Marketing

Do Your Consultants Treat Your Business Like Their Own?

March 25, 2026 Beth Devine

Consultants provide expertise in areas of your business that you either don’t have in-house or don’t have the capacity for. By outsourcing some tasks, you can focus on what you do best – manufacturing!

If you choose to outsource marketing, be sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Your marketing consultants should be an integral part of your company. They should want what’s best for your organization, just like you do! They should be proactive, not reactive. There’s a big difference between a contractor and a partnership. Which do you have?

Ask yourself, are my consultants…

Staying up to date with the markets I serve?
Finding clear ways to save or make more profit for the organization?
Assist me with vetting subcontractors without commission or mark-ups?
Aware of and seeking available funding options to offset their cost? (There are many grants available to manufacturers.)

If you answered ‘no’ to any of those questions, you’re probably not in a partnership and not benefiting fully from your investment. At Web Savvy Marketers, we partner with our clients using a monthly ‘program’. Like many marketing consultants, this is a monthly fee – but unlike many consultants, we don’t sit around waiting for you to tell us what to do. We use the program as an opportunity to build a partnership and become fully invested in your organization. We take the time to dive deeply, to find out exactly what you need; we don’t prescribe, we discover.

From the start, we look at your entire company. What is your number one challenge? For many manufacturers, that answer is: workforce. Like business development, talent is easier to find if they come to you instead of hunting for them. That is why we work closely with both sales and HR teams for many of our clients. Traditional marketing focuses on sales prospects, but in the current climate, recruitment marketing is essential.

Next, we ask about your capacity. I always say, “the only thing worse than having a product and no customers, is having customers with no product.” It’s important to know how to grow your business at rate you can manage. It’s also important to understand which products are easier to produce and/or most profitable. This will help determine your marketing (as well as business) path.

Whether you need an entire marketing department, or just extra help for your existing one, we can assist. If your consultants aren’t treating your business with the same love and passion that they treat their own, do not hesitate to contact us.

Empowering Connecticut Manufacturers with Collaborative Resources and Marketing Prowess

August 29, 2023 Beth Devine

In the world of Connecticut manufacturing, navigating every facet of running the business can be a daunting challenge. That’s where Web Savvy Marketers steps in.

Web Savvy is not just a marketing agency, but also the founding member of the Connecticut Manufacturer’s Resource Group (CTmrg), an organization dedicated to helping build the strongest possible manufacturing environment by bringing together services and resources under one roof.

Through a unique blend of skill and resources, Web Savvy Marketers has proven to be more than just a marketing agency; they are a driving force behind their clients’ growth and development.

Let’s take a look at what Web Savvy has done for Radcliff Wire, a leader in high quality, custom-shaped wire manufacturing, as an example of what can be accomplished with a well connected marketing team.

Harnessing State Resources

Web Savvy harnessed the power of Connecticut’s great resources for manufacturers in a couple of ways to support Radcliff Wire.

Energy efficiency and savings: Beth Devine at Web Savvy, invited in the Southern New England Industrial Assessment Center, funded by the US Department of Energy and administered through UConn engineering faculty and students. Radcliff Wire underwent a comprehensive energy assessment, meticulously analyzing energy consumption and identifying areas of loss. Though the final report is still pending, the promise of substantial energy savings and sustainable practices showcases Web Savvy’s dedication to Radcliff Wire’s growth and environmental stewardship.
Funding through the Manufacturing Voucher Program (MVP): Through the stewardship of Web Savvy, the Manufacturing Voucher Program (MVP) has been a game changer in Radcliff Wire’s journey towards expansion. Thanks to Beth’s familiarity with the program and its application process, Radcliff Wire secured nearly $30k in funding. This financial boost fueled the acquisition of new equipment, laying the foundation for better productivity, efficiency, and quality.

In a survey conducted by CCAT after the MVP grant process, Charlie Radcliff, President of Radcliff Wire was asked how he would rate the process of getting the MVP funding. His response says it all: “It was really easy, I just gave it to Web Savvy and they took care of it!”

