I am so impressed with our industry – so many innovative and resilient companies are working together to survive and recover from the double whammy of pandemic and Brexit. Now is surely the time to instigate a marketing plan – and of course, both PR and Social Media will help SMEs ride the wave. Contact us to discuss.

After some thirty years in the business I am aware that PR for industrial companies is a topic that engenders very mixed reactions. It is probably the most misunderstood and, dare I say, mistrusted area of marketing – and yet there are companies out there with very long term and mutually successful PR relationships, covering continuous work over decades. These close promotional relationships have contributed to the survival and regrowth of client companies many times in the past and fully expect to do so in this pandemic driven recession.

Now is a time when all companies are looking for opportunities and to try something different – something they have not tried before – but of course that comes with due caution, perhaps even scepticism. Sadly, those two letters “PR” are linked in the minds of many with the sort of activities we see in the tabloid press – what is referred to as “B2C” (business to consumer) and may well be supported by past negative experiences.

Industrial marketing is different from retail, white goods, etc which is why we differentiate it as “B2B” (business to business) and we understand that it requires a completely different mindset, experience base and skill set. Industrial PR is not magic, it is a capability or skill like any other supply that depends on ability and experience.

Classic concerns in the past have been voiced as “I know I need to do something but I don’t know what” and then “we tried it ten years ago but the guy didn’t do anything” or again “we did an advert a few years ago but it didn’t work”  – ignoring for the moment the huge difference between an advert and a PR campaign, interestingly these statements have led to relationships of 10 years – even 25 years. The problem seems to focus around the issue of trust, understanding of what is being done and concerns over the level of financial commitment involved – these are significant matters – but as with any new project can easily be clarified and quantified.

Our own experience has been that trust has to be worked on and earned on both sides – this is true for any supplier – be they accountants, carriers or cleaners. It is also true that costs need to be evaluated and likely outcomes envisaged – like accountants, carriers and cleaners you will not initially know what you will really get whatever their proposal says. The proof is truly in the eating of the pudding – poor practices exist in all industries but who would consider not using such suppliers on the basis of either not having any experience of them or one bad experience ten years ago?

To draw an analogy with our personal lives – I don’t suppose that many people stop dating or going on holidays just because one or two relationships don’t work out or last year’s holiday wasn’t as expected.

So, what is the upside of industrial PR and why do I suggest that companies should consider it now?

Firstly, experience over many boom-bust cycles has shown that the best time for promotional investment is when we are in a recession – to support survival, then to speed up the recovery. Of course, a recession is probably just the time when resources are already stretched, so what is required is a relatively low cost but effective approach – a drip-drip strategy which is sustainable throughout an economic cycle.

We can see that the flow of information tends to go from supplier to customer, so the customer may evaluate what they can expect from a prospective supplier or their products – but without a convenient way to tap into this information stream then customers are restricted in their research and their choices. Who of us does not recognise the value of a “good” supplier and the difficulty of finding or replacing one. Industrial trade and technical media, magazines, websites and directories provide this information flow and the opportunity for suppliers in the market to feed into it for general consumption.

For the past decade or more these traditional media have also offered the most important route to the internet both independently and via search engines such as Google, thus greatly enhancing the online presence of companies far beyond the reach of just their own website alone.

Good industrial PR facilitates this communication process by providing valuable information from the suppliers of products and services to reach the potential customers who want to read it – via established and respected media vehicles whatever their format. In recent years we have seen the incorporation of social media, blogging, content marketing and SEO under the umbrella of the PR mix – and again we must differentiate between B2C and B2B use of these approaches. There is a similar and crucial difference even though they use some of the same media, in B2B social media is much less important, but more direct and growing in importance with demographic change while effective blogging is simply self-publicity as an extension of a good website. Content marketing simply refers to the production and use of “content” while SEO is a way of creating and implementing content to encourage search engines to take notice of it. Always the aim is to ensure that a client is preferentially presented when a potential specification or purchase is being considered.

Good execution involves a process which offers manufacturers of components, assemblies and equipment a lifeline in times of survival and an opportunity in times of growth, by ensuring that client company products and services are continuously presented to potential customers and to existing ones. This involves the presentation of news and new perspectives as in product information, applications, technical updates, ideas and services.

