Keep Your Brand Visible During the Pandemic Article submitted by Linda Foster, Vive, LLC
TDMAW 2013 Board of Directors
Ben Kosmatka - Service Tool & Die Corp. Harvey Tomasini - United Tool Corp. John Mack - Liberty Tool Corp. Louis Ullstrup - Ullstrup Tool & Die Co. George Sowinski - Tri-Par Tool & Die Co. John Weber - Saller Tool Corp. Tom Stanek - Stanek Tool Corp. Al Wendorf - Wisconsin Gasket & Mfg. Co. Leo Lebal - National Mfg. Co. James Schultz - Wisconsin Drill Head Corp. Richard Marsek - Maintenance Service Corp. Ted Terwelo - Banner Tool & Eng. Co.
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here is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we interact and shifted how we conduct business. From moving tradeshows from in-person events to virtual experiences to creating new challenges associated with social-distancing policies, change has been present throughout. The silver lining of this unprecedented situation is companies have had the opportunity to step back, rethinking what they are doing and how often they are doing it. This reflection has allowed some manufacturers the opportunity to produce essential products, after not being focused on medical-related applications, while other companies have been forced to make tough decisions to account for short-term, organization reductions. As things continue to slowly reopen, it’s important for your company not to be quiet, but rather continue to keep the communication line open, focusing on maximizing marketing efforts.
Jerome Stanek - Stanek Tool Corp.
One of the biggest mistakes companies have made during this pandemic is stopping communication or completely pulling back from their marketing initiatives. While there will certainly be a shift in priorities and the investment levels in marketing efforts, there will always be ways to keep communication channels transparent and active – even with a modest marketing budget. There are various communication channels your business can optimize to maintain or reignite conversations with your audience that include marketing initiatives such as:
Larry Wacker - Sterling Tool & Mfg. Co.
Email Marketing - Beyond your day-to-
Bob Waker - Sterling Tool & Mfg. Co. Ed Stanek - Stanek Tool Corp. Gene Fritsch - Economy Tool & Machine Joe Bock - Wisconsin Machine Co. Ed Michalski - Milwaukee Parts Corp. Frank Wirtz - L & W Tool & Die Co Art Gieringer - Gieringer Tool & Die Al Janiszewski - Superior Die Set Steve Pohlhammer - Northwest Tool & Eng.
Harry Schauer - Hasco Valve Company
Current President Kirk Kussman
TDMAW 2019 Board of Directors
day emails, get strategic and creative about what you are communicating. Using a platform like Mailchimp or Constant Contact creates an opportunity to design a professional-looking deliverable and provides a deeper understanding of user behavior. These platforms will track what the reader is clicking on and even reveal how well-vetted your CRM list is. Start by deploying an e-blast once a month or every other month to connect your message to your audience.
Schedule Customer Interviews - To obtain key voice-of-customer input, set up a time to speak directly with your customers to check in with them, remind them they are valued and that you are there to support them. After all, we are in a relationship business, so continue adding value to those connections and provide a stronger base for continued growth.
Social Media - For many small to midsized manufacturers, this marketing strategy may be a bit overwhelming, but if you want to further connect with your current customers and prospects with pertinent industry and/or company information while impacting the opportunities to connect, start with LinkedIn. Begin by planning two to three posts per month, and as you have more content to share, increase the cadence for boosted visibility. Be mindful that all posts meet the criteria of quality over quantity. Lastly, if your audience takes the time to respond to your posts, be sure to interact back with them!
Videos - Today, many of us have smartphones in our pockets capable of shooting high-quality videos, making it easy to produce short videos to share via social media, e-blasts, etc., as a solution to visually connect with your audience. Video as a platform continues to grow in popularity, but creating them does not have to be hard. It could be as simple as sharing a company announcement, showcasing your operations or highlighting the latest piece of technology equipment. By incorporating these best practices, opportunities for increased and improved communications with your viewers are created, keeping your brand at the forefront, and when things get back to “normal”, you will be in a position of continued marketing momentum, whereas others may be playing catch up. If you are looking for additional marketing insights, visit https:// marketingformanufacturers.com/podcast/
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