Transformative Marketing

Of course, Web Savvy Marketers is also an experienced marketing agency with a proven ability to improve brand awareness, increase top of the funnel growth, and even support talent acquisition. Web Savvy’s multifaceted approach has been yielding remarkable results for Radcliff Wire. Below are just a few of the projects and their current or expected results:

Amplified Prospect Reach: Through strategic cold-calling initiatives, Web Savvy Marketers has expanded Radcliff Wire’s prospecting database by an astounding 400%. This amplified reach is opening doors to new opportunities and partnerships.
Press Release Triumphs: Notably, two 2023 press releases captured sizable attention. The first press release – an introduction of Radcliff’s new medical product, mandrel wire, garnered coverage from 105 outlets, reaching an estimated 9 million audience members and bolstering SEO with valuable backlinks. Similarly, a press release regarding the visit of CT’s Chief Manufacturing Officer, Paul Lavoie, resulted in coverage by 140 outlets, with a potential reach of 25 million.
Establishing Industry Authority: Radcliff Wire’s expertise was showcased through an article published in “Today’s Medical Developments,” solidifying their reputation as an industry frontrunner.
Digital Evolution: Recognizing the importance of an online presence, Web Savvy Marketers spearheaded a comprehensive website redesign project, ensuring that Radcliff Wire’s digital presence aligns with its excellence in custom-shaped wire manufacturing.
Enhancing Recruitment Strategies: Finally, in today’s tight labor market, manufacturing positions can be extremely difficult to fill. This is where recruitment marketing can make a huge difference. Starting with the basics, Web Savvy Marketers ensured that Radcliff Wire’s job descriptions were clear, interesting, and reflective of the company as well as the audience. They are now ready to go out into the world as compelling job postings.

“When we first started with Web Savvy,” said Charlie Radcliffe, “I thought we just needed support to promote a new product. But the more I learned more about Web Savvy’s wide ranging marketing expertise, the more confident I felt handing them whatever came our way – articles for professional publications, website updates, recruitment support. I knew Web Savvy would not only offer outstanding strategic advice, but they could also implement whatever tasks we needed to the highest level.”

In the dynamic landscape of Connecticut manufacturing, Web Savvy Marketers sets itself apart as an incredibly well connected and knowledgeable resource in so many areas a manufacturer may need support.

As a cornerstone of the Connecticut Manufacturer’s Resource Group (CTmrg), Web Savvy’s partnership with Radcliff Wire has exemplified the potential of collaborative marketing and resource utilization. From energy efficiency to strategic marketing, Web Savvy Marketers, alongside CTmrg, has propelled Radcliff Wire towards success.

If you’re a Connecticut manufacturer seeking a transformative journey like Radcliff Wire’s, Web Savvy Marketers is your partner in turning aspirations into reality.

Tips To Maximize Your Trade Show ROI

September 15, 2022 Beth Devine

For U.S. manufacturers, September through November is the busiest time of year for trade show participation. The nation’s largest industry show, the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), is happening this week in Chicago.

Considered by many to be the Superbowl of U.S. manufacturing shows, IMTS runs every two years, but this year’s show will be the first since 2018, due to the COVID-related cancellation of the 2020 show.

The 2018 show featured 2,563 exhibitors and drew a record registration of 129,415 people. The cost to exhibit at this show can easily reach six figures, depending on the size of the booth, with some machine tool companies hitting the seven-figure mark. For many companies, this show alone will consume the majority of their annual marketing budgets.

Measuring the total Return on Investment (ROI) for this and other shows can be tricky. Many booth visitors won’t let you scan their show badges, so you can’t capture their contact information and follow up with them. How would you know if a conversation on your booth in 2018 culminated in a sale in 2020?

While you can’t capture every trade show touch point that leads to a sale, you can take steps to ensure you maximize your ROI. Pre-show planning and post-show follow up are two critical elements of the trade show process that directly impact ROI, and they are often the most overlooked.

Pre-show planning must include a pre-show media blitz. Plan to bring products that will entice booth visitors. Send press releases to all the vertical publications to ensure your booth and its offerings are well publicized prior to the show. Take advantage of every opportunity for free exposure on the trade show’s website. Send “Save the Date” announcements and invitations to your customers and prospects. Include free registration to the show if you can. Schedule meetings at the show with customers and prospects in advance. The morning of the show, drop several copies of your press release at the venue’s media center.

