Tom Monroe, Jr. of Detroit, Michigan wants ideas on how to promote his production machine shop, which services the manufacturing industry. Its niche market is providing production tapping and drilling of metal parts.
From Toni Graeme of Victoria, BC, Canada:
“How about a brainstorming group with someone from the advertising field you know who is creative and has some experience with a broad range of products and services, and two or three others.
“I am imagining a picture of the hole with screw threads visible and a screw about to be inserted and a line or slogan that says ‘a perfect fit’. But you need to brainstorm a list and from somewhere in it you choose words for a phrase and a picture/logo. Make sure people understand brainstorming – no comments until you have your list of ideas. The M in McDonald’s says it all…locally I see a business card sized ad that says ‘We Keep it Clean.’
Merry Maids. Short and simple.
From Jennie Fitzgerald of Gold Coast Hinterland – Queensland, Australia:
“Try appearing at trade shows. Sponsor appropriate events or a box at a sports event. Be a speaker at a lunch meeting.”
From Cyndee Woolley of Naples, Florida:
“If cold calling has been effective, mail a promotional piece to follow up on your cold calls where you can’t reach the decision maker. Make your promotional piece a large screw and nut (or customize by using the prospect’s part) and attach a notecard that says something to the effect of:
‘Don’t screw around drilling and threading your own <PART NAME>! Using <Company Name> can save you time and money!’
“Give a brief description of your services and close with ‘I will be following up with a phone call to discuss our services in detail, but feel free to contact me if you have any questions.’
“The promo piece may generate phone calls, but it will also break the ice and help you get in touch with the decision maker.”
The Publicity Hound says: If you live in Detroit, you should try to get into Crain’s Detroit Business. It’s probably the Number One publication read by more CEOs in Detroit than any other newspaper. Contact the manufacturing reporter and set up lunch, or invite the reporter for a tour of your company.
Be willing to talk about things like how your industry has changed to meet the changing needs of carmakers. What are you doing to cope with rising health care costs? What are you doing to recruit and keep good employees? What’s the biggest problem you are dealing with this year, and how are you trying to solve it? Establish a good relationship with the reporter and keep forwarding story ideas and trends you are seeing in your industry. Then write letters to the editor and opinion columns. Also, contact reporters at trade journals that are read by CEOs whose business you want. If you can’t take the editor or reporter on a tour, offer yourself as a source. Ask if the trade journal accepts letters to the editor or columns. If you can’t write, hire a freelancer in your community to write for you.
“How to Write How-to Articles for Newspapers, Magazines and Trade Journals” walks you step-by-step through the process of writing a how-to article and includes a template for how to write one.