Engineering firm Hallam-ICS has sustained growth over the last decade, crediting honest company culture, inbound marketing in niche service areas, and evolving brand messaging as the reason for their success. We talk to the president and CEO, Keith Flaherty on the latest episode of Content Marketing, Engineered.

TREW Marketing has worked with engineering firm Hallam-ICS for more than 7 years and over that time many of the marketing strategies and brand messaging have evolved to reflect the company's growth. We invited president and CEO Keith Flaherty to discuss the company's history, culture, and growth over the years.

One thing that's truly special about Hallam-ICS is the company culture, it plays a huge role in recruiting and retaining employees and the messaging reflects this differentiator.

Hallam-ICS is also seen rapid growth in niche expertise areas, such as toxic gas monitoring and arc flash, and Keith credits executive buy-in of inbound marketing as the reason they've grown and generated millions of dollars in leads in those areas.

We also discuss how messaging changes with growth, and how to blend "small and friendly" messaging with "large and expert" messaging and how to stay consistent as more regional locations are added to the company.

Takeaways

• Company culture is a key differentiator in attracting and retaining employees.
• Achieve rapid growth in niche expertise areas by leveraging inbound marketing to generate leads.
• Messaging should be evolved over time to blend an original small, friendly culture with the current larger, more capable image.
• Opening new offices requires careful selection of leaders who understand the company's culture and can effectively communicate its messaging.

Resources

• Connect with Keith on LinkedIn
• Connect with Morgan on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Hallam-ICS
• Case Study: Hallam-ICS Uses Culture as a Key Differentiator in Technical Solutions
• Related Content: 4 Questions to Ask to Define Your Brand Differentiators
• Related Service: System Integrators

Christopher Penn is a co-founder and Chief Data Scientist at Trust Insights. Chris' newsletter is something the TREW Crew passes around our slack channel on a regular basis. His insights into the latest news about data analytics, automation, and generative AI, have been immensely valuable to or team, and we are thrilled he accepted our invitation to be a guest on Content Marketing, Engineered podcast.

In this episode, Morgan Norris, Senior Brand Strategist at TREW Marketing, asks Chris all of our burning questions about generative AI. They discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise when using generative AI or in-platform AI tools, and he provide a unique perspective about how AI should really be used as a research tool - something technical marketers can use to increase their knowledge of highly complex industries. They discuss AI disclosures to stay compliant with recent EU regulations, copyright issues, and a framework to help you decide which tasks are truly worthy of AI.

They also have a conversation about the rise of AI generated, no-click search and how marketers should update the way they approach content marketing.

Resources

• Connect with Christopher on LinkedIn
• Connect with Morgan on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Trust Insights
• Related Episode: Generative AI for Marketing - Maintaining Trust and Building an AI Policy
• Related Episode: Optimizing for LLMs and Google's SGE with Dale Bertrand

I was lucky enough to schedule this podcast recording on the very rare weeks when Jake Hall was not on the road. This conversation focuses on Jake's years of experience at manufacturing and engineering trade shows. He shares valuable strategies for companies who want to maximize their event spend, Including the most important strategies to take while planning, attending and following up with attendees post-show. We talk about the opportunity to capture video content with partners, clients, and your internal subject matter experts and how networking events can be just as important as the trade show itself.

Key Takeaways

• Promote trade show attendance before the event to generate interest and schedule meetings with potential customers and partners.
• Create engaging and interactive booth experiences to attract and engage attendees.
• Form partnerships and collaborations with other companies in the industry to showcase integrated solutions and expand reach.
• Capture video content at trade shows to create post-show content and leverage for marketing purposes.
• Recast manufacturing as a cool STEM industry to attract younger generations and change the perception of the industry.

Resources

• Connect with Jake on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Manufacturing Millennial
• Related Episode: Trade Show Marketing Strategies from Automate 2024
• Related Episode: Nimble Event Strategy in Electronics

Ever wondered how to truly optimize your email campaigns? Join us as we chat with Jeanne Jennings, founder of the Email Optimization Shop, about innovative strategies, myth-busting, and the latest best practices for email marketing. Discover how business metrics are your ultimate KPI, why straightforward subject lines work best, and the pitfalls of third-party email lists. Jeanne also explores the power of valuable content in newsletters over promotional material and discusses the evolving role of AI in enhancing email marketing effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

• Measure Success with Business Metrics: Rely on business metrics as your key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge the success of your email marketing campaigns.
• Benchmark Internally: Focus on your own past performance instead of industry standards to assess the effectiveness of your email marketing.
• Steer Clear of Third-Party Lists: Protect your sender reputation by avoiding the purchase of third-party email lists.
• Prioritize Valuable Content: Engage your subscribers by focusing on delivering valuable content in your email newsletters.
• Collaborate with AI Tools: Work iteratively with AI tools to fully leverage their capabilities and enhance your email marketing efforts.