Post-show planning is equally important. Trade shows are exhausting, and by the end of the last day the marketing and sales teams just want to soak their tired feet and catch up on their sleep. This is not the time! Multiple studies have shown a direct correlation between the amount of time it takes to follow up with trade show prospect and the likelihood of that prospect becoming a customer. The longer you wait to follow up, the less likely you are to make a sale.

If you’re following up via email, include a photo of your booth to help your prospects remember who you are. They’ve likely visited countless booths during the show, and a photo will help them remember your booth and what you discussed. Whether you follow up by email or phone, try to secure another meeting on the calendar. It’s important to keep the communication momentum going.

Trade shows are a huge investment, but careful pre-show and post-show planning helps ensure you maximize your company’s ROI.

If you’re not getting an acceptable ROI for trade shows or other areas of your business, it might be time for a Needs Assessment. The Connecticut Manufacturer’s Resource Group (ctmrg.com) has vetted professional resources that can help determine what you need to do to ensure you’re making the most of your company’s investments. Contact Us to learn more.

Are You Hitting Your Target Audience?

May 19, 2022 Beth Devine

It’s that time of year again. Time to review your database. It’s common knowledge that segmenting your email marketing lists results in higher open and click rates. According to a 2017 MailChimp report, click rates are 101% higher for emails sent to a segmented list versus a non-segmented list. The report was based on data from 11,000 segmented campaigns sent to nearly 9 million recipients.

The data also showed that email unsubscribes were significantly lower for segmented lists, by more than 9%. People are quick to unsubscribe if they receive emails that are not relevant to them. Since they often find these emails annoying, this can lead to a negative impression about your company and its products.

For your sales and marketing team, an “unsubscribe” is the kiss of death. The only way to reach these customers once they’ve unsubscribed is by telephone (which nobody answers anymore), a face-to-face visit, or postal mail. Knowing this, it’s easy to see the value of using segmented lists.

Where It Begins

Segmentation of a list is best done from the beginning, however, that’s not always possible. If you already have a large list, we suggest transferring it into a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to start. CRM software platforms like Sharpspring* contain all of your customers’ demographics, contact information, touch points, and purchase histories. They can also display how customers and prospects engage with your website, emails and other online content. For example, if you send an email telling customers about a new product, you can see who opened it, how long they viewed it, which links they clicked on within the email, etc.

Typically, a database is segmented by industry. This should be the bare minimum when building a database. However, with data from your CRM/In-bound programs, you can now segment your email lists by product interest and level of interest, among other things. For example, let’s say John Smith and Mary Jones each opened your email. You can see that John only clicked on the link for product A, but he stayed on that page for 15 minutes, indicating a high level of interest. You can also see that Mary only clicked on the link for product B, but she stayed on the page for just a few seconds before closing the email.

Armed with this information, you can segment John and Mary into different lists based on their product interest and their perceived level of interest, with John seemingly much more interested than Mary. You can then send another email with more detail on product A to John, which he will find relevant. Sending that same email to Mary, however, might cause her to unsubscribe. It would be better to put Mary on a segmented list for people interested in product B.

In a Nutshell

Segmenting your email lists is important. It ensures you’ll get a relevant message to the right audience at the proper time. Take a look at your CRM database and segmentation strategy. Is all of the customer information up to date in your CRM? Are your email lists segmented so they reach the most appropriate audience? If not, Contact Us to learn how we can assist you. Remember the most attractive and interesting marketing message is useless unless it gets to the right person.

*If you’re interested in investigating a CRM solution, contact us at 860-432-9977 for information regarding the tools we’ve reviewed and the ones we’ve chosen to use ourselves.

Consistent Communication – Part IV

July 8, 2020 Beth Devine

How to get the message out

We’ve talked about how to formulate your message and how to keep it consistent while still targeting it to appeal to specific audiences. Now what? How do you get your message out to the people who need to hear it? Here are a few ideas:

• Website/Blog

First of all, you should focus on your website and/or blog. This is where you can be totally in charge of your message without a filter. The goal of all the other online efforts is to drive traffic TO your website so people can see in detail who you are, what you sell, and, of course, find a way to do business with you—so utilizing your website to present the right message is paramount.

