This summer I had the opportunity to intern with Sonnhalter as their public relations intern. To say the knowledge and experience I have gained over the course of this internship is invaluable would be an understatement. As a communications and professional writing double major at Miami University, I have spent countless hours studying the craft of writing, public relations and marketing, but being able to apply these skills in the real-world has taken my abilities to a new level.
My first assignment as the PR intern was to write a blog about myself, this I would come to find out was the first of many, many different writing pieces I would be assigned. Whether it be narrative pieces such as covering social media marketing trends for Sonnhalter or the manufacturing process of bronze for NIBCO, I learned how to focus on a brands narrative and voice when writing. Alongside blogs, I also gained experience in writing press releases, news releases, feature pieces, personnel releases and more. Being able to hone my professional writing skills along with my knowledge of AP style will without-a-doubt benefit me as I make my way into the communications industry.
An aspect of this internship that I had not had much experience with prior to this summer was the use of media lists in public relations. Using programs such as Muck Rack, I truly learned the importance of creating and maintaining relationships with media professionals and media outlets. I also gained insight into the depth of research that public relations, marketing and advertising professionals need to do in order to most effectively represent their client.
Aside from the public relations skills I have gained from this internship, I also gained valuable experience from working remotely. Since 2020, the workforce has seen a significant increase in hybrid and remote work environments which require self-discipline, adaptability and comfort with technology, all of which I have been able to exercise over the length of this internship.
To wrap up, the skills and experiences I have gained from this internship will be beneficial both inside and outside of the workforce. While working with an amazing team at Sonnhalter, I have been given an inside look at the public relations, marketing and communications world, specifically that of the trades industry. This is an experience I will truly be forever grateful for.
In the latest episode of Appetite for Construction, John Mesenbrink and Tim Ward welcome back Matt Sonnhalter, president of Sonnhalter to talk about its Annual Tool Drive
Matt dives into the origin story of the Sonnhalter Tool Drive, now celebrating its sixteenth year. What started as a simple idea to support the trades has grown into a massive annual event benefiting the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.
Since its launch, the Tool Drive has collected and donated nearly $570,000 worth of tools and materials to the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity. Matt talks about the overwhelming support it’s received from manufacturers and partners, and what the pickup day looks like.
In the trades, safety is more than a checklist—it’s a mindset. As we recognize National Safety Month this June, it’s a chance to spotlight the importance of creating safe work environments for the professionals who keep our world running like plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, mechanics and more.
Four Ways to Prioritize Safety in the Trades
Gear Up
Hard hats, gloves, safety glasses, steel-toe boots are essential! And making sure PPE fits properly and is used consistently can be the difference between a close call and a serious injury.
Use the Right Tools Poor-quality tools can slip, break or fail under pressure. Choosing high-quality, durable tools protects both productivity and people.
Hazards Job sites are dynamic environments where risks can appear at any moment—whether it’s uneven ground, loud equipment, electrical hazards or working at height. National Safety Month is a great reminder for those in the trades to stay vigilant and proactive. Taking the time to assess the worksite, identify potential dangers and enforce safety protocols helps prevent accidents before they happen. This includes routine safety checks, ensuring all crew members have the right PPE, and reinforcing best practices through clear communication and ongoing training.
Training
When it comes to safety in the trades, being informed is one of the most powerful tools you can have. National Safety Month is the perfect time to prioritize education and training—whether that means attending a safety workshop, joining a hands-on demo or brushing up on the latest industry standards and OSHA regulations. The more you know, the better equipped you are to recognize risks, respond effectively and create a safer job site for everyone involved.
Creating a safer environment in the trades starts with all of us. National Safety Month is a time to refocus, re-engage and recommit to the habits and practices that keep our teams safe. Safety isn’t just a priority in June, it’s a value the trades carry with them every day on the job.
Updated database offers details on over 1,000 schools and nearly 3,500 technical programs, helping companies recruit the next generation of skilled trades professionals.
Sonnhalter, a communications firm marketing to the professional tradesman in the construction, industrial and MRO markets, has updated its free database of vocational education and technical programs across the United States. The list includes over 1,000 schools and nearly 3,500 programs.
Originally launched in 2015, Sonnhalter’s vocational program database offers detailed, easy-to-read information on each program, including addresses, phone numbers, websites and more. The database also features state-specific listings, as well as national programs and resources, and easy-to-sort course titles.
Designed to support companies in their efforts to recruit the next generation of skilled tradesmen, the database is a valuable resource for grassroots campaigns targeting vocational education. The user-friendly, sortable tool can be filtered by program type, location, degree type and other key criteria.
“Sonnhalter understands the challenges faced by the industry, particularly the skills gap and the need to attract young people to the trades after high school,” said Matt Sonnhalter, vision architect at Sonnhalter. “We hope this updated edition of the vocational education database provides companies with an effective tool to connect with and inspire the next generation of trades professionals.”
Established in 1976, Sonnhalter is the leading B2T marketing communications firm to companies that target professional tradesmen in construction, industrial and MRO markets. Sonnhalter is located in the historic Brownell Building in the heart of downtown Cleveland. 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. For more information, visit the company website at Sonnhalter.com.
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.
Amazing how this quote from an AI assistant in the 1968 film (2001: A Space Odyssey) is now so relevant to where we are today. As if you needed another article on AI and the impact on marketing, writing, or quite frankly, anything else in your life. Love it or hate it; it’s here, it’s not going away, and it’s up to you to decide what or how to leverage the technology.
Most of our work falls into four categories: advising, thinking, creating, or writing. And writing can be lonely—anyone who does it knows that feeling. AI can help here if you decide to go down the path of not 100% human developed content. It can be used simply as a thought starter, a copy editor, or a way to bounce around an idea to get a different perspective. But there is that slippery slope—at what point is AI doing the writing or thinking for you? That’s probably for each of us to define.
And now for some full disclosure, the above was 100% human written. Curious how AI defines its own role in writing? I asked ChatGPT whether there are defined standards for AI-generated content. Here’s what it had to say:
There isn’t a universally accepted or predefined scale that categorizes writing by its degree of AI involvement—from completely human-generated to entirely AI-produced. Instead, what we see are evolving guidelines and best practices in different industries:
Continuum of Use: Most discussions frame writing on a continuum. On one end, you have writing that is entirely human-produced; on the other, work that is fully generated by AI. In between, many pieces are the result of a collaboration where humans leverage AI tools for idea generation, drafting, or editing.
Industry-Specific Guidelines: Different sectors (such as journalism, academia, and marketing) are beginning to develop their own policies. For example, some academic journals now require authors to disclose any use of AI in their writing process, while media outlets are debating transparency standards for AI-assisted content.
Emerging Standards: With rapid advancements in AI writing tools, there’s growing pressure for standardized disclosure practices. However, no consensus exists yet on a formal “level system” similar to frameworks in other fields (like the SAE levels for autonomous vehicles).
Human here again. AI did a decent job as the information is relevant, organized, and sufficiently to the point. Though it is too academic in tone, and this is not how we write at L&SOI (though, AI can be taught tone).
The lesson from 2001: A Space Odyssey? When you hand over too much control to AI, things don’t always go as planned. So, where is your comfort level? At what point or through what prompt do you believe you crossed the line from it being truly your thinking and writing to something that you let AI run for you?
