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Mike Marrapese, president of Diamond Metals Distribution, offered quite a challenge. He wanted to make a video to promote his company’s competitive advantage, extend the reach of its sales force and authenticate its position in the manufacturing industry.

Located in Cleveland, OH, Diamond Metals is a single-source supplier of tool steels, powdered metals and hot-rolled steel. It specializes in providing tight-tolerance pre-squared blocks, machined on all six sides. Thanks to its state-of-the-art machinery, including cutting, grinding and milling equipment, it has earned a reputation for delivering an entire bill of materials in the time it takes competitors to quote a job, according to company officials. All of this and more had to be conveyed in the marketing video.

Much to Overcome in Delivering Effective Video

Three factors made the goal of realizing Marrapese’s vision especially challenging:

1) Diamond Metals had never worked with a studio to create a video.

2) There was resistance within the organization to spend marketing dollars on a video.

3) The video had to highlight exciting innovations in the metals-supply industry.

Prior to this effort, Diamond Metals marketed its capabilities using paper collateral, print advertising and tradeshows. Each of these methods yielded successful results with many customers, but to grow even more, Marrapese felt that he needed to bring people to Diamond Metals for a tour. Obviously, this was not feasible for each and every current and potential customer, but could video provide a similar payback?

Cinecraft, a Cleveland-based video production company, was charged with delivering this marketing piece. The company suggestion: Create a narrated video to showcase Diamond Metals’ innovative technology, communicate its capabilities and call the viewer to act. Cinecraft also recommended distributing the video online, and creating flash-drive copies for use at tradeshows and on sales calls.

Sales Up, Energy Up

Cinecraft ultimately produced the video, and Marrapese gave the online link and flash drive copies to the Diamond Metals sales force. What happened next?

“The video was the best thing we ever did,” says Marrapese. “We had been trying to explain to so many potential customers what we could do for them, and we had been calling on them forever. Then we showed them the video. Since then our sales are up 20 percent, we’ve added new sales representatives to our team and our existing reps are more energized. The video is our primary sales tool.”

Diamond Metals’ return on investment continues to climb. With its products and capabilities clearly communicated in the video, the company now can promote its competitive advantage in new geographic locations, and its industry position has strengthened. And, resistance to spending money on a video has turned into, “I wish we had done it sooner.”

Remember Marrapese’s request, that the video highlight Diamond Metals’ exciting manufacturing innovations? See for yourself if that challenge was met: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGXAVzX6tR4 MF