A lot of you might have gotten disenchanted with the idea of a “blog” because it seemed frivolous—so it might help to think of your blog as your NEWSROOM. If you’ve developed a new technology or you want to comment on something that’s happening in your industry, a blog post is a great place to start. You control the message, and you position yourself as a member of the thought leadership in your industry. And blog posts, because they are updates to your website content, are great for search engine optimization.

LinkedIn/Social Media

These are also great channels for demonstrating thought leadership. Once you’ve done a blog post, you can share it on LinkedIn or your other selected social channels. (You should put some thought into which channels make sense for you—there are a ton of options depending on who you want to reach and what you want to say.) But remember that we’re basically talking about word-of-mouth. How many times have you said that word-of-mouth is your best marketing tool? Social media sharing is online word-of-mouth. People “like” you, they follow you, and they share interesting information about you.

Done right, email is still an incredibly powerful tool for connecting with your customers and employees—and people whom you want to become your customers and employees. A few quick tips about email marketing:

Update your database to make sure you are reaching the right people.
Don’t overdo it. If you email too much, people will unsubscribe.
Craft your messages in the way we talked about before. Be consistent with your brand and always keep in mind what matters to THE READER.

ThomasNet and CTmrg

There are resources out there that are pulling together stories about how companies are contributing during the pandemic. People need this information, and ThomasNet and CTmrg are two websites that are curating those stories. Make sure they have your information AND that the information exists on your website or your blog so they can link back to it and drive traffic for you.

Press Releases and Industry Publications

There is opportunity right now to get your message to a broader audience than you might think. If you are making NEWS, if you are doing something different than anyone else, if you have developed a new product or are doing something in a whole new way in the face of COVID-19, people want to know about that. That deserves a press release.

There are also many, many industry vertical publications out there that might be open to publishing articles about that kind of thing. Most of them are especially interested in success stories or case studies. What is a specific thing you did that solved a specific problem? These pieces can’t be in marketing-speak, but they are needed. Publications are looking for relevant content right now. Look through some of the industry publications you get—you probably get several of them, either in physical form or electronically. What kind of stories do they contain? Do you do similar things? Look for opportunities to share stories of what you are doing well.

Consistent Communication – Part III

July 1, 2020 Beth Devine

We’ve talked about the importance of creating a segmented database and determining the “voice” of your different messages depending on the audience you are targeting. Now let’s discuss what is worth saying. This is probably the biggest challenge our clients face. What should we talk about?

To help them answer that question, we’ve found that interviewing them on a regular basis can be beneficial. Most of the time, the interview starts with a simple, “What’s new?”—and the response is usually, “Same old, same old.” That’s to be expected, but because we approach these interviews from an “outsider” perspective, we’re able to help the clients uncover topics that might be interesting to their audiences even if they aren’t so interesting to the clients themselves.

A 15-minute chat can often yield three or four great ideas to write about. If you don’t have access to someone from the outside to do interviews like these, have one of your employees do it. Just sit down and talk about what the business is up to, and you’ll probably find that the process will help you to formulate messaging.

It’s a common theme among manufacturers—they are so busy with day-to-day operations that they don’t realize that what they are doing can be really interesting to someone from the outside, particularly prospective customers. For example, maybe you just bought a brand-new piece of equipment and brought it online. Does it increase your capacity or give you a capability that you didn’t have before? Customers and prospects will want to know about that! Is it a great new technology? Employees and recruits might really get excited about it!

You also should think about what you are doing in relation to what’s happening in your industry or in the world at large. Since early spring, the focus of almost every aspect of our lives has been the pandemic. What did you do during this time? Did you focus on helping, like encouraging volunteering or making donations? For instance, several manufacturers in Berlin created a Local Lunchtime Challenge in which they purchased lunches for their employees from local restaurants. It demonstrated their appreciation to their workers, who were going above and beyond to keep the manufacturers going despite the overwhelming challenges, and it also funneled business to restaurants in the community. And by making it a “challenge” and sharing it, they encouraged as many companies as possible to join in. That is a great story!