Resources

• Follow Jeanne on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Check out Email Optimization Shop
• Join the Only Influencers Community
• Check Your Emojis with Emojipedia
• 6 Tips for Better Subject Lines, Preheader Text, and Headlines
• B2B Email Marketing Tips That Actually Work with Jay Schwedelson

It's a question marketers all over the world face - "Are trade shows worth it?" We get this question time and again and are often asked which industry trade shows are best to attend and exhibit at. After all, 89% of technical buyers said they plan to attend at least one in-person industry event this year. Last week, TREW Crewers Lee Chapman, Kara Moon, and Kasey Tyring attended the Automate trade show in Chicago to uncover the value of trade shows and what marketing and sales strategy can make your company stand out in a sea of other exhibitors on the show floor.

We discuss their impressions of the show, the booths and attractions that stood out to them, and the cool tech they saw.

Key Takeaways

• Attending trade shows can be a valuable opportunity to connect with prospects and stay competitive in the industry.
• Interactive booths and attractions can make it easier for attendees to engage with exhibitors.
• Timely follow-ups, such as same-day emails, can help maintain the momentum and interest generated at the trade show.
• Collaborating with other companies in the industry can enhance credibility and create a more impactful presence.
• Creative marketing strategies, such as limited swag giveaways and exclusive events, can help attract attendees and generate leads.
• Trade show planning should involve a balance between eye-catching demos and targeted marketing efforts to attract quality leads.
• Having a well-defined strategy and follow-up plan is crucial for maximizing the results and ROI of attending a trade show.

Show Notes

• Connect with Kara on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kasey on LinkedIn
• Connect with Lee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Automate
• Related Episode: How European Engineers Seek Information and Make Technical Buying Decisions
• Related Episode: Nimble Event Strategy in Electronics

Kristin Graybill is the Vice President of Commercial Strategy at the Manufacturers Alliance and in her role, she speaks to hundreds of manufacturers all across the country. In this episode, we talk about the work of the Manufacturers Alliance whose mission is to drive economic growth and foster collaboration within the manufacturing sector. They do this by hosting peer programs, conducting research initiatives, and providing resources to leaders across departments in mid to large manufacturing companies.

I ask her what trends trends she's seeing in manufacturing marketing, and we focused on the increasing risk and use of AI to streamline operations and enhance marketing efforts. We also talked about how "old school" manufacturers are being forced to modernize their marketing to compete in a tight talent market. Kristin echoed the need for marketers in the manufacturing sector to embrace innovation and leverage marketing strategies that appeal to the human element of their audience.

Near the end of the conversation we talk about diversity and inclusion in manufacturing leadership. Kristin shares findings from recent research conducted by the Manufacturers Alliance on women's leadership in manufacturing. She highlights the challenges women face in middle management and disparities in perceptions of gender equality within the industry.

Key Takeaways

• The Manufacturers Alliance helps leaders in manufacturing through peer groups and industry research.
• AI is being used across manufacturing operations, marketing, and recruitment but comes with notable risks.
• Modern and creative marketing is necessary to recruit talent.
• Focusing on the advancement of women in manufacturing can help address the growing talent shortage.

Melissa Geertz is the Director of Marketing at Gray Solutions and over her year and a half tenure at the company has overseen a complete rebrand of the system integrator. I had her on the podcast to discuss the scale of the rebranding project, including how to get executive and cross-company buy-in, what steps to take during the rebrand, and how to measure qualitative and quantitative ROI of a rebrand.

We talk about the importance of authenticity to stand out in a crowded market and Melissa shares insights on how Gray Solutions used the culture of the company to guide the branding process.

Key Takeaways

• Establishing a unique brand identity is key to stand out in a crowded market.
• A rebranding project can have a significant impact on growth if done authentically and with a unique point of view.
• A unique rebrand can add to company culture and recruitment initiatives.
• Measuring the ROI of a rebrand should focus on growth metrics, such as inbound traffic, conversions, and brand recognition.
• Look at competitors to understand the space they are owning, but find your own unique brand identity and stay away from copying others.
• Gain inspiration from outside industries to bring fresh ideas and perspectives to your rebranding project.

According to our research, 97% of engineers and technical buyers watch work related videos during the work week. I talk with a video expert to learn the best types of videos to add to your content marketing mix.

Jeff Long is the owner of True Focus Media, a video and web development agency for industrial manufacturers. Jeff has more than 20 years experience in creating video content for industrial companies. Over the years, Jeff has seen the role of video evolve in marketing and today, it's more important than ever to include video in your content marketing strategy.

We discuss the types of videos to create besides the traditional corporate promotional overview video. Videos such as thought leadership pieces, answering frequently asked questions and creating demos of your products is a great way to share valuable content with your audience. Jeff shares his tips for preparing a spokesperson for video and emphasizes the value of authenticity in video content. We share advice on creating a content roadmap and effectively distributing video content as well as tools that can make producing video content easier.

Key Takeaways

• Consider adding video to your content marketing strategy
• Use video to showcase expertise and provide value
• Prepare spokespersons for video by encouraging them to teach rather than sell
• Create a content roadmap to plan topics and speakers for your video content
• Authenticity and human connection are important for building trust through video

Resources

• Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about True Focus Media
• Related Episode: Video Shouldn't Be This Complicated with Bryan Fittin
• Related Episode: Daily Videos Part of a Robust Content Marketing Strategy For Optics Manufacturer