ManufacturingMarketing

ManufacturingMarketing

AVOID THIS FATAL EMAIL MISTAKE

AVOID THIS FATAL EMAIL MISTAKE

AVOID THIS FATAL EMAIL MISTAKE

EMAILS WHICH GROW BUSINESSES

EMAILS WHICH GROW BUSINESSES

EMAIL MARKETING STATISTICS

EMAIL MARKETING STATISTICS

Nov

embe

r 12

- 25

, 201

9N

ovem

ber

12 -

25, 2

019

Nov

embe

r 12

- 25

, 201

918 Reasons Why You Should Start an Email Newsletter 18 Reasons Why You Should Start an Email Newsletter

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

NEWSLETTERS GET RESULTS

NEWSLETTERS GET RESULTS

COVER:

Newsletters can still connect with customers, even though they are not a new phenomenon.

FROM THE EDITOR | November 12 - 25, 2019 | Issue 38

1 | MANUFACTURING MARKETING

“Email newsletters create results. We’re back to 1999.”

ManufacturingMarketingIssue 38

ManufacturingMarketing

ManufacturingMarketing

AVOID THIS FATAL EMAIL MISTAKE

AVOID THIS FATAL EMAIL MISTAKE

AVOID THIS FATAL EMAIL MISTAKE

EMAILS WHICH GROW BUSINESSES

EMAILS WHICH GROW BUSINESSES

EMAIL MARKETING STATISTICS

EMAIL MARKETING STATISTICS

Nov

embe

r 12

- 25

, 201

9N

ovem

ber

12 -

25, 2

019

Nov

embe

r 12

- 25

, 201

9

18 Reasons Why You Should Start an Email Newsletter 18 Reasons Why You Should Start an Email Newsletter

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

NEWSLETTERS GET RESULTS

NEWSLETTERS GET RESULTS

Editor Dianna Huffeditor@manufacturingmarketingmagazine.comDesigner Rachel Cunlifferachel@cre8d-design.com

Contact Manufacturing MarketingManufacturing Marketing is published bi-weekly by Huff Industrial Marketing and cre8d design. ISSN 2641-0214 (online).37 Plaistow Road, Unit 7-245Plaistow, NH 03865(603) 382-8093inquiries@manufacturingmarketingmagazine.com

Subscribe to Manufacturing Marketingmanufacturingmarketingmagazine.com

Magazine Archiveshuffindustrialmarketing.com/magazine/archives

Sponsor Manufacturing Marketinginquiries@manufacturingmarketingmagazine.com

© 2019, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

“Prepare for the fact that your content won’t get through anymore [on social media platforms],” Content Marketing Institute founder Joe Pullizi told the audience at the CMI annual conference.

I’ve been a strong advocate for marketing newsletters since, well, 1999. That’s when I started my first one, The MarCom Writer, which I used to grow my fledgling business and my reputation in under five years.

The benefits of a well-done newsletter are many, as we demonstrate in our feature piece. You’ll also learn the one newsletter mistake to avoid, as well as tips for using automation features. And last but not least, a fun cartoon from our favorite marketoonist Tom Fishburne. Enjoy!

The next issue will arrive in your inbox Tuesday November 22. On tap: exclusive interviews with Volvo Penta and RAHCO Rubber, Inc.

Have a fantastic week!– Dianna Huff, Editor and Rachel Cunliffe, Designer

The Stodgy Marketing Newsletter is Hip Again

by Dianna Huff

OPINION

2 | MANUFACTURING MARKETING

Newsletters have been used by companies to communicate with customers, suppliers, and vendors for over one hundred years.

Back in the day, these printed publications were referred to as “house organs” and companies large and small produced them.

With the Internet came e-newsletters – digital missives that arrived in people’s inboxes. Until the advent of blogs around 2002, e-newsletters were considered the “silver bullet” for growing an in-house list and

helping companies increase leads and sales.