If you can’t come up with a story from inside your business right now, you can always share other information that you find interesting. Look for articles about manufacturing, business ownership, COVID-19, or anything else that you find informative and helpful. Simply write a quick introduction about why you find the piece worthwhile and then share a link to it. People always appreciate good, practical stories that give them information they need.

So, when you set out to create a message to share with your network, look for something that falls into one of the three categories we’ve talked about:

What are you working on?
What is going on in the industry or the world? (e.g., COVID-19)
What is something I’ve found interesting and helpful?

Does GDPR apply to you?

May 24, 2018 Beth Devine

Overview of GDPR and how it affects small business owners in the US. With specific links and resources for businesses with e-commerce websites and those running WordPress and WooCommerce.

What is GDPR?

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation

The regulation was created to protect privacy for all individuals within the European Union and European Economic Area.

The regulation requires that personally identifiable information being collected about individuals inside the EU be processed and stored to protect the data privacy.

Information must be stored using pseudonymization or anonymization.
Data is not available publicly without explicit consent.
Consent to use data can be withdrawn by the consumer at any time.
The processor of data must clearly disclose what data is being collected; how it being collected; why it is being processed; how long it is being retained and if it is being shared with third-parties.

Who does this affect?

This applies to any online business that collects and stores personally identifiable information from individuals or entities in the EU.

How this might affect Web Savvy Marketer customers:

If you have an e-commerce store and sell to customers in the EU
If you collect personal data from EU customers for any reason
You can not send unsolicited emails to anyone. You can not purchase lists, or merge lists from different companies into your list.
You can not auto email from abandoned shopping carts, unless the shopper has opted in for email.

Actions steps to take if GDPR affects you

Make sure your website has an SSL certificate installed so data collection/storage is encrypted
Review and update your website’s privacy policy
Remove all automatic opt-ins on your website, get a clear consent prior to collecting data
Set up process to delete user information upon their request
Set up process to monitor for potential data breaches and notify users if their data has been affected by a breach
Review your mailing lists for compliance

For more detailed information please review the following resources:

GDPR Overview

Get a quick overview with this Infographic: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/smedataprotect/index_en.htm

WordPress related information:

E-commerce websites

Good overall resource in clear language with specific information on what to include in privacy policies and recommendations for data collection. https://www.willows-consulting.com/gdpr-for-ecommerce/#
Woocommerce websites: https://woocommerce.com/2017/12/gdpr-compliance-woocommerce/
Additional Woocommerce resources: https://woocommerce.com/gdpr/

New Purpose for Marketing Your Business

February 9, 2017 Beth Devine

Traditionally, we think of marketing as a business development tool. But there’s been a change in the marketing world of late – branding for the purpose of recruitment. With the unemployment rate dropping, more and more businesses are finding it more difficult to recruit talent.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than the manufacturing world. It is estimated that by the year 2025 there will be 2.5 million unfilled positions in U.S. manufacturing. Part of the challenge is due to the “silver tsunami” – for most manufacturers, 70% of their workforce is over 50. Within the next 15 years most of those people will retire. Unfortunately, over the last few decades the younger generation has not been encouraged to pursue manufacturing as a career path. Although many of the technical high schools and community colleges are making great strides, it’s a number game. There just aren’t enough people to fill existing and future positions.

That means every manufacturer is competing for the best talent available, and many of them have realized that their image is critical to this challenge. If the top graduate from the local technical high school hears that a company is hiring and Googles them only to see an old website and no other on-line presence, they are not likely to inquire about positions available. Branding is more important than ever.

Some companies have gotten creative in their marketing. We’ve all seen the new GE campaign with the kids telling their friends and parents that they’re working for GE and what a great place it is. This is all about recruitment. Other companies are getting into the community by sponsoring sports or robotics clubs. This too is part of branding.

At Web Savvy Marketers we’ve been re-designing websites, creating content and providing our clients with unique branding opportunities. After all, as the old saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a good impression” – make sure it’s the impression you want

Is Your Email List Dirty?