Industrial PR therefore rewards client companies by putting them in front of engineers and buyers just at the point when they are forming their decision. It is an ever-present sales tool getting on with the job and responsive to the industrial environment. A PR profile once established needs only a regular monthly trickle feed to keep on working and building connections with customers.

Taken over the long term of economic cycles a PR profile represents capital to rely on for support in difficult times – in times of growth it represents investment paying off by enabling faster recovery, faster growth and slower downturns into the next recession. It lengthens the positive times and shortens the negative ones.

Finally, on the question of cost – it is simply a matter of appropriate choice. I guess we all have a car but few of us choose a sports car when we need a people carrier, or the most expensive when a budget or mid-range will do the job perfectly well. In our business lives we make the same choices about the accountants, carriers and cleaners we need. It should be the same with choosing an industrial PR service where it is especially important to have confidence that the people who will actually deal with your work are knowledgeable about industrial businesses and are sufficiently experienced to be appropriately proactive on your behalf.

Are you making the most of all directory opportunities at your disposal?

We pose the question because of the key role directory entries can play in helping your customers find you – and vice versa.

Thanks to the internet, directories have become vibrant, ever-evolving documents which provide a wealth of invaluable links.
Here’s how to make your directory entries the hard-working and effective tools they should be.

Why do they want our entries?
All directory publishers want their publications to have a huge audience, so they’ll do all in the power to be the most comprehensive authority in their field.
The larger their reach the more they’re going to impress potential advertisers, so they need your entry to add volume and build respect among their audience.
For this reason they want you on board, so the big benefit to you is that they’ll usually offer a basic entry at no cost to you.

Paid for or free entries?
Don’t be too quick to pay, even if a paid-for option appears to be attractive. Yes, the directory will want you to cough up for an enhanced presence or featured status with an eye-catching image, but try the free option before splashing out.
You can always upgrade later, after evaluating the results of your free listing.

Keyword-rich product information
In addition to basic information such as company name and contact details there will often be room for a products and services summary, even in a free entry.
Use the keywords which are already working for you on your website, and if you are offered the opportunity to add tags and there is only a limited number available, focus on those that are going to be most relevant to people using that particular directory.

Which directories?
It’s tempting to say ‘all of them’ but a directory focusing on businesses in your geographical location won’t necessarily benefit you unless people who want your products and services are on your doorstep.
If you sell nationwide or internationally as opposed to locally, seek out niche market directories.
There might be fewer people seeing your entry, but if they are using the long-tail keyword search that you have so painstakingly researched and opted for, then they are more likely to be serious about buying from you.

For further information call us here or see our Top Tips For Directory Management (free entries)

Are you making the most of all directory opportunities at your disposal?

We pose the question because in this blog post we underline the key role directory entries can play in helping your customers find you – and vice versa.

Thanks to the internet, directories have become vibrant, ever-evolving documents which provide a wealth of invaluable links.

Here’s how to make your directory entries the hard-working and effective tools they should be.

Why do they want our entries?
All directory publishers want their publications to have a huge audience, so they’ll do all in the power to be the most comprehensive authority in their field.

The larger their reach the more they’re going to impress potential advertisers, so they need your entry to add volume and build respect among their audience.

For this reason they want you on board, so the big benefit to you is that they’ll usually offer a basic entry at no cost to you.

Paid for or free entries?
Don’t be too quick to pay, even if a paid-for option appears to be attractive. Yes, the directory will want you to cough up for an enhanced presence or featured status with an eye-catching image, but try the free option before splashing out.

You can always upgrade later, after evaluating the results of your free listing.

Keyword-rich product information
In addition to basic information such as company name and contact details there will often be room for a products and services summary, even in a free entry.

Use the keywords which are already working for you on your website, and if you are offered the opportunity to add tags and there is only a limited number available, focus on those that are going to be most relevant to people using that particular directory.

Which directories?
It’s tempting to say ‘all of them’ but a directory focusing on businesses in your geographical location won’t necessarily benefit you unless people who want your products and services are on your doorstep.

If you sell nationwide or internationally as opposed to locally, seek out niche market directories.

There might be fewer people seeing your entry, but if they are using the long-tail keyword search that you have so painstakingly researched and opted for, then they are more likely to be serious about buying from you.

For further information see our Top Tips For Directory Management (free entries)

Websites have moved on so much in recent years, so it’s likely you’ll have upgraded or relaunched at least once. If not, you’re probably considering doing so.

