by tradespeopleinsights | Jun 17, 2015 | Marketing Tips, Social Marketing, Traditional Marketing, Uncategorized
By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman, Sonnhalter
One of the biggest challenges we all face is getting more out of our marketing budgets. Most of us, when thinking of developing content, think of it as a new task that we have to start with a clean sheet of paper.
Some overlook the fact that you may be sitting on a gold mine of existing content, but have you maximized your existing content (content curation)? Heidi Cohen’s post, Internal Content Curation: What Most Marketers Miss, shows how to give new life to content you’ve already published.
By changing headlines, graphics or focusing it on a specific industry or application, you can get more mileage out of it. Or utilize the content in a different format, i.e. SlideShare or an infographic. It’s a great way to get more content out there to incremental audiences without spending lots of money.
Heidi lists 10 steps to maximize your internal content curation. Here are a few that caught my eye:
- Audit existing content – This is low hanging fruit. Look at the gems that get the most attention. Are there content sections missing or that are weak and need to be bolstered up?
- Gather content from across the organization – Look outside the marketing department for relative content. Don’t overlook customer service, tech service and engineering as good resources. Collect questions they get from customers on a regular basis and make sure you address them.
- Monitor content analytics – What kind of content attracts the most traffic? What keywords do best? Is one platform outperforming others?
What are you doing to maximize your ROI on content?
by tradespeopleinsights | Jun 16, 2015 | Marketing Tips, Traditional Marketing
By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman, Sonnhalter
Industrial marketers who are targeting design engineers need to practice the virtue of patience when communicating with them. I know Sales wants low hanging fruit to sell now, and the C suite is looking for results sooner than later.
The truth is, nothing moves fast when dealing with designers. According to IHS Engineering 360, 70% of new business comes from long-term leads. You don’t know whether they are just fishing for options, have a real project and need help in determining options, or are ready to download CAD files to put in their drawings.
Very rarely does the conversation start at the download CAD drawings. Being spec’d in can take 6 months to several years. Is it worth it? Long term, I think the answer is yes.
As an industrial marketer, our jobs are to identify where they are in the sales funnel and engage with them as they move toward a sales. Your company needs to be top of mind so when the purchasing decision is being made, you have an advocate inside promoting you.
Here are the four cornerstones of a nourishing campaign:
- Nourish – provide them healthy servings of relevant, useful information.
- Protect – keep their interest so they don’t abandon you for a competitor.
- Support – stay in regular contact and always meet their needs.
- Encourage – give them offers to help them through the sales funnel.
IHS Engineering 360 has put together a lead nurturing tool kit. Here are some highlights:
- Respond to inquiries in a timely fashion – if you don’t respond for a month or so, chances are they will have forgotten why they inquired in the first place.
- Respond appropriately. Define your audience segments so the messages will be meaningful.
- Offer value, not sales pitches.
- Create a call to action and objectives. Engage a prospect and monitor results.
- Build a schedule of multiple touches over a period of time.
What are you doing to nurture leads?
by tradespeopleinsights | Jun 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman, Sonnhalter
We’re in a service business, and I always say our assets walk up and down the stairs every day. The key to any good company is great people. This is especially true in smaller companies where every “body” needs to be the right person.
I recently read a book by Andrew Bennett, The Talent Mandate: Why Smart Companies put People First, that outlines sure-fire ways of keeping great people. Here are some highlights:
- Don’t put jerks in management just because they’ve been around for a while; it doesn’t mean they are ready to manage others. No matter who you put there, they need to be able to think out of the box and come to the table with new and fresh ideas.
- Hire for the future, not the past – Choose talent that has a broader perspective on life and can adapt to the world of today.
- Measure results, not hours – unless you run a factory. Focus on the end game, not how they got there. There’s plenty of ways to get to a goal; be open to new ideas.
- Mix old with new – If your company is big enough, include different generations on teams to get a better perspective on solving a problem. A good idea can come from anywhere and the Millennials have a lot to offer and are willing to learn.
- Formal training program – No matter how big or small your company is, if you want them to move up the ladder, you need to get them exposed to different aspects of your business. Someone in sales may need to do a stint in customer service or production scheduling to have a greater appreciation of the bigger picture.
- Empower your team – The best way for anyone to make good decisions is have all the facts. Don’t hoard info or rationale on why you want to do something.
What are you doing to keep good people?
by tradespeopleinsights | Jun 9, 2015 | Marketing Tips
By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman, Sonnhalter
Long before Grainger, Fastenal, Home Depot and the thing they call the Internet, the local industrial distributor was the backbone to local manufacturers and businesses. My, how things have changed over the past several decades.
I believe the small guy still has a chance to compete on a local level, but they need to change the way they do things. They need to know what their value proposition is, and most importantly, know their customers and what they want.
Source: Industrial Distribution magazine
If they can’t add value, then what’s the point? At the recent ISA Convention in Cleveland, one of the breakout sessions, “Looking Ahead at Distribution: The Future Impact of Size and Value Content 2015,” revealed some interesting issues. Mike Hockett, Associate Editor of Industrial Distribution magazine, did a good job summarizing both the results of the study, as well as the subsequent panel discussion.
Here are some highlights:
- Service sales represented only 5% of their total sales.
