Marketing Metrics, Messaging, and Madness

Justifying Blog Exposure with Engineering Contacts

Anyone marketing a manufacturing company that is expanding their blog exposure probably faces this conversation with upper management: but is it really worth it? We're just starting our big push toward getting into the top technology blogs, and I'm already facing the question. Once you move away from the traditional marketing avenues, it can be difficult for management to see the benefits of (in our case) lending a $8,000+ piece of equipment to a blog in exchange for a review and some exposure.

For me, the justification that has made the biggest impact is demonstrating the engineering contacts we make through the technology blogs. The people contacting us aren't just the at-home internet searcher that wants to start a business (who we also want to reach), or the technology geek (I can say that - I'm one) that has $8,000 to spare, but also our gold star leads - engineers for large manufacturing companies that want to buy multiple systems.

Blogs give us something that trade shows and trade publications can't - a one-on-one conversation from a source the reader trusts. When we provide a system for the blogger to play with, it's going to someone with no experience on the laser that can demonstrate how easy they are to use, as well as how many different uses there are for the machine. We're not surrounded by booths with other people clamoring for their attention or ads for competing products - they are reading a review of our product and able to come to their own conclusions of how the system can meet their needs. You really can't ask for a more intimate way to reach a possible buyer. 

Is there no such thing as bad PR?

Working with a laser system, we often have customers joke about giving themselves a tatoo.  I usually laugh and say if they can hold their arm still long enough through the pain, we'll talk.  Last week, someone actually did. They posted a video of the laser engraving on their hand and the story was picked up by several blogs, all mentioning the name of our company. Good? Bad? Indifferent?

We certainly would never want anyone to engrave on their body. There is just too much danger in laser exposure, not to mention the customer must break our safety interlock system to fire the laser with the door open. The conversation on the blogs has been remarkably responsible. They have castigated the person for his stupidity, which is a good response, but we have had customers call to complain that there are videos like this on the web. I explained that we don't have any recourse because the customer can choose to hack into the system to engrave with an open cabinet - we just have to make it as difficult as possible to try and use their stupidity creatively. 

So, we're in the position of wondering if it really is bad PR if we get expanded exposure because of the post? What do you think?

The Project that Ate Denver

Have you noticed how every project that we take on in marketing tends to lead to five more responsibilities over the long haul? It's not just putting together the new website...you have to optimize the site, and create new content, and translate the pages, and...and...and... It just grows and grows. It just doesn't feel as if I can completely cross anything off my list anymore. 

We're currently releasing a new training site on our systems (that I've been promising for years, but finally am now knocking it off the list). It's not just the months we've spent creating the content that took time away from other projects we could have (should have?) been completing. It's the future projects it has created. Sending out training packets to new customers, adding content as new machines are released, updating the site with more training sessions...and who takes all of this on?  The staff numbers don't expand, so we fit in the added responsibilities.  Add these new tasks to our lists and move on to the next project.

In a mid-sized business, there is nothing more important than starting a project with all of the future projects set out at the start. Don't just assign tasks to get the job done - assign what will have to be done after the project is complete. Don't wait until you're 95% done to decide who is going to be taking on the responsibilities. If you are managing a project that can grow out of control, write down every possible project that this one will create and who will be responsible after the project is finished. If you start with the end in mind, it will help keep your staff prepared for what they have ahead of them (and help keep you sane.)   

Okay, now on to the next project...