The process is no easy task and it will represent an investment of thousands of pounds financially, and it will cost a fair amount of emotional and physical energy.

But the work can’t stop there. You need to raise awareness of your business and promote your website at minimum cost, and here are four low-cost options.

Directories
On-line trade directories will get your website address in front of the right people and often at no cost.

Trade directories are also likely to have some form of editorial output to complement the bare bones of the site, so contact the web admin to alert them to your website relaunch and offer to provide a few paragraphs of copy and some images.

Make sure you provide website links to the relevant pages so the admin can make your story and images clickable.

Blogging
You know your products inside-out, so generating a couple of hundred words every other week should prove straightforward, and regular updates provide value in terms of Search Engine Optimisation for your site, pushing it high up the rankings.

If you can’t think what to write about, brainstorm topics with your team. A great place to start is with the questions already being posed by customers or potential buyers. If they’re asking questions, chances are others will want to hear the answers.

Social media
You have a social media presence and you’re always wondering what to talk about on the various platforms. An upgrade to your website provides the perfect opportunity to generate exciting content. Make it rich in visuals and light on words. Social media is all about show and tell.

E-Mailing
You have a list of previous buyers and previous enquirers, so a great starting point is to tell them about your new website in an e-mail.

Don’t be lazy, though. The words ‘Check out our new website’ are not going to excite any interest, because nobody is going to visit your website out of the goodness of their heart. They need one question answered, and it is this – ‘What’s in it for me?’

So spell it out with specific promises you know you can deliver, making it impossible for the reader to ignore your invitation to click through.

One crucial thing to add regarding email marketing – if you are considering building an e-mail list and sending regular updates to people on it, there are strict regulations covering such activity. One key element is to tell people how they came to be receiving an email from you, and giving them the opportunity to opt out of hearing from you again. Regulations are different for mailing to individuals and for sending to companies.

Outsource it
Most companies find that is an awful lot of work for a small company – which is where we can come in and do it for you. The chances are that most of your competitors will be doing very little of the above and we can put together a package that is appropriate to your business and won’t involve a corporate mega-budget – after all, what we do is to specialise in growing small companies into big ones – by working smarter.

For more inspiration on promoting your website read Ian Deavin’s white paper entitled ‘How small companies are competing successfully and punching above their weight’

or

• Speak to us on 01462 850040 or 07860 218334.

Product images are a valuable commodity and can even be described as the extra member of your sales/marketing team.

You’ll have heard the expression ‘don’t tell me, show me’, which supports the view that a visual aid or demonstration has a greater impact on an audience than mere words.

This is backed up by a study which found that when people hear information they are likely to remember only 10 per cent of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, they will retain 65 per cent of the information three days later.

So are you making the most of the images in your photo library or product catalogue, and what can you do to get more of them in front of potential customers?

Make images available
Our advice is to include at least one image with each press release you send to print publications or on-line sites. Landscape is preferable and in the case of print publications essential if you want the image to be placed across two or more columns instead of squeezed into a single column.

Be thorough
When sending a press release give full details relating to the image so that the person uploading it or preparing for print doesn’t need to make a call to ask for information. The more thorough you are the more likely your press release and image are to be used.

Think creatively, without losing focus
When commissioning a photographer think about eye-catching opportunities as well as the practicalities, but make sure the photographer works to your brief, not theirs. You don’t want the integrity of your products watered down by extraneous content, but technical images don’t need to be dull.

Is the image usable in a practical sense?
With such huge steps forward in on-line storage capacity news sites can carry hundreds of images, but site admins or bloggers won’t be pleased if you send a handful of images which are of such a high resolution that they each take up 4MB of memory. If each image needs to be resized and reduced you’re giving someone an extra task and it’s possible the images will be spiked.

The whole picture from all sides
Buyers expect to be able to see products close-up and from different angles, but don’t go overboard. If one picture is enough, quit while you’re ahead, but if you need more, make sure you don’t duplicate angles. Stick to the essentials and ensure the picture shows features in an eye-catching way with a colourful and/or relevant background.

Think of the added exposure
It’s true that written explanations – of technical details, functions and benefits – make up most of what you’re going to say, but if any of this can be conveyed in a complementary image or, even better, a brief video, your message will reach a larger audience.