January 9, 2017 Beth Devine

Email still has what it takes to reach your audience. So far, nothing has managed to fully replace it. Not social media, not SMS (Short Message Service), or MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), or any form of texting.

Email began as a way to send text communications using your personal computer. For businesses, it continues to be a sound marketing strategy. Let’s face it, people will share email addresses. They’re not as willing to share phone numbers with businesses to communicate via text. At least not yet.

With all the various ways to interact with customers, email remains a steadfast option, but you’ve got to keep it clean. A clean email list is one that’s managed and built to suit your company. Keeping your email list clean helps you avoid being flagged as spam. The spam filter is worse than being dirty, so keep that in mind as you read on.

Spam ruins your deliverability rates, and ESP (Email Service Providers) don’t like spam emails. They enforce spam laws with very strict rules. The Wild West days of spammy email are long over, and email exploits that run amuck will land your emails in the slammer.

1. Do a Data Check

First things first. You have to perform a basic data check to fix any incorrect spellings or typos. As you comb through your list, look for those data entry errors that include a missing “dot” in the “dot com” and any inverted letters (i.e., alo.com instead of aol.com).

These mistakes will cause your emails to be returned as undeliverable, increasing your chances of being sent into the black void of the spam filter. As a legitimate marketer, you don’t deserve to be there, but with the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and spam filters working hard to reduce inbox clutter, that’s where you’ll end up with bad data.

2. What’s Your Bounce Rate?

Take a cue from your email open rates to determine if you need to do some cleaning. Are you sending to email addresses that are returned as undelivered? This can affect your bounce rate and hurt your ROI.

A hard bounce is when an address is simply invalid. There are several reasons for a hard bounce, or one that’s indisputable and means immediate removal from your email list. They include:

The recipient’s email address no longer exists (or never did).
The domain name doesn’t exist. Oops!
The email server of the recipient has blocked delivery.

Then there’s the soft bounce. An email returned for its first to third time are considered soft bounces because they simply may be experiencing a glitch. Some say allow up to five bounces before eliminating them.

Reasons for return could include:

Mailbox has reached its quota and is full.
The email server of the recipient is temporarily down or offline.
Message is too large and exceeds the limits of data allowed.

3. What Do ESPs Check For?

The more bounces you experience, the worse your sender reputation. So it’s good to know what things are being looked at in determining spam.

Here’s what ESPs are checking:

The Blacklist. This is the worst. Once you’re on a blacklist, you’re doomed. Of course, you only end up there if you’re super dirty.
The White List. This is like the TSA’s PreCheck. It’s a good thing because it means you’re pre-approved for automatic deliverability. No spam filter for you! You will see increased open rates as a result of this.
Watch Your Reputation. Sender reputation is actually a score that your sending IP source gets, and apparently, the algorithm used is a secret. That’s why I can’t tell you anything else. Mum’s the word out there.
You’ve Been Spammed. Having your email recipients repeatedly flag you as spam raises your chances for black listing. Familiarize yourself with your the Can Spam Act for businesses to make sure you’re in compliance. If your email is commercial, there are strict rules with tough penalties for violations.

4. Remove Bad Email Addresses

Who should you remove from your email list? Anything that’s irrelevant and potentially harmful to your reputation. The less you fraternize with legitimately flagged spam email addresses, the better. Hasn’t your mother warned you of this?

You’re above all that, the riff raff of email. I get it. But having bad email addresses in your list is no good, and the more you’re sending out, the worse it is for you. Here are email addresses you need to remove:

Duplicate and invalid email addresses.
Old contacts who are inactive. Old email contacts with high unopened rates have lost interest and haven’t bothered to unsubscribe.
Alias email addresses, such as sales@company.com. These aliases are generic email addresses that may be forwarded to a specific address, or they may not. Get rid of them.
Unsubscribes must be removed by law. (You must also provide an identifiable unsubscribe link.)
Bounced emails. See #2 for the difference between hard and soft bounces.
Email contacts who didn’t sign up willingly. Sending to anyone whose information was received through list buying is unethical and will hurt your sender reputation, your deliverability, and your open rates. Bad email practice all around.