Then came social media, the explosion of content, and mobile, all of which ushered in a whole host of technological and user behavioral changes, including fatigue and overwhelm.

In short, the more information people were exposed to, the less they truly read it. The less people “engaged” with a “brand,” the harder marketers worked to increase engagement, and the more people tuned out.

IN BRIEF

• Cobots change how people live and work. Inspirational video from UR. Watch

• Teradyne adds to robotics portfolio. Purchases AutoGuide Mobile Robots. Learn

• Challenges and opportunities. Authenticity 50 provides State of A50. Read

• Economic impact nearly $10B. Scrap metal recycling powers US manufacturing base. Read

• Manufacturing in space? Maybe, thanks to microgravity. Watch

• The need for speed. Accelerated production and delivery changing manufacturing. Learn

OPINION

3 | MANUFACTURING MARKETING

Through all these changes, I continued to recommend to clients that they add a newsletter to their marketing program. To me, it was common sense to send a well-written, well-designed newsletter on a regular basis to a company’s mailing list.

Not only do newsletters keep you (the sender) “in mind” with your customers, but they’re also a great way to showcase your company’s trustworthiness, credibility, and expertise.

They also help your customers get to know the names and faces of the people they do business with.

Most importantly, newsletters help to generate inquiries.

I wasn’t surprised, therefore, when this tweet appeared in my feed early September from someone attending the Content Marketing Institute’s annual conference.

Yep, couldn’t have said it better myself.Marketing newsletters do deliver results.

With today’s cloud-based technology and software applications, creating and sending marketing newsletters is easier and more cost effective than ever.

Here are 18 reasons why I think small manufacturers should consider using them (with help from Robert C. Ramsey, author of Effective House Organs).

1. Communicate directly with buyers, suppliers, and vendors.

2. Build goodwill.3. Bring direct inquiries/increase inquiries. 4. Make direct sales/ increase your sales and profits.5. Make business friends.6. Get your message across. 7. Allow others to help communicate your message

(re: referrals).8. Educate customers about your products and

services. 9. Showcase your company’s expertise and

capabilities. 10. Decrease your selling/sales expense.11. Obtain the names of prospective buyers via new

subscribers.12. Help buyers gain trust and confidence in your

company.13. Save you or your salespeople’s time.14. Give your salespeople a “warm” lead in to sales

calls.15. Provide salespeople with a “leave behind.”16. Increase website visits.17. Reactivate “dormant” customers.18. Provide faces and names to people inside your

company.

Manufacturing

Marketing

Manufacturing

MarketingGROWING YOUR BUSINESS

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

INJECTING FUN

INTO MARKETINGINJECTING FUN

INTO MARKETING

INJECTING FUN

INTO MARKETING

THE MEDIA YOU’RE

CONSUMING

THE MEDIA YOU’RE

CONSUMING

3D PRINTERS: UGLY

TO ATTRACTIVE

3D PRINTERS: UGLY

TO ATTRACTIVE

AUTOMATION

TRENDS

AUTOMATION

TRENDS

JUN

E 18

–24

2018

JUN

E 18

–24

2018

Attracting Younger Workers through Your Website

Attracting Younger Workers through Your Website

How one manufacturer re-engaged inactive customers

How one manufacturer re-engaged inactive customers

LEARN HOW ONE MANUFACTURER REACTIVATED THEIR

"DORMANT" CUSTOMERS THROUGH THEIR NEWSLETTER

MARKETING STRATEGIES

4 | MANUFACTURING MARKETING

Avoid this One Fatal Newsletter Mistake: Overwhelm

To capture your readers’ attention, and help improve click rates, avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information and clutter.

• DO: Have a clear purpose for every email

Before writing an email, know why you are sending it and what action you would like people to take as a result. Ensure your email aligns with your purpose and desired action.

• DO: Work hard on your subject line and preview text

Each day, the average office worker receives 121 emails. Grabbing attention in an inbox with a good subject line and preview text is the first step in getting a response to your message. Personalization can help.