Don’t forget the people behind the products
It’s not just products that need to be shown, either. Let customers see who’s in your team. Get personalities involved, because people not only buy from people, but they buy into people.

• See Ian Deavin’s white paper on Industrial Photography for Marketeers
• To discuss services provided by The Industrial Marketing Agency speak to Ian, Lesley or Sue on 01462 850040, or call Ian on 07860 218334 or Lesley on 07799 642863

Have you ever laid down and let people walk all over you? Course not. You’re a planner, a prepper, and when you face challenges you’re a scrambler, a person who keeps going and somehow finds that by striving to meet challenges head-on there’s always a new opportunity presenting itself.

That’s the secret of successful Press Relations for industrial SMEs operating in the industrial marketplace. To keep going. To battle, and put yourself out there so that more people notice you.

Trouble is, you know how to research, develop and produce the products that engineers and technicians want to use – you’ve been serving the industrial marketplace for years – but to you, pushing out news or press releases is a tiresome task, a hit or miss activity that doesn’t bring the rewards it should, given the time and effort you put into them.

Notice we say Press Relations and not Public Relations. The distinction is crucial to you in the industrial marketplace.

Public Relations is more likely associated with the promotion and self-promotion of celebrities, politicians or B2Cs who want to generate hits for their website. The practice is, frankly, becoming a bore to many people as they realise their emotions are being manipulated and that they’ve been baited for a highly prized click.

Press Relations, on the other hand, is the vital interaction between you, your products and services, and the trade press and trade customers. This is a much more meaningful relationship and one you know is worth developing.

The benefits and rewards of doing it properly are immense, but the process of achieving those results can be challenging.

You might have dabbled in Press Relations or delegated it to someone in your organisation who you think has the time and talent to do it.

But could you be doing more? If you’re answering ‘yes, but I don’t have the time, the staff or the money to do it’ then we have a ‘Guide to Press Relations for Industrial SMEs’ that you should see.

In it, we outline how you can achieve maximum results for a minimum investment.

So to answer the question ‘How can we do industrial PR – and how can we do it cheaply?’ see this link and read Ian Deavin’s guide.

• The Industrial Marketing Agency has been providing Press Relations for Industrial SMEs for more than two decades. Some of our clients go back over 20 years with us so you’ve probably sussed that we’re pretty good at what we do and provide value to those clients.
Interestingly, those clients don’t question the level of investment required, instead choosing to focus on the benefits.
Speak to Ian, Lesley or Sue on 01462 850040 or call Ian on 07860 218334 or Lesley on 07799 642863 to arrange a 40-minute meeting with you.

It seems reasonable to consider that the first responsibility of a marketing executive is to understand the market in which they operate. One area that is easily overlooked is terminology – what do people call your product?

This is especially important if for example you have a non-UK head office who insists on a global generic product name that while it makes sense is actually never used in the U.K.

Google does not know that this global generic is also known by a swath of maybe 10 more commonly used industrial jargon names. So unless you as a marketer put those jargon names into your website, your SEO and your publicity – you will simply not be found online by the great majority of searchers who call your product something completely different.

For example, as a manufacturer of “car locks” if you want to be found for “vehicle security systems” you need to be explicit. Google will not know (as we do) that a “car lock” is a “vehicle security system” or part of one.

It may however conflate the words “vehicle”, “security” and “systems” from different parts of your text, but will generally list these below someone else who uses the phrase “vehicle security systems”.

Having done this “jargon SEO” then monitor your web presence and traffic for these new keywords – especially in your long tail search strings. Equally of course, if you insist on calling your product something “corporate” that no-one else has heard of, then you are unlikely to get many searches for it until you have put a lot of money into promoting your new name/brand, along with all its synonyms, although you will come top of page 1 if it is actually unique – even if no one is looking for it.

Call us to discuss how PR and SEO work together

From qualitative research across our client base we estimate that 23% of free web coverage is corporate website, 22% is corporate blog and 55% is from third party sites – online journals, online directories – which get picked up by search engines.

This includes some photos and some videos but does not include:
–    Video channel internal searches, e.g. YouTube
–    Editorial newsletters
–    Industry blogs
–    Social media internal traffic
So there is clearly a lot to do for free!

Call us to see how you can use online marketing in your business