Do you use a creative brief to guide your marketing plan?
In the most recent Marketing Minute video from Sonnhalter, Matt explains what this useful marketing tool is and the 11 elements that Sonnhalter’s creative briefs include.
To view other videos from Sonnhalter, visit our YouTube channel here.
By Chris Ilcin, Account Superintendent at Sonnhalter
Photo Courtesy of Osborn
Do your employees know where your products are used? Do they know the applications the parts they make make possible? Are they aware of the history and critical nature of your company? There are many simple, cost-effective ways to increase productivity and morale by implementing a program that lets them know.
To land new business, you’re always told to “Tell Your Story” well. It’s just as important to tell it internally. Why?
• It makes employees feel like part of the plan – Let them see the big picture and where you as a company fit into it
• It helps them see the long view, not just their day-to-day part in it – There’s a plan, not just a daily task
• It builds internal networks – If Engineering tells their story to Customer Service, everyone sees people and faces, not silos
• It allows them to be brand ambassadors – If they know the story you want told, then that’s the story that gets re-told
So how do you reach them? That’s the easiest part—the same way you reach new customers:
• Host an Employee Open House – Let them show off to their kids, and see what goes on in other departments
• Giving a tour of your facility? Engage employees – Don’t treat them like an extension of the machine they’re working, but have them describe what they do, and the cost savings, quality assurance or other aspect of their work
• Start an internal newsletter – It’s a great place to either post external press releases, or develop case studies for outside use
• Cover the Walls – Advertising blown up as posters reinforce your brand internally and when guests tour your facility
• Let them hear & be heard – Have a quarterly or monthly meeting of non-managerial representatives from every department, and allow for an open exchange or ideas, complaints and stories
• Highlight your company’s history whenever possible – Old ads, press clippings or photos give a sense of pride and place
• Have a mission statement – And stress it internally. Print it on business cards, coffee cups in the vending machines; anywhere it will be seen regularly
You don’t need to be told that Manufacturing has gotten a bad rap. For years it’s been the butt of jokes, seen as a “dead end” and been declared all but extinct in this country by countless talking heads.
Well those people are wrong. And the house they left to get into the car they drove to the studio where they made their comments is testament to it. And it’s time your employees knew that too.
I once heard a really cool story about the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. It has a unique elevator that kind of side-steps its way up to the top of the arch. Well if you look into the arch, instead of out at the view, along the way you’ll see large welder-generators. They’ve been there since the Arch was built in the mid 60’s. Because of the way the arch was made, it was impossible to move them, so they just left them, placed another (which also got left behind) and kept building.
As a former employee of that welding manufacturer, I think that’s fascinating, and if I could ever get over my nagging fear of heights, it would be the best part of the trip up. To know that something that was made in the same building I worked in was instrumental in a project like that, it just boggles the mind. All the “ordinary” people, doing their “ordinary” job at factories all across the country added up to a modern marvel like that. Inspire that sense of awe in your employees, and they’ll help do the heavy lifting of establishing a brand.
Business-to-Tradesmen marketing communications firm creates podcasts sharing contractor perspectives on the contractor-manufacturer relationship.
BEREA, Ohio – June 2014 – Sonnhalter, a communications firm marketing to the professional tradesman in the construction, industrial and MRO markets, releases two new podcasts interviewing professional tradesmen on their interaction with manufacturers.
The first podcast, released May 7, features a conversation with Glen Ailport, owner of BSB Plumbing. Ailport has more than 30 years of plumbing experience and shared his thoughts on what would make relationships between contractors and manufacturers better, touching on the topics of supporting contractors, product training and how to connect with plumbing contractors.
The second podcast, released June 3, features a conversation with Angelo Ferrante Jr., owner of A&F Home Improvements. Ferrante has nearly 40 years of home improvement experience and shared his opinions on improving manufacturer’s relationships with contractors, including the field support he’d like to see, application training and how manufacturers can better connect with home improvement contractors.
“One of the best ways to know what your audience wants is to actually talk with them,” said Matt Sonnhalter, vision architect at Sonnhalter. “The point of these two new podcasts is to hear from contractors about their own interactions with manufacturers.”The podcasts are available at: https://sonnhalter.com/tradesman-insights/podcasts/
About Sonnhalter
Established in 1976, Sonnhalter is the leading B2T marketing communications firm to companies that target professional tradesmen in construction, industrial and MRO markets. Sonnhalter’s brand identity highlights its expertise in marketing to the professional tradesmen. 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 tradesmen who work with – and dirty – their hands every day. Sonnhalter developed the acronym “B2T,” which stands for “business-to-tradesmen” to capture the essence of its specialty. Sonnhalter is listed as a BtoB Magazine’s Top Agency for 2013 and has received the honor annually since 2009. For more information, visit the company website at www.Sonnhalter.com or visit the company blog at www.TradesmenInsights.com.
BEREA, Ohio – July 2011 – Sonnhalter, a communications firm marketing to the professional tradesman in the construction, industrial and MRO markets, has recently added Nissan Forklift Corporation to its client base.
Nissan Forklift Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., designs, manufactures and supports a complete line of material handling equipment that delivers features resulting in greater dependability, higher productivity and lower operational costs. The company’s products range from industrial lift trucks, and pneumatic forklifts to pallet jacks, sit-down and stand-up counterbalanced forklifts to forklift parts and accessories. Sonnhalter will be helping Nissan Forklift with its public relations services.
“The addition of Nissan Forklift is a testament of Sonnhalter’s diversified client base in the business-to-tradesmen market. We are excited to have Nissan Forklift join us,” said Matt Sonnhalter, vision architect at Sonnhalter.
According to Steve Cianci, director, marketing & product management, Nissan Forklift, “We are looking forward to developing a strong partnership with the Sonnhalter team to support our internal marketing communications department as we continue to experience strong growth in market share.”
Headquartered in Marengo, Ill., Nissan Forklift has a network of more than 100 authorized dealerships with over 225 locations across North, South and Latin America, as well as additional worldwide locations. For more information, visit http://unicarriersamericas.com/.
Established in 1976, Sonnhalter is the leading B2T marketing communications firm to companies that target professional tradesmen in construction, industrial and MRO markets. Sonnhalter’s brand identity highlights its expertise in marketing to the professional tradesmen. 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 tradesmen who work with – and dirty – their hands every day. Sonnhalter developed the acronym “B2T,” which stands for “business-to-tradesmen” to capture the essence of its specialty. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Sonnhalter was named one of BtoB Magazine’s Top Agencies. For more information, visit the company website at www.Sonnhalter.com or visit the company blog at www.TradesmenInsights.com.