7 minute read
THE EVOLUTION OF CHOOSE BIGGER
By Cairine Caughill Photos courtesy of Nehlsen Communications
Choose Bigger, the multi-faceted digital marketing program originally developed for recruitment in the Wisconsin market, is being picked up by regions in different areas of the United States. The program includes banners, brochures, videos, Google advertising, an email follow-up campaign, career fair displays, social media, and a website—all providing targeted recruitment information for students, parents, and counselors. But the regions who have picked up the campaign—including Colorado, Mid-Atlantic, and California—aren’t simply using it as it was originally developed. The program is evolving to meet local needs. As Matt Sanchez of Nehlsen Communications points out, “The basic concept doesn’t change. It’s how we deliver that messaging and how we strategically approach and care for each individual area.”
Colorado
Nathan Cooper, executive director for SMACNA Colorado, was enthusiastic about the Choose Bigger program because it moves the sheet metal industry away from the ‘word of mouth’ recruiting that has traditionally dominated recruitment efforts. Cooper believes the online focus is a good fit to reach a generation that is constantly plugged in. “Knowing that young people are usually no more than 24 inches away from their cell phones, we needed a way to connect with them so we could be the answer to their question, ‘What should I do for a living?’”
The campaign’s digital focus allows Nehlsen Communications to track who is viewing the various materials and clicking on links. As the Choose Bigger data began rolling in, it was clear that Colorado’s higher than average percentage of veterans were connecting to the message. SMACNA Colorado and Local 9 decided to buy related Google ad words so they’d be the first thing these veterans saw. They’ve also made sure that some of their advertising features people in military uniforms ‘Choosing Bigger.’
Jon Alvino, business representative for Local 9, feels that Choose Bigger resonates with the veterans because “it’s meeting them where they’re at.” For example, Colorado has streamlined the entry process, which includes foregoing the entrance exam for veteran applicants.
“We want to always jump at that opportunity to recruit those recently discharged members because we know that nine times out of 10 we’re going to get a winner with those folks, and they’re going to hit a home run for us,” Alvino says. “They’re coming from a background of discipline and accountability, and that’s what we need in the trades.”
Alvino believes the program will only be a success with both sides working together. “It’s imperative because it relies on our shared vested interest,” Alvino says. “Our contractors aren’t union because they have to be; they’re union because they want to be, and our members realize that. And our members are union, not because they have to be, but because they want to be, and that attitude is what ends up being our success at the end of the day.”
Cooper recognizes the value of the strong relationship between the contractors and the union. “What I appreciate about Local 9 is that they are willing to join in this partnership with us,” he says. “Attracting better employees to sheet metal contractors in Colorado helps the union, and attracting more and better prepared members into the union helps contractors.” They share the cost of the Choose Bigger program through the JATC, but went one step further by hiring John Stone, talent acquisition coordinator, to handle all inquiries into Choose Bigger. “We agreed to bring on a position that would be shared between SMACNA and the JATC,” Cooper says. “He is working to respond to all of the people who have inquired about the apprenticeship program through Choose Bigger, and he is exposing prospective applicants, students, and counselors, to what we do. That is probably one of the most progressive arrangements I’ve seen out there in the country.”
Mid-Atlantic
Kurt Snyder handles marketing and communications at SMACNA Mid-Atlantic. He’s adamant that “old school recruiting” doesn’t work anymore. “Choose Bigger is really the modern, updated way to get better people in the industry just by using technology to communicate with people who rely on technology every day,” he says.
The region has started using Choose Bigger to reach out to women. “For decades, it’s been a very male-dominated industry,” Snyder says. “We’re starting to see more people coming in to the trade from different areas, but we’re really short on women. We’re trying to break that stereotype. We’re trying to recruit female engineers, young females right out of high school, and at those different stages of their life and career.”
They’ve been doing robust Facebook advertising to pique women’s interest because they’re noticing that women bring unique skills to the table. Snyder explains, “They have more patience. They can take a step back and reassess. We’ve also seen that, in some cases, the stability of the company that has a lady in charge is a little bit more even-keeled. They don’t make rash decisions, and they look at things differently. The business keeps growing and they keep expanding their perspectives.”
California
Chris Walker, executive vice president for CAL-SMACNA, has a vision for Choose Bigger that elevates sheet metal and demystifies it, but the plan is more than that.
California is creating a strategy that shows there are two pathways into the industry. “One is non-college,” Walker says. “We’ll put you through the apprenticeship program, and it’s
“We have a great product, but we’re not necessarily attracting as many candidates as we want,” says Michael Mooney, president and business manager of Local 18 in Wisconsin. “By getting the best candidates, the employers are getting the best employees and the unions are getting the best members. It’s a win/win.”
a terrific future. The other is a college pathway that requires a Bachelors degree in arts or science and leads to various positions on the management side. We explain to the recruits the kinds of personality traits that tend to favor those positions.
We direct students to some of the campuses we’ve partnered with and the programs they offer that could lead them to a job in our industry.”
CAL-SMACNA’s rollout will occur in April, but Walker admits it’s been a challenge to develop the college pathway. “It’s not as easy as the trade side because we’re not counselors,” he says. “The best we can do is provide resources and promote awareness that there are two ways into the industry. We’re going to give interested applicants a lot more on the trade side, but we don’t want to avoid the management side because there’s a huge need out there. Those businesses are competing with general, plumbing, and electrical contractors.”
Gary Myers, vice-president of marketing/business development at Intech Mechanical, thinks this two-pronged approach is the right one. “As a business owner, I need people to come into our industry from every level, and it’s not necessarily only a tradesperson in the field,” he says. “I need engineers, administrators, and project managers. I need all kinds of people coming out of high school saying, ‘Why do I want to get into construction?’”
Dion Abril, executive administrator, Western States Council of Sheet Metal, Air Rail and Transportation Workers of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii, views Choose Bigger as a benefit for both SMACNA and SMART. “This is an opportunity for CAL-SMACNA and all the contractors to highlight what they do,” Abrial says. “It’s an opportunity for them to grow their membership and provide work for our members, too.”
The power of Choose Bigger as a marketing tool lies in its ability to evolve to meet the needs of the specific area, bringing the sheet metal industry into the forefront and sharing the news about the great opportunities with qualified candidates everywhere.
As Michael Mooney, president and business manager of Local 18 in Wisconsin, where Choose Bigger began, points out, “We have a great product, but we’re not necessarily attracting as many candidates as we want. By getting the best candidates, the employers are getting the best employees and the unions are getting the best members. It’s a win/win.”▪
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