• DO: Use a one-column format

This simple format is easy to read on both mobile and desktop devices, plus it eliminates distraction and clutter.

• DO: Limit cognitive overload

Your newsletter should require minimal brain power and time from your readers. Limit the number of articles to five or less, tell enough of the story to pique interest, and use call-to-action buttons to get people to click to the full version of a story, case study, etc. on your website.

Here’s what one client said to us after opening a vendor email with over 30 different articles: “I no more have time to read all this information than I do for a leisurely stroll around the plant.”

• DO: Use annotated images to tell a story

To tell a story quickly, use images and words together. Below is an image from a newsletter produced by Urethane Innovators. The image and words tell the story, plus it combines a call-to-action button. Sweet!

• DO: Use at least a 16 px font

Make your newsletter easy to read on smaller screens. Test readability on mobile as well as desktop.

"Since 2016, our sales and marketing team has worked with Huff Industrial Marketing to publish a monthly newsletter. What we love is that the newsletter 'sounds' and looks just like us. It's friendly and easy-to-read, and gets people to reply with comments, and sometimes to request a quote. It makes us look good!"

—Kurt Moberly, GM, Urethane Innovators

VIEW URETHANE INNOVATOR’S RECENT NEWSLETTER

MARKETING STRATEGIES

5 | MANUFACTURING MARKETING

I attended a workshop run by ActiveCampaign, a provider of email marketing automation software. Here are some take-aways that you can use.

1. USE AN AUTO-RESPONDER FOR EVERY FORM COMPLETED

This applies to an RFQ, contact form, employment application, whitepaper request, and more. Use these auto-responder emails to acknowledge receipt and to complement your thank you pages a visitor is taken to once they submit the form.

For example, send the prospect a copy of the detailed RFQ information they submitted and the expected wait time for you to respond. This email may be useful for them to refer back to later and gives the prospect reassurance that their information has been received.

You have the opportunity to make a positive first impression and stand out amongst your competitors.

Auto-responders could also be sent some time after they have been received or between business hours, rather than immediately, to give them a more human feel.

2. IMMEDIATELY SEND THE LATEST NEWSLETTER TO NEW SUBSCRIBERS

Instead of making them wait for up to a month, make the most of their attention while you have it. Alternatively, they could be sent a welcome newsletter with “best of” content from recent issues to introduce the format.

3. SEND A SERIES OF TIMED AFTER-SALES CARE EMAILS AFTER A PURCHASE

Depending on the type of product or service being provided, this could be a reminder to re-purchase, maintenance information, asking how things are going or how satisfied they are.

You could also send a relevant FAQ or recommend complementary products.

Internal emails could also be sent to sales reps at set times as reminders to call or visit clients as part of your after-sales care.

4. ASK ONE QUICK QUESTION TO YOUR MAILING LIST WITH BUTTONS TO CLICK DIRECTLY IN THE EMAIL

For example, use a 5-point scale asking them how satisfied

they were with your product or service. The survey is done right in the email with one click, rather than being taken to a webpage to complete it. Fast, simple, and not overwhelming.

Based on the clicks registered in the email, your list members’ answers are stored in your mailing list and targeted emails can be sent based on their response to the question.

Another example would be to ask one question which helps you learn more about which persona your list members fall into (e.g. job type or industry), so you can better target your future emails to them.

5. AUTOMATICALLY REMOVE CERTAIN EMAIL ADDRESSES FROM YOUR MAILING LIST

This way you get better deliverability, better open rates, and pay less for your mailing list.

For example, automatically email people who have not opened any newsletter in the past six months asking if they wish to remain on the list and instructing them click a link within the next two weeks. If they do not click the link, automatically remove them from the list.

5 Ways Manufacturers Can Use Email Marketing Automation to Save Time and Grow their Businessesby Rachel Cunliffe

MARKETING STRATEGIES

6 | MANUFACTURING MARKETING

Full-service marketing for manufacturers who want to grow.