The content you include in your email is another important factor in avoiding spam and keeping your list clean. Your subject line is especially important. Design your emails to appeal to your subscribers as well as the ESPs.

Keeping your email list dirty is a campaign health hazard. Remember, a clean email list gives you a more successful email campaign. Email campaigns should be measured by the actions your subscribers take, not how many subscribers you’re sending to.

Are You Missing Out On These 3 Marketing Opportunities?

December 20, 2016 Beth Devine

There are three marketing opportunities that small businesses should be taking advantage of. These marketing tools are overlooked yet simple ways to increase customer interaction and brand exposure. So begin 2017 right and take advantage of these indispensable opportunities for marketing your business.

1. Use Public Relations With Trade Publications

There are trade magazines for every industry, you just have to dig a little to discover them. They serve the people who are interested working in your field of business.

Chances are, your industry’s publications will welcome articles or press releases from your company. Hot topics include new product or service announcements, special events, and recent innovations. Be creative and choose different angles to highlight your expertise and distinguishing features.

Editors are especially pleased when you pitch an idea for a story. Finding writers for trade publications is becoming more difficult on limited budgets, and keeping the news cycle fed around the clock requires many helping hands.

Don’t forget to reach out to local publications, such as your local newspapers and small-town dailies and weeklies. Community journalism continues to be widely read by loyal followers looking for familiar names and faces.

2. Join the Video Revolution

Competing for audience attention is a growing challenge with social media, online blogs, and the numerous specialized publications being introduced into the marketplace. Digital media has helped create an instant-gratification response to already shorter attention spans.

Everywhere you go online, it’s noisy and distracting. In response to this noise, a video revolution began in 2016 and shows no sign of stopping. While text-based content will never go out of style, the power of communicating with video as a versatile and profitable tool is worth your consideration.

Wyzowl statistics show that 61% of businesses have incorporated video as a marketing tool. Some of the top reasons to use video in your marketing include:

Product videos and videos explaining how to use your product can help increase sales and conversions. Effective videos can also help build customer trust by providing useful and interesting information, an essential ingredient in content marketing.
As an added bonus, videos increase the time your visitors spend on your website. This tells search engines that your site has good content, helping your rankings.
By embedding video in your site, you are fifty-three times more likely to show up on page one of Google, according to Moovly. Google likes video, especially when you’re optimizing your videos on YouTube, which Google now owns.
Video is easy to digest, share, and create. Take advantage of the video-making platforms out there, such as Magisto, Animoto, and numerous other apps. Social media has its own formats, including Twitter’s Vine, Instagram, and Snapchat.

In five years, will you be reading an article like this, or will you be watching it on video? If you think about the rapid growth in video so far, it’s a question you need to be asking.

3. Check Your Website

Just because you have a website doesn’t mean that you’re done with it. Certain website features are an absolute requirement for growing your business. Here are three:

How’s your About Us page? Is it designed to maximize its potential to yield results? Your About Us page should be more than a poster for your team. It should help you establish a relationship with people, turning leads into customers by building trust.

Talking directly to your audience and offering them solutions in a way that connects will help them in their decision to choose your product or service. Add some testimonials, include your company logo above the fold, and be forward-thinking by embedding a video.

Do you have a call to action (CTA) on every page? There should be a clear image or line of text that asks your visitors to take a specific action. The action to take should be clear and will often include an imperative verb, or a verb that gives an order.

Examples are “call now,” sign up today free,” or “get started now.” It should also be clear what your visitor can expect from taking action. They need to know if they’re going to download a free e-book, get a coupon, or receive a quote.

Make sure to include a CTA above and below the fold if possible. Including a secondary CTA can be beneficial in certain cases, such as asking visitors to subscribe to your blog. It can also prove to be useful when your visitor isn’t interested in taking the first course of action, but they’ve stuck around to keep reading. So why not offer them another option?

Give your audience plenty of opportunities to learn about you by optimizing your site, utilizing video, and getting your company recognized in trade publications. Each of these missed opportunities holds huge potential for marketing your business.