- Buying groups represented the best support.
- Manufacturers relied on small local distributors for customer loyalty and technical expertise.
It’s no surprise that cutting tools and abrasives remain the top two product categories that industrial distributors sell. Both require technical knowledge to support and troubleshoot problems. The question is, are the distributors going to charge for this expertise and are their customers going to be willing to pay for it?
So what do smaller industrial distributors need to do to stay in the game? Here are some thoughts:
- Embrace Technology – get an online sell site, integrated supply services and electronic billing for customers to order easily.
- Value Proposition – need to define so they can focus on the things that matter most and where they make their money.
- Buying Groups – need to get in one or more so you can stay competitive and make more money.
- Technical/Engineering Expertise – set yourself apart from the pack.
What others can you add to the list?
If you like this post, you might want to read:
Are Independent Distributors Helping Amazon Succeed?
Manufacturers: Tips on Getting More of Your Distributors Time.
by tradespeopleinsights | Jun 3, 2015 | Uncategorized
Today, we have guest blog from Julian Groneberg of AEG Powertools, who will be discussing some of the top benefits of entering the trade business.
Working as a tradesman has more than its fair share of perks. From being your own boss, to having valued skill sets that will always be in demand, there are many reasons why people turn towards the blue-collar trades for a rewarding career. If you have thought about living the dream as a tradesman, read on for five of the biggest reasons why working as a tradesman offers plenty of benefits.
1. Trade Skills Are Always in Demand
As a tradesman, your skills are always in demand, and these skills are becoming increasingly required due to skill shortages in many areas, particularly in the more specialized trades. Many trades, including plumbing, mechanics and electric work, are considered recession proof, with their tasks unlikely to be performed by robots or computers in the future. The high level of technical skill required in most trades means there will always be demand, which means greater job security compared to many other industries.
2. No Lengthy Study or Massive Student Debt
Instead of a massive debt for a degree that may or may not guarantee you a job when you graduate, tradespeople often wind up with quite manageable debts because they learn a lot of their skills while on the job. This means they can start earning money right away and avoid the stress of repaying sizeable student loans while they look for employment. The on-the-job training tradesmen receive makes them very employable and opens up lots of options, even during the early stages of their careers.
3. Be Your Own Boss
A large percentage of tradespeople work for themselves, setting their own hours and deciding which contracts they want to take. Tradespeople also have the potential to grow their own business (and their income) as they become more established, with greater earning potential than other fields where incomes remain static.
While there are costs associated with running what is essentially your own business, including insurance and having to purchase tools from specialty suppliers, the flexibility of being your own boss is something that’s too good to pass up. This flexibility makes it a very appealing career option for many who like to be in charge of their own destiny.
4. High Sense of Satisfaction
As a tradesman, there’s a high degree of self-satisfaction getting your hands dirty creating something that people will use and developing solutions that will make lives better. Every day as a tradesman is a challenge, but you’ll never be bored sitting idly behind a desk watching the clock. Whether it’s the construction of a brand new home, installing an eco-friendly lighting design in a new office building or creating a seamless kitchen perfect for cooking, the projects that tradesmen work on can be extremely varied with a very tangible finished product. This variety and sense of purpose offers a high level of satisfaction for any tradesperson.
5. High Earning Potential
While the income ceiling for white-collar workers may be higher, the reality is that the average white-collar worker salary sits at about the same or lower than that of a skilled tradesperson. For tradesmen who show management potential and entrepreneurial ability, their earning potential can be virtually uncapped and will outperform those in many other industries.
Julian Groneberg is a Brisbane-based freelance writer for AEG Powertools. When he’s not bashing away at the keyboard writing engaging content, he’s out eating his way through as many local food establishments as is humanly and financially possible.
What other reasons are there to be a tradie? Share your insights in the comments below.
by tradespeopleinsights | Jun 2, 2015 | Marketing Tips, Uncategorized
By Sandy Bucher, Media Engineer at Sonnhalter
If your company currently has a print advertising program in the trade publications, did you know that many of these publications offer ad readership studies at no additional cost to the advertiser? These studies are usually completed once or twice a year, on ads half-page or larger in size. A sample of the publication’s readers are invited to respond to the questions, and are encouraged to give feedback on the various ads in the issue being studied.
The average ad readership study will tell you:
- If your ad is attention-getting
- If your ad is believable
- If your ad is informative
You’ll also get verbatim comments on your ad – actual quotes from the readers that let you know what message they received from your ad.
Comparing your ad’s results with other ads in the issue, both higher and lower scoring, will give you an idea of the creative approach that can best reach that particular audience, and you can adjust your creative accordingly.
Another type of ad study offered by some publications, also done at no additional cost for advertisers, gives scores based on whether the reader recalls seeing the ad or recalls reading the ad. While the results represent a small sampling of the magazine’s total circulation, they do reflect the opinion and commentary of readers who are the most active, providing insight into how the general audience may react to the advertising.
So if you’re interested in learning how your ads are performing in the markets you’re active in, consider placing a print ad in those issues offering the readership studies. If you’re not sure if the publications you advertise in offer these studies, be sure to ask your agency or magazine sales rep to find out for you.
Following are links to the advertising pages for just a few trade publications that offer these types of studies:
