence
- Product revenue
- Average deal size
If you are already using a DAM, I’m curious which one do you use and what has your experience been?
For more commentary on DAM, read:
Warehouse Your Marketing Too
by tradesmeninsights | Mar 26, 2021 | Marketing Tools, Tradesmen Insights
by Rosemarie Ascherl-Lenhard, PR Foreman
By now most everyone knows that video is where it’s at. If you want to grab attention on social media, in your e-newsletter or in a press release–make sure it contains a video!
Video is a powerful communication tool that provides a more personal feel to your message. You will be far more likely to connect on an emotional level with your audience if you use video versus another content type. And, when it comes to social media marketing, video is a great way to engage with your audience.
But there are different types of video, some more appropriate and effective than others depending on what your marketing goals are. Joe Forte recently broke down the types of video in his recent post for Content Marketing Institute, “5 Types of Video to Add to Your Social Media Marketing.”
Live Video – Best for when your brand has a significant following, Facebook Live, YouTube Live, and other streaming services make it easy to connect with your audience. Livestreaming allows you to talk with your followers and are most effective for announcements, behind-the-scenes looks, and product information videos.
Tutorial Videos – Among the most frequently shared on social media, tutorial videos have mass appeal by relating to your products and services. Or, they can be broader topics that relate to your audience and industry. Tutorial videos need to be clear, educational and entertaining. They need to be long enough to show every step and short enough to be engaging.
Informational Videos – Informational videos can cover any topic. Build your content archive with videos on a variety of relevant topics. Make them unique, clever or insightful. When adding video to your social media, concentrate on content likely to be shared, something valuable to make it worth the viewer’s time.
Behind-the-Scenes Video – Behind-the-scenes videos are a great way to make your company and your team more personable by highlighting day-to-day operations, your offices, your manufacturing processes, and more. Designed to build trust and brand identity, this type of video really gives the opportunity to dig down into what makes a brand exceptional.
User-Generated Video – UGC is quickly becoming a fantastic and easier way to engage an audience. You can encourage your followers to create videos and ask them to incorporate your hashtags into the upload. User-generated content is a brilliant way to grow an audience because users are more inclined to share content they create. Viewing the user-generated content also is an excellent way to get a feel for your audience’s personalities and what they’re interested in.
Which type works the best for your brand? It’s a great idea to experiment with these and see which generates the most interest and engagement. Read the complete post for more information, examples and tips on producing each of these valuable types of video content.
Read more on the importance of video in marketing:
B2B Video is on the Rise: Are You Taking Advantage?
Are You Using Videos to Connect with the Professional Tradesman?