We’re the experts at helping you

solve business challenges that can

impede growth through:

• Short- and long-term strategic

planning and implementation

• Marketing that consistently

delivers high-quality leads

• Actionable messaging and

branding to attract prospective

customers and employees

If want to get your business to

the next level, take a look at Huff

Industrial Marketing. From custom

designed websites to ongoing

marketing, we focus on one thing:

your success.

Boutique Team

Integrated Services

Industrial Expertise

603-382-8093

inquiries@huffindustrialmarketing.com

ManufacturingMarketing

TESTIMONIAL DOS AND DON’TS

TESTIMONIAL DOS AND DON’TS

AGING WORKFORCE REPORT

AGING WORKFORCE REPORT

ENCOURAGING TEENS INTO TRADE

Sept

embe

r 10

-23,

201

9

Communicating Company Culture through Testimonials

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

EMPLOYEE STORIES

ManufacturingMarketing

ManufacturingMarketing

TRADESHOW BOOTH SCREENS

TRADESHOW BOOTH SCREENS

RECRUITMENT VIDEOS

RECRUITMENT VIDEOS

ZOOM SOFTWARE UPDATE

July

23-

Sept

embe

r 10

, 201

9Ju

ly 2

3-Se

ptem

ber

10, 2

019

July

23-

Sept

embe

r 10

, 201

9

Should you use YouTube or Vimeo? Should you use YouTube or Vimeo?

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

MAKING USE OF VIDEO

MAKING USE OF VIDEO

MAKING USE OF VIDEO

ManufacturingMarketing

ManufacturingMarketing

ANNIN FLAGMAKERS

ANNIN FLAGMAKERS

ICONIC BRANDS STILL MADE IN USA

ICONIC BRANDS STILL MADE IN USA

HOW TO BUYUS-MADE

July

9-2

2, 2

019Ju

ly 9

-22,

201

9Ju

ly 9

-22,

201

9

What does a “Made in the USA” label really mean? What does a “Made in the USA” label really mean?

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

MADE IN USAMADE IN USA MADE IN USA

ManufacturingMarketing

ManufacturingMarketing

CASE STUDY DOS AND DON’TS

CASE STUDY DOS AND DON’TS

CASE STUDY EXAMPLES

CASE STUDY EXAMPLES

HELP WANTED SIGN MAKEOVER

June

25-

July

9 2

019

June

25-

July

9 2

019

June

25-

July

9 2

019

MachineMetrics on Brand with Data-Driven Case Study MachineMetrics on Brand with Data-Driven Case Study

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

CASE STUDIESCASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES

Catch up on recent issues:

ADVERTISING

Showcase your product or service to manufacturers with an ad in Manufacturing Marketing.

AUDIENCE: Small and mid-sized US manufacturers

WHO SHOULD ADVERTISE: Manufacturers, consultants, software providers

ADVERTISING REQUESTS: inquiries@manufacturingmarketingmagazine.com

ManufacturingMarketing

FLOYD CEO INTERVIEW

BRANDING STRATEGIES

ALEXA FOR JOB RECRUITMENT

Oct

ober

8-2

1, 20

19

Michigan’s Manufacturing Resurgence

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

ENGINEEREDFURNITURE

ManufacturingMarketing

ManufacturingMarketing

BRANDEDSEARCH ADS

BRANDEDSEARCH ADS

BRANDEDSEARCH ADS

COMMON METRIC MISTAKES

COMMON METRIC MISTAKES

GOOGLE ADS GRANULARITY

GOOGLE ADS GRANULARITY

Sept

embe

r 24

-Oct

ober

7, 2

019

Sept

embe

r 24

-Oct

ober

7, 2

019

Sept

embe

r 24

-Oct

ober

7, 2

019

Why Manufacturers Can’t Ignore Mobile Why Manufacturers Can’t Ignore Mobile

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

WHY MOBILEMATTERS

WHY MOBILEMATTERS